Quick Chocolate Pudding with Black Cherries

Chocolate pudding is something I tend to only think of when I see it in grocery stores in the little plastic cups, but it can be so much more. It can be a decadent dessert that is enjoyed slowly by the spoonful instead of eaten hastily as just a snack. There are so many flavors available now in stores but I really love a good, rich chocolate pudding.

The great thing about this recipe is that you don't have to use cherries, you could use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or anything else you think may be good. Mandarin oranges anyone? I used frozen black cherries and didn't even bother to thaw them. I just chopped up the frozen black cherries and distributed them among the dishes of pudding, the still warm pudding thawed out the small pieces of cherry in no time. I was also thinking whipped cream may add another delicious element to this dessert, but I didn't have any :(.

I did eat one dish while it was still warm and loved it! I chilled the other three and really liked them chilled too. I felt like the cherry flavor actually came out more when the pudding was warm though. If you do serve it warm then this entire recipe can be finished within 15 minutes, quick and easy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Quick Chocolate Pudding with Black Cherries

Makes four ¾ cup servings

Ingredients:

- ⅓ cup granulated sugar

- 3 tablespoons cornstarch

- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

- ½ cup coffee, hot

- 1 cup milk, hot

- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

- 1 cup fresh or frozen black cherries, chopped

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa powder until blended. Whisk in the hot coffee and mix until blended.

2. Place the saucepan over medium high heat and slowly whisk in the hot milk. Stir the mixture constantly until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Whisk in the chocolate chips until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in the vanilla extract and butter until the pudding is smooth and creamy. If desired, push the mixture through a fine strainer or sieve to ensure that there are no lumps (I always do this).

5. Divide the pudding evenly between four 1-cup dishes. Top each dish evenly with ¼ cup chopped black cherries covering all of the pudding. *The cherries add a nice additional flavor and negate the need to cover the pudding with plastic wrap so that a “skin” doesn’t form on the top

6. Serve immediately if you want warm pudding or chill for at least an hour then serve.

Printable recipe

This is an original recipe

This recipe may be linked up to:

· Inside BruCrew Life - Trick or Treat Tuesday's

· Pint Sized Baker - Marvelous Mondays 
· The Mandatory Mooch - Tasty Thursdays 
· Real Housemoms - Fabulous Fridays!
· Kitchen Meets Girl - What's In Your Kitchen Wednesday
· Alli 'n Sons - Sweet Tooth Friday 
· DJ's Sugar Shack - Whatcha Whipped Up?
· Mom's Test Kitchen - Mom's Test Meal Mondays
· The Real Housewives of Riverton - Riverton Housewives Round Up

· Mandy's Recipe Box - Totally Tasty Tuesday's

· A Pinch of Joy - Busy Monday Link Party 

· House of Hepworth's - Hookin up with HoH 

· Couponing & Cooking - Mealtime Monday 

· What's Cooking, Love? - Showcase Your Talent Thursday 

· Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo - Anything Goes Linky
· Chef in training - Tuesday Talent Show

· Dwell on Joy - Dwell on Friday 

· Six Sister's Stuff - Strut Your Stuff Saturday

· A Slice of Southern - Southern Sundays