Chocolate Blancmange

by : Sunayana Choudhry

Recipe for Serves 4-6

Ingredients

	2 ¾ cups Milk
	4 tablespoons Sugar
	¼ cup Milk (for mixing cornstarch in)
	2 ½ level tablespoons Cornstarch (Maizena/cornflour)
	4 level tablespoons Cocoa powder
	1 level tablespoon powdered Gelatine
	¼ teaspoon vanilla essence

Boil the 2- ¾ cups of Milk with the Sugar, stirring occasionally. Mix the cornstarch in the ¼ cup of milk. Lower flame and gradually add the cornstarch mix to the boiled milk. Stir constantly.
Mix the Cocoa powder in 5 tablespoons of hot water and stir to a paste.
Add to milk mix. On a medium flame, continue stirring till mix thickens. (7-10 minutes) Take off flame.
In a small saucepan gently mix 2 tablespoons water with the Gelatine. Cook on low flame till dissolved. Alternatively, mix gelatine and water in a cup and place in microwave on high for 15 seconds. Stir the gelatine into the milk mixture. Let cool stirring occasionally to prevent a layer (skin) forming on top. Add the vanilla essence. Pour into serving dish and refrigerate. Allow approximately 3 hours to set. (For a real quick set, put in freezer for an hour then remove to fridge ½ an hour before serving!) 
Decorate with shavings of white chocolate or with cream.