Ballin' on a Budget: Feelings Pudding

What do you do when you’re overwhelmed with emotion? Aside from crying, I mean. What do you do with your body?

Do you go for a run (lol)? Turn on really loud music and dance? Fall into a netflix hole?

I make pudding.

There’s something so meditative to me about stirring a milk and eggs over a low flame until it turns into a luscious creamy chocolate pudding.

I’ve made this when I’m falling in love, when I’m heartbroken, when I’m scared, when I’m excited- really anytime I have extra feelings in my body that I’m not quite sure what to do with. I just stir them into pudding.

The other amazing thing about this recipe is that it can be made pretty much anywhere- it requires so little equipment and so few ingredients which makes it a perfect recipe for you to make as a houseguest- I love leaving these behind when I stay with friends! The vessel you put it in doesn’t matter so much, this recipe is pretty forgiving and can be made in a pot, a pan, a tart shell, a 9x13” pan or a cauldron.

It’s dairy free, costs about $8 to make and comes together in about fifteen minutes of active prepwork plus about 45 minutes of chilling time in the fridge. This can be made a few days ahead of serving and kept covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.

THE ONLY RULE WITH FEELINGS PUDDING: You MUST eat this straight out of the container. The only way you can serve it is by handing people spoons. If you are not comfortable eating this straight out of the container with the people you are serving it to, they are not close enough to you to eat feelings pudding with.

Feelings Pudding
(makes enough)

20 vanilla oreos
2 TBSP coconut oil

1 can full fat coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 12oz bag bittersweet chocolate chips (I like Ghirardelli)

flaky salt

Crush the oreos. I did this in a large ziplock with a rolling pin but you can use a food processor- you just want them to be in fine crumbs. Combine the oreo crumbs with the coconut oil and press into your pan. I used a 9” pie dish, but this will really work in any shape pan- a bread pan, an 8x8” pan, a small pot- whatever you’ve got! Place the crust in the freezer to set up while you make the custard.

In a saucepan over a low flame, combine the whole can of coconut milk and egg yolks. Whisk, constantly, until the mixture coats the bottom of a spoon (this means that when you dip the spoon in and run your finger through it, the custard holds its place and doesn’t fill in where you’ve run your finger through). Remove from heat and pour the chocolate chips in. Cover them completely with the liquid and let them sit for a minute to soften, then whisk until he mixture is smooth and shiny.

Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve and then into the crust, which should be fairly set by now. Put the feelings pudding back in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the fridge for 45 minutes-1 hour until it doesn’t wiggle when you move the dish. Top with flaky sea salt, give everybody a spoon and have some feelings about it.

xo
Audrey

Vegan Hot Fudge that will Melt Your Face Off

This post kind've started as a disaster and turned into a masterpiece. A "happy accident" as my high school photo teacher, Ms. Beary would say.

I was trying to make Roasted Cherry Coconut Almond Vegan Ice Cream, and aside from it being way too many words it was also a rock solid block of ice after it hung out in the freezer for a day. 

Back to the drawing board. 

The greatest blessing about it was that I was planning on swirling the fudge sauce into the ice cream but the fudge was hot so I couldn't and I saved it to pour on top and OH MY GOD IT WILL MELT YOUR FACE OFF. 

You know, like in School of Rock when fake Mr. Schneebly Jack Black talks about the face melting solo? 

This fudge is the face melting solo. 

It can melt the rock solid ice block of cherries and coconut in your freezer into the most delectable swirl of flavors you've ever had. 

I found myself sneaking demitasse spoonfuls of the fudge for breakfast the next day.

Kind've like when I had 10x the sweet tooth I do now in middle school and kept a can of vanilla frosting in the back of the fridge for an after school pick me up every now and again. 

Make it, maybe/definitely double the recipe. 

I'll show you the ice cream that fed my garbage disposal anyway, since it turned into this gorgeous sunset lavender and who doesn't want to look at aerial shots of scoops?

Vegan Hot Fudge
makes about a cup
(adapted from Minimalist Baker)

1 can full fat coconut milk- DON'T SHAKE IT LIKE A POLAROID PICTURE
1/3 c cocoa powder
1/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one orange if you're feeling like Ina- maybe a splash of Grand Marnier as well?!
pinch salt

Open the very still can of coconut milk. If you have just gotten it home from the grocery store or you have shaken it recently, let it take a nap for about an hour. Scoop all of the thick white cream off the top into a saucepan and store the milkier thinner stuff on the bottom in the fridge for smoothies or whatnot.

Whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar and salt.

Cook over med-high heat until it starts to bubble and it's super shiny, about five minutes. Lower the heat if it gets too bubbly/starts to boil. You want a gentle simmer and you want to be constantly whisking so you don't have burnt flavored fudge on your hands.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and orange zest only if you're in the mood for orangey chocolate.

Serve over EVERYTHING.

Keeps well in a jar in the fridge for up to two weeks, just pop it in the microwave for a quick thirty or heat the whole jar in a pot with warm water like it's a baby's bottle before serving.

xo
Audrey