Cooking for the Soul: Chocolate-Coconut Pudding

In a bit of a funk, which I'll discuss in another post. For now, part of my budget and healthy living involved making any treats I want myself. If I want to have something for dessert, I better be prepared to take the time to make it.

I use coconut milk quite a bit for different things, mostly Indian or Thai dishes. But rarely do I get to use up the whole can, so I'm left with a bunch and a question as to whether I should toss it or use it.

Last week I used it. There was still 3/4 of light coconut milk and it seemed a shame to waste it. So I went hunting for something to make for dessert. Given our decreased budget for food (more on that later), I only have so much in the cupboards and fridge. But luckily for me I stocked up around christmas for the myriad of baking planned to do (some of which I did, some I didn't).

None of the recipes I saw appealed to me and many of them that did, I either didn't have the time for or the ingredients.

So I made pudding. 

I played with a vanilla pudding recipe that was simple. It's a thinner pudding, but you could use a little more cornstarch if you wanted it more set.

Chocolate-Coconut Pudding:

2 Cups coconut milk (Use what you have and top up with regular milk. The fattier the milk, the richer the pudding)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar (you can use any sugar really, but I like how the molasses of the dark brown works with the chocolate)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 table spoons good quality cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat milk in a saucepan on medium heat till it's just starting to bubble. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add in batches to the hot milk till dissolved. Heat until it thickens and remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. You can divide it into individual dishes or leave pour it in one larger heatproof bowl. Chill and serve.

I had mine warm and boy was it bloody good! Sorry, no photo…