A giant bowl of salted chocolate pudding

is what you should serve for dessert at your Ham Party

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Also works for a pizza party / photo by Chris Bernabeo for Sweet Enough

HAM PARTY season is upon us. If you have any questions about yours or how to throw one, you can check out this newsletter, watch this video, or leave a comment here and I'll get back to you.

One question I hear a lot is “is dessert necessary, if so, what should I make?”. I have the answer. No, it’s not necessary. But neither is making a giant 15-pound ham for 6 people and ordering 84 mustards online and making a topiary out of buns just for your own personal pleasure. But dessert is fun and we deserve that. So this year, it’s Salted Chocolate Pudding.

It’s chocolate pudding so you already know what to expect (your basic milk-based, lightly sweetened, cornstarch thickened pudding, there is also lots of chocolate), but I will also say this specific recipe is: easy (truly) to make and the exact perfect thing to either serve at your own party or bring to someone else's when you’re inevitably asked to “bring a dessert” because wow- can you make this ahead or WHAT. It’s rich and silky, deeply chocolately, lightly salty and perhaps just might be the best chocolate pudding cup you’ve ever had.

I like to serve it out of a giant bowl topped with either lightly sweetened full-fat Greek yogurt/labne, or unsweetened whipped cream laced with sour cream– either way, topped with Maldon salt and served with many tiny spoons (also great divided among tiny little cups to pass out to people, who will be thrilled to receive your tiny cup of pudding). These coups are what I use every year for my parties when serving small desserts like this and also martinis/wine. Top with crumbly cookies or something, though it is a nice naturally gluten-free dessert (something to consider). While it seems a TOUCH too whimsical for me, the holiday spirit is really coming for me this year and maybe topping it with some crushed candy canes or peppermint bark *sent with invisible ink* would be sweet.

I know you’ll ask, but this pudding is nearly all dairy (quite literally couldn’t be made without it), more specifically, milk. So I can’t vouch for any alternatives here– it’s a real dairy-lovers delight (me, I’m the dairy lover).

If you’re doing ham party for a smaller crowd and skipping dessert, ham and mustard on Dilly Rolls is an inspired choice.

I have to admit, candy canes would be cute on top / photo by Chris Bernabeo for Sweet Enough

A Bowl Of Salted Chocolate Pudding

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Salted Chocolate Pudding

Serves 4-6

Not unlike my vanilla pudding, this salted chocolate pudding should be left alone, simply celebrated for what it is, which is a bowl of melted chocolate made spoonable and consumable by a LOT of dairy (plus some sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch, as is customary for pudding). My favorite way to consume this sexy, hedonistic number is not in dainty little cups—no, this pudding wants to be served in a giant bowl, topped with a tangy yogurt- or sour cream-laced whipped cream and lots of flaky salt with nothing but a handful of spoons for individual indulging. No personal bowls, no serving utensils. This giant bowl of silky chocolate is meant to be shared with friends and lovers. (Alternatively, use it to make friends and lovers—works every time.)

5 ounces/140g bittersweet chocolate (65%–70% cacao), finely chopped

1½ cups/360g heavy cream

1½ cups/360g whole milk

¼ cup/28g unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup/165g granulated sugar

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup/30g cornstarch

1 teaspoon/4g kosher salt

1 teaspoon/5g vanilla extract

Lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Flaky sea salt, for serving

Cookies, such as chocolate wafers or gingersnaps, for crumbling or dipping

1. Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.

2. In a medium pot, heat the heavy cream, milk, cocoa powder, and 6 tablespoons of the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a bare simmer, 8–10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, the egg yolks, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla until the mixture is lumpfree and pale in color. Whisking constantly, ladle a bit of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks and whisk until completely blended. Add a little bit more at a time, until half the cream mixture is combined with the egg yolk mixture. Transfer the yolk/cream mixture to the pot with the remaining cream mixture.

4. Return the pot to medium heat and, whisking constantly, cook until the mixture has gone from thin and watery to thick and custardy, with the occasional bubble popping up, 3–5 minutes.

5. Immediately pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and let sit for a minute or two, giving the bowl a shake to help the chocolate settle as it melts. Whisk the mixture until you have an ultrasmooth, silky pudding. Leave in the bowl, or— to speed things up, transfer to a flat baking dish (an 8 × 8-inch pan works well). Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding and refrigerate until pudding is completely set, at least 3 hours, up to 48 hours.

6. To serve, whisk pudding to loosen up. Transfer to a large bowl or divide among a few tiny cups. You can layer with whipped dairy of your choosing or simply dollop on top. Sprinkle with flaky salt and something crunchy, like a cookie, if you like.

DO AHEAD: Chocolate pudding is proudly sturdy and can stay in your fridge, covered tightly, for up to 5 days.