Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
• Gradually whisk in 3 cups whole milk: start by adding a thin stream while whisking to avoid lumps, then add the rest more quickly once the mixture is smooth.
• Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. If lumps form, break them up with the whisk. Cook 15 to 20 minutes (slower over lower heat is preferable) until the mixture thickens and will coat the back of a wooden spoon — this should occur before the mixture comes to a simmer.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the chopped chocolate (4 oz semi-sweet and 2 oz bittersweet), and stir continuously for 2 to 4 minutes, until all the chocolate is fully melted and the pudding is quite thick.
• Stir in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Taste and adjust only if desired (do not add ingredients not listed).
• Divide the warm pudding among six individual pudding cups or into one large serving bowl. If you dislike pudding skin, press plastic wrap gently against the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate until cool and set, about 2 to 3 hours (this can be done a day ahead).
• While the pudding chills, make the whipped sweetened cream: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate bowl and set aside. You should have roughly 2 cups of whipped cream by volume; reserve about 1 1/2 cups for folding into the mint mixture and leave the remainder for other uses or garnish.
• Without washing the mixer bowl or whisk, add 4 oz room-temperature cream cheese to the bowl and whip until very smooth and lump-free.
• Add 3 tablespoons crème de menthe syrup and 1 to 2 teaspoons pure mint extract (use 1 teaspoon for a milder mint flavor, up to 2 teaspoons for stronger) to the whipped cream cheese, and whip until fully combined.
• Add green food paste a drop at a time, mixing after each addition, until you reach your desired green color.
• With a spatula, gently fold about 1 1/2 cups of the reserved whipped cream into the mint cream mixture until uniformly combined and smooth. Refrigerate the mint grasshopper cream for 30 minutes to firm slightly.
• After chilling, lightly fold the mint grasshopper cream once or twice to re-incorporate, then transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (optional) or use a spoon. Pipe or dollop swirls of the mint grasshopper cream onto each chilled pudding cup.
• Sprinkle each cup with bittersweet chocolate shavings. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve within one day.