BEST Chocolate Pudding EVER

3 egg yolks (you can save the whites to make chocolate meringues!)3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
3 cups of milk at room temperature*
3 Tablespoons butter
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips**

Beat egg yolks in heavy saucepan. Add cornstarch, sugar and salt and mix until well blended. Slowly add milk, whisking so there are no lumps. On medium low heat cook mixture, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbles start to appear in center of pan -- about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla, stirring to dissolve butter. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted and creamy. Pour into dessert glasses. You can eat this hot (my favorite way) or chill until cold (my hubby's favorite).
* I am always in too much of a hurry to wait for the milk to reach room temperature so I just heat one cup of milk in the microwave for a minute and add the other 2 cups of cold milk and it's just about right for room temperature :-)
** You can eliminate the chocolate (although who would want to do that?!) and have really good vanilla pudding.