So there’s this thing about me.
I really really don’t like making Halloween treats. ย Tombstone cupcakes. ย Spider web cookies. ย Witch finger snacks. ย Please… just please. ย I can’t get into it. ย I don’t want things to look dead, or bugged, or dismembered.
I want things to look sweet and chocolatey and dripping with caramel… and not blood-colored caramel. ย Please!
I feel like I should come clean now, before you expect some sort of zombie cake.
Oh. ย Also… I don’t really have time to make tombstone cupcakes. ย I’m dedicating most of my time to planning my super slutty panda bear costume.
I’m kidding.
…. I’m so so kidding.
Right?
I have a wonderfully exciting, secret ingredient in this Midnight Black Chocolate Pudding. ย It’sย Black Onyx Cocoa Powder. ย See how black it is!? ย Especially compared to the regular cocoa powder hanging out in the back. ย See!? ย Intense.
Let me tell you a little about this cocoa powder.
Black Onyx Cocoa Powder has been alkalized to the max. ย That means that it’s acids have been super neutralized. ย If you’re using this cocoa powder in a recipe, you’ll probably want to pair it with baking powder, as it doesn’t have the acid to react with the baking soda.
Still with me?
This cocoa powder has less fat than regular (lighter) cocoa powder, so it may produce a more dry end product. ย It’s been suggested that you use half black cocoa and half regular cocoa. ย Black cocoa powder is an intense chocolate flavor. ย It smells like crushed up Oreo cookies. ย It makes cookies, puddings and cakes as dark as midnight! ย I’m so into it. ย ย It’s perfect in this pudding because there’s no worry of over drying.
Black Onyx Cocoa Powder is an awesome way for be to act Halloween-y without making slutty witch fingers.
I love this pudding recipe because it’s thickened by both egg yolks and cornstarch. ย The yolks provide a nice richness while the cornstarch is a no fail thickener.
Look how luscious!
Wait… is luscious an awkward word?
A little.
It’s like art… but it’s just a dirty dish.
See that orange flower back there? ย That was my attempt at festivity.
Please say you’re proud of me or something.
Oh hey! ย One more thing. ย In case you’re thinking of dressing up as the slutty version of a random something this Halloween, can I please please please suggest that you NOT DO THAT!?
I might have to write a whole blog post about that.
Let’s just stick to pudding for now.
This pudding is rich, dark, unapologetic. ย It’s chocolate right in your face!
Of course you can make this recipe using regular cocoa and not the fancy Black Onyx… but, hey! ย Try a little darkness. ย It’s the season.
Midnight Black Chocolate Pudding
makes 4 servings
adapted from Tyler Florence
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (just 1/2 cup sugar if using regular cocoa powder)
1/3 cup black onyx cocoa powder
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
1 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
pinch of salt
Place 2 cups milk in a medium saucepan with ย sugar and cocoa powder. ย Heat over medium heat until steaming and warm. ย You don’t necessarily have to boil the mixture, just heat it up and whisk it together.
In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1/2 cup milk, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. ย Drizzle about half of the steaming hot chocolate milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. ย This will temper the eggs, making them a bit warm before they’re cooked over a flame. ย Return all of the chocolate, milk, egg mixture back to the saucepan. ย Heat over medium heat, whisking nearly constantly. ย Make sure the get into the corners of the pan where the pudding might stick and overcook.
When pudding starts to boil, continue to whisk and boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. ย Pudding will thicken. ย Remove from heat and spoon into 4 ramekins or jars. ย Cover with plastic wrap (on the surface of the pudding if you want to avoid pudding skin). ย Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
For the whipped cream, whip together heavy cream, sugar, vanilla bean, and a pinch of salt. ย Dollop over cold pudding and serve.
202 Responses
Hahaha! The slutty panda bear costume?!! Miley must have copied your idea. I am so trying this choco pudding recipe for my book club dinner party next week. Love your writing and recipes. :)
Thank you for teaching us how to avoid pudding skins, Joy.
My pudding is in the refrigerator. I’m thinking of freezing some of it in my popsicle mold just to see what happens.
Oh man! I just saw this…and Halloween night I also made special dark chocolate pudding, sweetened with maple syrup instead of sugar. Such a wonderful treat after suffering all day at work as a beauty queen. I was Miss Adventure, and was joined by coworkers Miss Behaved, Miss Fortune and Miss Matched. The pudding was well deserved! Thanks for validating my need for that luscious treat!
Just ordered some retro mason jars with handles so will defo do the chocolate pud
Just found the BlackOnyx Chocolate at Savoy spice shop and am tooo exvited to begin! This was a perfect beginner syle way for me to use it without worrying over the acids and lack thereof as in using it in baked goods… Thanks for this recipe, my next attempt will be a chocolate walnut pie with my new found secret stash of Black Onyx!!
I’m so happy you found it!