Dark Chocolate Pudding

1. In a saucepan, thoroughly combine the cornstarch, sugar, and cocoa. 2. Add the milk and stir until very smooth. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding comes to a boil. 3. Lower heat and gently simmer, stirring continuously, for 3 or 4 minutes. 4. Stir in the vanilla, pour the hot pudding into a decorative serving bowl or individual custard cups, and serve warm or chill for about 2 hours, until cold and set. 5. Note: you can replace the skim milk with whole milk for a richer pudding. If you want a more intense chocolate hit, replace the cocoa powder with 2 or 3 ounces of high-quality semisweet chocolate, such as Scharffen Berger. Melt the chocolate separately, then whisk it into the other ingredients. Cook, stirring, until the mixture simmers and thickens. Add vanilla and serve.