Chocolate Pudding with Irish Cream

Thick and rich stovetop chocolate pudding.

Like most people, I grew up with the boxed pudding mixes which were a staple dessert in my house. I have a confession about those pudding mixes. I actually liked the skin that formed on top when they were in the pudding cups that my mom used. In fact, it was my favourite part. My husband thinks that it is gross but I don’t care. I was good when I made this pudding and I put it in a large glass bowl and put a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the hot pudding so that no skin could form. This way I was able to spoon out the pudding into the cups in the portions that I wanted.

This recipe has taken me quite a while to get it perfected. One iteration had too much corn starch, another one was too eggy. This is the Baby Bear edition and it is just right.

If you want this to be booze free then just swap the Irish Cream for regular milk to make up the volume. The Bailey’s is a nice treat but most of the time when I make this I skip the booze. Since St. Patrick’s Day is coming up I thought it would be a nice touch. I will be enjoying some Guinness this weekend and because I will feel guilty since Simon can’t have any (gluten-intolerant) I will probably make this pudding for him again.

Chocolate Pudding with Irish Cream #SundaySupper

Christina Austin

A rich and delicious stovetop chocolate pudding. Swap out the Bailey's Irish Cream for a little more milk for a booze free version.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup + 2tbsp Bailey's Irish Cream or just use milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 whole egg
• 2 egg yolks

Instructions

 

• Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. When 75% of the chocolate chips are melted just stir and let the chocolate sit. This will prevent the chocolate from heating too much. The residual heat will melt the rest of the chocolate chips. Set melted chocolate aside to cool slightly.
• In a large glass measuring cup or heatproof bowl, mix the sugar, whole egg, egg yolks, cornstarch and cocoa powder with 2 tbsp of Bailey's (or milk), whipping cream and vanilla with a whisk.
• Heat milk with 1/4 cup of Bailey's in a medium pot over a medium heat. Let it come to almost a boil.
• If the chocolate is melted but just warm rather than hot, add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and whisk it together.
• When little bubbles start to show up at the top of the milk on the stove, take it off the heat and very slowing add the milk to the egg and chocolate mixture. Add a few tablespoons very slowly at first while whisking to temper the mixture slightly. Then slowly pour the rest of the hot milk in a thin but steady stream while whisking with the other hand.
• Pour the mixture from the measuring cup into the pot. Over a medium heat whisk it constantly until it is very thick but don't let it boil. It is thick enough if you lift the whisk and a dollop takes several seconds to disappear back into the hot pudding.
• When it is thickened, place a fine mesh sieve over the glass measuring cup and pour the pudding through the sieve. Use the whisk to push it through.*
• Place a piece of plastic wrap right on top of the surface of the pudding and chill for several hours.
• Serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Notes

If you prefer to pour the pudding directly from the pot to custard cups then when you pour the hot milk and egg mixture back into the pot, pour it through the sieve at that time. You will get a much smoother pudding if you do it after the second heating though.