Velvet Chocolate Pudding

I really wish I could spoon some of this into your mouth.

I don't think you'd believe me otherwise.

This pudding is rich and decadent and super duper chocolatey and actually, shockingly very low carb...

I want to eat this pudding every night. And luckily, since it's quick to throw together, I could...

In a saucepan, throw in cocoa, salt, sweetener, and cornstarch. That's it.  Whisk it together, just to break up any clumps and combine everything.

Chop up one square of unsweetened chocolate.

OMG, that's gorgeous.

Slowly, drizzle your milk into the cocoa mix...whisking.

Frothy! Gorgeous!

Turn the burner on medium high and cook until the milk starts to scald, or combine, or whatever.

Uh...like this. It looks steamy. Cook it until it's all melted together and the previous froth is gone.

Now......dump in your chopped chocolate.

Whisk!

And immediately, the pudding transforms before your very eyes. It's like a magic show....but of chocolate pudding.

That's the kind of magic show I could get into.

I think I just drooled again.

Take it off the heat, whisk in vanilla. *vanilla will burn and get bitter if you add it earlier*

Then, pour into bowls....or your mouth.

I split mine into two ginormous servings. I ate all of mine, but most people would eat half and therefore split it into four normal-sized servings.... but it's chocolate and I was craving something terrible.

Chill this in the fridge for an hour or two to fully set and cool throughout.

But why? I never and I mean never wait for it to chill.

Oh, wait unless it's tapioca, the minute kind, cause then the little pearls don't form right, and that's a disaster. I still sneak bites right after it's finished, though. Then try to separate myself.

I really love hot chocolate pudding. It kinda rocks my world.

I kinda like all desserts hot. Cookies. Brownies. Cake. Pie. Crisp.

Top with some whipped cream, I used fat free, no biggy.

Since normal people only eat a quarter of a serving, there was some leftover in the fridge. The texture is unbelievable. It's so velvety and smooth and rich and glossy, well all those things, but firmer. Soooo goood.

I really wish I could fully explain the wonderness of this pudding. It's a force of nature.

Velvet Chocolate Pudding
(serves 4 normal people or 2 chocolate fanatics)
The Recipe:
1/4 cup cocoa (4 Tbl)
1/2 cup sweetener or sugar ( I use Ideal baking sweetener, with Splenda)
1/8 tsp salt
3 Tbl cornstarch
2 cups low fat milk ( I used 1%)
1 oz square of unsweetened chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips chopped)
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine cocoa, sweetener, salt and cornstarch, whisk to combine. Pour in milk, whisking it in as you go until frothy. Cook over medium high heat until the froth is gone and the milk starts to scald, but not boil. Then add your chopped chocolate, whisking until melted, thick and glossy. Remove from heat, add vanilla, whisking, then pour into 2 -4 serving bowls. Chill if you're uncool, enjoy hot if you're fabulous like me. Top with cool whip.

Store in the fridge with plastic wrap pushed down to the surface to prevent skin forming. Milk skin, not the people kind. That would be gross... and unexpected.