Chocolate & Vanilla Pudding + Caramel

Difficulty: Hard

Time: 1 Hour

Serves: 2

Okay. This pudding is AMAZING. You would never guess that it is VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, and REFINED SUGAR FREE. It seriously tastes creamy, rich, and delicious. The secret? CASHEWS. Who would have guessed that such a humble nut could pack so much potential? You really have to try it to believe it.

I made a vanilla and chocolate version. It is super easy to make both, because the chocolate is made the exact same way with one extra ingredient added at the very end! I chose to layer both with a gooey-caramel filling. While this is optional, it adds extra flavor and sweetness (and health benefits)!

Ingredients:

For the pudding:

3/4 cup halved cashews + 3 cups water to boil

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Splash vanilla

Pinch salt

1 tbsp coco powder (if you want to make 1/2 of the pudding chocolate)

For the caramel:

3 dates

1/4 cup water

Splash vanilla

Pinch salt

Optional Toppings:

Chocolate Chips

Sprinkles

Nuts

Dried Fruit

Chia Seeds

Chocolate Sauce

Coconut Flakes

Directions:

For the Pudding:

Step 1: Boil 3/4 cup halved cashews for about 10 minutes. Check that the cashews are soft and the water has become foggy.

Step 2: Place the cashews and 1/4 cup water in a blender. Blend until smooth. This will take about 3 minutes. Every minute or so, stop the blender and scrape the sides with a silicone spatula. If the blender is struggling at any point, add another splash of water.

Step 3: Add a splash of vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup honey. Blend on slow until combined.

Step 4: NOW YOU HAVE VANILLA PUDDING! I put 1/2 the pudding in a small container and added 1tbsp coco powder to the other half to make it chocolate. If you want all chocolate, I would add 2 tbsp coco powder.

Step 5: Put your vanilla and/or chocolate puddings into airtight containers. It is normal for it to be warm at this point. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until cold.

For the caramel (Optional):

Step 1: Add 3 PITTED dates to a blender. (Make sure to remove the pits if this hasn't already been done.)

Step 2: Add 1/4 cup water, a splash of vanilla, and a pinch of salt.

Step 3: Blend until smooth. This will take about 3 minutes. Make sure to stop the blender about every minute and scrape the sides with a silicone spatula.

Step 4: Place the caramel in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until cold.

Assemble:

Step 1: Assemble with alternating pudding and caramel layers. I also added chocolate chips and sprinkles to each layer, but this is optional of course!

Step 2: ENJOY!

#pudding #dairyfree #glutenfree #vegan #refinedsugarfree #sugarfree #chocolate #vanilla #caramel