Real cream, good chocolate, and cocoa powder make for the best homemade chocolate pudding. Perfect for a tasty snack or fancy dessert.
- Prep Time:
5 mins - Cook Time:
10 mins - Total Time:
15 mins *
* Plus chilling time.
This is chocolate pudding. Real homemade chocolate pudding. Forget about the stuff that comes from a boxed mix or that is pre-packaged in plastic cups with a shelf life of forever. This is the way chocolate pudding was meant to be – made with heavy cream, good quality chocolate, and dark cocoa powder.
This will make you swoon with its deep chocolate flavor and creamy texture. It will make you want to lick every last bit of chocolate from the pan even though it is 9:00 am and you just ate breakfast and you had made this to share.
Use the best ingredients for the best chocolate pudding
The ingredient list is very basic –
- sugar
- cornstarch
- cocoa powder
- semi-sweet chocolate
- heavy whipping cream
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
However, using the best chocolate and cocoa powder you can find will make all the difference in this recipe. If you have been saving the “good stuff” for something special, this is the time to use it.
My favorite cocoa powder is from Valrhona. It is what most professional bakeries use and is well worth the extra cost. For the chocolate, I use Callebaut 53% dark chocolate callets. Even though, the label says “dark”, the 53% means it’s a semi-sweet chocolate. The callets are basically chocolate chips instead of a large block or bar eliminating the need to chop it.
How to make pudding
The cooking technique could not be easier. It is all cooked in one pan on the stove top – no double boiler required. There are no eggs to worry about curdling and, thus, no need for straining to get a smooth texture. The key is to constantly whisk the mixture as it’s cooking.
The best part is that chocolate pudding is so versatile. My kids love it as an after school snack. My sister serves it for dessert at her dinner parties. Serve it in bowls or serve it in goblets – just serve it soon.
Chocolate Pudding
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Real cream, good chocolate, and cocoa powder make for the best homemade chocolate pudding. Perfect for a tasty snack or fancy dessert.
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I use Valrhona)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ounces best-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I use Callebaut)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For serving
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- Chocolate cookie crumbs, optional
Instructions
For the pudding
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Whisk in wet ingredients. Add cream, milk, and vanilla to dry ingredients. Whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved. It is alright if the cocoa powder is not completely dissolved at this point.
- Cook. Place saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Mix in chocolate. Add chocolate, and cook, whisking until chocolate is melted, about 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter until melted.
- Chill. Pour pudding into dessert cups and refrigerate until completely set, 1-2 hours.
For serving
- Whip. Whip the cream with the sugar until soft peaks form.
- Top. Spoon whipped cream onto pudding (See Notes).
- Garnish. Sprinkle cookie crumbles over whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- To prevent a skin from forming on top of the pudding as it cools, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding before putting it in the refrigerator.
- If you want to pipe the cream on top of the pudding, beat the cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe cream onto pudding.
- Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.
Helena says
WoW!! This is SOME Chocolate Pudding! Took 6-7 minutes longer to cook. Very Creamy & Chocolaty! Simply to make = Perfect. Gracias!
Nguyet Vo says
Thank you for such an amazing review Helena!
Elizabeth says
Sooo, what would happen, do you know, if I replaced all the cream with milk? I never have cream on hand and while I do love ultra-rich pudding, what I love more is pudding I can make at any time with ingredients I always have in my fridge/pantry. Would it still turn into pudding if I did that? Do you know?
Thank you for your recipe 🙂
Taming of the Spoon says
I think your pudding would turn out fine since there is cornstarch to thicken the pudding. It just wouldn’t taste as rich as the version with cream. I would recommend using whole milk though and not non-fat milk. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Nancy says
Looks great! I will try it for sure
Taming of the Spoon says
I hope you love it!