This pudding is a favourite especially with children. It is very easily made and is delicious with cream, ice-cream or on its own with a little extra sugar.

It was called "Monge" by my family as a shortened form of "blancmange". To my mind "blancmange" is a pudding that stands up on its own, like jelly. "Monge" does not do this. It has the soft consistency of thick custard and is very chocolatey.

  Ingredients for 3 - 4:

    550 ml (1 pint) milk
    3 rounded tablespoonfuls cornflour
    2 rounded tablespoonfuls cocoa
    1 rounded tablespoonful sugar

Heat most of the milk in pan.

Mix the cornflour and cocoa in a little bowl and add very little cold milk. Mix and add milk until the mixture is smooth.

Tip any extra milk into the pan to heat.

When the milk is hot but not boiling, add a little to that cornflour mixture in the bowl and mix. Then tip that into the pan and stir until it all thickens and comes to the boil. Add the sugar.

Allow it all to bubble for a minute and serve either hot, cold or tepid.