Raw Vegan Silky Chocolate Pudding April 27 2014

If you like sweets and chocolate, this is a must try recipe! The rich, silky chocolate will seduce you to wanting more. The best part is you can indulge the entire cup without feeling guilty because it's good for you!  It is super easy to make and will be ready to serve right away, or you can let it chill for 10-15 minutes before serving.

This pudding / fudge was inspired by a mixture of cultures across the globe.  Americans mostly think of using avocados in savory dishes, but in Vietnam we use it in a milkshake!  Avocado has a neutral yet extremely velvety texture, it's perfect to use as a base for any creamy foods.  

Learn about the benefits of avocado here!

Cinnamon I used in my pudding was hand carried back by my mom's trip to Vietnam.  Vietnamese cinnamon is called Cassia. Cassia is not the same plant as cinnamon, but the aroma is so much stronger than regular cinnamon!  When making chocolate desserts, I like adding a pinch of cinnamon, this will intensify the flavor of chocolate.  If you don't have Cassia, regular cinnamon will do the job just fine!

Another ingredient that's in this simple recipe is Vanilla extract, and I wish to visit South America to pick my own Vanilla beans to make desserts one day...and take a hike in the rain forest of course!  But we don't have to go that far to fetch our ingredients in the modern time, let's move on to the action now!

Ingredients (this will fit in a small ramekin):
1 medium size avocado
2 dates (the fresher the better as it will add to creamy texture)
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 tablespoon raw honey (add more if needed)
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 blender or food processor, or mix by hand.  (I used Vitamix blender)

To make:
Add all ingredients in the blender and blend until they mix well.  Ingredients are pretty dry so you may need to stop the blender and stir a bit then blend again.  If there's any imperfect mixes, you can always use a fork or spoon and mix it by hand.  It's ready to serve right away, or let it chill for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator.  This will allow pudding to harden a bit.  

Serve it with any fresh fruits of your preference on top.  I normally had a homegrown strawberry, and sprinkle coconut flakes for garnish. However, when I make this dessert for guests, I'd spend a little extra effort for the WoW presentation.  See below to find out how I made the strawberry roses.  It isn't too hard, but it does take a little time to learn how to control the knife.  This is my first time making them so this is as perfect as they get for now...Hope you'll enjoy this recipe with your family and friends. It's the most silky, dark chocolate pudding I have ever had!

To make strawberry rose:
Please checkout this video where I learned how to make it!  Kudos to Chef Khmer. :)

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