The beginning of a new year continually fills me with a sense of renewal, a longing to de-clutter my life and an overwhelming desire to live more simply. My effort and elbow grease spent on creating and implementing holiday meals are behind me now and it’s time to move forward with new plans, goals and ideas for the future.
I am not one to make too many New Year’s resolutions but this year I have vowed to get back to basics in the kitchen; emphasizing fundamental kitchen techniques such as grilling, sauteing, braising and finally perfecting that “good white sauce”. These are just a handful of skills I feel all good cooks should be able to carry out with ease.
However, the measure of a good cook is not just found in their proficiency to execute techniques but also in their ability to make simple things well. Only a good cook can make rich coffee, a scrumptious soup and eggs scrambled to perfection. I personally love taking a recipe in its most basic form and challenging myself to improve upon its overall flavor and quality.
And what could be simpler than making chocolate pudding from scratch, not to mention the good taste. However, when you add ingredients like Valrhona chocolate, cinnamon and espresso powder, you take a straightforward recipe and make it dinner party worthy.
This Dark Chocolate-Espresso Pudding with White Chocolate Whipped Cream has a sophisticated, intriguing and intense chocolate flavor. It is also a gentle reminder of how simple pleasures in the kitchen can be taken to whole new levels of “food nirvana”, all with just a few of the right ingredients.
Here are the ingredients you will need for the pudding: Whole milk, granulated sugar, cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa, instant espresso powder, bittersweet chocolate, table salt, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and chocolate covered espresso beans.
In a large saucepan whisk together until blended, 4 cups whole milk, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, 2 -½ Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (sift the cocoa in), 1-½ Tablespoons instant espresso powder, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon table salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.
Boil 1 minute, continuing to whisk until thickened. Remove from heat.
Add in 9 ounces, chopped, good quality dark chocolate (70{5396afcf7ebcb011d88226d96591fa60d0bb5a6cac0179c8121d60c005c366a8} cacao) and
1-1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract. Stir until chocolate is melted and the pudding is smooth.
Pour into fourteen 2 ounce espresso cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
For the whipped cream you will need: Heavy cream and white chocolate.
In a medium sized saucepan, simmer 1 cup heavy cream over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over 4-ounces of chopped, good quality, white chocolate; stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold. Whip the cream once it has cooled. This can be made up to one day ahead.
The best pudding!!
You won’t be able to stop eating this…
Dark Chocolate Espresso Pudding with White Chocolate Whipped Cream
Ingredients
Pudding:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons instant espresso powder
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- 9 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped
- 1-1/2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz good quality white chocolate
Directions
- In a large saucepan whisk together until blended, milk, sugar, cornstarch, unsweetened cocoa, instant espresso powder, ground cinnamon and table salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Boil 1 minute, continuing to whisk until thickened. Remove from heat. Add dark chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir until chocolate is melted and the pudding is smooth.
- Pour into fourteen 2- ounce espresso cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
- For the whipped cream: In a medium sized saucepan, simmer 1 cup heavy cream over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over 4-ounces of chopped, good quality, white chocolate; stir until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until completely cold. Whip the cream once it has cooled. This can be made up to one day ahead.
laura says
this looks decadent and incredible. i might have to make this as a birthday treat to myself next week đŸ™‚
Kristina at spabettie says
I LOVE the addition of white chocolate to the whip creme! These look fabulously delicious.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, Cathy!
Lauren at KeepItSweet says
This does look like a perfect simple dessert! Love the flavor combination and love that you served it in mugs!
Darryl in Austin says
Beautiful recipe and the photos are magnificent. Back to basics is the perfect way to start the year!!
Amanda says
This is a gorgeous post cathy, omg I bet that was delish!
Stephanie says
whoaa… that looks so so drool worthy
I love your photographs for this post too, beautiful!
Roberta David says
Hello! I’m not trying to act stupid, but I don’t understand the whipped cream portion of the above recipe. It never says to whip it…just heat it and pour over the white chocolate. Do you then whip it after its cooled, or do you not whip it at all? It looks whipped in the pictures, but you never say to whip it. It looks absolutely scrumptious, and I just can’t wait until tomorrow to try it! Please let me know so I can make it correctly! Thanks so much for your great blog and recipes. I look foward to seeing new posts every day!
Roberta David says
I don’t understand the whipped cream portion above. Is it ever whipped, or just heated, melting the chocolate and then cooling?
NatashaSavedbytheEggTimer says
Green and Blacks is the best! This is right up my taste bud alley đŸ™‚
Noble Pig says
Yes! So sorry, whip the cream once cooled.
Rachel the SdOC says
A homemade chocolate pudding is a unique pleasure that the stuff in a box can’t equal. It’s comfort food made extravagant. I haven’t made it in a while and I’m thinking now I should!
vanillasugar says
yeah i’m in on this one ms thing. love homemade pudding. there was this homemade butterscotch-rum pudding i had once. i cannot get that incredible taste out of my head. so good, if only i could find that recipe.
happy new year to you sweetie!!
Rainbow Mohawk says
I actually found this same recepie in the Palm Beach Post newspaper and I was looking forward to making it when I lost the paper! I am so happy I found your blog and that you posted this recepie online. thank you thank you.
I have the ingredients ready to go in my kitchen right now.
Rainbow