Chocolate pudding is such a comfort food.  You can buy it ready made in the yogurt case but I prefer to make my own as it tastes fresher.  But this is not really a scratch recipe. I take a store box of Jello cook and serve and make a few changes.  My version is a tad less sweet and gives you an extra serving. The cinnamon is optional but I think it heightens the chocolate flavor.  Do not use instant pudding; only the cook and serve stuff.

 

This pudding takes just five minutes to cook it up and pudding is always a cozy treat, even in summer.  It is naturally gluten free.  My mom loves it because it has a nice texture and isn’t quite so sweet as store pudding normally is. Here is my simple recipe. 

Angie’s Chocolate Pudding

1 box Jello “cook and serve” pudding; 3.4 ounce box

2 ½ cups whole or 2 percent milk

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. cocoa powder (not drink mix!)

Good sprinkle of cinnamon.

 Place the milk in a thick bottomed medium saucepan.  Mix the other ingredients in a small bowl and pour into the milk in the saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium as you stir constantly with a whisk.  I keep stirring until the entire pan is at a full boil meaning many big bubbles all over the surface.  Turn off and ladle into 5 6 oz serving dishes.  Chill 2-4 hours and serve plain or with some lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream.  A few ripe raspberries would be lovely on top of this chocolaty treat.  I have even buried a ginger snap cookie in the middle of the pudding for a surprise to bite into!

 

This doesn’t work as well with one percent milk, and not at all with skim milk.  Best results are with whole milk.  If you don’t stir enough it will burn on the bottom.