Daily Cooking Quest

Home / All Recipes / Japanese / Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Delicious chocolate pudding using silken tofu. None can tell there's tofu in it, and this has a much lower calorie count than your regular chocolate pudding.
Chocolate Tofu Pudding
Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Tofu as dessert is not an alien concept for me. After all, I do grow up eating tons of dou hua (soybean pudding). But I admit that I have never thought of taking this experience up a notch until I found out about chocolate tofu pudding!

This chocolate tofu pudding is so good and delicious. And believe me, nobody would guess we use silken tofu to make this lovely dessert.

So if you are counting calories, or want a healthy dessert once in a while, make this. You can serve this chocolate tofu pudding to tofu haters, and they won’t even know what hit them ;)

Ingredients for chocolate tofu pudding: silken tofu, cocoa powder, gelatin, sugar, milk, and optionally, instant espresso.
Ingredients for chocolate tofu pudding: silken tofu, cocoa powder, gelatin, sugar, milk, and optionally, instant espresso.

What goes into chocolate tofu pudding?

For a super basic pudding, you will need:

  • 150 gram (about 1/2 block) silken tofu
  • 5 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, so not the stuff to make a hot chocolate drink
  • 1 cup milk (cow milk, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, e.t.c.)
  • 5 tablespoon sugar
  • 5 gram (1 2/3 teaspoon) gelatin
  • 2 tablespoon water

If you are preparing these puddings for special occasions, you may want to add these:

  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • freshly grated zest from 1 orange, or 1/2 teaspoon orange oil
  • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
(1) Bloom gelatin. (2) Boil milk and espresso. (3) Place silken tofu, cocoa powder, and sugar in a blender. (4) Puree into a smooth paste. (5) Add boiled milk and puree. (6) Microwave bloomed gelatin, add to the chocolate mix, and blend.
(1) Bloom gelatin. (2) Boil milk and espresso. (3) Place silken tofu, cocoa powder, and sugar in a blender. (4) Puree into a smooth paste. (5) Add boiled milk and puree. (6) Microwave bloomed gelatin, add to the chocolate mix, and blend.

How to make chocolate tofu pudding?

1. Bloom gelatin.

Pour water in a microwave-proof bowl, then sprinkle gelatin to bloom. Set aside.

2. Mix espresso with milk.

If adding instant espresso powder, heat the milk in a microwave-proof bowl, then stir in instant espresso powder until it dissolves. Set aside.

3. Puree tofu.

Place silken tofu, cocoa powder, and sugar in a blender. Puree until smooth.

4. Add liquid.

Add milk, orange oil/orange zest (if using), and orange liqueur (if using) to the chocolate and tofu mixture. Blend until evenly mixed.

5. Add gelatin.

Microwave the bloomed gelatin from step 1 for 2-3 seconds to dissolve. Add this into the chocolate tofu mixture and pulse to blend evenly.

6. Let the pudding set.

Pour the pudding mixture into your favorite molds and let them firm up in the fridge. It usually takes about 1 hour. Serve chill.

Pour chocolate pudding mixture to ramekins/bowls and let them firm up in the fridge.
Pour chocolate pudding mixture to ramekins/bowls and let them firm up in the fridge.

Chocolate tofu pudding decoration ideas

If you serve these puddings out from pretty looking molds, they look quite neat even when plain. But these can easily be dressed-up and modified for those special occasions.

  • Berry delight chocolate pudding. A simple whip cream, chocolate shavings, and fresh berries.
  • Christmas chocolate pudding. Whip cream, chocolate bark, crushed peppermint candies, and fresh mint leaves. Skip orange zest and orange liqueur, add 1 teaspoon peppermint oil instead to the pudding.
  • Black forest chocolate pudding. Whip cream, chocolate shavings, and fresh cherries. Use 1 tablespoon of Kirsch instead of orange liqueur and orange zest.
  • Smores chocolate pudding. Topped the pudding with crushed graham crackers, roughly chopped chocolate bars, and mini marshmallows.

Those are just my four easy ideas to play around with this basic recipe. Feel free to tinker with the recipe and come up with your own novel ways to make this chocolate tofu pudding.

