Polish Chocolate Pudding (Budyń Czekoladowy)
Indulge in the simplicity of this classic Polish chocolate pudding, a versatile and easy-to-make dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. Or without one.
Recipe At a Glance
This is a chocolate-based version of this plain vanilla Polish pudding, one of the easiest and quickest Polish desserts.
Preparation shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes from start to finish, and if you can measure ingredients and use a whisk, you can nail it. It’s the ideal recipe for those “I don’t feel like cooking but could really use a nice dessert” moments.
All you need are milk, eggs, starch (corn or potato), chocolate, and sugar, which are likely already in your kitchen. That’s it.
Give it a go.
(Check out my pistachio pudding recipe for a different flavor variation. Or my strawberry kissel recipe. It’s super similar to this one, except we replace milk with water, chocolate with strawberries, and there are no egg yolks.)
If you’re making Polish chocolate pudding for the first time, read the ingredients notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. If you’re a veteran, feel free to jump to the recipe card.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutes
- Milk: I use regular full-fat milk, but skim or fat-free milk also works. You can even experiment with plant-based milks, but avoid those with intense flavors.
- Egg yolks.
- Potato starch: In Poland, we use potato starch because it’s readily available. Cornstarch is a good substitute, though you need to use 100 percent more of it (4 tbsp cornstarch instead of 2 tbsp potato starch)
- Dark chocolate: Choose your favorite dark chocolate. You can substitute milk chocolate (halve the sugar amount) or even white chocolate (omit sugar).
- Sugar: Regular white sugar is perfectly fine.
How to Make Polish Chocolate Pudding
- Chop the chocolate: Start by finely chopping the chocolate. This helps it melt more easily when heated with the other ingredients. It’s best to do this at the beginning as the process speeds up once you start heating the milk.
- Prep the egg yolks: If you haven’t already, separate the egg yolks from the whites. You’ll only need the yolks for this pudding recipe.
- Set aside some milk: Measure out half a cup of milk and pour it into a separate dish to use later. This milk will be used to prepare the starch slurry.
- Start boiling: Pour the remaining milk into a pot. Add the egg yolks, sugar, and chopped chocolate to the pot, then place it on medium heat. Stir often to prevent the chocolate from sticking to the bottom and burning. Continue stirring until the chocolate fully melts, aiming for a smooth, uniform liquid.
Add egg yolk and sugar
Mix egg yolk sugar and milk
Add chopped chocolate
- Prepare the starch slurry: While the mixture warms up, add the starch to the milk set aside earlier. Whisk vigorously to ensure no lumps remain.
- Mix in the starch slurry: When the milk mixture is almost boiling, pour in the starch slurry while constantly stirring. Reduce to low heat and continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to avoid lump formation. The pudding should thicken during this time.
Mix in the starch slurry
Stir to thicken the pudding
- Adjust flavor: Taste a small amount of the pudding (be cautious, as it’s hot!) to check its sweetness. If necessary, add a teaspoon (or two) of sugar, stir for a while, and then taste again.
- Serve: Once thickened, remove the pudding from the heat and pour it into dessert cups or ramekins. Serve warm, or allow it to cool at room temperature and serve cold.
Tips for Making Polish Chocolate Pudding
- Pour immediately after heating: The pudding thickens and starts to form a crust as it cools. Therefore, it’s best to portion it immediately after cooking while it’s still quite hot.
- Prevent crust formation with plastic wrap: To prevent skin or crust from forming on the pudding’s surface during cooling, place plastic wrap directly on its surface while it’s still hot. This technique is also used with lemon curd. I do this when I’m using the pudding to make cake filling.
- Taste and adjust sweetness: After adding the starch and once the pudding thickens, taste and adjust the sweetness if necessary. Depending on the chocolate’s sweetness and personal preference, you may need to add more sugar, especially if using very bitter chocolate or if you prefer a sweeter pudding. This recipe is intended for a dark-chocolate-flavored pudding, so you might need more sugar if you’re not a fan of dark chocolate.
How to Serve It
Here are some ways to serve Polish chocolate pudding:
- Serve it hot: If it’s cold outside and you’re craving a warm dessert, serve the pudding shortly after it’s cooked.
- Add vanilla ice cream: For fans of the classic hot-cold combination, pair your warm chocolate pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The temperature contrast makes it even better.
- Serve it chilled: Let the pudding sit at room temperature for at least an hour before serving. Or, better yet, cool it to room temperature, then refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. This is my preferred method.
- Top with various garnishes: This dessert can be topped with almost anything. Some suggestions include fresh fruit, grated white chocolate, almond flakes, or a dollop of fluffy whipped cream.
Feel free to mix and match these options to create your ideal serving of Polish chocolate pudding.
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer any leftovers, preferably while still hot, to an airtight container and leave it unsealed at room temperature to cool. Once cool, seal the container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Ready to indulge? Serve it straight from the fridge.
You can also prepare these ahead of time. Pour the pudding into ramekins or dessert bowls, let them cool, then cover and refrigerate. The simplest way to cover them is using aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
Leaving these uncovered in the fridge is a bad idea – the dessert will likely dry out and absorb smells from the fridge. You definitely don’t want your pudding to smell like sausage.
Polish Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk ~475ml
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp potato starch or 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 oz dark chocolate ~60g
- 2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Chop Chocolate: Finely chop the chocolate for easier melting.
- Egg Yolk Prep: Separate the yolks from the egg whites; use only the yolks.
- Reserve Milk: Set aside half a cup of milk for the starch mixture.
- Begin Cooking: Combine remaining milk, egg yolks, sugar, and chocolate in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the chocolate melts.
- Starch Slurry: Mix starch with the reserved milk, ensuring no lumps.
- Add Slurry: Start stirring the mixture and add the starch mixture to the pot when the milk is almost boiling. Then reduce heat and stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- Sweeten to Taste: Adjust sweetness if necessary, tasting carefully.
- Serve: Pour into dessert bowl or ramekins. Serve warm or chilled.
