Raw Orange Chocolate Pudding

Name: Raw Orange Chocolate Pudding
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped out — or 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract, or ¼ tsp pure vanilla bean powder, see note); 1 cup ripe avocado (peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped — about 1 large or 1 ½ medium avocado); 1 cup pitted dates; ⅓ cup cocoa powder (fair trade or fair for life); 1 tsp organic orange zest (zest orange first and then juice); ½ cup organic orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed, see note); ⅛ tsp salt (don't omit, balances flavors); 2 splashes organic orange juice (or non-dairy milk — optional, if needed to thin); organic berries (or chopped fruit for topping — optional, see note)

Dreena Burton

4 years ago

Yields4 ServingsPrep Time10 minsTotal Time10 mins

Ingredients

1 vanilla bean (seeds scraped out — or 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract, or ¼ tsp pure vanilla bean powder, see note)

1 cup ripe avocado (peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped — about 1 large or 1 ½ medium avocado)

1 cup pitted dates

⅓ cup cocoa powder (fair trade or fair for life)

1 tsp organic orange zest (zest orange first and then juice)

½ cup organic orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed, see note)

⅛ tsp salt (don't omit, balances flavors)

2 splashes organic orange juice (or non-dairy milk — optional, if needed to thin)

organic berries (or chopped fruit for topping — optional, see note)

Directions

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender (high-speed blender works best, but you can use a regular blender with more scraping/blending).

Puree until very smooth, stopping processor to scrape down several times throughout processing.

Puree again! When you think it’s smooth enough, give it another whirl. Check texture, if it’s too thick for your preference, thin with a little extra orange juice or non-dairy milk, as needed.

Serve or store in the refrigerator.

Chef's Notes

Vanilla
If using vanilla extract, be sure to use pure vanilla extract. The seeds from a vanilla bean add a beautiful essence, if you keep vanilla beans on hand. You can also use pure vanilla bean powder — my favorite!

Orange Juice
The flavor of avocado can come through in some raw chocolate puddings and mousses. At least for me. Here, I ‘camouflage’ it with orange juice. So, don’t replace it with water or non-dairy milk if at all possible. The final flavor is worth it!

Ideas
Try this pudding with tangerine juice & zest when they are in season!

Fruit Topping
For serving, try topping with seasonal fruits. In the fall and winter, try chopped kiwi, sliced grapes, mandarin segments, or pomegranate seeds. In spring and summer, you can really get creative with pitted fresh cherries, raspberries, sliced strawberries, and blueberries! Also, consider cubed fresh mango or simple, sliced bananas!

Make-it-a-meal
Prep this pudding in the evening, and then enjoy the next morning as a parfait breakfast! Layer the pudding with a homemade (or low-sugar store-bought) granola, and fresh fruit. Look at that, you’re so fancy!

Recipe excerpted from Let Them Eat Vegan by Dreena Burton adapted for WHOLE Life Club (WLC)