Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Just like Nanny made…..

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When I was a little girl, I remember my Nanny Hazel making THE VERY BEST chocolate pies and chocolate pudding. Her pies had the light and oh-so-flakey crust that was filled with dark and rich pudding – the kind that was made from scratch. Topping off the heavenly pie were beautifully appointed swirls of homemade whipped cream.

For holidays and birthdays Nanny always asked us what we would like for dessert. Any guess? YES! Her CHOCOLATE PIE!!!!!!!

The other day – in the midst of cleaning – I found a recipe for homemade chocolate pudding. Ironically enough, all of the ingredients were waiting for me in the panty. I took a break from cleaning yesterday and tried it out.

Instead of a pie, I made a layered pudding with homemade whipped cream.

Yes……it was good……

So good, it made me cry…..

It brought me back to my childhood.

Every single spoonful brought memories of sitting at my Nanny’s kitchen table. It was like she was sitting next to me and watching me smile with every bite……the kind of bite where you close your eyes and let your taste buds take you on a happy journey.

It was just like my Nanny used to make!!!!

Let me share with you…..

Homemade Chocolate Pudding (and pie filling)

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder (your favorite brand)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk

2 eggs yolks, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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In a medium size saucepan combine sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, flour and salt and blend it around with a fork.

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Add the milk and egg yolks to the pan.

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Whisk in the ingredients then from now on with a spoon. The spoon will allow you to get into the corners as the pudding cooks.

Cook over medium heat and STIR CONSTANTLY until the mixture boils. Allow the mixture to boil (still over medium heat) and stir for a minute. (note: I found that this cooking process took about 12-15 minutes). Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla. To make the layered pudding, I poured my pudding into a glass bowl, covered it and allowed it to set up in the refrigerator for several hours. I layered the cooled pudding with fresh sweetened homemade whipped cream. To finish it off I topped it with a cherry filled Hershey KISS.

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Would you like a bite?

Do you want to go in from the side?

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Or would you prefer to dig in from the top?

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Here, you can have the Kiss!!! I made several, so eat the entire thing.

…..nummmmm…..

…………nummmmmm…..

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my, what a precious memory! My mom made the great pies too. I can remember standing with her while she stirred the chocolate filling until it was ready to pour into the baked crust. She always gave me the saucepan to scrape.

Fun! Thanks for sharing.

Kay
No Richland Hills, TX

Cindy said...

Mmmm, that does sound yummy. My mom made those occasionally when I was growing up. Thanks for the recipe. Cindy S.

Blondie's Journal said...

Your memories are so sweet. This pudding looks and sounds so delicious, I am not even going to THINK about my diet!! Thanks for the recipe!! :-)

xoxo
Janie

Ashlee said...

i am a sucker for all things chocolate.
this looks sooo yummy.
my nana's homemade fudge is my very favorite.

Sandy said...

Delicious pudding - I must try your recipe. My favorite pie is a family recipe too - chocolate pie filling that is cooked on the stove. The filling is not a cream filling like pudding though. It's a little thicker. But we love it. If you go to my blog I have a posting for New Years Eve with a photo of my chocolate pie.

Vee said...

You know...I was going to make scones... Ha! Wonderful and I'm glad that it took you right back to childhood. It's funny how a favorite food can do that. Thanks for the kiss!

Pat said...

OH, my.....that looks SO good! Thanks for putting the recipe there, too.

Anonymous said...

Oh yum! That looks delicious. I love your photography.

Funnily enough, my post today will be about my grandmother, as it is the anniversary of her birth.

Kate

Kathleen Grace said...

Ooooh wonderful! I don't have a home made choc. pudding recipe and this looks easy. I like that I have everything I need all the time in my pantry too, although, maybe that isn't a good thing! lol. I would dig in from the top, through the whipped cream thank you!

Susie Q said...

Oh dearest Becky! This is too good!! And the sweetest memory too!
I copied this down and even added your nanny's name to it!

Love,
Sue

BugnLVoe said...

