While I was standing at the stove-top stirring the above vegan chocolate pudding into existence, I thought about some of the traits that my dad and I have in common. It seems fitting to share the ponderings as well as the pudding with you on this lovely autumn night.
What My Dad And I Have In Common, aka How I Know I Wasn’t Adopted
1. We both enjoy singing and playing piano.
2. We both get RSI.
3. We both are embroiled in a heady and serious relationship with chocolate.
4. We both get offended when people say no to our offers to make them a cup of coffee*.
5. We both love to travel.
6. We both spend far too much time in front of our computers.
Later, when standing at the kitchen bench chopping up the (non-vegan) Reese’s peanut butter cups with which to garnish the chocolate puddings that had been stirred into existence, I came up with some examples of how my dad and I are different.
Ways In Which My Dad And I Differ, aka I Still Know I Wasn’t Adopted
1. I like Broadway music and singing “Mack the Knife” at karaoke, but my dad likes organ music.
2. My RSI plays up when I engage in strenuous cross-stitch. As you can probably guess, my dad’s RSI is not caused by cross-stitch. His RSI is the result of such manly endeavours as slaying fire-breathing dragons and picking up trucks with only his index fingers.
3. My dad likes chocolate desserts, whereas I prefer my chocolate straight-up and unadulterated by flour, sugar, or pancakes.
4. My dad is content to order a cappuccino when we’re at a restaurant, whereas I like to faff around with decaf soy long macchiatos with a side of full-fat embarrassment.
5. No, this one remains the same. We both still love to travel.
6. My dad knows how to build and fix computers. I know how to poke mine from across the room with a stick.
In the spirit of celebrating our similarities, our differences, and our love for one another (awww!), I decided to make my dad and me a quick and easy, yet still delightfully chocolate-y, chocolate pudding for dessert following his birthday Tunisian couscous dinner. I was proud of myself for serving up a vegan dessert… right up until the moment I garnished the glasses with chopped up Reese’s peanut butter cups. But shh. I won’t tell if you won’t.
Vegan Chocolate Puddings from Healthy McEasytown
Slightly adapted from Kitchen Parade
Serves 2
- 2 tb demerara sugar
- 2 tb cocoa powder (try to use good-quality cocoa, as it really makes a difference flavour-wise)
- 1 tb cornflour
- pinch of salt
- 1 c soy milk (in the name of all you hold dear, do not use fat-free soy milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla
1. Stir together the sugar, cocoa, cornflour, and salt in a medium saucepan until thoroughly mixed. Keeping the saucepan off the heat, very slowly stir in the milk, a tiny bit at a time. You want to do this slowly in order to prevent big icky squoodgy lumps forming in, and marring, your pudding.
2. Turn the heat under the saucepan to medium and cook, stirring all the while (constant vigilance!), until the mixture thickens. Stir in the vanilla, pour the mixture into two small dishes (quickly, as the pudding thickens up with the speed of a thousand gazelles when off the heat), and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Ta-daa!
* By “people”, I mean family and friends visiting our home. It’s not like we wander around town asking strangers in the street to drink our coffee. I’d completely understand someone saying no to that; I myself would be suspicious of getting roofied under such circumstances.
{ 77 comments… read them below or add one }
I must admit to a vague sense of unease, and may I say, almost horror at the notion of a vegan chocolate pudding…….. It is not my natural inclination by any stretch. But you know, this doesn’t look too bad! Indeed I could even see myself making this. I have all the ingredients in the house, which is even more of an incentive. Although I would leave off the Reese’s pieces naturally. And I would never even consider trialling low fat soy milk. What an abomination. And sadly I would have to offend both you and your father and decline your offer of coffee, as I don’t touch the stuff. Ever.
Louise, would you take a cup of tea? Because we’d both be happy with that alternative, just like I hope you’d be happy with this vegan pudding alternative, were you to make it
(P.S. I suggest garnishing with some shaved dark/white chocolate, if you’re against the Reese’s!)
