I love chocolate in any form and in any given time of the year. Valentine’s Day is coming up and I get to bake and indulge without my conscience kicking in!
Black Bean Cupcakes
Don’t let the black beans give you that “wrinkle your nose” attitude. I sent the recipe to our son Joel and they made it three times (including a birthday party) and I made them for a Nature Club meeting. All good reviews—cupcakes gone. You can keep them plain or make a healthy frosting or buy a frosting. Whatever works for you.
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
6 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 cup agave syrup or honey or maple syrup
5 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or use paper muffin cups. You will need 12 muffin cups.
Place the first six ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
In a separate bowl blend all the dry ingredients together.
Add the dry ingredients to the bean mixture and blend until well combined.
Fill the muffin cups to 3/4 full or depending on how big you would like them. They will rise quite high while baking but settle when they are cool.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Let cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate-Chocolate Pudding
When you make chocolate pudding from scratch you will be amazed in the difference of the flavour from the “instant” packaged kind. The secret is to use really good chocolate. Break the budget and buy Lindt. The darker the better!
2 cups milk (not skim) or coconut milk—the richer the
milk the creamier the pudding
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cocoa
2 egg yolks
6 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a saucepan. Do not bring to a boil. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar with cornstarch and cocoa. Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup milk. Whisk in egg yolks and reserved hot milk.
Transfer all back to the saucepan and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook gently about one minute.
Stir chocolate and butter into the mixture until melted. Stir in the vanilla.
Spoon into dessert glasses and sprinkle a little sea salt on each one. Chill.
*Dress up the pudding with fresh fruit, ice cream or whipped cream.
