CHOCOLATE RUM PUDDING

CHOCOLATE RUM PUDDING

Chocolate pudding with added cocoa, rum, banana. Topped with marachino cherries and sliced almonds!

Serves 7

2, 3.4 oz. pkgs. Chocolate Flavored Cook & Serve Pudding & Pie Filling by Jello (Jello brand is gluten-free)

1/4 c. cornstarch

2 T. unsweetened flavored cocoa

1/4 c. dark rum

3-1/4 c. fat-free non-dairy creamer

1 banana

whole maraschino cherries

sliced (not slivered) almonds

Combine pudding mix, cornstarch and cocoa in large saucepan stir to evenly disperse.

Add rum,  then non-dairy creamer, 1 cup at a time, stirring with wire whisk till completely dissolved.

Place banana in blender container. Blend on low then high speed till creamy. Add to saucepan with pudding and stir till incorporated.

Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously till thickened and pudding comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then stir briskly to remove any lumps

Pour into dessert dishes. Top with each with a maraschino cherry, then sprinkle each with a few sliced almonds. Refrigerate till completely chilled.

Notes: This dessert is  fat-free except for a few slices of almond on each one. It’s light, but rich. If you prefer not to use rum, add 1/4 c. non-dairy creamer and 1/2 t. vanilla in its place.

I never place a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap over a pudding that has already been ladled into dessert cups. I like the varying textures that the ‘skin’ on top creates. However, when cooling a cooked pudding for another purpose, which requires additional stirring, then I keep the surface as free as possible from developing that ‘skin’.