A rich, chocolatey pudding that uses just one bowl to make, takes less than five minutes and is plant-based is my idea of hitting the dessert jackpot. It’s so easy to make that I have even been known to blend this up while brushing my teeth in the morning, pouring it into ramekins to chill for a silky smooth mid-day treat.

The secret to all that silkiness? Silken tofu provides a dairy-free base for this cinnamon chocolate pudding, allowing you to indulge without any disclaimers.

It’s a fairly flexible recipe, so you can use whatever unsweetened milk you prefer, or you can use sweetened vanilla soy milk and just leave out the sugar in the recipe. If you love cinnamon, add more; if you hate it, leave it out. If you love peanut butter, blend a dollop of that in too. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar. You get the point. It’s pudding — make it what you want.

Five Minute Mexican Chocolate Pudding (Plant-Based!)

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1 14-ounce package of soft or silken tofu

1 cup soy milk or unsweetened milk of choice

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dairy-free whipped topping and chocolate shavings to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Place all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes or until the milk and tofu feel warm.

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Use an immersion blender (or transfer the contents of the bowl to a standing blender) to puree the ingredients until smooth and chocolatey.

Pour into six individual ramekins and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up. Serve topped with dairy-free whipped topping and chocolate shavings.

Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.

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