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Nutella Pudding Cups
After some soul-searching I finally took the plunge and bought my first container of Nutella, the famed chocolate and hazelnut spread. Just here for the recipe? Click the ‘skip to recipe’ button up by the title. Ready for deep thoughts about Nutella pudding cups? Keep on scrollin’…
This past Sunday I tuned into the Golden Globe Awards and as I watched the parade of glitzy celebrities revel in their wins I realized I haven’t seen any of the movies or TV shows that won awards. At first I thought it’s either because my favorite shows are so low-brow that any hope they might win a coveted Golden Globe is laughable or, and I prefer this assertion, my choices are so high-brow and obscure they are off the radar of mainstream award shows.
After all, to be unappreciated is the truest art form.
Okay, so I don’t really believe that last sentence. The truth is, I’m just years behind most trends. I recently added Downton Abbey to my watch list, I’ve thought for a few years that Modern Family might be fun to watch, and sometimes I make movie bucket lists only to have them languish in some dark drawer forgotten and de-prioritized.
But on Sunday the hesitation to embrace anything popular and of-the-moment got me thinking and I ended up with this conclusion: either we have a fear of missing out that drives an urgent need to try whatever is of the moment lest we get left behind. Or, we fear disappointment which holds us back from indulging wild fancies to avoid the bitter taste of a letdown.
Most times, I fall solidly in the fear of disappointment camp and not just in the movies/TV arena.
My so-behind-the-times mentality/fear of disappointment happens in the kitchen, too. Case in point: Nutella, the chocolate and hazelnut spread with a cult-like following. I’m not one to chase culinary trends preferring to stick to what I love whether it makes the trendy foods list or not.
But I had to wonder: was I avoiding Nutella because of some deep seeded fear it wouldn’t stack up to all the hype? Had I denied myself of chocolate and hazelnut because of an unfounded threat that the smooth and creamy chocolate spread is just not all that’s it’s cracked up to be?
See, that’s the problem with fear. It deprives us of opportunities to figure things out for ourselves and little by little sucks the joy out of our lives.
With the clouds cleared on this dilemma, I had a hunch that Nutella might bring some joy to my life, so I said ‘no’ to fear and took the plunge. What followed? Decadent and creamy Nutella pudding cups topped with pillow-soft dollops of whipped cream.
The first bite was… well, it was joyful. A chocolate lover’s dream. A little bit of heaven in a cup.
And, after three of these Nutella pudding cups, I can confirm there was no letdown in sight.
Nutella Pudding Cups
Homemade pudding is easy to make and requires less than 30 minutes hands-on time. It’s one of my favorite desserts because once you get the basic technique down, there are so many ways to customize the flavors. If you’ve never made pudding before here are some things to keep in mind:
- Here’s what you need: Nutella, 2% milk, granulated sugar, corn starch, egg yolks, and butter for the pudding and whipped cream and grated chocolate for the topping
- For this recipe you’ll want to mix the Nutella with the milk. Scrape all of the Nutella into a bowl (ideally one with high sides) and add the milk in batches to make it easy to combine the two ingredients.
- Prevent a lumpy pudding by slowly adding the milk/Nutella mixture to the sugar and cornstarch. Start with a small amount of liquid and whisk until smooth before adding more milk.
- The cornstarch thickens the pudding while it cooks on the stove. Cook it until bubbles can barely break the surface of the pudding (it should take less than 10 minutes of cook time). This is a weird comparison, but have you ever seen pictures of mud pots in Yellowstone National Park? That’s what your pudding will do when it’s thickened. Once that happens, the pudding is done and can be chilled up to two days before serving. A common mistake is not cooking the pudding long enough and hoping it will thicken and set in the fridge.
- Serve the puddings as is or top them with whipped cream (I used store bought – if you want to make it from scratch see my pumpkin pudding parfaits for instructions) and a little grated chocolate.
More Pudding Recipes
Banana Pudding Parfaits with Orange Sauce
Mini Chocolate Pudding Parfaits (my guest post over at eHow.com)
Serves 1/3 cup
Rich and creamy Nutella pudding cups. Make these ahead for a decadent chocolate dessert!
15 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
25 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (13 ounce) container of Nutella
- 2 1/2 cups 2% milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Whipped Cream, store-bought or homemade
- Grated dark chocolate
Instructions
- Transfer the Nutella from the container to a large mixing bowl using a spatula. Add about 1 cup of the milk to the Nutella and stir to combine. Once smooth, add more milk and continue stirring. Add the rest of the milk and give it a last stir. The nutella should be mostly dissolved into the milk, but don’t worry too much if you have a few wayward lumps.
- In a large sauce pan, whisk the sugar and cornstarch until it’s light and powdery. Slowly add the Nutella and milk mixture. Start with a 1/2 cup and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the rest of the Nutella and milk, whisking continuously. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined.
- Turn the burner to medium heat. Bring the pot to a simmer, stirring frequently. Once the pudding is thickened and the bubbles can barely break the surface remove the pot from the heat. It should take less than 10 minutes for the pudding to thicken.
- At this point, you can transfer the pudding to a bowl, add the butter and stir until it’s melted. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and chill. Or, divide it into serving dishes. Use a 1/3 measuring cup to portion the servings. Be sure to cover with the plastic wrap touching the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
- Chill the pudding for at least an hour or up to 2 days.
- To serve: garnish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of grated dark chocolate.
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Source: http://www.girlgonegourmet.com/nutella-pudding-cups/
