Chocolate Mint Pudding

Chocolate paired with mint is a classic combination. You usually see this pairing when it comes to candy but here it is presented in an unusual way - in the form of pudding. Fresh mint leaves are steeped in milk to infuse their rich flavor. Thickened with cornstarch and emulsified with eggs, this pudding is quite deceptive. It sounds like it is very fattening, but each serving comes in at under 300 calories - so yes, don't go overboard. A little bit goes a long way! If you have a candy thermometer, I advise using it so you don't heat the milk too much because it can 'break', meaning the mixture will curdle and you will have to throw everything out and start all over again. Serve in little ramekins or in pretty stemmed glasses, garnished with a small mint sprig.

Chocolate Mint Pudding

3 cups skim milk

½ cup packed fresh mint leaves (about ½ an ounce)

2/3 cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch, sifted

3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa, sifted

⅛ tsp. kosher salt

3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

Mint sprigs (optional)

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium high heat to 180 degrees, or until tiny bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Remove from the heat and add the mint. Let stand 15 minutes (for a more pronounced mint taste, let stand for longer); strain the milk mixture through a sieve into a bowl, reserving the milk. Discard the solids.

Return the milk to the pan. Add the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt. Bring the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Stir constantly with a whisk until the mixture thickens.

Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Temper the eggs by adding a little of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture back to the milk, return to a boil and keep whisking constantly. If done correctly, your eggs will mix properly and not scramble. Cook the mixture for 1 minute or until thick. 

Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla and chocolate, stirring until the chocolate blends and the mixture is uniform in consistency. Pour the pudding into a bowl and cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap so a skin will not form. Chill until completely cold.

To serve, spoon the pudding into little custard dishes or stemmed glasses and garnish with a mint sprig.

Serves 6 (about 2/3 cup serving)

NOTE:  You can cut down on the calories by making a few substitutions. You can use dairy substitutes such as almond milk (unsweetened is only 35 calories per 8 oz. and would work best here). You can also use sugar substitutes such as Truvia; 16 packets of Truvia equals 2/3 cup sugar. If you can't find squares of semisweet chocolate, you can use semisweet chocolate chips.