We Love Puddin'

A few months back Heidi from 101Cookbooks interviewed me for her Taste Maker Series 

and one of the favorite cookbooks I chose was, Happy In the Kitchen by Michel Richard.

He just reminds me of a Happy Kid!  Cooking for me is about sharing and experimenting and I think Mr. Richard probably feels the same.  His book is beautiful and uses ingredients that are not out of the ordinary and easy techniques like using the microwave.  

I usually don't post other people's recipes but this one is a favorite of mine and I just wanted to share.

Sometimes in the midst of a eating, discussing and writing about healthy recipes I just feel like making a treat.  We love puddin' but boxed pudding tastes so fake to me, this recipe is just as fast and easy as opening a box of instant pudding.  It is rich so you only need to eat a small amount in fact I think it can make eight small servings.  The flavor is very homemade tasting the honey gives it a nice flavor too.  If your kids are used to the boxed kind this may take some getting used to but it may turn in to a family favorite!

Happy Kid Pudding

Toddler Café tip: Use a serrated knife to chop chocolate, start on a corner and "shave" downward. Always start on a corner it makes chopping the chocolate easy and gives you the smallest pieces.

I like to use 6 oz of chocolate in this recipe (nothing personal Michel)

2 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tbs cornstarch
1/2 cup honey
4 oz milk chocolate, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Combine the milk, yolks, cornstarch, and honey in a large microwave-safe bowl. Whisk until the cornstarch and honey have dissolved. Stir in the chocolate. Put the bowl in the microwave and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and whisk well, then return and microwave another 2 minutes. Remove and whisk again. The chocolate should be melted. Return to the microwave and cook another 2 minutes. Whisk again. If the pudding has not come to a boil, or isn’t thick enough, return for 1 more minute. 

To test lift the whisk and let the pudding fall in to the bowl; the pudding should hold it's shape as it falls. 

The pudding will still firm up somewhat in the fridge, but make sure that it is thick enough now. Let the pudding cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Press the plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent skin from forming. and then cover the top with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until cold. Can be refrigerated for 3 days.

Makes 3 cups. Serves 4.