Just desserts . . .

The family wanted dessert the other evening as opposed to needing something sweet. I decided a small treat was in order.

Chocolate pudding was the number one choice but I discovered a four-serving package cost a dollar or more when not on sale. Anyone with more than the acceptable 2/1 children knows that four servings of anything tempting doesn’t go far in the family circle. I took some time to go through a few cookbooks and found that making pudding (without the help of the handy cardboard box!), wasn't all that difficult or time consuming. From beginning to spooning it into individual dishes, took me all of ten minutes. The ingredients for eight servings may have come to the cost of a dollar but it was still twice the product offered on the quickie shelf variety. I got out my favorite, medium-sized pot and placed the following in it:

1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt

I used a wire whisk and thoroughly combined the dry ingredients. I blended in four egg yolks and one cup of milk, mixing it until smooth. Then I gradually stirred in three more cups of milk. Keeping a constant eye on and spoon in the mixture, I brought it to a boil. I kept on stirring until it thickened. At that point, the pot was removed from the heat, four tablespoons of butter and two teaspoons of vanilla were beaten into the pudding. Spoon into dessert dishes, refrigerate and there you have homemade pudding at half the cost. And I imagine that the ingredients are already on your shelf.

In ten minutes, you can master chocolate pudding. Give yourself another five and you can turn it into pie filling, too. Reduce the milk by one-half cup, proceed as above and pour the finished product into the baked or crumb pie crust of your choice.

I was thinking about going into details about what to do with the leftover pudding after dinner but there wasn’t any! And I don’t believe you will have to worry about that either.