Cooking 101 - Double Chocolate Pudding

EVERYBODY has got to try making their own chocolate pudding once in their lifetime! (And I'm pretty sure that you won't want to eat the boxed kind anymore!)

One of our family's favorite desserts after a nice Sunday dinner is a warm piece of chocolate cake smothered with warm chocolate pudding. You can cheat on the cake and make it from the box if you want - but NOT the pudding! Here is a sinful, homemade pudding that's easy to make:

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

6 egg yolks
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
3 T. very good cocoa powder
Pinch salt

2 c. milk
1 oz. very good semisweet chocolate, chopped (unless you're using chocolate chips)
2 T. unsalted butter
1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
2 T. heavy cream, half-and-half, or more milk will work, too.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light yellow and thick in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer if that's what you have). On low speed, add cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt.

Then, bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly. While mixing chocolate mixture on low speed, slowly pour the hot milk into the mixture. Combine well, then pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan.

Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until thickened. IF THE MIXTURE BEGINS TO CURDLE, REMOVE IT FROM HEAT AND BEAT IT VIGOROUSLY WITH A WIRE WHISK. Remove the pan from heat, add the chocolate, butter, vanilla and heavy cream and mix until everything is all melted.

This pudding ends up being thick. If you like it a little thinner, you can either scale back on the cornstarch or add more milk at the end.

Pour into serving bowls, place plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent a 'skin' from forming on the top. Chill thoroughly or serve warm.