Chocolatey Goodness

Both of these recipes can be made quickly, on a week day when you just really need a chocolate fix!  

Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup (30 grams) cornstarch

1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt, any kind (1/8 teaspoon is a good sized pinch!)

3 cups whole milk

1 cup (170 grams) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips - use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate to your liking! Use a mix of chocolates, even a little bit of unsweetened will work.  If you choose milk chocolate, drop the sugar to 1/3 cup.  

1 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan, then slowly whisk in the milk - pour it in a thin stream at first so lumps don’t form in the cornstarch, then you can add it more quickly once the cornstarch mixture is smooth. Place saucepan over medium-low heat and stir occasionally with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides (switch back to a whisk if any lumps form).  Cook for approximately 10 minutes (the longer time over lower heat gives the cornstarch time to cook and thicken) until mixture begins to thicken enough to coat the spatula.  Add chocolate and stir again for another 2-4 minutes until chocolate is fully melted, then stir in vanilla.  If you have any lumps and want to make it as smooth & silky as possible, press through a fine mesh strainer.  Pour into individual pudding cups (or one big serving bowl) and press plastic wrap on top if you don’t want a pudding skin to form.  Store in fridge for up to 3 days (and serve topped w/ whipped cream because life’s too short not to).

Chocolate Cake

6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup (145 grams) brown sugar (light or dark)

2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup buttermilk*

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup (41 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8” cake pan (square, round, whatever you’ve got!) with cooking spray. If you have parchment paper, line the bottom of the pan with it (trace the pan on the parchment with pencil, cut it out, and flip it into the pan - this is a great job for a kitchen helper to do!).

Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.  In bowl of mixer or with a hand mixer, beat butter and both sugars together until creamy and fluffy.  Scrape down bowl, then add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; beat until well combined.  Add buttermilk and beat again - mixture will look curdled; that’s fine!  Add flour and mix until just combined.  Scrape bowl down again and mix one last time.  Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until a tester (toothpick) inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes in baking pan, then flip out to cool the rest of the way on a cooling/baking rack if you have one.  Let cool completely before frosting!

*Buttermilk — you can buy it but why?  Just measure out 3/4 cup of milk and remove 1 tablespoon.  Replace with lemon juice (fresh or bottled is fine) and let sit for 5 minutes.  Milk will become lumpy which is just what you want!  Use in recipe as directed!  

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup (55 grams) unsweetened chocolate,* melted 

1 1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Pinch of salt, any kind

1 tablespoons cream or whole milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

Food processor method:  place all ingredients in food processor and process to mix.  Stop machine, scrape down bowl, and process again until smooth.

Stand or hand mixer method:  beat butter, powdered sugar, and salt until fluffy.  Add chocolate, milk/cream, and vanilla and beat to combine.  Scrape down bowl, then beat 1-2 more minutes until fluffy.  

*Don’t have unsweetened chocolate?  Use what you have!  Hold back the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (just use 1 cup) until you have mixed in the chocolate.  If you want the frosting sweeter then, add it; if not, save it for your next baking adventure!