Homemade pudding is the perfect way to end your meal

When you’re searching for something sweet after lunch or dinner, homemade chocolate pudding will become your go-to dessert.

Note that homemade chocolate pudding may not have enough flavor if there is not enough chocolate, and it can become grainy if there is too much cocoa butter. But by using a modest amount of bittersweet chocolate paired with unsweetened cocoa and espresso powder, you can achieve maximum chocolate flavour.

Milk, heavy cream and an egg yolk provide the silky smooth finish you’d expect for this luscious dessert.

Small-Batch Creamy Chocolate Pudding

· Chocolate Pudding

· 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

· 1/8 tsp espresso powder

· 3 tbsp sugar

· 1 tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa

· 2 tsp cornstarch

· 1/4 tsp table salt

· 3 tbsp heavy cream

· 1 large egg yolk

· 3/4 cup whole milk

· 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

· 1 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

1. Stir together vanilla and espresso powder in a bowl; set aside. Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt together in a large saucepan. Whisk in cream and yolk until fully incorporated, making sure to scrape the corners of the saucepan. Whisk in milk until incorporated.
2. Place saucepan over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbling over the entire surface, 4 to 6 minutes. Cook 30 seconds longer, remove from heat, add butter and chocolate, and whisk until melted and fully incorporated. Whisk in vanilla mixture.
3. Pour pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Press lightly greased parchment paper against the surface of the pudding and place in the refrigerator to cool, at least 1 1/2 hours or up to two days. Whisk pudding briefly and serve.