Dark Chocolate Pudding Upgrade

This is an update from an Avocado Chocolate Pudding Recipe I published long, long ago.  These days, I'm much lighter on the sugar situation (Hubs' diabetes, etc.) and so the recipe no longer calls for copious amounts of agave syrup and now features 8 generous servings of pudding sweetened only with 3 dates and one small banana, for a very deep, dark chocolate flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 dates, softened
• 1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

• 1 small banana, mashed
• 4 ripe avocados
• 1 t ground vanilla beans
• dash of sea salt
• 1.5 c cocoa powder

• 1 can organic coconut milk, chilled and separated
• 1 T xanthan gum

DIRECTIONS

Pour boiling water over dates and allow to sit for 20 minutes or so.  When soft and not too hot, remove seeds.  (Note: use leftover steeping water to make sweet, hot tea!) Transfer dates to a blender with the almond milk and blend until smooth.

Add banana, avocados, vanilla, salt, and cocoa to the blender.  Blend for quite a while until it starts to be smooth.  If it is too dry for the cocoa to fully incorporate, don't panic!  Because...

Meanwhile, you should have had the can of coconut milk in your fridge since at least the day before.  It will separate to a hard coconut cream on top, and a liquid coconut water on the bottom.  Scrape the cream out and put it into a separate bowl and set aside.  Pour the coconut water into the blender.  Add the xanthan gum.  Blend until completely smooth.

Pour into 8 or so small cups or bowls.  Refrigerate a couple hours for best texture.

When you are ready to serve, whip up the reserved chilled coconut cream with electric beaters and add to the top of the pudding like whipped cream.  A sprinkling of dried, unsweetened coconut flakes is a nice finish.

And there's your delicious vegan, raw, low sugar, all natural dark chocolate pudding!