Graveyard Chocolate Pudding Cups

Name: Graveyard Chocolate Pudding Cups
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 100 g granulated sugar; 40 g cornstarch; 35 g unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 g fine salt; 500 ml whole milk divided; 4 large egg yolks lightly beaten; 250 ml whole milk divided; 28 g unsalted butter cut into pieces; 5 ml vanilla extract; 240 ml heavy cream cold; 20 g powdered sugar; 180 g chocolate sandwich cookies crushed; 72 g gummy worms

This Halloween dessert layers smooth chocolate pudding with whipped cream, cookie crumbs, and gummy worms in clear cups so each serving reads like a small edible graveyard. The pudding is cooked on the stovetop, chilled until thick, then finished with a crushed-cookie “soil” topping.

By Julienne

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

100 g granulated sugar
40 g cornstarch
35 g unsweetened cocoa powder
2 g fine salt
500 ml whole milk divided
4 large egg yolks lightly beaten
250 ml whole milk divided
28 g unsalted butter cut into pieces
5 ml vanilla extract
240 ml heavy cream cold
20 g powdered sugar
180 g chocolate sandwich cookies crushed
72 g gummy worms

Instructions

Set out 12 clear cups on a tray. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt, then whisk in 500 ml of the milk until smooth. The mixture looks fully dissolved with no dry pockets.
Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 250 ml milk in a bowl, then slowly whisk that into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens and just starts to bubble; let it bubble for 30 seconds. The pudding coats the whisk and leaves visible trails that close slowly.
Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the butter and vanilla until smooth and glossy. The pudding looks shiny and homogeneous with no visible butter pieces.
Divide the warm pudding among the 12 cups, about 80 ml per cup. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface if you want to avoid a skin, then chill until cool and set, about 25 minutes in the refrigerator for a soft-set cup dessert. The tops feel cool and the pudding holds its shape when the cup is tilted slightly.
While the pudding chills, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a chilled bowl to soft peaks, then top each cup with a spoonful of whipped cream. The cream holds soft mounds but still looks smooth and billowy.
Finish each cup with crushed cookie crumbs and 6 g gummy worms per cup, arranging the cookies as “dirt” and draping the worms over the top to create the graveyard scene. Each cup has a visible dark crumb layer with worms partially peeking out.