Chocolate Pudding from Scratch

Name: Chocolate Pudding from Scratch
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (22 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process, sifted if lumpy; 3 tablespoons (24 g) cornstarch; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 2½ cups (600 ml) whole milk, cold; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, cold; 2 whole yolks (37 g) large egg yolks, at room temperature; 4 ounces (115 g) dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces; 1½ teaspoons (7½ ml) pure vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Silky, deeply chocolatey stovetop pudding made with cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate, thickened with cornstarch. Ready in about 15 minutes of cooking, then chilled until set.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Wait: 4 hr
Total: 4 hr 20 min
Makes: 6 servings (about ½ cup / 140 g each)

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Steps

Before you start

Chop the chocolate finely so it melts instantly in the hot pudding.
Measure everything before you start; once the pudding is on the heat you must whisk constantly.
Plan on at least 4 hours of chilling, so make this in the morning for an evening dessert.
Use whole milk for the creamiest texture; low-fat milk gives a thinner result.

1
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a 3-quart (2.8 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, off the heat, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt until no streaks of cornstarch or cocoa remain.
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Ready when: The mixture is one uniform dark brown powder.
Tip: Whisking dry first prevents cornstarch clumps later.
2
Make the slurry
- Pour in about ½ cup (120 ml) of the cold milk and whisk to a smooth, thick paste, pressing out any lumps.
- Whisk in the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) milk and the cream until fully combined.
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Ready when: The liquid is smooth with no dry pockets at the bottom of the pan.
Tip: Scrape the corners of the pan, where cocoa likes to hide.
3
Add the yolks
- Whisk the egg yolks into the cold mixture until fully blended.
- Adding them now, before heating, avoids scrambling and gives a richer, glossier pudding.
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Ready when: No visible streaks of yolk.
4
Cook and thicken
- Set the pan over medium heat.
- Whisk constantly, reaching into the corners, for 6 to 8 minutes.
- The mixture will stay thin at first, then thicken suddenly and begin to bubble.
- Once the first large bubbles pop on the surface, keep whisking and cook 1 minute more to fully cook the cornstarch.
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Ready when: Pudding is thick enough to leave a trail from the whisk and coats the back of a spoon; a few slow bubbles are popping.
Tip: If it scorches or sticks, stop whisking at the bottom, lower the heat, and don't scrape the burnt layer into the strain step.
5
Melt in chocolate
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla.
- Whisk gently for about 1 minute until the chocolate and butter melt completely.
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Ready when: Pudding is glossy, dark and completely smooth, with no chocolate flecks.
6
Strain the pudding
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl and pour the hot pudding through it, pressing with a spatula.
- This removes any tiny cooked bits of egg or cornstarch for a silky texture.
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Ready when: Pudding in the bowl is perfectly smooth.
7
Portion into cups
- Divide the warm pudding among six ½-cup (120 ml) ramekins or glasses, about ½ cup (140 g) each.
- Tap each gently on the counter to level the surface.
8
Cover and chill
- For no skin, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto each pudding surface.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
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Ready when: Pudding is cold and holds its shape when a spoon is pulled through.
Tip: Serve it after 4 hours; it is lightly softer if eaten sooner.

Good to know

Tips

Keep whisking right through the thickening stage; the bottom and corners of the pan scorch first.
Boil gently for a full minute after it thickens, otherwise the cornstarch can taste starchy and the pudding may thin out when chilled.
Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker, smoother flavor; natural cocoa is slightly fruitier.
Top with whipped cream, flaky salt or chocolate shavings just before serving.

Make ahead

"Pudding can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep plastic wrap pressed on the surface until serving."

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate covered with plastic wrap pressed on the surface for up to 4 days. Not suitable for room temperature storage beyond 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended because the texture turns grainy and watery. Serve cold; no reheating needed, though it can be eaten warm within 20 minutes of cooking.

Substitutions

whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or full-fat canned coconut milk thinned with water. Dairy-free option; use a dairy-free chocolate and swap butter for coconut oil. Texture is slightly looser.
dark chocolate (60–70% cacao) → semisweet chocolate chips. Slightly sweeter; reduce sugar to 6 tablespoons (75 g) if you like it less sweet.
cornstarch → arrowroot powder. Use the same amount; do not overcook or it turns slimy.
heavy cream → additional whole milk. Lighter pudding; use ½ cup (120 ml) more milk.