Vegan Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

For the base mousse:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 15- ounce can full fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar

For the darker layer:

• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For topping:

• cocoa powder, or chocolate ribbons made from a grated chocolate bar. You can also top it with some whipped coconut cream or vanilla ice cream.

Steps

Make the mousse:

1. Soak cashews in hot water for at least 15 minutes, preferably an hour if prepared beforehand. Drain and put in a blender with coconut milk and the other mousse-layer ingredients. Blend for a minute, leave for 5 minutes, then blend for another minute, repeating until very smooth and slightly fluffy.

Make the darker layer:

1. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler until smooth and take off the heat. Mix half the blended chocolate mousse into the same bowl. If cold coconut-milk mixture will not mix readily with the warm chocolate, return the bowl to the double boiler and mix for a few seconds until well combined.
2. Portion the darker mixture into serving cups, glasses, or bowls and freeze for 15 minutes to half an hour, until set a little so the other layer can be poured on top easily.

Assemble the pudding:

1. Take the serving bowls from the freezer and pour the remaining mousse over the top. Refrigerate the pudding for at least an hour.
2. Sprinkle cocoa powder over the pudding, or use a peeler to make chocolate-bar ribbons on top. A dollop of whipped coconut cream or vanilla ice cream may also go on top.