I need some comfort, and I know I am not alone. I’ll take comfort food. We each have our own, of course, but for me it’s chocolate pudding. My mother made the kind from the box. It had lumps and it had a thick layer of skin but it was among the only desserts mom “cooked”. Plus, it was warm and chocolately. So, I still think of this as comfort. Make this for yourself and one other friend, or double, triple this 5 minute Vegan Chocolate Banana Pudding.
Bananas are known to help cheer us up. (And no matter where you stand on the election result, clearly with all the upset that is going on, everyone use some comfort.) Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. So, forget the pills and eat a banana. And if you eat it with chocolate pudding, you’ve got a double dose of happy. Why you ask?
Well, tryptophan is also found in small quantities in chocolate. Chocolate also contains phenylethylalanine, which promotes feelings of attraction, excitement, and nervousness and is associated with the initial euphoria of falling in love. It has also been isolated in chocolate. This chemical also acts as an anti-depressant by combining with dopamine that is naturally present in the brain.
And then there is theobromine, which is a weak stimulant that works alongside caffeine to produce the characteristic ‘high’ that many people experience after getting their chocolate fix.
Enjoy. Be positive. Be compassionate. Be hopeful. Be positive. Be considerate.
Vegan Chocolate Banana Pudding
Makes 1 cup of pudding
Note: instead of coconut milk and water, use same amount any nondairy milk.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca (do not use arrowroot)
- 1/4 teaspoon agar powder
- 2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
- 7 tablespoons water
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 ounces chocolate, chopped or chips
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Sift the sugar, cornstarch or tapioca, cocoa powder, and salt through a wire mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. Stir in the agar and then the coconut milk and water.
Cook over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken and is close to a boil. Adjust the heat as needed to get a full boil, but don’t let it be so high that the bottom scorches. As soon as the pudding starts to boil, it will thicken to pudding consistency. Immediately lower the heat and boil gently for 1/2 minute, stirring frequently with a silicone spatula.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the diced banana and chocolate. Gently stir until the chocolate is melted and incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.
Spoon the pudding into a serving dishes. It is ready to eat as soon as it isn’t hot, about 5 minutes, but it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. If you refrigerate it, cover the surface with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap adheres to the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
Serving: Slice the other banana over the top of the pudding and drizzle if you like with some melted chocolate. Eat warm or at room temperature.
Your blog posts interest me and make me feel good! Often just seeing the tasty treats is enough to feel satisfied, especially since I typically imagine sharing them with loved ones. That makes the world a little better. Thank you for that! And I agree, comfort foods are ON!
Use cornstarch in same quantity, eliminate the agar and cook as recipe directs. Arrowroot will not work. Let us know how it goes!
Thanks for this post! I would love to make this but i can’t tolerate tapioca. is there something i could replace it with? Thanks!
Banana and chocolate is one of the best combinations!
I agree with you Maddy!
I’m sorry about the last comment Fran. I had used tinned coconut milk, so the failure was my mistake. I had used tinned in your delicious chocolate bread pudding recipe and I thought that it would be the same.
Emm,
Tinned coconut milk should be fine. Perhaps you did not cook the mixuter long enough. It thickens quite a lot. I’m sorry you had problems. Try it again using cornstarch, if you used tapioca, using the same amount.
Hi Fran, I am new to your website (I found it by courtesy of Rose Levy Berenbaum – she directed Vegan bakers to your site!) And wow, am I glad she did.
I made your pastry and filled it with this choc filling. Oh My Goodness…this cannot be vegan!!
I am now a fan… 🙂
Kind regards,
Cheryl (South Africa)
Hello Cheryl,
It’s my pleasure to welcome you to my website/ blog and newsletter. I’m thrilled to hear you liked the pastry. No one ever knows any of my recipes are vegan– that is the point. Which one did you make? I have been a fan of Rose Levy Berenbaum for 30+ years and lucky to count her among my friends and colleagues. As I was trained traditionally, I understand the value of applying foundational technique in order to make unapologetically luscious desserts that just happen to be vegan. This is why foundational technique is taught in my 90 Day Essential Vegan Desserts Course, online with Rouxbe. The next course begins April 6. goo.gl/ompTWg Stay in touch!!
All best
Fran
Hi Fran, thank you for your response!
it was the Tender Olive Oil Pastry Dough 🙂 I chilled the oil, then drizzled it on the flour, and used apple cider vinegar in water…followed your instructions carefully, and as I have made pastry before (courtesy of Rose Pie and Pastry Bible) I found it not too difficult to achieve. Of course. your instructions are as clear and as accurate as Rose Levy! I am going to try to make the Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins…
Yours ExtraVegantly! 🙂
Cheryl
Cheryl, you will LOVE Zsu’s Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, but definitely try the Chocolate Cake to Live For, my breakthrough cake, over 25 years ago.
Thanks Fran!
My pleasure Cheryl!