Chocolate pudding...from scratch!

I don't know what got into me today, but for some crazy reason I decided to make chocolate pudding from scratch. It all started when my Better Homes & Gardens magazine came in the mail last week. In it there was a section on enjoying chocolate in low-fat recipes. (Um, yes please). There was a recipe for chocolate pudding included and I thought I'd give it a try. It was actually pretty tasty and very rich. It was a bit soupy, but I'm wondering if it will firm up after being left in the refrigerator over night. I'll let you know tomorrow. Recipe below, courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens.

Rich and Creamy Chocolate Pudding:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 T. cornstarch

1 tsp. instant espresso coffee powder or instant coffee crystals

2 c. fat-free milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 T. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 banana, sliced (optional)

1 T. chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan combine sugars, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and coffee. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

2. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into egg in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to milk mixture in saucepan, stirring constantly. Return saucepan to heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.

3. Place saucepan in a very large bowl half-filled with ice water. Stir pudding constantly for 2 minutes to cool quickly. Transfer to a medium bowl. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours. To serve, top with sliced banana and/or crystallized ginger.

**FYI: The coffee is meant to bring out the flavor in the chocolate, not flavor the pudding. You can hardly taste it.