I Can't Believe I'm Telling You My Best 2-Ingredient Chocolate Dessert Secret

Meet the GOAT of last-minute desserts.

I used to work in a bakery, but I'm not above shortcuts when it comes to dessert. Because even the best bakers know that nothing quite hits like a ready-to-bake cookie or a boxed cake mix, especially when it's transformed into a semi-homemade holiday dessert. Plus, whether it's during the holidays or just busy weeknights, we all need a go-to sweet treat that requires minimal effort and comes together fast.

For years, our family's was whipping up a box of good, old-fashioned chocolate pudding. Specifically one retro brand of chocolate pudding: My-T-Fine. With just that one box, some milk, and a matter of minutes, we would have a comforting dessert for the whole family. But, it wasn't exactly company-worthy. However, later in life I discovered a hack (if you want to call it that) to transform chocolate pudding into a luxurious, sophisticated, party-worthy dessert. And it still only takes minutes and one additional ingredient.

How to Turn Chocolate Pudding Into Faux Chocolate Mousse

It came to me one day when I had made chocolate pudding for a party and realized I didn't have enough to feed the amount of people coming. In an effort to stretch out the pudding (which, by the way, was a doctored box mix), I whipped up some heavy cream and folded it into the prepared chocolate pudding. The resulting dessert was light and airy with melt-in-your-mouth chocolatey flavor. It was met with rave reviews and I was met with many people asking for the recipe.

I was too embarrassed to admit my secret then, but now I'm sharing it with you. To make the most dreamy faux chocolate mousse, all you need is chocolate pudding and fresh whipped cream. You can start with premade pudding, a box, or homemade, then just whip up a half-pint carton of whipped cream to stiff peaks and gently fold it into the pudding. The folding technique helps you avoid beating too much air out of the whipped cream, as this is what makes the "mousse" light and fluffy.

There are a few other optional mix-ins I have found take this super simple dessert over the top. A little orange zest added into the pudding mixture really elevates it, as does a splash of extract, whether it be vanilla, almond, raspberry, or even peppermint (seasonal!).

Once you scoop and serve the chocolate mousse, garnish to your heart's delight. Personally, I like a little salty with my sweet, so I garnish with crushed pretzel pieces; salted, roasted peanuts; or even just a sprinkle of flaky salt. Fresh raspberries or strawberries are always welcome, as is a drizzle of caramel sauce or some chocolate shavings. A dollop of extra whipped cream on top is optional, but highly recommended.

I guarantee this dessert will impress whoever you choose to share it with, so much so that they may even ask for the recipe. Now, whether you reveal the secret behind it or not is entirely up to you.

Read the original article on All Recipes.