GF Vegan Chocolate Pudding!

I feel like I haven't posted in months! I have been sick and living the "treading-water" life day to day, just trying to keep everything above water. It was definitely time to update, so here is a new post with a great recipe...

I have been dealing with some UC flare issues for the past month or so, and craving chocolate pudding all the time. I love pudding. It doesn't require much digestion and it's such a friendly dessert (if there is such a thing?). I love slurping it up when I'm feeling crummy and my guts are angry. Chocolate pudding is my favorite, and I have made both cook 'n' serve and instant versions from the box for years, but I've always wanted to try making pudding from scratch. The ingredients in the box are not always pleasant to read, particularly when you're looking at the most popular pudding brand in America (not to name any names... Bill Cosby used to do commercials for them...). Even the "organic" versions of box pudding can be frightening. So I took it upon myself to find a pudding recipe I can indulge in that is free of all my allergens. I wasn't sure if I'd find anything without eggs, because they are a major ingredient of classic homemade puddings and custards. But this recipe turned up, I gave it a whirl, and I've now made two separate (eight servings each) batches. -Actually, I made the mix, and my Hubby cooked both batches! How could I forget?

A few notes:

• To cook, we used canned coconut milk from our local Asian market. It gives it a nice chocolate coconut flavor, and thickens much better than rice milk (nothing worse than expecting pudding  and ending up with a runny soup!)
• The Dutch cocoa gives the pudding a rich, chocolatey flavor that no box mix ever has. 
• If you are very gluten-sensitive, make sure to use certified GF cocoa powder and powdered sugar.
• I sprinkle my powdered probiotic on top of every bowl of pudding right before eating, and stir it in well. I know it helps my guts!

Give it a try and let me know what you think! Sorry I don't have pictures -- it didn't last long enough to snap any.  :)


GF Vegan Chocolate Pudding
Makes two batches of 8 x 1/2-cup servings (16 total)

My favorite part about this is that I know exactly what is going into the mix:

• 1 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 3/4 - 2 cups powdered sugar (use 2 cups if you like your pudding really sweet)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Place all above ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to thoroughly blend. Set aside until you're ready to make pudding. (Sidenote: I think this would make a great gift for a food-allergic friend. Pour the mix into one or two clean, dry Mason jars, tie on some bows, put them in a basket with the necessary number of cans of coconut milk, the recipe, and a new spoon or spatula - voila! How fun would that be?!)

For cooking (now or later):

•  4 cups canned coconut milk OR your favorite dairy-free milk substitute
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

To prepare pudding:
In a medium saucepan, add 1 3/4 cups dry chocolate pudding mix and 4 cups milk. Whisk to dissolve the pudding mix. Heat on medium until the mixture bubbles and begins to boil, whisking constantly to prevent burning. Contine to cook for about 2 minutes until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cool before serving (or enjoy warm - sometimes it really hits the spot!). Makes eight 1/2 cup servings.

** Mix makes two recipes of pudding, or sixteen 1/2 cup servings. **