Chocolate Dairy Food a.k.a. Chocolate Pudding

Happy is he who still loves something he loved in the nursery:  He has not been broken in two by time; he is not two men, but one, and he has saved not only his soul but his life.  ~ G.K. Chesterton

There are some foods from childhood that are best appreciated only as a kid: Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum, Fruit for Yonks and Roll Ups a.k.a. plastic fruit leather, lolly pops that make your mouth go blue, fake cheese slices. 

And then there are childhood favs that I'm pretty sure I will still love when I'm 80: fairy bread, marmite and chip sandwiches, and Chocolate Dairy Food.

Now those not in New Zealand, what we know as "chocolate dairy food", you know as "chocolate pudding", a creamy cold treat made of milk, cocoa and cornflour.  They were the quintessential lunch time snack for the average kiwi kid, sold in little plastic pottles in packs of six, so you can hang them conveniently on the edge of the supermarket trolley when Mum and Dad did the grocery shopping (I still do that...).  Nowadays, it's marketed as a kiddie snack that's a source of calcium but every now and I buy a pack as a treat for myself...of course since calcium is good for adults too and all.

One spoon and it takes me right back to the school play ground, grabbing one out of the lunch box, a wee bit warm coz your bag had been sitting in the sun, but still gloriously chocolatey and creamy.

We had been having the most horrendously chilly weather in Wellington lately but for some reason I had an overwhelming craving for chocolate dairy food.  And since it was so miserable outside, instead of venturing out to the supermarket, I decided to have a crack at making it myself.

I couldn't get the texture exactly as silky as the store bought stuff but it was pretty darn close and oh so easy.  Literally everything in the saucepan, heat, and stir.   Nothing to it!  Chocolate dairy food whenever I want it?  This could be dangerous.


Chocolate Dairy Food a.k.a. Chocolate Pudding

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup white sugar (Think there is room to experiment with the level of sweetness, could've done with a smidge less sugar methinks.)
1/4 cup cocoa (It was quite chocolatey which is great if you're making this as a dessert for grown ups but I think I'll pull back on this next time to recreate the classic dairy food flavour.)
4 Tbsp cornflour
big pinch of salt
2 3/4 cup milk (I used trim and it turned out great.)
1 tsp vanilla (might leave this out next time.)

1. In a saucepan, whisk sugar, cocoa, cornflour and salt, getting rid of as many lumps as you can.   Heat gently on medium heat and gradually whisk in milk. Slowly bring to a bubble, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

2. Pour into little ramekins and cover with plastic wrap with the wrap touching the surface of the pudding to stop a skin forming.  Let cool then place in the fridge to chill.  Keeps for up to 3 days.