It looks ever so elegant but is not quite what I think of as chocolate pudding – maybe because my dad made a bad attempt at making this pudding once when my mother was in hospital for the birth of a sibling – and my mum makes amazing baked chocolate pudding – but the reeses peanut butter cups is something my dad would never have thought of or maybe we would have told our mum not to bother coming home because dad was doing just fine.
And please don’t ever ask me if you can make me a coffee – I will probably refuse and I wouldn’t want to offend!
What would you think of as a chocolate pudding? Pudding is one of those confusing ambiguous words I think, isn’t it?
I like the word ambiguous. It makes me think of amphibian. Which makes me think of an axolotl. The End.
Johanna, I was almost going to write about the linguistic differences of pudding (I grew up thinking of it as a steamed/baked/dense cake-ish dessert myself), but then I decided to go with the Dad subject matter instead
What do you think of as pudding? This is the American interpretation of the word, I think.
Also, as I said to Louise, would you let me make you tea or hot chocolate? Or a smoothie? Because that’s okay with me
yes my chocolate pudding was baked and cakey and self saucing – I have posted it here – http://gggiraffe.blogspot.com/2008/04/family-favourite-chocolate-pudding.html – we did have some cold smooth puddings sometimes but I think they were always out of a packet and horrid – though my mum would probably put me right on this!
yes herbal tea, hot chocolate or a smoothie would probably be ok – I actually had a friend over for a coffee the other day when she was having a crisis and we were out of tea bags and I couldn’t find the coffee – because I leave such stuff to E usually!
What a cute post
I just love it! That pudding treat sounds perfectly fabulous. Daddy/daughter relationships are the best!
Comparable only to the wonderfulness of mother/daughter relationships
Oh Hannah, what a delightful post! Why is it so offensive when people turn down coffee? This one irks me, too. We put a lot of thought and time and care into the perfect cup – is there a better way to show one’s love?
A side note: thank you for your thoughtful encouragement.
The only better way is with baked goods, I think
And you’re more than welcome – you just keep your head above water, okay?
Seriously – this sounds delish!!!!
Tasted delish too!
So excited to see this post…we ae starting on our meatless journey (not vegan yet) and I was wondering if I could still indulge in chocolate treats! Now I know…yes, yes and yes and we don’t drink cow milk anymore so a bonus! I can use soy for this treat. Would it work with Chocolate soy milk?? Hummm…thoughts?
Oooh, that’s a BRILLIANT idea! I’m going to use chocolate soy milk next time too! Would surely heighten the chocolatiness
Also, remember that all good quality dark chocolate should be vegan. You sometimes need to read labels for milk/butterfat, but the good stuff should be safe 
I wonder if there are healthy-ish versions of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (my favorite candy “bar”). The instruction to avoid “big icky squoodgy lumps” is appreciated. Beautiful photos.
Thanks!
Thank you Steve! Squoodgy lumps simply aren’t fun, so I’m glad you noted that instruction
Actually, I’ve seen many, many recipes of healthy versions of chocolate nut butter cups, even raw ones (although raw versions never use peanuts). I’ll try to make some soon, just for you! 
the pudding looks wonderful!
have you ever tried making what i call raw vegan chocolate mousse? just avocado (riper the better), cocoa powder, agave, vanilla…blend. It will fool even the most die hards, ratios on my site if you need them.
You dont even have to boil anything. I am the queen of shortcuts when ever possible
Thanks Averie! Funnily enough, I’m planning to make precisely such an avocado mousse when my avocados have ripened
I’ve made a non-chocolate avocado dessert mousse before, and loved it. I’ll be sure to check out your raw mousse recipe soon!
This is such a nice post! Lovely! The pudding looks great!
Thank you Toni!
This looks so delicious! I’d love some right now
Come on over then!
Non-vegan toppings to vegan foods makes me smile
It’s so something I would do! Especially if it included Reese’s….serious weakness there!
Teehee, I’m all about the contradiction-in-terms
And yep, Reese’s has magical seductive food powers for sure…
Um, ew. Vegan chocolate pudding? Sorry, my dear. I can’t lie and say it sounds yummy to me.
