Chocolate Pudding Dessert

Photo by Life as a Healthy Mom

Today is my husband's birthday..the big 40.  I turned that age myself about three weeks ago.  Our running joke is that he is allowed to call me his "old lady" from 22 days each year  (although he never puts the rule into force)....I believe he knows better! So, for his birthday I asked him what kind of dessert he would like.  He mentioned my famous pudding dessert; and I say famous because I have been making this dessert for as many years as we have been married...and we will be celebrating 19 years of marriage next week.  Whenever my grandmother's birthday rolls around each year (she is 86!), she always asks for the lemon version of this recipe as her birthday dessert. It's pretty much a given that I make it a few times a year.

Honestly, I have no clue who gave the recipe to me, if it was some one's original recipe, or it came out of a cookbook.  It has always been in my handwritten recipe collection for as long as I can remember.  But the original recipe called for items, such as pudding and whipped topping (aka Cool Whip).  Have you looked at the ingredients lately of these two items? The pudding list contains items such as artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, such as BHA. The whipped topping contains hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors.  NO THANK YOU!

Many years ago, I used to follow the recipe to a T....including buying everything in boxes, and of course having it prepared in minutes because isn't that what buying processed food is all about....the convenience? But I have changed my ways by refusing to buy items that I can make at home with real ingredients. 

This new recipe I have now adapted using homemade whipped cream and chocolate pudding, and I make the crust from my gluten free flour mix.  I also use organic dairy products so I know there are no added chemicals in the food such as antibiotics or hormones.  It takes a little more time, because this dessert has four different layers--crust layer, sweetened cream cheese layer, chocolate pudding layer, and whipped cream top layer.  It is SO WORTH IT....it is DELICIOUS!  Even though it may be high in calories, you will only be able to eat one piece because the chocolate has such a rich taste to it. 

Here is a recipe with real ingredients. 

Make the first layer:  

1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cup gluten free flour (or you can use all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1.  Cut above ingredients together with a pastry blender.  Pat mixture into a 9 x 13 pan (the layer will not be thick)

2.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  The crust will not be brown. Cool.

Make the whipped cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Continue to beat on medium until soft peaks return, about 3 minutes.

Save one cup of the whipped cream for the 2nd layer.  Put the rest in the refrigerator to use as the final layer.

Make 2nd layer of dessert:

1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup homemade whipped cream

Blend these ingredients in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.  Spread over cooled first layer (crust).  Place the 9 x13 pan into the refrigerator.

Make 3rd layer of dessert: 
(adapted from "Better Homes and Garden: New Cook Book" copyright 1989) :

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tbsp. cornstarch
3 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch.  Stir in milk.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into beaten eggs.

Return all of the egg mixture to the saucepan.  Cook until nearly bubbly, but do not boil.  Reduce heat.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat.  Stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour pudding into a bowl.  Cover the surface with clear plastic wrap.  Chill.

Now it is time to assemble the dessert layers:

After the pudding has cooled, it is time to assemble the rest of the dessert. Remember, you have already assembled the first two layers, the crust and the sweetened cream cheese.  Now it is time for the third layer....the chocolate pudding. Spread the chilled chocolate pudding over the sweetened cream cheese.  

The fourth and final layer is the whipped cream.  Spread the whipped cream over the chocolate pudding, being careful not to disturb the pudding.  

And there you have it.  The total time it takes to make all the separate layers is about a 1/2 an hour.  The final assembly takes minutes.

Enjoy!