sinart Food PrcoessorThis 5-ingredient Chocolate Tofu Pudding is kid-friendly, simple to blend together, and makes a great protein-rich dessert or snack.

Last fall I hosted a free Try New Foods email challenge with more than 700 of you, tackling a new food each week and providing recipe ideas and encouragement. Some foods were easier than others. One week we tackled tofu.

And tofu was not so easy.

A lot of people struggled to find kid-friendly ways to prep it. I totally get it: Tofu is squishy. It’s bland on its own. And it comes out of the container as a unappealing gelatinous blob. But it’s also a stellar plant-based source of protein. So introducing it to your kids in different ways is well worth it.

As I was researching recipe ideas, I stumbled on this Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding from Mark Bittman. One of my boys isn’t wild about spice, and I found the level of cinnamon overpowering, so I tinkered with the recipe a bit and found something my teen is actually excited about when he spots it in the fridge.

How to make chocolate tofu pudding

First, be sure you’re using silken tofu. Tofu is sold in a few different varieties, including extra firm, firm, and silken. Silken tofu is the smoothest and works the best for sauces, smoothies, and desserts like this.

Melt the chocolate. I break up the pieces into a glass bowl and microwave on HIGH, heating in 30-second intervals and stirring between each interval until fully melted. Set aside.

Combine the silken tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon in a food processor or blender (I’ve tried both and they work equally well) and process until smooth.

While the food processor or blender is running, add melted chocolate mixture slowly and process until fully combined, stopping partway through to scrape sides with a spatula.

Portion pudding into six ramekins or small bowls. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you want to add a dollop of whipped cream, see the bottom of the post for an easy homemade version.

Is Soy Good For Kids?

Yes! Soy is a high-quality protein, which means it has the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) that we have to get from food. Soy protein may have other some unique perks too, like helping to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.

Do I Have To Tell My Kids There’s Tofu In This Pudding?

Yes, I highly recommend it. Sneaking ingredients into dishes accomplishes a short-term goal (they eat the food and get the nutrient) but doesn’t do anything to actually help your child feel more comfortable with that ingredient. Tell your kids what’s in the pudding–or better yet, have them make it with you and talk about how cool it is that tofu can transform like this!

Easy Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

This 5-ingredient Chocolate Tofu Pudding is kid-friendly, simple to blend together, and makes a great protein-rich dessert or snack.

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces good-quality semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 1-pound package silken tofu, drained
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pinch cinnamon

Instructions

1. Break up chocolate (if in large pieces) and melt. If using a microwave, heat on HIGH in 30-second intervals, stirring in between intervals, until fully melted. Set aside.
2. Process tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon in a food processor or blender until smooth. While food processor or blender is running, add melted chocolate slowly and process until fully combined, stopping partway through to scrape sides with a spatula.
3. Portion pudding into six ramekins or small bowls. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Recipe updated to recommend only semi-sweet chocolate. After more testing, I've found that milk chocolate results in an overly-sweet pudding. If you want to use milk chocolate, reduce maple syrup by 1-2 tablespoons. 

I've made this with very dark chocolate and my teen and I both found it too bitter. If you go with dark chocolate, I would recommend adding an additional tablespoon or two of maple syrup to lend more sweetness.

Be sure to add the melted chocolate slowly. Adding it all at once can cause the pudding to have a grainy texture.

Use pure maple syrup (the only ingredient should be maple syrup).

Use pure vanilla extract (not imitation) when possible. 

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 315 Saturated Fat: 7g Cholesterol: 13mg Sodium: 29mg Carbohydrates: 46g Fiber: 3.3g Sugar: 41g Protein: 6g

How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream

This pudding is sweet and rich enough on its own, but if you want to add a dollop of whipped cream like I show here, here’s how to make it:

• Chill a glass bowl, beaters, and whipping cream in the refrigerator until very cold.
• Place 1/2 cup whipping cream and 2 teaspoons sugar in the glass bowl and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form (when you lift your beaters out of the cream, the cream should be shaped in peaks that hold their shape, not drip off).
• Serve immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.