Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Popsicles

I told you guys popsicle recipes were coming, did I not? A few weeks ago I finally got around to breaking in the popsicle mold I bought last summer and now I’m bursting with all kinds of flavor ideas. Looking back on the (dozens? hundreds? of) popsicles, ice cream pops, and other frozen treats I adored as a child, I recalled really, really loving pudding pops. I’ve also been on a peanut butter kick lately, and before I knew it the idea of this chocolate covered peanut butter pudding pop had formed in my mind. There was no turning back, obviously.

Guys, these are good. Like, if you don’t have a popsicle mold yet, go buy one this weekend kind of good. They are definitely on the more indulgent side of the popsicle spectrum as compared to their much healthier predecessors, but these are so worth the splurge. In our house once these were served…total silence, as we devoured them. I wish I didn’t have to share the rest.

Yield about 8-10 popsicles

Ingredients

For the peanut butter center:

1/3 cup sugar
5 tsp. cornstarch
Pinch of coarse salt
1¾ cups low-fat milk (I used 2%)
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the chocolate coating:

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 oz. (¾ cup) heavy cream
2 tsp. light corn syrup
Chopped peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Directions

01
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in the milk and the heavy cream. Heat over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook about 1 minute more, until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter and the vanilla until smooth.
02
Pour the pudding into the popsicle mold. Insert popsicle sticks, cover, and transfer to the refrigerator to set the pudding. Once set, transfer to the freezer to freeze completely.
03
When you are ready to dip the popsicles, cover a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and transfer to the freezer to chill. Place the chopped chocolate in a narrow liquid measuring cup or bowl (to make the glaze deep enough for dipping). Heat the cream in the microwave or in a small saucepan until just at a simmer. Pour over the chopped chocolate and let stand about 2 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache has formed. Whisk in the corn syrup. Let the glaze cool briefly so that it is still liquid, but not hot enough to melt the popsicles.
04
Remove the popsicles one by one from the mold. Dip each pop quickly in the ganache, then transfer to the chilled baking sheet and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Repeat with the remaining pops. Immediately return the pan to the freezer and freeze until the glaze is fully set and the popsicles are frozen.

Source

pudding slightly adapted from Bon Appétit