Chocolate Pudding

Okay, so I made another stevia concoction yesterday and it was good, but not awesome, so I wasn't overly motivated to write it up like usual. Well today I took it out and tasted it and it was delicious! I am beginning to see a pattern with stevia... desserts MUST sit overnight for best results. Something about all the flavors melding and the aftertaste subsiding I guess.

Anyway... here is the recipe (once again, this was inspired by an Allrecipes.com submission--Old-Fashioned Vanilla Pudding).

Ingredients:

• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups 2% milk, divided
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 T butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 5-6 scoops of Kal brand stevia

1. In a small saucepan, slowly stir cocoa powder and salt into 1 cup of milk over medium heat
2. Whisk cornstarch into the remaining milk until lumps disappear (I did NOT do this for my attempt and my pudding was very lumpy)
3. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into saucepan; heat until thickened and bubbly
4. Reduce heat, cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into the egg yolks and then pour everything back in the pan, stirring constantly.
6. Bring to a gentle boil, cook and stir for 1 more minute. Remove from heat.
7. Stir in butter, vanilla, and stevia (I added my stevia along with the cocoa powder and my pudding had an aftertaste at first. I think adding the stevia at the end might help).
8. Cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Nutrition Facts: 140 calories per serving (make 4 servings) vs. 190 if made with sugar. Total Fat 7.9g, Saturated Fat 4.4g, Sodium 223mg, Total Carbs 11.3g, Dietary Fiber 0.9g, Protein 6.0g

Thoughts: Right after I made this I tasted it, and was unimpressed. I let it chill for an hour then served it to my sister and my kids with bananas and whipped cream. None of the kids finished it. My sister and I enjoyed it, but it tasted like it had been made with artificial sweetener... you know that unpleasant aftertaste.

So, I took this out today to finish it off (it wasn't that bad, just not great). I tasted it plain and it was great. Tasted just like regular pudding! The theme time and again has been... stevia desserts just have to sit for awhile. I wonder if it is the cooking or what. I don't have this problem with coffee and tea.

Changes for next time (the recipe already reflects these changes): Add stevia in the final step. Whisk cornstarch into 1/2 the milk before adding to saucepan.

Next time I will try making vanilla... the kids just seem to prefer vanilla stuff! Weirdos!