Food Memories: Chocolate Pudding Edition

Food isn’t just about sustenance. It is a journey, a memory, a moment. Think of your favorite dish. The way it looks, smells, and tastes. For me, my favorite dishes remind me of childhood memories; Sunday afternoons with my mom, kid’s nights, and cooking with my siblings. There is one dish that takes me back to a summer Sunday afternoons. Football is on in the background and I’m finally tall enough to help my mom make the weekly Sunday dessert. Microwave Chocolate Pudding. As odd as it sounds, this dish taught me more about cooking than you might think, like how cornstarch has to have a cold liquid mixed in and then boiled for it to thicken. My mom would let me help her as soon as I was tall enough to see over the counter. By the time I could reach the microwave, she would let me make it all by myself.  My mom can make this recipe right every time. I, on the other hand, have a little more trouble with it. Ever since I was old enough to make it, it came out lumpy. Even now, with training, there is something about this chocolate pudding that comes out lumpy every so often. My family continued to have faith in me through all the lumps … I think it went decent tonight!

First, collect your ingredients and utensils; always a good place to start


Next, you mix the sugar, cornstarch, and chocolate chips together


Add the milk and butter and stir will


 You then microwave it until it boils, stirring several times

Separate two eggs; you’ll only use the yolks. (you can use the whites for scrambled eggs in the morning if you want)

 Temper the yolks with about ½ cup of the chocolate/milk mixture (slowly add in the hot to the cold so you don’t scramble the eggs)

Add in the vanilla and microwave again
 Pour into bowls and refrigerate

It doesn't look awesome, but it tastes amazing!

Some people eat their pudding hot, others eat it cold. Some use whip cream, some don’t. The best way, in my opinion, to eat it is cold with milk on top … kind of like cereal, but way better!

This dessert is a great learning experience. My mom had confidence that I would eventually get it right and that made memories even better than if it had been perfect. Whether you don’t cook much, or your kids want to cook more, give it a try! Who knows what will happen

Life is short, make dessert first! =)
~Rachel



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