Here is a great little chocolate pudding recipe. This makes just the right amount for two.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
from Barefoot Contessa Parties!, Ina Garten, 2001.
Serves 2 or 3
Ina says: "Remember My-T-Fine chocolate pudding? It's the ultimate comfort food. Well, I like to take something familiar and bump up the flavor with high-quality ingredients. This pudding gets its falvor from good cocoa powder and imported semisweet chocolate. It's the real thing and, surprise!, it's not much harder to make than the packaged kind, and it's soooo much better."
6 extra-large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons very good cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
2 cups milk
1 oz. very good semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light yellow and thick in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted wih the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed. On low speed, add the cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan and, with the mixer on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the chocolate mixture. Combine well, then pour the mixture back into the pan.
Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, until thickened. If the misture begins to curdle, remove it from the heat and beat it vigorously with a wire whisk. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, butter, vanilla, and heavy cream, and mix until the chocolate and butter are melted.
Pour pudding into a serving dish and place plastic wrap directly on the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming). Chill until ready to serve.