Chocolate Pudding (Lightened Up)

By Shelly17

If you love decadent chocolate, try this recipe. Why it's better for you: This pudding is everything you dream of--chocolaty rich, silky smooth, and light on calories!

Ingredients

• 2 cups fat-free milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup thawed reduced-fat frozen whipped topping
• Garnishes: toasted sliced almonds, chocolate shavings

Preparation

Step 1

1. Whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture is hot. Gradually whisk 1/3 cup hot milk mixture into egg. Whisk egg mixture into remaining hot milk mixture.

2. Cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and add chopped chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture into a glass bowl. Place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on warm mixture (to prevent a film from forming), and chill 2 hours or until pudding is completely cool.

3. Spoon 1/2 cup pudding into each of 5 individual serving dishes, and top each with 1 Tbsp. whipped topping. Garnish, if desired.

Try These Twists!
Chocolate-Espresso Pudding: Whisk together milk, sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt, adding 1 Tbsp. instant espresso to milk mixture. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Raspberry-Chocolate Pudding: Prepare pudding as directed through Step 2. Microwave 1/3 cup raspberry jam in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Spoon 1 Tbsp. melted jam into bottom of each individual serving dish, and top each with 1/2 cup pudding and 1 Tbsp. whipped topping. Stir 1 tsp. water into remaining melted jam, and drizzle 1/2 tsp. jam mixture on top of whipped topping on each pudding. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.