Call me Ishmael. Some years ago -- never mind how long precisely -- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on menus, I thought I would wander about a little and see the vegan part of the world. Desserts, that is....
The tale that follows is one of monomaniacal desire, a crazed leader taking her followers on a journey toward a singular end. She will succeed or perish...well, at worst she'll get hungry, but like really hungry.
My crazed pursuit for a delicious vegan chocolate pudding recipe has finally ended, and all that remains is an empty cup and well licked spoon. It started when I enjoyed the chocolate pudding at M Cafe de Chaya, a macrobiotic lunch spot I used to frequent. It's vegan and wonderful. Dark and luscious, but without the rich heft of a pot au creme, it was the perfect way to end a meal. Over my trips there I've sussed out the important ingredients: arrowroot, kuzu, and maple syrup. The first two replace what heated eggs and cream do in a true pudding, providing the thick texture. The maple syrup is the sugar replacement, giving the pudding a deeper yet subtler sweetness. After many failed attempts, and many returns to learn the nuances of the recipe, I've figured it out. The best part is it's completely open to tweaking: espresso flavored, cayenne pepper and cinnamon, raspberry and rose, whatever you want. Enjoy!
note: kuzu starch and arrowroot can be found in most health food stores.
2 cups chocolate almond milk
1 tablespoon Kuzu starch
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona; if you use a lower quality cocoa, you may need to use a little more)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons maple syrup
small pinch of salt
Mix the kuzu with two tablespoons of almond milk until dissolved in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the arrowroot powder, cocoa powder, and salt together in a medium size saucepan. Make sure there are not lumps. Add about 1 cup of almond milk and maple syrup, and mix until thoroughly combined with no lumps. Stir in the rest of the almond milk and simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously. Add the kuzu and blend until thickened. This will happen quickly, so keep your eye on it. Take it off of the heat and add in the vanilla. Pour into desired containers, cover with a bit of plastic wrap (touching the top of the pudding) and chill in the fridge for several hours. When it's set, it will probably look separated, meaning a chocolate solid with clear liquid around it. Do not fear! Just stir it vigorously and you will have a luscious, thick, pudding.
note: kuzu starch and arrowroot can be found in most health food stores.
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8 comments:
That is one gorgeous looking pudding! I always make the rich egg yolk and cream laden puddings but this recipe is definitely one to try!
I am all about those luscious little pot au cremes, so the vegan thing was a bit of a cognitive jump for me. The lovely thing about it is it doesn't taste like a lesser version of pot au creme, it's more like (to use the bf's term) "a super awesome pudding snack." I hope you enjoy it!
it is so nice to see a vegan pudding that isn't all tofu! Gorgeous photos, as always.
I have so many friends who are soy sensitive, and finding a vegan non soy pudding was next to impossible! The nice thing about using almond milk rather than soy or tofu is it's lower in calories and I personally think it has a better flavor.
This is perfect for my friends. They are all vegan and they also love soy! This is for them.
Thank you so much for this delicious-looking recipe! I'm a vegetarian who is trying out the vegan diet and lifestyle for about four months. Can't wait to try this out!!! The photos are great, by the way.
Hey Cake Batter, so glad you like the site! I'm obsessed with this pudding and basically anything almond milk. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! This is my first attempt at vegan pudding, and I'm SO glad I found this recipe to start with. It is delicious!!!
I had to make a couple of changes since my son is allergic to nuts: used vanilla oat milk instead of almond milk, then added 2 oz. of baking chocolate and an extra 1 T of maple syrup to make up for the fact that my milk wasn't chocolate flavored like yours was...
It's still warm, but I keep dipping in for another taste :) I can't get over how wonderful it is!
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