Homemade Chocolate Pudding with Chantilly Cream | Recipe in a Jar

I have no idea when it happened, I know it was pretty early on in my life… my love affair with chocolate pudding began. The day my Mom made… HOMEMADE chocolate pudding it was earth shattering.  I had no idea you could make your own pudding from scratch without the box of the infamous big J and little-O.

It's so easy to make and tastes so much better than the box stuff.  Pair it with some real Chantilly cream and dress it up in a jar and it's the perfect little dessert to serve at your next get together.

Chocolate Pudding

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt.  Place over medium heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil stirring frequently.  Once it reaches a low boil, let it boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla. Bring to room temperature and then place in a container to chill in the refrigerator.  Place some plastic wrap on the top of the pudding to avoid developing a skin on the top. Chill for 2-4 hours before serving.

Serves 6-8

Chantilly Cream

1 pint whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ten minutes before you start your Chantilly cream, place your mixing bowl in the freezer.  Remove bowl from freezer and add whipping cream.  Mix on high speed for 2 minutes until it starts to stiffen. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to mix on high until cream becomes stiff and hold is shape. 

Fill your jars with the chilled pudding and then pipe the Chantilly cream on top with a large closed star tip in a pastry bag {I ordered my from Sweet Baking Supply} and pipe the Chantilly cream on top of the pudding.

I dressed up the single serving pudding jars with some fun rope. Then I topped the jars with a simple piece of scrapbook paper cut in a circle to fit on top of the jar. Then I decorated some bamboo skewers with crocheted lace, ribbon and fabric to make little flags on top of the pudding.  I found that punching small holes in the paper worked better than trying to stab the skewers into the paper.

This will be the talk of the room at your next book club, baby shower or party.  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

What's your favorite party treat to share with friends and family?