Chocolate Lush
This Chocolate Lush Recipe layers a buttery pecan shortbread crust, sweetened cream cheese, silky chocolate pudding, and a soft crown of whipped topping into an easy make-ahead dessert that feeds a crowd.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch glass baking dish - For baking the crust and building the layers
- Electric hand mixer - For the cream cheese layer
- Glass mixing bowls - One medium and one large
- Offset spatula - For spreading each layer flat
- Whisk - For the pudding
- Microplane grater - For the chocolate shavings on top
Ingredients
For the Pecan Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour - 125 g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - 113 g, melted
- 1 cup pecans - 100 g, finely chopped and divided (3/4 cup for the crust, 1/4 cup reserved for garnish); toast for about 10 minutes before chopping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar - 25 g
For the Cream Cheese Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese - 226 g, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar - 120 g
- 1 cup whipped topping - about 240 ml, thawed (from the tub below)
For the Chocolate Pudding Layer
- 2 packages instant chocolate pudding mix - 3.9 oz / 110 g each
- 3 cups cold whole milk - 710 ml
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 1 tub whipped topping - 8 oz / 226 g, thawed and divided (1 cup goes into the cream cheese layer, the rest goes on top)
- 1/4 cup reserved chopped pecans - 30 g
- 1 oz semisweet chocolate baking bar - 28 g, for shaving over the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, and 3/4 cup of the chopped pecans.
- Pour in the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly damp and start to clump. Tip into the 9x13-inch dish and press into an even layer across the bottom.
- Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the crust looks set and lightly golden at the edges. Set on a rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a hand mixer on low until completely smooth with no lumps. Add the powdered sugar and beat again until combined.
- Gently fold in 1 cup of the thawed whipped topping with a spatula, using a light hand so the mixture stays airy.
- Spread this layer over the fully cooled crust in an even sheet, right to the edges.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the instant chocolate pudding mix with the cold milk and vanilla extract for about 2 minutes, until the pudding starts to thicken. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes so it firms up to a spreadable set.
- Spoon the pudding gently over the cream cheese layer and smooth it flat with an offset spatula, taking care not to drag the layer underneath.
- Spread the remaining whipped topping (about 2 cups) over the pudding in a smooth layer.
- Scatter the 1/4 cup reserved chopped pecans over the top. Shave the semisweet chocolate bar over the surface with a grater to finish.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before slicing into 12 squares.
Notes
- Chill longer than you think you need to: an overnight chill sets cleaner slices than a two-hour rush, since the pudding firms all the way down to the crust.
- Soften the cream cheese fully; cold cream cheese never beats smooth, and the lumps show as white streaks once the dessert is cut.
- Reserve part of the whipped topping: fold only 1 cup into the cream cheese layer and save the rest for the top so both layers have enough.
- Use cold milk for the pudding; instant pudding relies on cold liquid to set, and room-temperature milk leaves it loose.
- Wipe the knife between cuts with a clean, warm blade for sharp edges instead of a smeared cross-section.
- Press the crust firmly; a loosely packed crust crumbles when you lift the first square out.
- Make-ahead: assemble the whole dessert up to 24 hours before serving and keep it chilled until you cut it.
- Storage: cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze covered for up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Nut-free option: swap the pecan crust for a graham cracker or chocolate cookie crust made with 1 1/2 cups crumbs and 5 tablespoons melted butter, and omit the nut garnish.
- Homemade whipped cream: stabilized homemade whipped cream works in both layers; whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar until stiff, but serve within a day since it deflates faster than tubbed topping.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SquareCalories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 10IUCalcium: 8mgIron: 4mg
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