Just occasionally in life one does need the ultimate in chocolate bliss and in my opinion, this is it.  It is rich, so a little goes a long way, but it really does hit the spot. Serve it in a big bowl family style or put it in pretty glasses for a dinner party, either way it's sure to be a hit.

To make the ultimate chocolate pudding, you will need:

8 egg yolks

3/4 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of cornstarch

1 cup of good quality chocolate

2 1/2 cups of milk

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

4 oz butter

Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl of your electric mixer and with the whisk attachment, whisk until very light and thick. 

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stir until smooth and leave to cool while the eggs and sugar are whisking.

Add the slighty cooled melted chocolate to the eggs and sugar mixture and whisk to combine.

Add the cornstarch to the mixture and whisk to combine.

Heat the milk and vanilla extract in a pan to scalding point.  Pour into a measuring jug.

With the mixer running on low, very slowly pour the vanilla milk into the chocolate mixture. 

Whisk until fully combined.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, on a low heat stir continuously until thick. 

You may start to think it will NEVER thicken.  I have absolutely NO patience with this sort of thing.  It is generally just when I think I can't stand another moment of stirring that the cornstarch magically thickens the mixture and you are left with a beautiful smooth pudding like sauce. 

If the mixture becomes lumpy, remove from the heat and whisk it furiously into smooth submission.

Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the top of the pudding and place in the refrigerator to fully set and chill.

Be sure to hide this at the back of the fridge, or else when you go to serve it, it will have been consumed by husband and children.

To serve, decorate with whipped cream and perhaps a shaving of chocolate and fall under the spell of chocolate pudding bliss.