Orange-Scented Chocolate Pudding (Fat Free, No Sugar Added)

Using a paring knife or vegetable peeler, carefully peel just the zest of the orange away in as few pieces as possible. Don’t just grate the zest, since we want to be able to easily remove it from the milk after infusion.

Add the milk and orange zest into a medium sized saucepan. Heat over low-medium heat, stirring frequently until the milk is just beginning to simmer. Do not let the milk boil.

Turn the heat down to low and carefully remove the orange zest using a slotted spoon. Whisk in the cocoa powder until completely dissolved and no lumps remain.

Add the Truvia, vanilla and salt, and whisk until completely dissolved.

In a large heat resistant measuring cup, measure out the cornstarch. Add about an equal amount of the pudding liquid into the measuring cup and whisk vigorously until no lumps remain and cornstarch is completely dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch/pudding mixture back into the saucepan and stir continuously for an additional 2 minutes. The pudding should thicken up fairly quickly, and you may want to use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan frequently.

Remove the pudding from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. If you are OCD about not having lumpy pudding, you can use an immersion blender and blend the pudding for an additional 20 to 30 seconds just to be certain that all powdered ingredients are completely incorporated.

Transfer the pudding to a serving dish and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.