Spring is springing and school is breaking here in the Deep South, so I’m going to be taking some time off from blogging for a few days. But I thought before I go I’d leave you with an old favorite recipe for easy, microwave chocolate pudding, all gussied up with soft peppermint sticks.
Chocolate-Peppermint Pudding
This a very forgiving recipe. You can see some of the options at the end, but the possibilities for flavoring are endless; just make sure you keep about the same liquid to starch ratio.
Ingredients
- 1 soft peppermint stick (or 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract, added after cooking)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- 1/4 cup sugar (or use half sugar and the sweetening equivalent of 2 tbsp. stevia or other sweetener)
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free soymilk or other non-dairy milk
- soft peppermint sticks for garnish
Instructions
- Grind the peppermint sticks with a mortar and pestle. Put the peppermint powder into a 4-cup microwavable dish and add the cornstarch, cocoa, and sugar. Slowly add the milk, stirring well. (Some cocoa may not seem to blend in, but it will once you start cooking.)
- Microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir well. Return to the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until mixture comes to a boil. Watch it carefully to make sure it does not boil over the sides. Once it reaches a boil, give it 30 more seconds, stopping microwave if it threatens to boil over. Stir well, and pour into 2 serving dishes. Garnish with peppermint sticks. (See stovetop directions below.)
Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 10 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 2
Other options:
- Cook this on the stovetop at medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Allow it to cook for a full minute after it reaches a boil.
- Make this into a delicious chocolate pudding by eliminating the peppermint sticks, adding a pinch of cinnamon with the dry ingredients, and adding 1/2 tsp. of vanilla after removing from microwave.
- Experiment with other flavors: peanut butter, orange extract or liqueur, almond extract or amaretto. Add extracts and liqueurs after removing from microwave.
- Double the recipe to serve 4 people.
Serves 2. Each serving, using fat-free soymilk, provides 242 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 52g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 67mg Sodium; 4g Fiber
Each serving using half sugar/half no-calorie sweetener provides 193 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (6% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 67mg Sodium; 4g Fiber
457 349 296
Vegan Mama
Is this pudding supposed to be chilled before serving? I've never had warm pudding before. Just want to check before I dive in!
Thanks!
SusanV
Vegan Mama–I'm weird and impatient. I like warm pudding, so I do eat this warm, but feel free to chill it because that is the traditional way of eating pudding.
Shea
Wow. I was too lazy to do the peppermint, but this was awesome, easy, and cheap. I used half sugar half stevia and it turned out great. It heated up very quickly in the microwave though. I’ve never had pudding that wasn’t out of a box, so this was a pleasant surprise.
Emily
Hi! I love your recipes! I am trying this one out tonight. But I have a really old and not-so-powerful microwave. Would this work just as well stirring it in a pot on the stove? Just curious!
SusanV
Sure, just bring it to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until very thick.
Deb
Hi Susan,
Is it possible to use all stevia for the sweetener instead of some sugar? Also, is it possible to use arrowroot powder instead of the corn starch?
Susan Voisin
I’ve made it with all stevia before and wasn’t happy with the flavor, but tastes vary, so you might like it. Arrowroot, to me, makes the texture more slimy and stretchy, so I don’t recommend it.
admattai
how long does this pudding last in the fridge?
Susan Voisin
You should eat it withing 2-3 days.
admattai
Thank you! I just made this for my vegan friend and we both loved it! That being said, there wasn’t too much for leftovers haha
admattai
also, adding crushed oreos (crushed in a food processor) is a great addition. I did that in addition to the 1/2 teaspoon vanilla & dash of cinnamon.
Starlene
Should the first peppermint stick be a regular type rather than soft? I don’t see how a soft peppermint stick would crush using a mortar and pestle.
Susan Voisin
The kind of soft peppermint sticks I mean are still brittle–they just have more pockets of air in them thank the hard kink you hang on a Christmas tree. They look like these: http://amzn.to/2fJXYSg