Serve the chilled chocolate tofu pudding once they are set.
Serve the chilled chocolate tofu pudding once they are set.

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

5.0 from 12 reviews

Author: Anita Jacobson

Categories: 

Cuisines: 

Ingredients: 

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 0 min

Total Time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon water
  • 5 gram gelatin
  • 150 gram silken tofu (1/2 a block, typically)
  • 5 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 5 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup milk (cow milk, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, e.t.c.)
  • Optional ingredients
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • freshly grated zest from 1 orange, or 1/2 teaspoon orange oil
  • 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Instructions

  1. Bloom gelatin. Pour water in a microwave-proof bowl, then sprinkle gelatin to bloom. Set aside.
  2. Mix espresso with milk. If adding instant espresso powder, heat the milk in a microwave-proof bowl, then stir in instant espresso powder until it dissolves. Set aside.
  3. Puree tofu. Place silken tofu, cocoa powder, and sugar in a blender. Puree until smooth.
  4. Add liquid. Add milk, orange oil/orange zest (if using), and orange liqueur (if using) to the chocolate and tofu mixture. Blend until evenly mixed.
  5. Add gelatin. Microwave the bloomed gelatin from step 1 for 2-3 seconds to dissolve. Add this into the chocolate tofu mixture and pulse to blend evenly.
  6. Let the pudding set. Pour the pudding mixture into your favorite molds and let them firm up in the fridge. It usually takes about 1 hour. Serve chill.
Indonesian Pantry
Indonesian Kitchen

Comments

  • Susan Susan says:

    Can you tell me how much gelatin in teaspoons please? This sounds wonderful! Also can I use a sugar substitute like stevia?

    • Anita Anita says:

      Sure! 5 gram gelatin = 1 2/3 teaspoon. I have never tried using stevia Susan, but I don't see how it won't work, especially since we don't need the sugar to create caramel in this recipe :)

  • Patty at Spoonabilities Patty at Spoonabilities says:

    I never thought of using tofu in a pudding. I just love this! Can't wait to try.

  • stephanie stephanie says:

    Such a delicious little dessert. Perfect for any time of year.

  • Mirlene Desir Mirlene Desir says:

    I wondered how you make tofu as a dessert. Really glad that I've stumbled upon your recipe - I just need to try it out this holiday season!

  • Jessica Jessica says:

    I love working with gelatin! It makes such nice puddings!

  • Cathy Cathy says:

    Cannot believe this delicious pudding is made with tofu! Cannot wait to try this! I have never ever thought of making dessert with tofu! This is absolutely wonderful!

  • Abby Abby says:

    Can you use agar instead of gelatin to keep it vegan, thanks.

    • Anita Anita says:

      Hi Abby, I suppose you can, but be aware that agar powder needs to be boiled for a while to activate less the pudding won't harden and will stay completely liquid. Also, I have never played around with agar powder for this particular recipe, so I don't know the amount of agar powder to use for this recipe.

  • louise louise says:

    Hello! This looks lovely. I was wondering if the espresso powder, the orange zest and orange liqueur were ment to be combined or were ment to be three different options.

    • Anita Anita says:

      Hi Louise, they can be added individually, or all at once, or just pick any combination that you want. :) Most of the time I add espresso since I always have it in my kitchen. When the market has plenty of fresh oranges, I add orange zest too, but orange zest can be substituted with orange liqueur when fresh oranges are not available.

  • Kris Kris says:

    This was so rich and smooth! Really enjoyed it. Thank you. :)

  • Jill Jill says:

    I am all about a dessert that has less calories, but I can't tell! Really looking forward to trying this new-to-me recipe.

  • Andrea Andrea says:

    Yum! Thank you for this recipe. I've made pudding with coconut cream and it wasn't as good as this!

  • Carrie Robinson Carrie Robinson says:

    Such a great way to lighten up a traditional sweet treat! I am definitely going to make this soon. :)

  • Irena Irena says:

    Lovely! Super light and fluffy, tastes much cleaner and healthier than cream-filled puddings. Also handy for those with egg/dairy allergies.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe: