Mexican Mocha Chocolate Pudding

Here's a quick and easy Valentine's dessert that tastes totally decadent and unique.  I've made this dessert quite a few times this winter for my family.  It's one of the desserts that you can whip up late at night when you have a serious chocolate craving.

Mexican Mocha Chocolate Pudding
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup corn starch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
a pinch of salt
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup Kahlua
3 Tbsp. butter

In a sauce pan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, corn starch, cinnamon, and salt.  Add the cold milk and whisk well.  Add the vanilla and Kahlua.  Turn the heat to med-high, stir continually with the whisk.  Bring to a boil, making sure to continue to stir, cook until the pudding thickens (it should coat the back of a spoon.  Whisk in the butter until it is totally melted.

Transfer to serving dishes while it is still hot.  Serve warm or chill and serve with whipped cream.  Because this is a cooked pudding, the alcohol in the Kahlua cooks off, so I serve this to my kids.  It still has the yummy warm Kahlua flavor though.