My Grandma's Best Chocolatey Dessert Came From a Box

Some of my favorite memories as a child are standing on a step stool over the stove in my grandma's house, mixing up a batch of her chocolate pudding. Of course, getting to lick the spoon was the best part of all, and I hold those memories close to my heart to this day.

As I grew older, it occurred to me that while she was a wonderful cook, my nana wasn't making this pudding from scratch. It started from a box—and no, not Jell-O—as so many of grandma's best treats do. Every once in a while, I'd find said box in my mom's grocery store haul, a surefire sign that she was craving that same nostalgic taste of her childhood. That old reliable family favorite? My*T*Fine pudding.

My Grandma's Go-To Pudding Mix

While Jell-O gets all the attention, our go-to pudding mix sits right next to the Jell-O on the shelf, yet gets overlooked by shoppers. It used to be available in a wide variety of flavors, but these days, My*T*Fine Pudding & Pie Filling mix comes in just three flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, & Lemon. And the packaging says everything you need to know; Retro and perfect, My*T*Fine is the real deal.

According to its website, My*T*Fine has been around for more than 90 years, but according to a 2008 article in the New York Times, the brand has actually been around for over a century.

In fact, according to that article, My*T*Fine was actually the first to manufacture powdered pudding mix in the United States. Powdered instant pudding was first invented in England, and made its way to the states in 1918. My*T*Fine, like its English counterpart, relies on cornstarch as a thickener instead of the traditional eggs.

In the brand's own words, "For generation upon generation, families have trusted My*T*Fine cook-and-serve puddings to bring rich and creamy pudding desserts to the table." And that has certainly been the case for my family: we've passed this box down from generation to generation, especially the chocolate pudding.

How to Make My*T*Fine Pudding

The My*T*Fine box has instructions for both pudding and pie filling, as it can be made to either thickness/specification. For pudding, all you need is cold milk, whisked with the pudding mix, then heated until it thickens. Then pour into bowls, mugs, or ramekins and cover with cling wrap. If you don't cover, it will form a skin (which I love, but many people do not). Refrigerate or enjoy warm, straight from the pot.

Hot tip: for the easiest chocolate mousse, whip up some heavy whipping cream, then gently fold it into the cooled pudding. Top with even more whipped cream, a strawberry or a few raspberries, maybe some chocolate curls, and you've got the easiest chocolate dessert ever.

This brings me to my favorite part: fighting to lick the pudding mixing spoon. That alone was enough of an incentive to behave perfectly throughout the day at my nana's in order to beat out my sister for that privilege. To this day, I still relish the opportunity, and look forward to the day when I can pass on this chocolatey tradition to the next generation of our My*T*Fine family.