Sunday, June 5, 2011

Low-Fat Chocolate Pudding

This low-fat dessert is quick and easy to prepare. The hardest part is waiting for the pudding to chill. I should probably mention that this pudding is also delicious when served warm. 


Low-Fat Chocolate Pudding
recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon Dutch cocoa
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup sugar
Pinch table salt
1 ½ cups skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt chocolate over double boiler or in microwave. Cool slightly.

Whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add milk all at once and whisk to incorporate. Whisk in melted chocolate.

Bring mixture to boil over medium heat, whisking until smooth. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly with heatproof rubber spatula or wooden spoon and making sure to scrape edges of pan, for 2 minutes. (Mixture will become thick and glossy.)

Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour pudding through fine-mesh strainer and into heatproof bowl, pushing gently with spatula or spoon and leaving any solids in strainer. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming.

Refrigerate for 4 hours or until completely chilled. (Pudding will keep for up to 2 days.)

Gently stir pudding before transferring to individual bowls and serving.

Serves 2