Yum! :-)
And the pictures are adorable! :-)

XOXO

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

I'm salivating - and wondering if I can make this with dry milk as my refrigerator has no milk in it. Don't you just love things that Nanny used to make. My Nanny's name was Elizabeth, but my Grandma's name was LuCinda - and that's how I differentiated them - Nanny and Grandma. Reading about your pudding makes me miss them so - this has been a bittersweet day.

Hugs,
Lynn

Into Vintage said...

Oh boy - I'm in some serious trouble here...chocolate pudding is one of my absolute weaknesses. I can't wait to try this!! Thanks B! -amy

Molly the Airedale said...

Mom isn't a huge chocolate fan and somehow that pudding is calling to her! What a nice memory!

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

Catherine Holman said...

Thanks for sharing the pudding recipe. Chocolate pie is my daughter's favorite dessert and she always wants it for her birthday. I may have to figure out how to make it without the flour because she can't have gluten. Would you mind me asking where you got your red and white checkered plates and silverware? My kitchen is red, white, and yellow.
Catherine

IRDAYU said...

wow..yummy..yummy..
sudennly i got idea from your pudding
yeah..faux pudding..
t.q for sharing

ROSE VINE COTTAGE said...

It sounds and looks yummy! I will have to give this recipe a try, my husbands fav is chocolate pie!Thanks for the recipe (;
Hugs~Kelly

IRDAYU said...

wow..yummy..yummy..
sudennly i got some idea.
yeah..faux pudding
thanks for sharing.

Sinta Renee said...

How nice to have a treasured memory and an recipe to go with it! I love chocolate pie! I have no special memories like yours but maybe I could borrow yours and enjoy it your Nanny Hazel too! (while I forget about my diet)!!!

Brenda Pruitt said...

I would truly love to have a bite of that confection! My daughters loved it when I made chocolate anything.
Brenda

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Hi Becky,
Oh my, this looks so yummy! I could eat the hole thing. Gary loves chocolate so I will have to try Nanny Hazel's receipe.
Big hugs and smiles,
Elizabeth

black eyed susans kitchen said...

That was just wonderful in so many ways!! Your memory brought me back to when I was a little girl. My mom would pull the step stool over to the stove and give me the big spoon to stir the pudding. I didn't dare complain because I loved the pudding so much. Oh, so wonderful.
♥, Susan

Carol said...

Thank you for the memories & the recipe! I LOVED chocolate pie when I was little.

Betty said...

Oh yum! My granny never made pudding but that sure does look good. I love the spoons and plates too. Where did you find them?

marie said...

Can I just say "oh yum!"

What a lovely memory! Tasty too!

I was only seven when my (very Italian)grandma passed away...but I remember when she used to make homemade raviloi. While she was cooking she would slice of chunks of butter and give them to my brother and I. I loved it! I don't know why ~ but I did.

It's a lovely memory too ~ but your's definitely sounds yummier!

Thimbleanna said...

Oh, you are so naughty to post such a delight in the middle of diet season! Isn't it wonderful how tastes and smells can take us back to our childhoods?

Elsie said...

OOOO Becky~ that looks so good. My
hubby's grandmother use to make a
very delicious chocolate pie. I will
have to try this. Thanks it does
bring back memories of our maw maw
too. :O)

Julie said...

Oh YUM.... It looks awesome, and it's CHOCOLATE! Your post reminds me of when we went to my Grandmother's farmhouse and she always made us a chocolate flavored "Whip-n-Chill" treat. It was some kind of chocolate pudding mixed up with Dream Whip- all powder mixes in envelopes and poured together in a bowl with milk (whole milk of course) and maybe vanilla or something. All I know is it was THE treat of treats. We loved to go and have it waiting for us. She also made the best blueberry muffins and had frozen bananas on a stick in the freezer and kept Fresca in her frig. - wow you just brought back a number of special memories via one chocolate pudding post. :-) :-)
It looks scrumptious. Thanks for the recipe. **by the way...I love the previous post on the sweet pups!

Sue said...

This looks absolutely delish!! I would be attacking that from the side, saving the whipping cream and kiss for last. Kinda like I eat the cherry last in my Steak and Shake brand strawberry shake.Thanks for posting the recipe. ~ Sue

Simple Home said...

