FAT FREE AND SUGAR FREE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

I saw this pudding recipe from Cooking Light cookbook, which I borrowed from the library. I immediately got attracted to this recipe after seeing the few ingredients this pudding required and most importantly this is a no-bake pudding. I made a few changes to the original recipe by making it sugar-free and substituting the bittersweet chocolate with cocoa powder, so this is also fat-free, a healthy quick fix for all the chocolate cravings. It was definitely smooth and creamy like a regular chocolate pudding. I also added walnuts since I love the combination of chocolate with walnuts.

INGREDIENTS

1. Brown sugar, ½ cup (I used 2/3 rd cup of Splenda to make this pudding as a sugar-free version)

2. Cornstarch, ¼ cup.

3. Instant coffee powder, 1 tablespoon.

4. Milk, 2 cups. (The book specified soy milk, I have used fat-free milk).

5. Bittersweet chocolate, 2 ounces, chopped. (I have used ¼ cup of cocoa powder).

6. Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon.

7. Salt, a pinch.

8. Chopped walnuts, ¼ cup. (I have used walnuts here for its health benefits, since this pudding is free of any bad fats, I have named this pudding as a fat-free pudding, again this chocolate pudding can be transformed into a completely fat-free pudding by omitting the walnuts).

PREPARATION:

Heat the milk in a pot and add the cocoa powder. Keep mixing until there are no lumps. Add the salt and Splenda and mix well. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the pudding along with the vanilla extract. The pudding will start to thicken as soon as the cornstarch is added. Keep mixing under low heat for 2 more minutes, add the chopped walnuts, and switch off the stove. Once the pudding has cooled, transfer to serving bowls and chill it in the refrigerator by closing it with a plastic wrap to avoid any skimming.