Chocolate Pudding

Whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture is hot. Gradually whisk 1/3 cup hot milk mixture into egg. Whisk egg mixture into remaining hot milk mixture.

Cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and add chopped chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture into a glass bowl. Place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on warm mixture (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 2 hours or until pudding is completely cool.

Spoon 1/2 cup pudding into each of 5 individual serving dishes, and top each with 1 Tbsp. whipped topping. Garnish, if desired.

Try These Twists!

Chocolate-Espresso Pudding: Whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt, adding 1 Tbsp. instant espresso to milk mixture. Proceed with recipe as directed. Per 1/2 cup: Calories 260; Fat 3g (sat 8g, mono 4g, poly 1g); Protein 4g; Carb 5g; Fiber 7g; Chol 44mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 123mg; Calc 207mg

Raspberry-Chocolate Pudding: Prepare pudding as directed through Step Microwave 1/3 cup raspberry jam in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Spoon 1 Tbsp. melted jam into bottom of each individual serving dish, and top each with 1/2 cup pudding and 1 Tbsp. whipped topping. Stir 1 tsp. water into remaining melted jam, and drizzle 1/2 tsp. jam mixture on top of whipped topping on each pudding. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired. Per 1/2 cup: Calories 312; Fat 3g (sat 8g, mono 4g, poly 1g); Protein 3g; Carb 1g; Fiber 7g; Chol 44mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 123mg; Calc 206mg