Mint Chocolate Pudding with DIY chocolate cups : dairy & egg-free/ vegan

You know I love sharing yummy healthy recipes with you… right? And I wouldn’t keep anything from you… right?

Let me just be honest here and let you know that I kind of hesitated posting this recipe! It’s true. I thought; Darn if I tell you how easy this is… too easy than I won’t impress you much!

But then I though… hmm… isn’t that the best part – to learn simple little tricks without spending much time – but they look like you put in so much effort… So let’s keep this one a secret, ok? ;)

For fun, let’s throw in a question… who likes Chocolate??? I do! I do! ;)

So, would you like to make a great healthy dessert that’s chocolatey with a hint of mint for just any random moment of the week, when you have… say just 5 minutes to make dessert… and then you don’t even need to wait and salivate for hours waiting for that first bite – but you just dig in – in this case with a spoon and just enjoy that burst of chocolatey minty deliciousness in your mouth…. It’s that ‘ahh…’ moment when you have to close your eyes and say out loud : This is SO good! So, would you?

With just a few ingredients, you can make a great little treat. I happen to have these ingredients at home all the time (I recommend that too – especially for those snowed-in days or lazy Sundays!)

Both me and my daughter just love fresh homemade pudding – and purchasing pudding is just forbidden in our house! We really do make it all the time! It really is easy, trust me ;)

Ok, so I thought how on earth can I make this easiest-on-earth dessert recipe seem more elaborate!!?? Because I could not just dab pudding into a cup and be done with it – as you know… I do like to *impress* just a little ;) wink wink. Which is why I made this Mint Chocolate Pudding to be served in DIY Chocolate Cups! That’s a little more elaborate, don-cha think? Well it sure tastes Amazing! And it’s so good, all natural, all vegan/ all dairy free. So much healthier than store-bought too, because you also know all your ingredients and keep it clean.

MINT CHOCOLATE DAIRY AND EGG-FREE PUDDING

{vegan/ dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, allergen-free dessert)

Ingredients :

• 2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk) (divided)
• 1/3 cup raw cane sugar
• 3 Tbsp cacao (unsweetened, doesn’t have to be raw)
• 2 Tbsp starch : 1 Tbsp potato + 1 Tbsp arrowroot for best results (but 2 Tbsp of the same starch will do)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp mint extract

.

In a small pot over medium-low heat, heat up 1 1/2 cups of milk with the sugar and coconut oil. Stir with a wooden spoon occasionally. Do not bring to a boil.

While the milk is warming, fill a cup with the 1/2 cup remaining cold almond milk. Add in the cacao and potato starch and mint extract and stir well to break up all clumps. (It helps to use the back of a spoon and press the mixture onto the sides of the cup to squish the clumps). If a smooth texture is still not achieved, you can use an immersion blender to mix for a few seconds.)

Slowly pour in the cacao/ potato starch cold milk mixture into the pot on the stove. Mixing rapidly to combine the two mixtures. Once they are incorporated, keep mixing slowly for about 2-3 minutes while the pot is still over the medium-low heat. Bring it to an almost-boiling temperature. Mixture will begin to thicken and will resemble a pudding now. Remove from heat. Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving in the pot, or pour into small glass or porcelain cups right away. (not plastic) You may serve this delicious vegan pudding hot, warm or cold – it all depends how you personally like it.

Serve only the Mint Chocolate Pudding in small bowls… or… serve them in DIY Chocolate Cups!

You may want to go for the more elaborate (so I think! ;) version and serve in these sweet little DIY chocolate cups!

DIY DARK CHOCOLATE CUPS

Ingredients :

• 1/2 – 1 cup dark vegan 72% chocolate squares, melted in a double boiler
• silicone muffin or cupcake pan

 

Directions :

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or I place a shallow bowl over a small pot with boiling water and let it simmer on medium-low heat until the chocolate melts).

Spoon into individual muffin wells to coat evenly with the melted chocolate. Place in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to set. If little holes appear, go back with some of the melted chocolate again to add a double coating where needed and place back in the refrigerator.

To remove the cups: If you’re using silicone then just push from the bottom and they pop up. Be gentle though! ;)

If you’re using a metal muffin pan, leave at room temperature for a few minutes, then flip the pan over onto a clean flat surface and tap the pan down a few times. They should pop out easily. If not – try a little tougher love! ;)

To serve the Mint Chocolate Pudding Cups in the DIY Dark Chocolate Cups, the pudding must be cooled first in the refrigerator.

It’s best to make the pudding and cups ahead, cool for minimum 30 minutes and pour into the cups just before serving. 

There’s been days, where I walk with my daughter from kindergarten, hand in hand, and she just blurts out? “Can we make chocolate pudding today?” I smile…. yes, yes, of course we can!

She thinks I’m awesome! 

(The chocolate pudding would be all the ingredients except for the mint extract – even simpler ;)

Now, the secret’s out! I make very easy and quick desserts sometimes!… ;) Simple healthy awesome desserts that are super quick to make and vegan/ dairy-free and egg-free and gluten-free – so easy and quick too. Who doesn’t love recipes like this?

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♥ Ella