Chocolate-espresso pudding

I'd never had pudding much as a kid, so it was never high on my list of desserts to try. But David has fond childhood memories of eating chocolate pudding out of those little plastic cups and was therefore eager to have me make this dessert and revisit his youth. Plus, the addition of coffee flavour is always a selling point for him. I was particularly intrigued because it seemed so simple and straightforward to make. Why not take 15 minutes to whip up a batch of homemade pudding?

Recipe

from Bon Appétit DessertsServes 44 tbsp sugar2 tbsp cornstarch3 tsp instant espresso or coffee powder2 cups whole milk1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips1 tbsp unsalted butter1-1/2 tsp vanilla extractwhipped creamWhisk sugar, cornstarch and espresso powder in heavy medium saucepan until no lumps remain. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisk over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips, butter and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Divide pudding among small ramekins or goblets. Cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Garnish with whipped cream and serve.

Musings

A few notes on preparation: I chose to go with Ghirardelli's bittersweet chocolate chips with 60% cacao. We chose to divide it among 3 larger glasses for larger servings.It turned out to be a delightfully smooth, rich-tasting dessert. I enjoy this kind of dish--simple to make but with delicious, delicious consequences. It was a hit with David, who scarfed down an entire goblet full of pudding (the total volume he consumed and the speed with which he consumed it he somewhat regretted later). I could definitely take the coffee flavour, which was not so strong that I couldn't handle it. David noted it could be a touch sweeter, so adding in another 1/2 or 1 tbsp of sugar would likely do the trick. Who knew a kid's snack could be so easily dressed up to be a quick and delicious adult treat!