Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding

With the New Year, we often try to start off with a plan for a healthy lifestyle.  The gym is out of the question thanks to lockdown and this time of the year makes exercising outside difficult to do.  This year seem to be the year for healthier eating.

When my son tried to eat vegan and gluten free for several months, trying to find a decent dessert was almost impossible.  I tried many and although my son was kind in his criticism, they were not great.  I did finally find one that worked out from America's Test Kitchen cookbook.  Not only that, my husband who was VERY skeptical, claimed he "liked it more than my regular chocolate pudding recipe"!  

I honestly never thought I'd include a Vegan dessert in my blog but here we are.  The secret to this pudding.... Avocados!  They make the pudding silky smooth and still let the chocolate shine.  And they are so much better for you than heavy cream and an added bonus, this is also gluten free.

You can still eat a great dessert on a vegan diet or take this when we get out of lockdown for a great shared dessert.

Easy Vegan Chocolate Pudding

                                                                   serves 6

1 cup water

¾ cup white sugar

¼ cup (¾ ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder*

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)**

¼ tsp table salt

2 large ripe avocados pitted (1 pound in total)***

3½ ounces of bittersweet chocolate chopped (70% cacao or higher)

1. Combine water, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, espresso powder and salt in a small microwave safe bowl.  Whisk until mixed well. Heat until sugar and cocoa dissolve stirring every 15 seconds.  
2. Scoop flesh into a food processor and process until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add chocolate mixture slowly while processor is running.  Scrap down sides.  After 2 minutes, the mixture should be very smooth and glossy.
3. Microwave chocolate in small bowl checking first after 30 seconds then every 15 seconds, stirring after each time until melted. Add to processor and mix until incorporated scraping down sides as needed.
4. Transfer pudding to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

*I prefer Dutch Process Cocoa.  It's makes a darker chocolate pudding.

**You can probably substitute espresso or regular coffee for the water if you don't      have espresso powder.  When I have tried this, I will update my blog.

***I found I needed 4 to 6 smaller avocados but it depends on the size. Weigh without the pits.