{Ellie Krieger's} Grandma's Chocolate Pudding

{To distinguish it from my grandma's chocolate pudding. Both of my grandmothers made beautiful, nourishing food for us, so many things I still miss and would love to recreate, but not pudding, at least not that I remember, and nothing with chocolate really, except a unique thick, soft, chocolate chip cookie from a recipe she found on a box of cake mix.}

My cousin was visiting this past weekend, and when we went to lunch at a little creperie in my neighborhood, I was telling her that the space was originally a pudding shop. I guess I can understand why that concept wasn't long-lasting, but it was fun to go there while it did.  So, with pudding floating around in the back of my mind, when I curled up on the couch later that night to look at Ellie Krieger's new cookbook, Comfort Food Fix, I guess I can understand why I was trying this recipe about five minutes later.

I made mine with Hershey's cocoa and the end of a crumbly block of bittersweet chocolate from my baking stash, and I thought it was very good;  it would be even better with fancier chocolates.  On the other hand, knowing that I could make this little treat {the servings are very sensible, and small, and not very likely} almost anytime is very appealing.   Of course, it's also {according to Ellie} a good source of calcium, copper, iodine, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, and vitamin D, and that's the real reason I'm going to be making it again. :)

Grandma's Chocolate Pudding

from Comfort Food Fix, by Ellie Krieger

for four {sensible, and small, and not very likely} servings

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

{a tiny pinch of salt}

2 cups cold low-fat (1%) milk

1 ounce dark chocolate (60 to 70% cocoa solids), very finely chopped

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa and cornstarch {I added the tiny pinch of salt}. Gradually add the milk, whisking until smooth {I also used a small rubber spatula to get into the edges of the pan}. Set the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 6 minutes. {It will take a few minutes for the thickening to start, and then it will thicken like mad.} Let it boil for about a minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

Place the chopped chocolate in the bottom of a medium-sized mixing bowl {or a 4-cup measuring cup},  Spoon the hot pudding over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the pudding is smooth. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 3 hours, until the pudding is set.