No judgments here.

I am not a box-mix person. Now, I am not casting aspersions on those who have cake mixes, powdered dressings, and tubs of frosting lining their shelves. May their courses run smooth. No judgments here. There isn't one pat and simple reason; the box just doesn't do it for me.

This is all to explain why one afternoon last week found me stirring a delicious chocolate concoction in a pot on the stove: chocolate pudding. Yes, pudding from scratch.




I am happy to report that the recipe I used produced a resounding success. More on that later. But. Was it better than the box? And. Wouldn't a box have been easier?

The last question first. A box of instant would have been easier. I was introduced to instant pudding in seventh-grade speech class when a girl named Jaime gave a how-to speech on making pudding. She poured instant pudding powder and milk into an airtight Rubbermaid container and shook vigorously for the remainder of her three-minute speech, which I found fascinating. That is quick pudding. But rather strenuous, one must admit. Still and all, faster and simpler than homemade.

Was homemade better than the box? Well, I think we all know the answer to that silly question. That's like asking which was better, the book or the movie? If you have a little more time, and we are talking 20 minutes, start to finish, homemade pudding -- when made with a reliable recipe, it must be said -- gives the box a run for its money. Its flavor is better. It is fresher tasting. The texture is slightly different, somehow more . . . homey. And to have a bowl of this stuff sitting in your fridge? Worth every stir.

So. No judgments here if the above has simply whetted your appetite for some shaken milk-and-powder. But if you have twenty minutes you wouldn't mind spending doing some mindless (or mindful, if that is your bent) stirring, read on.


Double Chocolate Pudding
Adapted slightly from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. I never buy half-and-half because I almost always have both milk and cream in the fridge, and right there are the fixin's for half-and-half; the recipe proportions are in the name. (Talk about a from-scratch fanatic!)

The strainer-over-the-bowl arrangement is crucial, unless you are an extremely seasoned pudding and custard maker. The eggs go from creamy to curdled almost without notice, and those little curds, whether they appear in every bite or just once in awhile, will not win fans of stovetop pudding. Simply passing the pudding through a sieve on its way to the bowl will solve this problem.

6 oz. bittersweet and/or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or in chip form
3/4 c. sugar
4 t. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
2 T. cocoa powder
3-1/2 c. half-and-half, or a mixture of milk and heavy cream
3 egg yolks
1 T. unsalted butter
2 t. vanilla

Melt the chocolate and set aside. Place a mesh strainer over a medium glass or metal mixing bowl and set within reach of the stove.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half (or milk-and-cream mixture) and then the yolks.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking gently but constantly and scraping the bottom and sides of the pot. (A heat-proof spatula is a good alternative to a whisk, if you prefer.) This will take about 10 minutes, give or take. The pudding will start out soupy and gradually you will notice it is the consistency of thick cream, but you will think it is your imagination because your eyes are going buggy from stirring for 7 minutes straight. Keep stirring. In a minute or two, it will be unmistakably thicker, and you might notice a bubble (if you dare stop stirring). At this point, reduce heat to medium and continue to stir constantly until the pudding is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour the pudding through the strainer into the bowl. Stir the butter and vanilla into the pudding until the butter is melted. Press plastic wrap or parchment paper directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

Makes 4 cups, enough for 4 to 6 people. Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 days.