• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if making chocolate pudding)
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

If making chocolate pudding, add cocoa powder. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.

Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters.

Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl.

Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.

Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.

Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes.

by Pak101.com (few years ago!) / 811 views