The chilli chocolate pudding is a love affair to beat all the epic love sagas you have ever heard or seen. It has all the drama (that’s the chilli in it), all the emotion (that’s the chocolate in it) and all the feels you’ll ever need.
A disclosure before I begin. This was an experiment. No, no not the chilli part. That I knew would be gourmet perfection because people have been mixing cocoa and chilli since the Mayan’s lived.
It’s the recipe itself. I played around with the proportions, and the pudding just happened. And let me say, I loved it, and my kids demolished it. In one sitting. Now back to the regular programming!
How to Make Chili Chocolate Pudding?
Continuing with the theme for February – all things chocolate, candles, candies and care – here is another sweet delicacy you can make for Valentine’s Day. Or if celebrating it as Galentine's Day! No matter what the celebration ( or not), chilli chocolate pudding is sublime!
Oh, by the by, literally anyone can make it. All you need is the ingredients and a food processor, and you’re done in 15 minutes tops. Rest of the work is done by the fridge.
Begin by blending…
Actually, the first step is to soak cashews overnight and then drain them thoroughly. When that’s done, whip out the food processor and add to the cashews, homemade almond milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, sea salt and chilli powder.
Blend the ingredients until they are nice and smooth. I’ve used almond milk to keep the super satisfying treat dairy-free, but you can use regular ( full fat) milk or cream. If you don’t have maple syrup at hand, then honey works just as well. To this glossy mixture, I added some melted dark chocolate and to help it set better, some agar-agar.
This completely decadent and completely rich chilli chocolate pudding is entirely free of refined sugar and is vegan to the boot! Which is why I used agar-agar, the vegetarian version of gelatin.
My first foray into agar-agar was with mango coconut panna cotta, which turned out to be velvety, creamy and gorgeous in every bite. So, it isn’t really a surprise that agar-agar faired excellently in this pudding too.
Soak China Grass (another name for the good stuff) in some water and then gently heat it. The trick is not to boil the mixture but just to warm it. This gets whirl in the blender with the rest of the mixture.
End by enjoying…
Right now, the decadent pudding has a consistency of a thick milkshake or smoothie. Pour it into dessert bowls or elegant glasses (I love these old fashioned stemmed ones) and then let it sit overnight or at least 6-8 hours in the fridge.
The next day, you can garnish it in endless ways – chilli flakes, sea salt, chocolate curls, coarsely chopped nuts, some whipped cream.
Why is the chilli chocolate pudding an excellent dessert?
They say, love of any kind; be it your parents, your friends, your better half, or your children; nurtures the soul. This chilli chocolate pudding was my attempt at making something that does the same.
Why the chilli then, you ask? Well, love has a spicy kick to it. And the chilli emulates those little surprises love brings to our lives every now and then.
And do not worry one bit, the chilli powder doesn’t make the pudding fiery. Rather the pairing of chillies with chocolate makes for a delicious combination that brings out the riches of both and gives it that extra special something.
With the very first bite, the taste buds get a perky jolt, and when you reach for a second and third taste of the luscious chocolate pudding. By the time you are scraping the sides of the glass for the last morsel, the tummy is filled with a warm glow – precisely the feeling you want to end the day on!
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this chili chocolate pudding as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Chilli Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Cashewnuts, soaked overnight
- 1 cup Almond milk You can use any milk ( full fat) or Cream
- 3 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup Maple syrup/ Honey You may need more
- 1 tsp Chilli powder You can add more if you like
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1/3 cup Dairy free chocolate or Dark chocolate (70%)
- 2 tsp Agar Agar
Toppings
- Crushed chocolate covered coffee beans, chilli flakes, sea salt
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the soaked cashews.
- Blend the cashews, cocoa powder, almond milk, maple syrup, chilli powder and sea salt in your blender or food processor.
- Soak agar agar in 1 tbsp water for a couple of minutes. Heat the mixture, just until its warm.
- To the food processor, add the agar agar mixture and the melted chocolate.
- Blend till well combined and smooth. Taste and adjust for sweetness. At this point, you can add some more chilli powder, if you want a spicier flavour.
- Pour into your glasses or dessert bowls. Tap slightly on the counter to flatten the tops. Refrigerate overnight or at least 6-8 hours.
- Before serving, garnish as desired. Enjoy!
- Keep the leftovers refrigerated.
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