You are stirring up lots of memories for all of us. My mom used to make great chocolate pie too. I copied the recipe. Funny, we don't think about making homemade pudding because we have "instant" everything these days, but instant pudding just doesn't taste the same. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. My mouth is watering now :-)
Blessings,
Marcia

Mimi Sue said...

I love to make from scratch pudding. Soooo much better than boxed. Try vanilla with a little raspberry sauce on top. Pretty darn good too. Mimi

Irish Cottage Dreams said...

That looks soo wonderful!! It is freezing cold
here and the only thing on my mind is warm
soup... I will put that recipe aside for when
I defrost :)

hugs~kimme

The 'splorin' Wolfies said...

it is so wonderful when food brings you back in time like this. certain smells do that too--don't you think?

xo

Amy said...

Becky... I know my family tonight after dinner will be thanking your 'Nanny' for her recipe! I'm glad your pudding that you made enabled you to visit the past. Sweet memory for sure.

the wild raspberry said...

isn't it amazing the way a certain food can flood us with memories?

looks yummy!

chas

Dawn said...

Homemade chocolate pie is a famil tradition for us too. We called my great-grandmother Nanny too.
Thanks for the memories.
Dawn

A Gardner's Cottage said...

To sweet...don't you just love memories!

PamKittyMorning said...

Ohhh that looks so tasty!

Barb said...

Becky, this looks absolutely delicious. Love your story!

Barb ♥

JG said...

Oh wow! My Mom made Chocolate Pies! You have brought back memories for me! She would bake the pie shell and then make the pudding. It was so gooood!

Your pudding looks so yummy!

Pondside said...

Molasses cookies do it to me! Just like my grandmother made.
Your pudding looks like quite a treat and if I were there I'd probably scrape my glass clean.

Freda Marie said...

Love you making and sharing a grandma memory. I have two grandsons, now 12 and 13 but they still think their Grandma is the best cook in the world...your blog made me realize that even when I depart they will carry those wonderful memories of us cooking and sharing meals. Thank you....

Freda Marie said...

Good Morning
I would like to feature your blog on my blog tomorrow and use your name and banner...would you mind? I am writing about the incredible world of blogging and how I found you through one of my favorites, favorites and how blessed I was to read...spent three hours yesterday discovering new blogs.

Please let me know if you are okay with me posting your banner as a picture and name. I will create links to your blog, I don't have a lot of traffic but know my friends would love your blog.

Freda

Heidi Ann said...

Oh, my - I know EXACTLY what you mean about homemade chocolate pudding - nothing compares. Our mother made it when we were growing up, and I remember having it with evaporated milk poured over. I wouldn't want it that way now. The way you served it looks fabulous, or, perhaps even better yet, the good old-fashioned cream pie. Yum. Our favorite recipe is a little different, from a 1958 Bakers Chocolate Recipes booklet. Oh, you have me REALLY wanting some now!

♥Frann♥ said...

MMMMM...it sounds so delicious...well everything is delicious with chocoalte :-)

Dena said...

Oooohhhh, that looks nummy Becky! I have never made homemade pudding, but now that I know how I'm gonna :) Thanks for the recipe.

Hugs,
Dena

Denise said...

yum!!!!! I eat from the side down.... Want to save the good stuff for last.......

Grandma made the BEST chocolate pudding but her lemon meringue pie was the WORLDS best! I should have paid more attention.......

cathleen said...

OOhhhh! I have made homemade chocolate pudding before and there is just NOTHING like it, Becky. I love how you said it made you cry. Great chocolate lovers think alike! Now, I think I may have to make some of this today on this cold, cold winter morning. Your pictures make my mouth water!!!!! Have a lovely weekend.

The Strawberry Mallard said...

Deeeeeeeeeeeeelicious!!!!!!!!
TY for sharing angel!
Hugs, NEBS & ANgus

Daisy Cottage said...

Oh Beckers, I missed YOU!!!!!!!!

What a sweet and delicious memory and thank you so much for sharing the recipe with us. Oh yum!!!

I love your photography - you are working that camera girlfriend!!!

xo,
Kim