Orange Infused Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Kids love dessert. They go crazy for it so why not treat them to something sweet after a long day at school? Every parent can benefit from having a back to school recipe on hand. Kids desserts are great because they are best kept simple which means less work for parents. Although true, kids desserts present an opportunity to develop a child’s palate. Orange infused dark chocolate pudding is an amazing back to school recipe that will do just that. It has a deep, rich chocolate flavor with bright pops of citrus throughout.

Ingredients
Serves 4

What you need: Large bowl filled with ice water

• 2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 ¼ cups milk
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 drops orange essential oil
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions
1. Add the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder into a medium saucepan.
2. Gradually pour in the milk as you stir.
3. Heat over medium and continually stir while cooking until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
4. Reduce heat to low and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
5. Add ¼ cup of the milk mixture to the beaten egg. Stir.
6. Stir in an additional ¼ cup of the milk mixture (this will temper the egg) and return this to the saucepan along with the chopped chocolate.
7. Continually whisk as you bring the pudding to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the vegetable oil, orange zest, vanilla extract and orange essential oil.
10. Place saucepan into a bowl filled with ice water. Whisk pudding to bring the temperature down.
11. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
12. Serve.

This back to school recipe is perfect to make ahead of time. You can put this together while the kids are at school or a day in advance. The colder it gets, the better this back to school recipe tastes. The secret to mastering this kids dessert is achieving the right texture. As long you keep stirring, the pudding will be silky and smooth. When it is time to serve, just spoon it into small dishes, garnish with more orange zest for color and you have delicious kids desserts. Every spoonful is a beautiful combination of sweet, bitter and acidic that will keep the kids asking for more.