Chocolate Pudding Pops Recipe

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups cold half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the chocolate, sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir often until the butter and chocolate have melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 6 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the half-and-half in a medium bowl and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface.
3. Let stand without disturbing until the gelatin softens, about 3 minutes (it will start to look wavy and wrinkled).
4. Slowly whisk the gelatin mixture into the chocolate mixture and whisk continuously until smooth and incorporated.
5. Heat, whisking frequently and checking the temperature occasionally on an instant-read thermometer, until the gelatin dissolves and no longer feels grainy, about 10 minutes.
6. (Do not let the mixture boil or go above 170 degrees F, or the gelatin will not set properly.)
7. Transfer the mixture to a blender and add the vanilla.
8. Remove the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and cover the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam from the hot mixture to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off).
9. Blend until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate is completely incorporated, about 15 to 30 seconds.
10. Divide the mixture among the pop molds and freeze until frozen, about 3 hours.
11. Alternatively, to serve as pudding, divide the mixture among ramekins and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
12. (To avoid the skin that forms on the surface of pudding, cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and make sure its directly touching the pudding.)

bittersweet chocolate, sugar, unsalted butter, salt, cold half, unflavored powdered gelatin, vanilla

Taken from www.chowhound.com/recipes/chocolate-pudding-pops-29639 (may not work)