I loved living upstairs from my grandmother throughout my childhood.   I vividly remember going into her kitchen as she’d be preparing supper. I would ask smiling, “Did you happen to make pudding today, Vavo? ” She would say, “Of course, it’s waiting for you in the frig! ” Pictured in this post are my grandmother’s pudding glasses; the same glasses I would eat out of as a child. Oh, the memories! My favorite part of stove top chocolate pudding is eating the skin that forms as it cools!

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2  3/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt and milk.  Bring to a full boil and stir constantly. Let this silky chocolate creation thicken until it coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour this decadent mixture into your pudding cups and refrigerate until it sets completely.

Adult version: Add a little orange liquor!