Deep cravings for pudding? Thinking about going over to the dark side of chocolate? Here it is, sans wobble.

This is a variation on a recipe I found on a blog called “Almost Slowfood“; it was inspired by Karen DeMasco’s recipe for chocolate pudding in The Craft of Baking. DeMasco bakes hers in a water bath, but Peggy Boujaily does hers with semisweet chocolate on the stove.

No added sugar, so it’s much more bittersweet than the average chocolate pudding. I can actually eat this and then eat an orange afterwards without going into major mouth-pucker mode. I don’t think it’s too bitter, but my sons do, opting instead for the wonderful chocolate chip cookie dough pudding that Eva makes when she’s not too busy skating. That’s okay; this way my husband and I have the entire batch to ourselves and everyone is pudding-happy.

More Bitter Than Sweet Chocolate Pudding

2-3 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate (70% or more). Since my variation has no additional sugar, you may want to add 2 oz. first and then taste test.
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (DeMasco uses 1/4 vanilla bean, split and scraped, with seeds reserved)
2 moderate pinches salt
2 large egg yolks (in a separate bowl if you are making this on the stove)

For the oven version, preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Add the cream, milk, vanilla and salt to a medium pot. Set over a medium high heat and stir until nearly boiling. Add the chocolate and stir continuously until melted.

Dip a ladle into the chocolate mixture and very very slowly add to the egg yolks while vigorously whisking; for me, this worked much better with a kitchen helper since I have trouble pouring slowly while whisking vigorously (no wonder skating is a challenge). Whisk the egg yolk mixture well and then pour it all back into the pot.

If you are doing this on the stove, moderately boil the pudding (and keep whisking!) for a few minutes until it feels thickened. You’ll feel a difference almost immediately once the egg yolk mixture is added. Then remove from the heat and pour into serving dishes and refrigerate until set.

If you are doing it in the oven, individual ramekins go into a water bath and then into a preheated over for 20 minutes. Then chill before serving, unless warm pudding is your thing.

I like this plain, but the rest of my family goes for whipped cream and maybe some strawberries.

Happy Valentine’s Day!