Chocolate is naturally slightly acidic, and so is cocoa powder. Treating the cocoa with an alkalizing agent neutralizes the acid, raising the powder's pH from about 5 to about 7. Natural cocoa powder is usually sandy brown with a reddish tint and tastes bright and fruity; Dutch processing darkens the color to velvety brown or near-black and mellows the cocoa's more astringent notes so that its deeper, earthy notes come to the forefront. ~ Which Cocoa Powder Should You Buy<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The nutrient profile of cocoa powder may surprise you. It contains a significant amount of iron, zinc, selenium, potassium, and magnesium. Lowered inflammation and better heart and brain health are just a couple of the health benefits of cocoa powder. Of course, sugar isn't “health food” so I recommend moderation when it comes to all desserts. But kids love desserts, and this chocolate pudding is a good choice when you want to make something in the kitchen with your kiddos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like most kids making pudding or brownies, mine wanted to taste the unsweetened cocoa powder the first time they saw it! Probably not a great idea to taste cocoa powder, but as a mom of six I've found that no matter what you tell a kid, they're going to want to try it to see. Even if you say no, they're probably going to sneak a bite of it at some point. Disclaimer: eating dry cocoa powder can cause choking!<\/strong> And so can dry sugar (right Ben?<\/em>) and all other dry powdery foods put straight into your mouth! Some of us find out the hard way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moving on…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Making a pudding mix with egg yolks can be intimidating for new cooks. This recipe does not depend on egg yolks for thickening and is much easier to prepare. I started using organic cornstarch because my daughter wanted to make the chocolate dessert on her own. This was her first recipe learning to make pudding. Now she knows how to make pudding and custard using egg yolks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make this pudding dairy free you can use unsweetened coconut milk, almond milk, or cashew milk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use this recipe as a pie filling or eat it as is. It also makes delicious pudding pops or filling for pastries. Dip churros or cookies in chocolate pudding. Top with whipped topping and strawberries. Any other recipe that calls for chocolate pudding will work with this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you choose to serve cold, you might want to cover the pudding with plastic wrap so that the top doesn't dry out and form a skin. If you use this method, put the plastic wrap right on top of the pudding so that it touches. Then just before serving, remove the wrap and discard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I don't use plastic wrap in my kitchen, but it has taken me many years to learn how to get by without it. In this case, I use these mini pots with lids, but the pudding still forms a slight film. <\/p>\n\n\nUses for chocolate pudding<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Final Notes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\nSimple Organic Chocolate Pudding<\/h2>\n
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