Chocolate Pudding Pots – RecipeTin Eats

Chocolate Pudding Pots

These delightful Chocolate Pudding Pots embody everything I adore about dessert: they’re luxurious yet not excessively rich, perfectly sweetened, elegant enough for a fine dining experience, and incredibly easy to prepare. This dessert makes it seem like you’ve put in a lot of effort when, in reality, it’s merely a matter of whisking a few ingredients together and letting them chill.

The texture is softly creamy, melting into a wave of chocolate in your mouth. Best of all, these pudding pots have excellent shelf life; I often hide them in my fridge, sneaking spoonfuls until I discover my pot has vanished mysteriously. Who could have eaten my pudding pot?!!

And yes, the fact that they “keep for 5 days” makes it a fantastic ready-to-go dessert, perfect not only for snacking but also for impressing guests!

Ingredients

While traditional chocolate puddings often rely solely on cornflour or cornstarch for thickening, I prefer to incorporate egg yolks, which adds a touch of luxury without leaving a greasy mouthfeel. Additionally, I always use real chocolate—never just cocoa powder—for that rich flavor profile. In essence, this chocolate pudding is a variant of the classic chocolate French pastry cream (Crème Pâtissière).

• 70% cocoa chocolate: This variety offers a rich chocolate flavor that isn’t overly sweet. Using dark chocolate not only adds sophistication but also plays a crucial role in setting the pudding. To maintain the correct consistency, avoid using less chocolate; reducing it requires increasing the cornflour—see FAQ for details.

  Chocolate options:
  – Regular dark chocolate: Approximately 45% cocoa, meaning the chocolate flavor is less intense and slightly sweeter. Reduce sugar content by about a tablespoon to compensate.
  – Chocolate chips: No need to chop; melting is easier with buttons designed for this purpose.
  – Milk or white chocolate: These aren’t suitable for this recipe due to their sweeter flavor and softer consistency, requiring substantial adjustments to both cornflour and sugar for proper setting.

• Cocoa powder: Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed as a substitute (reduce to 1 1/2 tablespoons). Always sift to avoid lumps!

• 2 large egg yolks: Use from standard large eggs (50-55g each). It’s easiest to separate them when they’re cold.

• Milk and cream: The liquid base of this pudding. I prefer using more cream than milk (1 1/2 cups cream and 1 cup milk) for added richness. You can substitute entirely with low-fat milk for a lighter option, but do adjust cornflour for proper consistency.

• Cornflour/cornstarch: Essential for thickening the pudding.

• Caster sugar/superfine sugar: Regular sugar is fine; however, I default to caster as it dissolves more easily.

• Vanilla extract: Always choose pure over imitation vanilla essence!

• Pinch of salt: Enhances the chocolate flavor—a standard practice in modern baking!

How to Make Chocolate Pudding Pots

In summary: whisk all ingredients except chocolate in a saucepan, heat to thicken, melt chocolate in, pour into pots, and chill. And remember, they keep for 5 days!

1. Whisk everything: Combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk until blended—initially thick, but the sugar will liquefy. Add cornflour, vanilla, cocoa powder (sifted), and a splash of milk (~2 tablespoons). Mix in milk and cream to achieve a pale brown, watery mixture.

2. Warm to thicken: Continue to whisk over medium heat. The mixture will thicken slightly—it’s primarily the chocolate that will set it later. Remove from the heat as soon as bubbles appear, about 5 minutes. ⚠️ Avoid cranking the heat to rush the process; doing so may leave you with scrambled eggs!

3. Melt chocolate: Stir in the chopped chocolate until fully melted. If it struggles to melt, return to a low heat for assistance.

4. Pour: Quickly pour the mixture into serving glasses to avoid ripples on the surface from thickening—these can be hidden by cream later. For five servings, use glasses slightly larger than 1/2 cup (my cocktail glasses are 3/4 cup/180 ml).

   TIP: The quicker you pour, the smoother the pudding surface, which can also be nice! 🙂

5. Chill to set: Allow the puddings to cool down for approximately 15 minutes on the counter, then refrigerate for 3 hours until set. Do not cover, as this will create condensation that drips onto the pudding surface. The finished product will be soft enough to melt beautifully in your mouth while holding its shape when served.

6. Decorate: Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of chopped chocolate or choose from many wonderful garnishing options!

For garnish, I kept it simple with just cream and some chopped chocolate, but feel free to get creative! Here are some suggestions:

• Fresh raspberries or halved strawberries topped with a sprig of mint;

• Crushed nuts, pralines, or leftover toffee pecans;

• Spritz with edible gold dust;

• Freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries;

• A crunchy biscotti or wafer served on the side.

What are your ideas for toppings? I’d love to hear them! – Nagi x

Watch How to Make It