[1] Homemade chocolate pudding is a real treat. The easiest garnish is whipped cream. The recipe is below (photo © Williams Sonoma).

[2] It’s really easy to make this beautiful rose garnish (photo © Driscoll’s).

Here’s another special chocolate pudding recipe for National Chocolate Pudding Day, June 26th.

Created by Driscoll’s, growers of premium berries, the elegant strawberry roses are actually very easy to make.

Keep this recipe on file for anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and other special occasions.

Not to mention, National Chocolate Pudding Day is June 26th.

Here’s the history of pudding. It was created in Medieval Europe, inspired by an Arab recipe for rice pudding.

Chocolate didn’t arrive in Europe until the 16th century, so the first European cooked puddings used other flavors.

There’s no need to make instant pudding when it’s easy to make from-scratch chocolate pudding, which tastes so much better.

All you gain from instant is pre-measured dry ingredients: the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa, salt, plus powdered vanilla instead of liquid vanilla extract.
 
 
RECIPE: HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
WITH A ROSE GARNISH

Ingredients For The Pudding

 
For The Rose Garnish

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the pudding. Melt the chocolate. Whisk together 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch.

2. BRING the remaining 1-1/2 cups milk, sugar, cocoa and salt just to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the cornstarch mixture, then add to the milk mixture in pan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook 1 minute.

3. REMOVE from the heat and stir in melted chocolate and vanilla. Spoon into glasses. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Chill.

4. MAKE the roses. Hull 16 strawberries by removing the green calyx. Take 4 strawberries and cut the tops off. These strawberries will be used as the center for the roses. Slice the remaining strawberries into eighths. These sections will become the rose petals.

5. ARRANGE the sliced strawberries around the pudding, making sure the ends of the slices are facing out and extend slightly beyond the rim of the glass. After the first circle of strawberries is placed, begin making a second circle of strawberries but position slightly more forward toward the center of the glass. Continue with a third layer.

Once finished, add the cut strawberry to the center and garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately.