Comfort Food Classic

I'm the third of four children, a "middle child."  I have an older brother, an older sister, and a younger brother.  When I was a little girl, every summer my mom would let me spend a day with her older sister, my Aunty Isabelle.  That was such a special treat, because I was treated like a princess for the day.  I would read lots of comic books

and help Aunty Iz with her housework (seemed like fun at the time!).  She would watch her soap opera while she ironed and I would watch, too.

It made me feel so grown up.  And I remember that for dinner, she would let me try a little coffee with lots of warm milk (cafe' au lait, before I even knew what that was!) which I pretended to like but really didn't.  And Aunty Iz always made my favorite dessert, too:  chocolate pudding.

Aunty Iz has been gone for many years now, but to this day, when I go home to visit my mom, she makes me chocolate pudding.  Unfortunately, I don't get home to visit as often as I would like.  January is my personal  nightmare on the job front, and as much as I would sometimes like to return to those easy, breezy childhood days, I can't.

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So instead I made a batch of chocolate pudding to conjure up the warm, fuzzy feelings of the past and to celebrate the end of January.   Ten minutes and a few kitchen staples are all you need to create your own comfort food classic!

Rich and Creamy Microwave Chocolate Pudding
(click here to print)

3 cups milk (I usually use a combination of evaporated skim milk and regular skim milk)
3/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks, well beaten
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In an 8 cup pyrex measuring cup (or microwave safe bowl), combine the milk, sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks.  Whisk vigorously to blend.  Add the chocolate.

Uncooked mixture

Microwave on high for 3 minutes, then whisk.  Microwave on high for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then whisk again until smooth.

You may have to add additional milk to thin it out to your desired consistency.  Add butter and vanilla and stir until incorporated.

Pour through a fine-mesh strainer to eliminate any lumps.  (There aren't usually many lumps with this microwave method.)  Immediately press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding to prevent formation of a skin.

Let cool for about a half hour if you like to eat it warm.  You know I can't resist!

Otherwise, refrigerate and serve it cold.  It's great either way, but you better hide it in the back of the refrigerator if you don't want your kids to eat it all.  Trust me on that.

 Oh yeah, I feel SO much better!

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