Mexican Chocolate Pudding

Oh, Mondaaaaaay. I can't think of a single redeeming quality for you, Monday. I've got nothin. Is Monday's anybody's favorite day? Anyone? Bueller? Monday leaves me with a muted and sleepy outlook and I just look forward to coming home, taking a hot shower to wash away the Monday and watch a little Heroes (which, I have to admit, has also been a bit disappointing lately). I thought pudding might improve said Monday...

I am sincerely intrigued by pudding. By the concept of pudding. Wiggly. Thick. Creamy. Smooth. Yummy. Pudding. Except for the fact that scary little plastic containers with the ominous "Jello" labels are full of preservatives and high fructose corn syrups. So, I thought I might make some real pudding where you know exactly what the ingredients are going to be. Now, generally chocolate is my favorite pudding flavor, but my dear friends, Matt & Emily, gave me some Ibarra Mexican Chocolate and I thought it might be the perfect flavor to try. And Mexican Chocolate has a simple clean little list of ingredients: Sugar, Cacao Nibs, Soy Lecithin and Cinnamon flavor. Now that is more like it!

Once again, this is going to seem like skeptical recipe, but I have tested it out myself (since everything on here is straight from my kitchen) and I promise you, it is delicious. It is down right shocking how easy it is to make too!

INGREDIENTS FOR MEXICAN CHOCOLATE PUDDING:

* 2 wedges of Ibarra chocolate
* 1 12-oz. box of Mori-Nu soft silken tofu
* 1 tsp. pure vanilla
* 1 tsp. cocoa powder (optional)
* 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp. chili powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

* Melt the 2 wedges of chocolate over a double-boiler on the stove over medium heat. If you don't have a double-boiler (I don't), you can create one using a heat safe pyrex or glass bowl over a pot that is filled with a couple of inches of water. This just creates hot steam to gently melt the chocolate without exposing it directly to heat. The chocolate will melt down to a gritty sand-like paste.
* Combine melted chocolate, tofu, vanilla, cocoa powder, cinnamon and chili powder (if you like a little kick) in a blender and puree until smooth.

Ta-da! Spoon pudding into ramekins or little cups and refrigerate for at least one hour. You can also top it with a little whipped cream and shaved chocolate if you want to be fancy about it...I topped these beauties you see pictured with some chopped chocolate covered almonds.