Shreya 
It’s the eve of thanksgiving and I am finally launching my blog!!! What better time to launch my blog than to take this opportunity to be grateful for all the love and support I have received on my instagram page ‘the_flavor_seeker this past year and half. The first post had to be something special so I bring to you this rich, decadent, chocolate pudding dessert assembled as s’mores shots. Try this crowd pleasing dessert this Thanksgiving or Christmas and impress your guests.
It’s easy to assemble and comes together in no time. It can also be prepared a night or two before, giving you more time to tend to the main dishes. I saw this recipe in a delish magazine but have added some twists to the original. I have also mentioned a shortcut to assemble this dessert if you don’t want to make your chocolate pudding from scratch. So let’s dig in!!
What makes the best chocolate pudding?
You would be surprised to know how easy it is to make a luscious and creamy chocolate pudding at home. It is important however to pay attention to some of the crucial steps. Here are some troubleshooting tips to omit to make that perfect pudding.
The pudding can be of perfect consistency if you cook the mixture as mentioned below just to a boil over medium heat with constant stirring which is the temperature needed to deactivate an enzyme called alpha amylase present in egg yolks. This is necessary for the starch in the mixture to be able to gel, otherwise, it will stay liquid. Make sure to keep scraping the sides and bottom while stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking and burning. If you don’t use starch, the pudding can curdle as the temperature rises. It’s crucial not to heat the mixture too fast but gradually on medium heat which could cause lumps in the pudding.
Now that you are aware of what not to do, here’s the list of what you should be doing to make a lovely chocolate pudding for this dessert.
| Yield : | 6 servings | |
| Prep Time : | 0 hrs | 20 mins |
| Cook Time : | 0 hrs | 10 mins |
| Total time : | 0 hrs | 30 mins |
Ingredients
- Graham crackers
- Marshmallows
- Hershey’s / any chocolate bar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 tbsp cornstarch (can be substituted with any other starch)
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dark Cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Directions
· In a mixing bowl whisk egg yolks until their color changes to a lighter yellow and increases in volume. It’s best to use an electric hand mixer but if you’re up for some arm workout, feel free to use a whisk. Add the cornstarch and half the milk, whisk them in until fully incorporated and set aside.
· In a saucepan, bring the sugar, cocoa, salt and remaining milk to a boil. Be careful to not let the mixture boil, we only want to take a stage where we can see small bubbles on the side of the mixture. At that stage (scald) remove the pan from heat and gently pour a little bit of the mixture into the egg mixture while constantly mixing. We want to temper the room temperature egg mixture with the hot cocoa mixture. In other words, acquaint the former with the latter before adding it all in to get a smooth, airy pudding.
· Once that is done, add the whole mixture to the saucepan. The heat should be reduced and the mixture should be stirred constantly until thickened. When it reaches the desired consistency, pour it in a bowl and cover with clear wrap. Make sure to press the clear wrap to the surface of the pudding to prevent it from forming a crust. You can store this in the fridge in an airtight container for 5-7 days but its best served within 24 hours.
Pro tip : If you plan to assemble the dessert a few days after making the pudding, give the pudding a good mix after taking it out from the refrigerator.
What if I use an instant pudding mix instead?
Let’s face it, the chocolate pudding is the star of this dessert and if you don’t want to take the risk of making it from scratch or save some time, there are other options available. You can buy a ready to eat pudding from the supermarket, making it easier to assemble the dessert. But if you wish to be in between and get the best of both worlds, an instant pudding mix can be the way to go and with a few added tricks, it can taste like homemade pudding.
- Use evaporated milk instead of regular milk.
- Spike the pudding up with a splash of rum. Cognac or bourbon would pair very well too.
- Add finely chopped pecan / walnuts to give the pudding more texture. You can also add some Nutella to give that hazelnut flavor to your pudding.
To assemble the dessert:
Crush the graham crackers and add it to the bottom of your serving dish. I used shot glasses here for aesthetics but you can also make it as a pie.
Add the chocolate pudding on top of the layer of graham crackers.
Toast some marshmallows and cut them in half and put them on top of the pudding. If you’re making it like a pie, arrange whole marshmallows on top of the pudding layer and bake it at 350F for 5-7 mins or until the top of brown. Be careful as marshmallows catch fire if heated too much as they are all sugar.
Add a piece of Hershey bar to the side of your shot glasses and voilà!
What I love about this recipe apart from how easy it is to put together, is that you can control what you put it in. It’s holiday season and sweet treats are in abundance so if you want to control your sugar intake but still indulge a bit, there are great alternatives one can use. For instance, use low fat graham crackers or substitute them with digestive biscuits. You can also use other sugar substitutes in your pudding like date sugar. This recipe can also easily be made vegan but substituting the regular milk with a plant based milk. Bring out the creative streak in you and please share in the comments if you do !
Happy Thanksgiving!
