Vegan Tofu Spiced Chocolate Pudding

This Chocolate Pudding is on weekly rotation around here. It's no-bake, no-cook, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free. All the frees. All you need to know is, it's a great pudding. 

Vegan Tofu Spiced Chocolate Pudding: Luscious, creamy, supremely chocolatey, and with the cozy cinnamon and a tiny kick of cayenne. 

I know. I KNOW. It's been a while. 

I don't bake as much as I used to. And what do I have to show for it? Going up a pant size and higher cholesterol. Maybe going BACK to baking several times a week is the cure? Prepare to see more on the blog soon. 

This pudding comes together in a blender! NOTE: if you have a small and large carafe for your blender, USE THE LARGE ONE. Ask me how I know. (How I know is: I tried it in the small carafe and and still scraping bits of chocolate pudding off the walls.)

Alright, you'll need dark chocolate (I am partial to The Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar from Trader Joe's , but I've also made it with Ghirardelli with great success), silken tofu, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and cayenne.

You'll make a quick simple syrup, melt the chocolate, and chock everything into the blender. Whir until combined and a little fluffy. Pour into ramekins and refrigerate. That's IT! 

Vegan Tofu Spiced Chocolate Pudding

YIELD: 6 servings

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

CHILL TIME: 2 hours

3/4 cup water

2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

8 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate

16 ounces silken tofu, drained

1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

CocoWhip or Cool Whip, for topping (optional)

Heat water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. (Usually soon after it comes to a boil. Stir occasionally.) 

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. Set both aside to cool a bit. They can be warm, just not super hot.

Place the sugar syrup and chocolate into the blender carafe along with all of the other pudding ingredients. Blend until smooth and a bit fluffy. 

Pour into ramekins. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Once set, cover with plastic wrap. Will keep several days in the fridge.

Dollop with whipped topping if desired.

(adapted from New York Times Cooking, Mark Bittman)