Homemade Chocolate Pudding Cups with Mint Grasshopper Cream
I’ve always wanted to try making pudding from scratch. Not that I think pudding from a box mix is too horrible to eat, or anything. I was more just curious about the process. And if the homemade pudding actually did taste better (which I definitely hoped it would), that would be a great bonus, affirming my time at the stove was well spent.
And now that I’ve tried it for myself, I think that everyone should try making homemade pudding at least once in their lifetime. And you should start with this recipe for Homemade Chocolate Pudding Cups with Mint Grasshopper Cream!
Our oldest daughter Hatti helped me with the grocery shopping last week, and when she found out that homemade chocolate pudding was up next in the kitchen, her eyes got big and bright, and a smile washed across her face. Both of our girls love a cup of chocolate pudding, so I was excited to test this out on them.
Hatti chose my Grandma Renelt’s cut-glass dessert cups from the hutch for our pudding cups, and then chopped the chocolate for me before heading off to school for the day. She made me promise that the pudding would be ready to eat when she got back home that afternoon. Definitely, I told her.
It was so fun to see this homemade pudding come together, with just a few ingredients. I kept it more to the semi-sweet chocolate flavor this time around, knowing that my husband would enjoy it more than the dark chocolate that I desperately wanted to spoon into my mouth. I must have been feeling quite selfless that day, because dark chocolate is my BFF. So next time…I’ll be making a much darker batch of pudding cups. Even if I have to eat them all myself!
Everyone, including myself, thought this homemade chocolate pudding was truly a treat, a notch above pudding made from the box. But the girls will also be the first to admit that the mint grasshopper cream was the clincher to this dessert. It’s light and creamy in texture, and packed with mint flavor. And it’s pretty and fun, full of retro comfort and whimsical swirls. Can you imagine coming home from school to anything better?!
Homemade Chocolate Pudding Cups with Mint Grasshopper Cream
Everyone should try making homemade pudding at least once in their lifetime.
Ingredients
for the chocolate pudding:
- 1/4 c. cornstarch
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 3 c. whole milk
- 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate baking bar)
- 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate baking bar)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
for the mint grasshopper cream:
- 1 c. heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 c. powdered sugar
- 4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 T. creme de menthe syrup
- 1 to 2 tsp. pure mint extract
- green food paste (I used AmeriColor Leaf Green #111)
- bittersweet chocolate shavings
Instructions
for the chocolate pudding:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Slowly whisk in the milk, in a thin steam at first so that lumps don’t form, then more quickly once the cornstarch mixture is smoothly incorporated. Place over medium-low heat and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. If any lumps begin to form, use a whisk to break them up. After 15 to 20 minutes (slower over lower heat is better, to give the cornstarch time to cook), before the pudding starts to simmer, the mixture will thicken, enough that it will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add the chocolate, and continue stirring for another 2 to 4 minutes, until chocolate is fully incorporated and mixture is quite thick.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Divide warm pudding among 6 individual pudding cups or one large serving bowl, and chill until it is cool and set, about 2 to 3 hours. If you dislike pudding skin (I happen to like it!), place plastic wrap on top of the pudding and smooth it gently against the surface before refrigerating. This recipe can easily be prepared a day prior to serving.
for the mint grasshopper cream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip cream until stiff. Add powdered sugar and whip until combined and very stiff. Remove whipped cream to a separate bowl and set aside. Add cream cheese to mixer bowl (no need to wash the bowl or whip attachment) and whip until very smooth, with no lumps. Add creme de menthe syrup and whip to thoroughly combine. If you really like mint (like we do!), add up to 2 teaspoons of pure mint extract. And if you want the mint grasshopper cream to be a deeper green color (we did!), add a bit of green food paste until the desired color is reached. Mix to incorporate.
- With a spatula, gently fold in 1-1/2 cups of the reserved whipped cream (you will have some left over). Place mint grasshopper cream in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
- Fold the cooled mint grasshopper cream a couple times, and then spoon it into a pastry bag fit with a large star tip (I used Wilton 1M). Pipe swirls of the grasshopper cream onto the tops of each chilled pudding cup. You could also skip the pastry bag and just spoon a good sized dollop of the grasshopper cream onto each pudding cup.
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings and serve immediately, or place in refrigerator to serve within one day.
Notes
Chocolate pudding recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen, originally from John Scharffenberger, via Wednesday Chef.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 637Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 185mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 4gSugar: 50gProtein: 9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
it looks delicious!
I would happily eat these year round. I’m a total nut for chocolate pudding and I LOVE the grasshopper cream idea!
I tried making chocolate pudding from scratch only once before and it wasn’t that great. maybe it was because it was my first time or maybe it was the recipe. But I would love to try making chocolate pudding again. These look delicious :)
What a fun St. Patrick’s Day treat! I would love to come home from school or work to eat this. The cream on tops looks delicious too!
I’ve only made homemade pudding once, but it was too long ago! I will need to make it again soon. Of course, the mint grasshopper cream would be a must. I think by boys would love it!
Your grandma’s cut-glass dessert cups are so pretty! How special!
I love making homemade pudding and love the mint grasshopper cream you added on top!
YUM!
What a nice treat for your family, this looks delicious!
Oh. My. Goodness. I’d love these for a dinner party for St. Paddy’s Day! Fun, Brenda!
What a completely gorgeous dessert, it doesn’t get any better!
Oh yeah! Love these and yes I sure wish I could be welcomed home with a dish of this pudding! I would love to try the dark chocolate version myself too Brenda! Hopefully, I will this week!
Sounds delicious. Thank you.
The pictures of these beauties are awesome. What a great idea for upcoming St. Patrick’s Day. Who could resist the chocolate and mint together. I think I will make this with dark chocolate too as this is a favorite of mine too!! Thanks for the great recipe!!
That cream on top looks perfect! Love it!
Yes! And it made me smile to see that you used Mom’s dishes.
I may or may not need two of these ; )
Who could not love homemade chocolate pudding? I bet you girls had a blast making it to. Very fun! Oh and the grasshopper whipped cream is too cute!
Oh my goodness. I have to make these for my sister because she is a mint chocolate fan. Like, totally obsessed. So, she’ll go bonkers over this. Great recipe!
Yes please!!
Beautiful photos… and what a fun idea for St Patty’s Day! Love the dishes — I have a few of my Grandma Nini’s dishes that are a treasure to me. Pinning this to make with my kiddos.