Champorado, or Chocolate Rice Pudding

Photo: Food Network

Whenever possible -- sometimes it's not -- I try to lighten up desserts, making them a tad healthier. It turns out there's a Pilipino chocolate pudding called, Champorado, usually containing butter and cream that you can make creamy and tasty by using condensed milk. More protein with less fat is an ideal substitution. I got the idea to make pudding with condensed milk from Goodcook ... this is a tweaked version of their pudding. You could even use regular milk, however, a can of condensed milk makes a richer pudding.

Many recipes suggest using sticky sushi rice, but I use regular supermarket (or Target) white rice -- that is to say, whatever is easy to get, and it's still delicious. I have no trouble eating it!🙂

Here is the recipe:

Champorado (=Chocolate Rice Pudding)

Ingredients:

3/4 white rice
1 1/4 cups of water 
12 ounce can evaporated milk
3 tablespoons cacao powder, or dark cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate pieces (I use a Lindt candy bar.)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or a pinch)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
My optional ingredient: 1/2 teaspoon of instant coffee (brings out the chocolate flavor) 

Directions:

1) In a saucepan, toss in the rice, water, evaporated milk, cacao (or cocoa) powder and sugar.

2) Heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes to tenderize the rice. The mixture should still have liquid so there is sauce for pudding.

3) After the rice is tender, turn off the heat and add the rest of the flavors: dark chocolate pieces, salt and vanilla extract. Toss in the optional instant coffee here if you wish. 

4) Pour into dessert dishes. I say 2 portions, but you could get 3 to 4 still ample servings if you wish. Top with chocolate shavings, or whipped cream.

Eat warm (if it's nippy outside), or chilled (if not). Now you can expand your culinary horizons by switching back and forth from traditional rice pudding to chocolate rice pudding. Enjoy!


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Dry Nonfat Milk Is A Worthy Pantry Staple

Dry nonfat milk has many uses in cooking and baking, making it a good value. With a scoop, you can add protein to foods without having to adjust other ingredients as you would if using liquid milk. It's delicious added to a bowl of microwaved (1 minute, or 5 minute) Quaker oatmeal. I put dry powdered milk into bread and cake recipes. I also make Greek yogurt and smoothies with it. In addition, I buy a gallon of regular milk, but if I run out before I can get to the store, I use dry powdered milk in my coffee, or to drink. Naturally, fresh milk tastes better. But an ice-cold glass of reconstructed dry powdered milk is relatively good and tastes much better than having no milk to drink!

Some customers can find dry powdered milk cheaper than regular milk, not true in Manhattan, yet it is still a worthy staple to stock. Not sure why, but I have this unfounded fear of running out of milk. Dry nonfat milk never sours, and it keeps a long time.

From Walmart, I often order two 4 pound bags at once. During our pandemic, I was happy to have it in the pantry. Here are two recipes dry nonfat milk works well for:

I ate half warm before pouring it into a container to chill. Delish!

Rich Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons instant nonfat milk
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Up to 1/4 cup of sugar (I try to reduce sugar when possible.)
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Whisk all the ingredients together in a saucepan cold.

2) Turn on the heat on the stovetop and whisk continuously until it boils.

3) Whisk while the mixture simmers and thickens. This takes 4 - 5 minutes of simmering.

4) Pour into dessert dishes and refrigerate.

Creamy Whipped Topping

Ingredients:

1/3 cup ice-cold water
1/2 cup of nonfat dry milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1) Pour ice-cold water in a mixing bowl.

2) Add the dry milk. Beat at high speed with a mixer until it stands in peaks. A tip: Chill the beaters and bowl before starting for the best results.

3) Add the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Beat, beat, beat until firm.

4) Chill and top pudding and desserts.

I will drink soy, oat, or almond milk, but in my home, I prefer cow's milk.

I like having items in my pantry so if I wish to make a dish, I don't have to run to the store first -- I never have to fetch a box of pudding mix, or whipped topping as I can reach for ingredients in my pantry to make them myself ... usually cheaper and I know what's in it. 


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My Chocolate Pudding With Oreo Cookies

Photo: Fine Cooking

Chocolate pudding is delicious. Oreo cookies are good too. And, chocolate covered Oreos are divine, likely the nectar of the Gods. What if all three ingredients were out driving late one night and crashed into each other, and you could eat them? Well, a vision becomes an easy dessert:

Chocolate Pudding - homemade is the best!

