12 Days til Christmas: Homemade Chocolate Pudding

This isn’t necessarily a holiday only treat, it’s delish all year long. It’s one of my faves! Where did this recipe come from? Well, for Christmas the first year we were married, my awesome mother-in-law compiled all the recipes that float around all the different kitchen tables in the family (and some family friends) and organized them by category, typed them up, printed them out and filled up a binder with homemade goodness. Now, let me just explain that each binder is three inches thick, that’s right THREE inches! That’s a lot of homemade goodness! It’s, by far, my favorite cookbook. This recipe is from that cookbook. It can also be found in the cookbook There’s A Cow In The Kitchen.

HOMEMADE PUDDING RECIPE

Ingredients:
1/2 cup instant dry milk powder  (1/3 cup if using non-instant) 
1 3/4 Cup water 
1egg beaten 
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp. vanilla 
1/4 tsp. salt 
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 Cup sugar

Directions:

Bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil.  Reduce heat and stir in the mixed dry ingredients.  Beat in the beaten egg and cook over low heat one minute.  Stir in butter and vanilla.  Cool in refrigerator.

Variations to basic pudding recipe:

Coconut:  Use 1 tsp coconut flavoring or use vanilla and stir in 1/2 cup shredded coconut.

Fruit:  Layer sliced or canned fruit over the pudding.

Butterscotch:  Substitute brown sugar for the white sugar and add an extra tablespoon of butter.  Add pecan pieces if desired.

Chocolate:  Add 2 Tbsp. extra sugar and 2 Tbsp. cocoa.

Eggnog:  Use 2 eggs for each 4 serving size.  Omit vanilla and add a dash of nutmeg and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. rum flavoring.

Maple nut:  Use 1 tsp maple flavoring in place of vanilla.  Add chopped English Walnuts.  This is best made with brown sugar.

The chocolate is my favorite.  Hands down.  We eat it hot right off the stove with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (to help cool it to a tolerable temperature) and it’s to die for delish.  It’s really yummy without the strawberries too, but who doesn’t like chocolate covered strawberries?  I know those people do exist, but I’m soo not one of them.  The Egg Nog Version is one we enjoy during the holiday season.  It’s very yummy as well.  ENJOY!