IMG_1563

You may have heard it said that Cellar Door is an example of a sublimely euphonic word-pairing. But consider the words Chocolate Pudding. Chocolate. Pudding. That’s sex in your mouth right there.

IMG_1568

This is a great dessert recipe for when you’re running low on exotic pantry ingredients and have good staple items on hand. It’s an old favourite from Hershey’s and you need just one pot to bring it all together.

I haven’t adapted their recipe much, apart from adding a teaspoon of ground cardamom to the milk. If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you’ll know I add cardamom to pretty much anything I can get away with. Substitute the sugar with xylitol and, if you’re not too orthodox about the cornflour, it’s almost banting-friendly. Let me know in the comments if you have any success with alternate thickeners.

Cardamom Chocolate Pudding

(from Hershey’s Quick Creamy Chocolate Pudding Recipe)
Serves 4

  • 2/3 cup sugar/xylitol
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons Maizena
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or to taste)
  • 2 and 1/4 cups milk/dairy substitute
  • 2 tablespoons butter/coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar, cocoa, Maizena, salt and ground cardamom and add to a medium-sized saucepan.
Stir in the milk gradually, until all the dry ingredients have just about dissolved.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.
Boil and stir for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter/coconut oil and vanilla.
Pour into serving containers. To avoid a skin from forming on top, press plastic wrap directly onto surface; serve warm or refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
You could also allow the mixture to thicken on standing, and use a piping bag to swirl it into serving bowls.
Dust with cocoa powder just before serving.

IMG_1575