Ingredients for pudding:

4 cups milk
4 tablespoons dark cocoa, or cacao powder (You can substitute dark chocolate bars, or Baker's chocolate.)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (You can substitute cornstarch if you wish)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Extras - after you make the pudding: 

Oreo cookies
Chocolate chips, or dark chocolate shavings

Directions to make the pudding:

1) Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Everything goes into cold milk and whisk until all the ingredients are dissolved into the milk. My secret to a smooth pudding is make it smooth before you make it hot.

2) Once the ingredients are incorporated, turn on the stove top heat. 

3) Keep whisking until the mixture boils and thickens, which only takes 4 - 5 minutes once simmering begins. Whisk the entire time to keep it smooth!

Pudding is so simple to make, I never buy pudding mix in a box. If you have a box in your cupboard eat it. After using it up, never buy it again. Instead, make pudding from scratch. (For vanilla pudding, bump up the vanilla extract and leave out the cocoa.)

3) After it thickens, pour into pudding cups.

I eat half my pudding warm (because I'm as bad as a child. Pudding is a comfort food. Refrigerate the other half.

Directions continued (after pudding is made):

4) If you have the self control to wait, line a dessert dish with Oreo cookies and alternate with pudding and chocolate shavings.

5) Refrigerate to chill and serve.

Optional Step 6: ↗If you don't mind going one more step for a fancy presentation: Separate 2 eggs (save the eggs for a custard or main dish). Beat the egg whites into a meringue (add a tablespoon of sugar to it). Top off your chocolate pudding; chocolate shavings; and Oreos with meringue, then brown it in the oven (or use a kitchen torch), before chilling in the refrigerator. Garnish the very top with more chocolate shavings or cookie bits, if you like. (Oh my goodness, the wait! The wait! Only for the strong and patient who have not already eaten half the pudding!)

Photo: thecookingchicks

Ok, I won't lie, I only make this layered dessert for dinner guests, but not for just me, myself and I. I make plenty of pudding, or what would my guests eat ... my portion? I think not!😋

Easy-peasy, tasty chocolate pudding!


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Banana Pudding

Photo: Kraft

Banana pudding is one of my favorite Southern desserts, and I won't lie: The higher the milk fat used in the recipe, the richer and better tasting the pudding is. Cream makes a heavenly banana pudding, but in the interest of staying healthy and slender, I make a few concessions. I try to retrain my tastesbuds to like lighter versions of the most decadent sweets. Most of the time, here is how I eat banana pudding:

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar (if you have it)

4 tablespoons flour

Punch of salt

4 cups of milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Cinnamon graham crackers (or the traditional Vanilla Wafers. I have also used ginger cookies)

3-4 ripe bananas

Directions: 

1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together. I use an electric hand mixer and beat it right in a large saucepan, so I have one less bowl to wash. (Yes, I am THAT lazy!)

2. Save the egg whites in a separate mixing bowl for later.

3. Add the flour, cornstarch, salt and milk to the saucepan and beat smooth.

4. Heat this mixture on the stovetop, stirring until it thickens into a custard. I use a wooden spoon.

5. Turn off the flame and add the vanilla. Let cool.

6. Next pour a little of the custard onto the bottom of a deep baking dish.

7. Layer with the graham crackers (or vanilla wafers), then top with slices of bananas.

8. Keep layering. Alternate: custard, graham crackers, banana slices.

9. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with about 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar into a meringue and spread it on top of the banana pudding.

10. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Watch closely. When the meringue is slightly brown and the pudding is bubbling, remove from the oven. Eat warm or cold.

Even if you're a healthy eater, I can't see totally depriving yourself of treats. Graham crackers contain less sugar than vanilla wafers, but are equally delicious. You can also use 1% milk to make banana pudding, and it will be tasty. But for special occasions, use whole milk and cream. As long as you eat fattening food the way your grandparents did -- a serving for dinner on Sundays -- you can indulge.

THE SAVVY SHOPPER features food as one of its topics because it's a central focus of our lives. We spend a huge amount of our disposable income (money after taxes) on food. Gathering, preparing and serving meals takes up lots of our time too. You can forgo buying a pair of shoes, but as my mother notes, "You have to eat every day!" So if you know how to cook, you can save a bundle, entertain on a budget and most of all, eat well. Bon appétit!

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