Chocolate Pudding

 

Santa Barbara is an especially wonderful place to experience spring (and all the other seasons) not only because of its beautiful landscape, but because of the plants and animals found here. Each morning I wake to the sound of many different birds singing and as I cycle to school the bees and butterflies float around and add to the music. 

 

 I woke up the other morning to find that the many buds on the Jasmine vine outside my room were very nearly blooming. I have only had this plant one year, a gift from my mom (thanks mom!), and I love it (and fully intend to cart it with me to my next destination in June). It offers privacy and shade year round, and in the spring it brings the enchanting fragrance of Jasmine in my room and a beautiful view of blossoms.

Anyway, so the countdown began. And, finally after watching and waiting for a few days the first flowers opened up and shared their delightful fragrance. Spring had arrived!!

For me spring brings a number of things to mind. My dad's birthday, spring break, and Easter... or rather Lent.

Lent is (well I can't write it because I'll go to hell)... but I'll just say that while Mardi Gras is awesome the next forty days is not great. Lent means two things fasting and giving up something.

While I fully understand the purpose of such practices it does not make this season easier to bear.

So in the spirit of Lent and frugality we have humble desserts like pudding (not the English type).

Chocolate Pudding

adapted from Martha Stewart's FOOD Magazine

Serves 4

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups milk

4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt and cocoa powder. Very gradually whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks. 

2. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.  

3.Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill and keep up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth.

NOTES: If you whisk constantly there is no need to use a sieve. Also, once it begins to thicken watch it closely as it turns to pudding very quickly!! Finally, chilling it for a bit is nice, but warm pudding with some whipped cream is amazing!!

Salve!