This is a dessert that will be popular with both the big and little kids in your life. I think the first time I experienced dirt pudding, complete with gummy worms, was in science class in lower school. It rocked my world. Today, I like serving this as dessert because it always makes people smile to see a worm coming out of their glass.
If you’re making this for kids you might want to go more milk chocolate route versus semisweet or you could just use a jello chocolate pudding mix. Grown-up kids will be fans of the darker, more bitter chocolate taste from semisweet morsels and cocoa powder. If you want to make these mint chocolate dirt puddings, add a teaspoon of mint extract when you add the vanilla and garnish with mint sprigs.
What to buy (makes 10 small servings):
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 and 1/2 cups half and half
- 2 and 1/2 cups milk (I used 2%)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 15-20 Oreos
- mint sprigs and gummy worms for garnish (optional)
What to do:
- Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt in a saucepan over medium heat
- Combine cream, milk, and vanilla in a separate bowl
- Pour 1 cup cream mixture into sugar mixture, whisk until cornstarch is dissolved
- Add remaining cream mixture, whisk until smooth
- Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, cook until thick, about 5 minutes
- Reduce heat to low and add chocolate, whisk until chocolate melts, about 1 minute
- Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter, whisk until butter melts
- Divide pudding, pouring or spooning into 8-10 small glasses or glass flowerpot votive candle holders leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top of each
- Refrigerate until set (which will take about 2 hours)
- Pulse Oreos in a food processor or blender until finely ground and top each pudding with ground cookie “dirt,” and garnish with worms and a mint sprig
- Serve chilled.