And an extra helping of the non-vegan topping, por favor.
But give me a spoonful, and maybe I’ll change my mind.
That said, such a sweet post about your dad! My dad always liked to say I’m 99.99% like him!
Teehee, can’t judge you for that, but sadly non-vegan chocolate puddings make my lactose-intolerant tummy hurt! I shall certainly give you extra Reese’s pb cups to sweeten the deal
haha Hannah I love your posts they always make me giggle
Make me coffeeee as mucchhhh as you want!!!!
Aw, thank you Ellie! That really means the world to me
I shall make you coffee and ship it to the States asap! 
This pudding sounds so yummy (and easy to boot!)
Easy is my go-to factor in recipes these days
I always knew there was a gap in my recipe collection. Vegan chocolate pudding. There it is. Fixed. Now I can relax. Love it.
Brilliant! I always knew vegan chocolate pudding could make the world better, and here it is saving your recipe collection from misery
you are hilarious. i smiled in appreciation with the computer remark.
is your coffee really that good? what brand are you using?
We freshly grind a mix of normal coffee and Irish Cream flavoured coffee… but I have no idea what brand it is! I’ll ask my dad where he gets it, as it’s at my parents’ place where I no longer live
Ooo, slaying fire-breathing dragons! I’m impressed! Your Dad earns awesome bonus points just from that comment alone…
Hmmm, I fear I would offend you by saying no to coffee. You see, my brain shakes inside my skull from a smallest of sips. But I do like the smell so you could make it and I could smell it!! Would that work?
Also, today while I was at home sick and feeling sorry for myself my flatmate was playing Korean pop music really loudly from her room. Then, out of the blue, on came ‘A Whole New World’ and I was suddenly up and singing!! It made me think of you and I’m sure you would have joined in!
Wait, shouldn’t I earn the bonus points? I’m the one who wrote the words, even if he’s the one slaying the dragons…
Yes, that would absolutely work! Funnily enough, I didn’t drink coffee for about seven years, and have slowly been weaning myself back onto it. I realised that the copious amounts of dark chocolate I eat are desensitising me to caffeine
AW! Your last comment just made my night! One day we will sing that song, and many other Disney songs, together
xoxo
I’m almost sorry I was at yoga! Looks very nice and I’m so glad the glasses didn’t topple over in the fridge.
I have you to thank for the non-toppling, my dearest mother! Hmm… Mothers Day is coming up soonish, perhaps I could make you dinner then…?
Hehe and the next thing-you both sound utterly charming and hilarious!
Oh, you!
Curious as to the texture and taste! I like soy-based desserts so I think I’ll like it.
The texture was very smooth and very thick! This might depend on how long you cook the mixture for, but our version ended up so thick that it stayed in shape when you took a spoonful out – if that makes sense?!
Neither dad nor I could pick out a soy taste in particular, but I think you’d like this anyway 
“Slightly adapted from Kitchen Parade” hahaha I like the way you phrase it!! : )
Teehee, well, it wasn’t exactly the same as her recipe, but it wasn’t that much different either. I’m just tryin’ to keep it real
Speaking from a non-vegan perspective, this chocolate pudding sounds amazing and I love the dose of Reese’s cups that garnish it!
As a fellow non-vegan, I’m thrilled that this appeals to eaters of all persuasions
I love the sound of this pudding – like one of those whipped up chocolate puddings of my childhood, only much better. Isn’t cornflour an amazing ingredient? Also, a thousand gazelles, hee. Also, I know all about the cautious, distant prodding of the computer. I’m getting slightly better at knowing my way around it when things go wrong though (aka turning it off and on again)
Yay, I’m so glad someone noticed the gazelles
And yes, cornflour is wonderful, except when you take a whole plateful of marshmallows from the dessert buffet of a dodgy restaurant and discover that they coated the blighters in cornflour instead of icing sugar. Ugh, I still remember the claggy mouth…
One time I went over to a friend’s house, and her husband offered me a cup of coffee. As I don’t drink coffee, I replied “No thanks, but I’ll have a cup of tea”, thinking that the offer was for a hot beverage. He was all, “That wasn’t what I was offering, but okay…” in a stroppy tone. (They’re separated now, which is unsurprising.)
