Mocha Chocolate Pudding

Despite the date on the calendar, we are still totally rocking the comfort foods around here. 

Partly because of the weather (we had a late start for May warmth here in Toronto) and partly because the pandemic quarantine has kept comfort foods at the top of our list.  Staying at home all the time is hard!!

So this happened.  Mocha Pudding.  Isn’t pudding one of those comfort foods that has been putting a smile on our faces since we were little kids!?  Whether it was homemade by our mums, or found in those little containers from the grocery store, there is something so charming and cozy about the texture of pudding.  Especially chocolate pudding!

The other thing that has been made more often in the kitchen than ever before the quarantine, is coffee!  Naturally I love my morning cup of java.  And Jim loves his.  But with him being home and working from the office around the corner from the kitchen, his requests for coffee have been more regular than ever.  He’s used to popping into a coffee shop during his travels. But suddenly me and the french press have become the substitute coffee shop as far as he is concerned.

So it was an easy leap to take, to turn my desire for chocolate pudding into something coffee related.  Step in Mocha!  This creamy goodness has chocolate from two sources: cocoa powder and chocolate chips (or a chopped up chocolate bar)  And to the cocoa I decided to add some coffee.  Yes, you can use espresso powder.  But I didn’t have any in the cupboard.  But I did have instant coffee. 

Never underestimate the practicality of instant coffee.  I use it all the time in baking and cooking.  Because it is instant and not just ground, it will actually dissolve perfectly, not leaving any grit behind.  That’s the difference between instant and ground. Instant is designed to dissolve completely.  Ground coffee will always leave sediment or caked up grounds behind.  So add some instant coffee to your pantry cupboard, it will be a good addition I promise.

For today’s recipe, I used Van Houtte’s Columbian Light Roast Instant Coffee.  This is a pretty versatile version to have on hand.  Right now, with Dalgona Coffee’s all the rage, and the drink being made with two tablespoons of instant coffee per person, you don’t want to use a super strong coffee, flavour-wise.  So this is a good choice.  But it is still strong enough to hold its own in my chocolate pudding.

Homemade pudding at its most basic is a custard of sorts.  Eggs, cornstarch, sugar, milk and flavourings.  Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon are the ones I used for this recipe.

You’ll take all the dry ingredients, the cocoa powder, coffee, cornstarch, salt and cinnamon and whisk them together in a medium pot.  Add the milk and cream and whisk together till smooth.  Add the chocolate chips and slowly bring to a simmer. Then drop the heat, stir regularly and watch it all thicken up to that perfect pudding texture.  A dash of vanilla at the end and it’s ready to cool down.

How do you guys feel about pudding skin?!  I’m one of those weirdos that actually likes that rubbery skin that happens when you let the pudding cool without covering it properly.  But for the rest of you, just add some plastic wrap to the surface of the pudding that you’ve put in serving bowls and let it chill.  When you can’t wait any longer, grab a spoon, and add some fruit on top.  Of course you could also add a dollop of whipped cream, but I never bother!  That’s just one more step standing in the way of me and my pudding!

And what happened next was sheer genius.  Taking that wonderful creamy pudding and sandwiching it inside crepes.  This could be dessert with some whipped cream.  Or it could be breakfast with some fruit.  Or it could be both!  Whatever floats your boat!  To access my easy totally versatile and customizable crepe recipe, just click here

If you want to check out the complete collection of Van Houtte coffees (I love their House Blend Dark Roast!) you can see it right HERE.

This blog post is in partnership with Van Houtte Coffee.