Is Pudding Better Than Ice Cream?

You think you know someone, and then they say something like “I like pudding more than ice cream.” That’s what my partner of 10 years told me the other evening, shattering the idealized image of him I held in my mind. (Am I being overly dramatic for effect? Yes. Was I actually startled by this revelation? Also yes.)

I do not understand the sentiment, but I can support it. My support doesn’t just come in the form of verbal reassurances that I still care for him in spite of this shortcoming, but in the form of actual pudding (and sometimes the pudding-adjacent mousse). He would be perfectly happy with the instant stuff, but I cannot abide. Instead, I’m planning on making him our 5-star Chocolate Pudding with Brown Sugar and Miso.

Made with butter, brown sugar, a combination of cocoa and chocolate, plus umami-packed white miso to add layers of depth and complexity, this chocolate pudding is a standout. Dutch-processed cocoa is best because it gives the pudding a darker hue and a smoother, richer flavor, but natural cocoa will work, if that’s what you have on hand. The pudding can be divided into individual servings, but I’ll be keeping it in one big bowl. There is something so charming about a big bowl of chocolate pudding.

More recipes for the pudding lovers:

Rice Pudding with Caramel Cream and Almond Praline

Riz au lait, or rice pudding, is the signature dessert at L’Ami Jean, a Parisian bistro known for its innovative takes on robust French fare. Rice pudding typically is heavy, but chef Stéphane Jégo lightens his with whipped cream and pairs it with a mousse-like whipped caramel and caramelized nuts. If you prefer, instead of making the praline, simply top with chopped toasted nuts. For make-ahead convenience, there are a couple good stopping points in the recipe. After cooling, the pudding and caramel can be refrigerated a couple days. After the whipped cream is folded in, they will hold for one day.

Salt and Pepper Butterscotch Pudding

This recipe gives an old standby a big flavor lift. Salt accentuates the buttery caramel flavor of the butterscotch, black pepper adds savory depth and complexity, and ground ginger offers notes of warm spice. For individual desserts, portion the just-cooked pudding into jelly jars or small bowls, then refrigerate.

Ultra-Light Chocolate Mousse

Le Bon Georges, a Parisian bistro that serves excellent renditions of all the classics, offers an ethereal chocolate mousse for dessert. The chocolate base is lightened with a generous amount of whipped egg whites instead of with the typical whipped cream, resulting in an unusually light and airy texture as well as pure and direct chocolate flavor. At Le Bon Georges, the mousse, covered in chocolate shavings, is brought to the table in a small casserole for family-style serving. For ease you can do the same, or feel free to divide it among ramekins or individual bowls before refrigerating.

Mascarpone Mousse (Crema al Mascarpone)

The Italian dessert known as zabaglione, a rich concoction of whipped egg yolks, sugar and sweet wine, is a classic for a reason, but it can be heavy and too sweet and/or boozy. This five-ingredient mascarpone mousse we encountered in Milan is both lighter and simpler. Unlike zabaglione, which uses only yolks and is cooked over a double boiler, the mousse, known as crema al mascarpone, uses egg whites as well, making it airy and light. It requires no cooking and comes together in minutes.

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Claire Lower

Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.