Toasted graham crackers, topped with the most delicious, creamy dark chocolate pudding and a dollop of whipped cream is the perfect dessert for any occasion!
Chocolate Parfait Recipe
Yields: 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
For the Chocolate Pudding:
- 1 cup milk
- 1⁄4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1⁄4 teaspoon instant coffee
- 2 egg yolks
- 30- 40 grams (1.1-1.5 oz, or 1/4 – 1/3 cup) dark chocolate, roughly chopped – I used 70 percent (Use your favorite dark chocolate, because it has a huge effect on the final taste!)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter at room temperature
- Pinch of salt
For the Base:
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (coarse)
- 1⁄4 cup melted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Topping (optional):
- Whipped cream
- Blueberries
Instructions:
make the Chocolate Pudding:
1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until it’s light in color, about 2 minutes. Then add the cornstarch, salt, instant coffee and cocoa powder, whisk until combined.
2. Heat the milk on medium heat until it starts to simmer, do not let it boil.
3. Gradually add half of the warm milk, to the egg yolk mixture, while whisking. Add a little at a time and whisk thoroughly before adding more. (This is called tempering the eggs)
4. Now whisk the mixture back into the saucepan. Place it on medium heat and keep whisking.
5. After about 2 minutes, the mixture starts to thicken, keep whisking until it’s almost starting to boil, about 2 more minutes. Take it off the heat.
6. Add 30 grams of chopped dark chocolate and whisk until all the pieces are melted and incorporated. Add butter and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Taste the pudding at this stage, if you like it to be more chocolaty add the extra 10 grams of chocolate and whisk until melted. (It depends on the type of chocolate you are using and also your preference, that’s why it’s better to taste it before adding more.)
7. If the mixture is too lumpy, strain it into a bowl.
8. Cover the top with plastic wrap (the plastic should be directly on top of the mixture to prevent forming a skin)
9. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight.
make the Base:
1. While waiting for the pudding to cool down, preheat the oven to 325 F. Place some graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it you have coarse crumbs. If there are some large pieces, you can crush them a little bit by hand. You can also place the graham crackers in a zip lock and smash them with a rolling pin.
2. Measure 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs and transfer into a bowl. Add brown sugar and melted butter. Mix thoroughly with a fork.
3. Transfer the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes. (After about 6 minutes, take it out and stir a little bit to make sure it bakes evenly.)
4. Let it cool down.
Assembly:
When ready to serve, add a layer of cooled graham crackers, followed by a layer of chocolate pudding. Do this one more time and then top with a dollop of whipped cream, some blueberries and garnish with a sprinkle of graham crackers.
It’s best to assemble right before serving to enjoy the crunch of graham crackers, but if not possible it will still be delicious!
Enjoy!
