While cleaning out my cupboards, I unearthed an old can of fat-free sweetened condensed milk that was just this side of expiring. Unfortunately, I made that key lime flan last week. I primary use sweetened condensed milk for either flan or lemon meringue pie, and I thought that both desserts were too close to last weeks dessert to merit baking again. To change things up a little, I came up with this weird chocolate pudding-flan hybrid. It came out alright. I think. Very chocolaty. It also had a good consistency for a low fat pudding with no gelatin or additional thickening agents; I used both low fat milk and the fat free sweetened condensed milk. For a regular chocolate pudding you can omit the spices, but I enjoyed the additional bit of heat and spice that the cayenne and cinnamon brought to the more traditional chocolate pudding flavor. The top of my puddings got a little dry during the baking, so I encourage adding a tray of water to the bottom of the oven along with the water try that I placed my ramekins in. I have already tweaked the recipe to include these changes.
Mexican Chocolate Pudding
This recipe makes 6 ramekins (~4″ in diameter).
Ingredients:
- 12 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (chopped or in small pieces)
- 2 cups Milk
- 3 Eggs
- 1 (14 oz.) can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground Cayenne Pepper (add more or less depending on desired level of spice)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a try filled with water on the bottom rack of the oven to start to create the steam bath for baking.
- Place the chocolate and regular milk in a sauce pan on the stove under medium heat to melt.
- Once the chocolate has melted, remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sweetened condensed milk together, in a large bowl, until well combined.
- Add the vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne to the egg mixture. (For regular chocolate pudding do not add the cinnamon and cayenne)
- Whisk in the cocoa powder.
- Gradually whisk in the melted chocolate and milk mixture.
- Pour the pudding mixture into 6 individual serving greased ramekins.
- Fill the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with about 1″ of water for additional steam.
- Set the ramekins in the baking pan.
- Carefully slide the baking pan into the oven.
- Bake for about 40 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully remove the ramekins from the water. Careful – the ramekins will be hot.
- Allow the puddings to fully cool, and place them in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.