Italian Chocolate Pudding

Italian Chocolate Pudding was the exquisite grand finale at our  Italian-themed Progressive Dinner. Rich and creamy, it didn’t last long. Dessert was at our house, naturally, and since the hubby does not like Tiramisu, this decadent Budino al Cioccolato was a done deal!

I knew this Homemade Chocolate Pudding was a hit when one of the guys asked me how I made it. He and my husband are the resident chocoholics, so it was definitely up to his standards!

Why You Must Make this Chocolate Budino

• It’s rich, creamy, and perfect for chocoholics!
• Homemade pudding is so much better than those box mixes or premade pudding at the grocery store.
• It’s the epitome of comfort food, yet garnished with a plump ripe raspberry and sprig of mint, it is elegant enough to serve at a dinner party.

Ingredient Notes

• Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Salt, Butter
• Heavy Cream – 36% Butterfat, adds richness
• Whole Milk – Adds more fat
• Egg Yolks – Separate your eggs when cold. The yolks are less likely to break.
• Semisweet Chocolate – Chop so it will melt more easily. I like to use Ghirardelli bars instead of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips have additives to help them keep their shape.
• Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla. The label should not say artificially flavored or the taste will be subpar.

Expert Tips

• Use quality chocolate and real vanilla extract. This will make a world of difference in the flavor of your pudding.
• PRO-Tip: Eggs separate more easily when they’re cold. The yolks are less likely to break.
• Don’t stop whisking when you’re tempering the eggs or when heating to thicken the pudding. This will help make the smoothest pudding.
• PRO-Tip: If you don’t like skin on the top of your pudding, place plastic wrap over the top of the pudding. 
• Serve with sweetened whipped cream and a raspberry or strawberry half. The white and red will pop when placed on the dark chocolate dessert.

How to Make Chocolate Pudding

1. Bring the milk and cream to a simmer, then set aside.
2. Whisk together the yolks and sugar in a heat-safe bowl.
3. Very slowly drizzle about ⅓ cup of the hot cream mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Slowly whisk in the rest of the mixture while whisking.
4. Return it all to the saucepan and cook while stirring constantly until it boils and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Pour the custard over the chopped chocolate, let melt, then whisk until smooth. 
6. Add the remaining ingredients to flavor the pudding, then pour into a serving bowl or individual dishes.
7. Chill or eat warm, depending on your preference.

Culinary Term: Tempering

One version of tempering is the procedure used to stabilize chocolate that involves a precise melting and cooling process. This results in a more malleable and glossy product. This recipe uses another version of tempering to stabilize eggs instead of chocolate.

The goal of tempering eggs is to gently warm them so that when they’re added to a hot liquid, they don’t scramble. Typically a small amount of the hot liquid is drizzled into the eggs while whisking constantly. The eggs are slowly warmed and diluted, and therefore will smoothly incorporate into the hot mixture without cooking the eggs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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The Recipe:

Italian Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Yield 8

A rich chocolate pudding recipe that's the perfect way to end any meal!

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk and cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is pale.
3. Slowly stir ⅓ cup of the warmed cream and milk into the egg yolks to temper them, whisking vigorously.
4. Add more of the warm dairy to the egg mixture, ⅓ cup at a time, whisking well between additions.
5. Add the mixture back to the large saucepan and place over medium heat. 
6. Cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. 
7. Place the chopped chocolate in a large mixing bowl.
8. Pour the custard over the chocolate and set aside for 5 minutes, until the chocolate has melted.
9. Working quickly, whisk until smooth and well combined, and then whisk in the butter, salt, and vanilla until combined. 
10. Pour into serving dishes and enjoy warm, or cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour to serve cold. This pudding will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

Use quality ingredients for the best results.

Whisking constantly while tempering the yolks and bringing the mixture to a boil are imperative for a smooth, silky pudding. You don't want the eggs to scramble.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 292Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 179mgSodium: 173mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 5g

Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.

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