Recipe: Homemade Lightened Up Chocolate Pudding

As much as I love fussy, fancy desserts with flavours galore and techniques in abundance - sometimes you just need a fix of the classics. 

And sometimes, a big ol' bowl of creamy, thick chocolate pudding is just what you need.

I've been making chocolate pudding from scratch for years - stovetop chocolate pudding, especially in winter because the cold is a great excuse for my severe impatience and I can eat it steaming hot straight from the pot. 

Over the years, my chocolate pudding has had tweaks and changes and adjustments as I sought to find the perfect balance, however, recently I came up with a recipe that I know will never again change.

Why? Because it's that good. 

My chocolate pudding experimentation days are over and my basking in bowls of the most amazing pudding in the world has begun. 

Now, I'm not tooting my own horn here.... actually... scrap that, I'm totally tooting my own horn because this pudding is seriously ridiculously good and you need to try it ASAP.

This pudding is thick, creamy and oh so delicious - and it doesn't form an awful thick outer layer that both looks unappealing and tends to taste not so nice. It can be layered in desserts or eaten straight from the pot - left to chill for a lusciously thick treat and even frozen for the most awesome pudding pops. 

But best of all? It's secretly lightened up too - and as well as being gluten free it can also be dairy and refined sugar free. It's also ridiculously easy and whipped up in seconds - so perfect for those nights where you need something chocolate-y and need it now.

Eat it as is or dress it up with a swirl of melty peanut butter, a dollop of whipped cream or fresh juicy berries - turn it into a chunky monkey cup with sliced bananas and crunchy peanuts or use it as a dip for fruit - the possibilities are endless but oh so delicious.

It's great for date nights and kids parties and that time of the month and girl's nights and movie nights and every occasion inbetween. It's a recipe that needs just five ingredients that you probably already have in the kitchen and takes just 10 minutes from start to finish (plus chilling time if you have the patience :P)

So let me share the recipe with you, shall I? 

The Best Healthier Chocolate Pudding Recipe from Scratch

makes 3-4 serves, depending on size, easily multiplied

low fat, gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free 

1 tbsp (15g) gluten free cornstarch/cornflour 

2 tbsp (15g) unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup (50g) coconut sugar*

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt 

2 egg yolks**

1 1/2 cups milk of your choice (we usually use unsweetened almond milk) 

• In a small saucepan, mix together your cornflour, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and yolks until just combined with a spatula (it will be quite dry, but you're about to add the milk in!) 
• Gradually add your milk in, mixing to combine your dry mix with the milk and gradually adding the rest of the milk in until all is combined.
• Place your saucepan onto the stove and heat over a medium heat, stirring constantly until your mix just begins to thicken (all of a sudden the mix will look glossy and you'll see it coating your spoon) and then take the pudding mixture off the heat. 
• The pudding will thicken as it cools down so don't keep it on the stove too long after it starts to thicken up. You want to take it off the stove once it begins coating your spoon. 
• Pour into your serving dishes and allow to cool slightly before devouring or chilling in the fridge until cold. 

*You can also use caster sugar or brown sugar or unrefined cane sugar - the choice is yours!

**I first started making this when I had a bunch of egg yolks left over from some of our other recipes and it's a great way to use up unneeded yolks!

But tell me, would you dress up your pudding with toppings or eat it straight up?

And what's your favourite dessert from when you were a kid?

One dessert I always connect with my childhood is my Mum's rice pudding. She'd make it maybe once or twice a year when we were having a baked dinner and even though I hated baked dinners, I loved them whenever I knew this was what came afterwards ;P