Cream pudding using tofu

 Avoiding a recent disaster, I returned to tweak my longstanding recipe (instant pudding mix + extra firm silken tofu). It came out really good, without that tofu flavor assaulting you. It's noon and I've already eaten it as a filling in 2 pieces of pie.

The addition of flavored extract helps negate the tofu aftertaste that was bugging me. The addition of fat improves mouthfeel and makes it more dessert-like.

Formula

• 1 box instant pudding mix
• 2 tsp flavored extract
• 2 tbs melted butter or margarine
• 4 oz coconut milk
• 1 block of extra firm silken tofu

Drain the tofu. Put everything in a bowl and blend it together until it's totally smooth. That's it.

Yesterday I used vanilla pudding mix and coconut extract in this recipe. I toasted some coconut to sprinkle on top. It was definitely better the next day.

Vegan Pumpkin Quinoa Breakfast Porridge

I made this recipe today in my crock pot. I liked this one because it contained a higher proportion of pumpkin than most other recipes I've seen.

It's pretty good! I ended up using molasses as the sweetener, so much that it's overwhelming the flavor. Next time, I'd use a  little molasses combined with sugar or stevia.

I used rice milk, but you could use soymilk to make it beany! I stuck with the recommended coconut milk for serving. I wasn't sure how that would taste with pumpkin, but it works.

It's a keeper--easy to make while you're telecommuting, and healthy.

Vanilla Pudding Disaster

 One week later and I'm hanging my head in shame for falling for another bad recipe: Vegan Vanilla Pudding.

It sounded SO GOOD. I wanted to believe.

After the recommended 10 minute cook time on low heat, the mixture is still iced cold. I cooked another 20 minutes--3 times the cook time in the directions--and it's still total liquid. Not thick at all.

I guess I need to stick to stuff that is tested in professional kitchens or something. I guess they vet the ingredients list to be sure it's specific enough for a home cook to get it right. 

Tofu + Cake Mix = Tragedy

So I fell for a bad recipe again. Oof. I am a big fan of tofu and eat it in desserts often, but the taste and texture of this is very unpleasant. 

This recipe promises an easy box mix cake with only 300g of soft tofu, cake mix , 1/4 cup of water and nothing else. It has been published on numerous sites, and once again believed those same 372 people claiming it's great. Are that many people born missing taste buds, or did they happen to have the same sized tofu and cake mix  as the author? We'll never know.

I used a basic "perfectly moist" Duncan Hines box. The recipe just said to use moist cake mix, without mentioning a size.

Also, it was a challenge to get 300g of soft tofu without a scale. Nowhere in my area is tofu sold in that size, so I had to do my best to remove the extra 50g of tofu that comes in the block.

With the 1/4 cup of water the recipe calls for, the batter was too thick. I had to add a full cup of water just to be able to use the mixer, and even then it was super thick, like drop cookies.

I've now baked this for 1.5x as long as the box calls for and it has a raw/tofu taste to it. It did not brown up like normal cakes do. 

Do.Not.Make.This.