Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding with Cocoa Powder - Grandma's Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make chocolate pudding mix better? ›

A teaspoon of vanilla extract can add richness to any pudding. A bit of espresso powder can make chocolate puddings taste more chocolaty—add more for a mocha flavor. You can stir in a bit of your favorite liqueur too.

So, if you use the instant pudding mix, just the power, you could in use that instead of cocoa powder. You really could not use actually, made, pudding instead of chocolate chips or cocoa powder.

Once the pudding cooled and the fat solidified, any bits that hadn't been thoroughly broken down came across as grainy on the tongue. Vigorously whisking the pudding—or any custard with a generous amount of butter—breaks down the fat into tiny droplets that are too small to detect once the mixture cools.

It should be stored in the fridge and eaten within 3 days of making. The pudding would be safe to eat if frozen and defrosted but we do not recommend freezing as the texture of the pudding can change once it has thawed. Unfortunately home made mixtures can separate slightly or end up with a grainy texture.

Nuts: Chopped nuts, such as toasted almonds or pecans, can add a delightful crunch and a nutty flavor to your pudding. Whipped Cream: Top your pudding with a dollop of homemade or store-bought whipped cream. The light, airy texture and sweetness of whipped cream can balance the richness of the pudding.

Here's what you have to do: First, check how much water you need to add to the mix. Then, ignore the water entirely, and replace it with whipping cream instead. After that, make the pudding — and voila!

The explanation is pretty simple to this phenomenon. Cocoa powder is hydrophobic which means it does not dissolve easily into water.

Cocoa powder has a more intense flavour than baking chocolate, less fat, and, in most cases, no sugar.

When used alone in cakes, cocoa powder imparts a full rich chocolate flavor and dark color. Cocoa powder can also be used in recipes with other chocolates (unsweetened or dark) and this combination produces a cake with a more intense chocolate flavor than if the cocoa wasn't present.

Don't cover when it's still hot. Do not cover when the pudding is still hot, but should be covered when the pudding has cooled. This is to avoid the presence of steam which makes the pudding runny.

Can you cook pudding too long? ›

Steaming a smaller pudding for longer is not going to spoil it. We have steamed 1lb puddings for 8 hours many times. If the foil and parchment hasn't split, again your pudding will not be spoilt. Let your pudding go completely cold then you can remove the covering and put on new parchment and foil ready for the day.

Immersion Blender or Electric Whisk:If you've had a hard day at the gym, then you definitely do not need another arm workout. So go for a handheld immersion blender or an electric whisk to smooth out the pudding. Strain:Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain out the undesired lumps for a silky and creamy end result.

If it's dry boxed pudding, the kind that you add milk to before cooking, it's probably fine. If it's a ready-to-eat pudding cup, don't risk it. Although “best by” dates are more to protect the manufacturer than to estimate shelf life, two years is a lot of time for bacteria to access and colonize food.

Chill the pudding.

Transfer the pudding to a storage container and press plastic wrap or wax paper directly onto the surface of the pudding. Cover with a lid and refrigerate.

Pour the pudding into a bowl and place in the fridge for 5 minutes. The pudding may seem thin, but will thicken as it cools. Once the 5 minutes are up, take a spoon and gingerly stick it into the pudding. If it hasn't set, leave the pudding in the fridge a while longer.

Top with whipped cream or whipped topping and sprinkle with shaved chocolate or cocoa powder. Layer pudding with crushed cookies or graham crackers for a parfait. Top with fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. Drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce.

A quick and easy way to add flavor to your hot chocolate is by adding a splash of your favorite extract. Coconut and almond extracts lend hot chocolate an Almond Joy-like taste, while vanilla adds dimension to the chocolate flavor. Peppermint extract instantly gives the drink a holiday flair.

Your best bet would be to mix a tablespoon of cornstarch and a teaspoon of sugar with some of the beverage and add it to the warm pudding. Heat it to a bubble and stir until it thickens.