Rich Creamy Chocolate Dessert (Printable)

A smooth, chilled chocolate treat with dark chocolate and vanilla for a refined finish.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups whole milk
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Dry Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 3 tablespoons cornstarch
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Chocolate

08 - 3.5 ounces dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa), finely chopped

→ Flavoring

09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt until evenly blended.
02 - Gradually add milk and cream to the dry mixture, whisking continuously to ensure smoothness without lumps.
03 - Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens and bubbles.
04 - Remove from heat, then add chopped dark chocolate and butter; whisk until fully melted and blended into a smooth custard.
05 - Stir in vanilla extract thoroughly to infuse flavor.
06 - Pour pudding into individual glasses or ramekins, covering surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent film formation.
07 - Refrigerate for a minimum of two hours to allow the dessert to firm up.
08 - Present cold, optionally garnished with whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or fresh berries to enhance presentation and flavor.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in twenty minutes but tastes like you spent hours perfecting it in some French patisserie.
  • The texture is impossibly creamy without being heavy, striking that perfect balance between decadent and elegant.
  • It's humble enough for a weeknight treat but fancy enough to serve at a dinner party without apology.
02 -
  • If you skip the plastic wrap directly on the surface, a skin will form—not a disaster, but it changes the texture experience you worked to create.
  • Lumps happen when you add liquid too fast or don't whisk the dry ingredients together first, so take those extra thirty seconds at the beginning.
  • Don't rush the chilling time; a pudding that's still warm is thin and disappointing, but one that's been waiting patiently becomes that luxurious spoon dessert.
03 -
  • Make this pudding the morning of your dinner party—it chills quietly in the refrigerator, leaving you free to focus on other dishes.
  • If lumps do form when you add the liquid, pour everything through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan and start the heating step again; the pudding won't know about your small correction.
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