This hot cocoa pudding is like a warm, chocolate hug. Perfect for the holidays or a special treat on a cold night. Can be made ahead, too!
If you’ve ever enjoyed Sipping Chocolate, you’ll understand the appeal of this warm chocolate pudding. If you haven’t, simply imagine hot chocolate … only thicker and silkier. Topped with crunchy candied pecans for a little crunch and a dollop of whipped cream, they’re a perfect holiday treat. And did I mention you could make both the pecans and the pudding ahead? I said these were perfect. Enjoy!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Chocolate – Using the nicest chocolate you can find will make all the difference in these puddings. Something around 70% cacao is great.
Cocoa Powder – any cocoa powder you have or enjoy will work just fine here.
Recipe Tips
If you’d like to add your own twist to these, try a flavoured chocolate, such as chocolate-mint, chocolate-orange or chocolate-sea salt. Anything chocolate you enjoy eating will be perfect.
These puddings are nice served in cups and since you don’t need to bake in them, any teacup will work just fine.
You will probably have more candied pecans than you need, but I’m sure you can find other uses for the extras.
While these are lovely warm, if you have left-over pudding, simply refrigerate and enjoy from the fridge, as well.
Making ahead and storing
Both the pudding and the candied pecan are perfect for making ahead! Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Get the Recipe: Hot Cocoa Pudding
Ingredients
Candied Pecans (can be made ahead):
- 1 large egg white
- 2 Tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 1 cup pecan pieces
Pudding:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f.
- 1 1/2 cup milk, whole milk recommended 3.5% b.f.
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla, or vanilla bean paste
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, use 1 tsp if using salted butter
- 4 oz. 70% cacao chocolate, chopped
To serve:
- Whipped cream, for topping
Instructions
- For the candied pecans (can be made well ahead): Preheat oven to 325F. Whisk egg white in a medium bowl until frother. Whisk in sugar, then add the pecans. Toss until the pecans are well coated. Spread out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, until browned and dry, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet. Use immediate or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- For the pudding: Add cream, milk, butter and vanilla to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
- As soon as the cream mixture comes to a simmer, remove from heat. Remove a ladle-full of the warm cream and very slowly (a drop at a time at first!), add to the egg mixture while whisking the egg mixture constantly. Keep whisking and adding the warm cream, increasing to a slow stream, until the entire ladle-full has been added. Repeat with another ladle-full. When two ladles have been added, add the egg mixture to the saucepan with the remaining cream and whisk to combine. Return saucepan to burner over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and the pudding is completely smooth. Pour into serving cups. Top with candied pecans and a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
More Warm Chocolate Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Made this tonight as a Valentine’s Day dessert! SOOOO good!! Used hickory nuts from our land as the candied nuts…what a wonderful, rich dessert. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks Katie and so glad you enjoyed it. Great choice for a Valentine’s treat :)
This looks so rich and indulgent, the perfect winter dessert! :)
Thanks Laura :)
Hi, Jennifer.
First of all, I want to greet you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! This Hot Chocolate Pudding with Candied Pecans is perfect for the winter season. I can already imagine myself curling up on the couch and holding a cup of this.
Thanks so much, Joseph and yes, this is the perfect thing for these cold evenings :)
This look delicious! And love the candied pecans on top! Hope you’re having a lovely Christmas with your family, Jennifer! It’s been great seeing all your wonderful recipes this past year and looking forward to all the yumminess you’ll bring us in 2018. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! XO
Thanks so much, Dawn and to you, as well :)
Yum, what a last treat you gave us…it looks delicious. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family.
Thanks so much, Karen and to you, as well!
My grandma use to make us chocolate ‘krem’ and I guess it was really chocolate pudding, going over the ingredients an method or preparation. I need to make it, it will bring back memories I am very fond of. She also said to use the best chocolate you can find:). On a different note, I am marinating goat cheese as per your recipe from a few posts ago, for tomorrow. I accidentally crumbled some of the rounds while trying to slice them, but think it will still be good. The oil smelled sooo good while being infused. Merry Christmas!
Do enjoy this pudding, Milena :) And yes, it’s a bit tricky to keep goat cheese slices intact, for sure. Usually they will just split in half, so I press them back together in my palm and they will usually stay together if you do that. Of course, if they crumbled a lot, that won’t work. They will be still fine in the oil. I’d scoop the small bits out and bake them all together in a little ramekin! Merry Christmas to you, too!
This looks so creamy and decadent! And I love that it doesn’t have to be baked. Have a super Merry Christmas Jennifer!
Thanks so much, Chris and you, too!
Such a decadent little dessert! Hope you have a wonderful Christmas Jennifer!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann and you, too!
The chocolate pudding sounds yummy!!!! Normally don’t comment until I’ve tried the receipe.
However, I thought Earl’s comment was well expressed so chose to not re-invent the wheel. However, I would like to reiterate his comments. They’re truly well deserved.
Wishing you & your family a Merry Christmas and all the best in 2018.
Thanks so much, Irene and wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas, as well :)
Thank you for a wonderful year of amazing cooking choices. Your food and your blog are held in the highest esteem in this household. Enjoy your well deserved holidays.
Thanks so much, Earl :) Happy Holidays!
Warm chocolate pudding is the ultimate comfort food!
Thanks Sue!
Chocolate pudding is such a classic, delicious treat! Warm chocolate pudding makes me swoon and always has. Your recipe sounds fantastic and looks perfect. Love the addition of the candied pecans. Merry Christmas Jennifer. I hope you and your family have a lovely holiday – and many blessings in the New Year!
Thanks so much, Tricia and to you, as well!