I hope you and your dad won’t react like that if you ever offer me a coffee!
ps – choc pudding looks yum!
Of course they wouldn’t. Rather, they’d say: Leaves or Bags? English breakfast? Green tea? Japanese tea with lime? Chamomile? Dusk? Rooibus? (Well, you get the drift. In fact we’d love people to drink up more of our tea and we are not drinking it fast enough!).
Your tea collection, mother, is indeed impressive. I’m still icked out by the meaty smell of the Lapsang one, though!
Oh Theresa, no no no! My dad and I would be equally happy to make you a cup of tea, or hot chocolate, or even a glass of mineral water. Your story of stroppiness has given me a much-needed giggle, though, so thank you
Shoot, I better have you for a visit rather than heading to your house since I really don’t like coffee.
Happy birthday to your dad!
Even though I’d be just as happy to pour you a glass of water as a cup of coffee, I’m going to go with your scenario because I want to eat all the delicious things that come out of your oven
Mmm, I just love chocolate pudding. Especially now that the cooler weather is here!
I’d never really had it before, but it’s definitely yummy
YUM!!!! My dad and I are eerily similar. We even look alike haha. Weird
Good to know you and yours are same in many ways and both enjoy delicious looking treats!
Gosh, who would’ve thought relatives could look alike?!
Yep, it’s definitely a plus to enjoy the same delicious food 
I love how you and your dad are so similar! I can feel the father-daughter love in this post. This chocolate pudding looks really awesome. I have been on a pudding craze lately. They are the easiest dessert to make. I am certainly saving this recipe!
Aw, yay! Then I did my job of writing about it well
I’ve almost never made pudding like this before… you shall have to post about your recipes 
I have never tried soy milk, although the sound of it isn’t too appealing. Plus I love plain milk too much and don’t think I would pay extra for soy. The pudding looks great, but I will keep my plain milk. Love the addition of reese’s too. So can’t wait for costco to open in canberra so I can get a giant bag of them!
Funnily enough, I find the sound of plain milk unappealing these days! I’ll still eat most other forms of dairy, but cow’s milk weirds me out
I love the nutty flavour of soymilk 
But absolutely go for it with the plain milk in this recipe! That’s what the original recipe used anyway 
Oh, and the Costco Reese’s bags? They honestly NEVER RUN OUT.
haha – my & my dad’s relationships with computers are similar to you & your dad’s. I know NOTHING about them! My Dad, however, is an avid computer “geek” (affectionately called) who buys old computers to rebuild them for fun!
My dad is a softwar engineer, so he lives and breathes computers
He and your dad should start a club! 
oh that pudding looks great!
Thanks!
That sounds like you have a very good relationship with your dad! I wish I had with my dad, but it’s rather complicated … We differ too much, and the things we have in common don’t make us get along well with each other, but rather collide.
What’s RSI, btw? I feel that I’ve missed the essence of your post because I don’t know.
Ah, no, I think hyou still got the thrust of the post
RSI is Repetitive Strain Injury, or (or like) Carpal Tunnel. Does that help? 
I’m sorry to hear you don’t have a magnificent relationship with your dad, but maybe it will get better with time?
^^^ off to Google “demerara” sugar!!!
(omg I love reese’s peanut butter cups!)
It’s just fancypants sugar
Any would work!
I love this, such a simple ingredient list and thankfully all of them are in the pantry.
Thanks for the recipe Hannah!
You’re more than welcome! I hope you enjoy it
Deeeelightful. Love the photos & the similarities,
Thank you Anna
Awe what a sweet
ode to your relationship with your dad. I love the look of this! & lol at your cross-stitch RSI.
Heidi xo
It’s no laughing matter, Heidi! Hurts like the dickens