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Raw Chocolate Hemp Pudding
This raw chocolate hemp pudding was another of those wonderful accidents.
Who knew a mistake could turn out to be so delicious?
I was making a double batch of my raw hot chocolate, using hemp seeds instead of cashews, and I accidentally doubled everything except for the water.
Doh! And wow!
See, I do make mistakes. And fortunately they sometimes REALLY work out.
What I discovered was really thick hot chocolate actually tastes a lot like chocolate mousse.
So I played with the balance of water until it came out to the perfect consistency.
And surprisingly, the dates give it a lightness that I never would have expected.
Not in a million years.
My very scientific guess is that the date fibres give the pudding structure that helps it to trap air and give it this amazing fluffy texture.
And the hemp seeds?
Oh, they make this raw chocolate pudding work in so many ways.
Firstly, they give it the richness and creaminess you expect from chocolate mousse, without the need for dairy products, or nuts.
And not an avocado in sight.
So good.
Secondly, they give it the perfect balance of healthy fats.
Did you know that hemp seeds have the ideal ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids?
And when you use whole hemp seeds, you’re getting them as nature intended.
Thirdly, they make this raw chocolate hemp pudding nut-free!
And as a bonus, each serve gives you almost 20g of protein. Yes, protein.
And not just any protein, but high-quality protein that contains all of the essential amino acids.
Can you tell I’m a big fan of hemp seeds?
Yessum, that’s me.
Anyway, back to raw chocolate hemp pudding.
Mmmmmmmm.
So simple, so quick and SO delicious.
You have to try this.
You will thank me, I promise.
Raw Chocolate Hemp Pudding
Raw chocolate hemp pudding with only four ingredients - dates, hemp, cacao and vanilla - and the richness and creaminess you expect from chocolate mousse.
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Makes: 3 serves
Calories per serve: 362kcal
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup medjool dates , pitted (160g or 10-12 med)
- 1/2 cup water (125g)
- 2/3 cup ice (125g)
- 1 cup hemp seeds / hearts (160g)
- 1/8 cup cacao powder (12g or 6tsp)
- 1 pinch vanilla bean powder or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- fresh berries optional
Method
- Add the dates, water and ice to the blender and blend into a rough paste.
- Add the hemp seeds, cacao powder and vanilla bean powder.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Serve with fresh blueberries, strawberries or raspberries.
Preparation
- Before: -
- During: 5 mins
- After: -
- Need: Blender
Nutrition Information
Serving: 150g; Calories: 362kcal; Carbohydrates: 33.6g; Protein: 14.1g; Fat: 21.2g; Saturated Fat: 1.8g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g; Sodium: 3.5mg; Potassium: 800mg; Fiber: 5.2g; Sugar: 27.1g; Vitamin A: 50IU; Calcium: 50mg; Iron: 4.9mg
Tips
- Medjool dates are big, sticky, sweet dates that add a rich sweetness to this recipe. If you’re using regular dates, you’ll need to soak them in water for a couple of hours first. Drain them, but keep the soak water to use in the recipe, for an extra date-y taste.
- The mix of water and ice is to keep the pudding cool enough while you blend it completely. Without the ice, it’s likely to overheat. If you don’t want to use ice, just refrigerate all of your ingredients beforehand for several hours.
- If you don’t have hemp seeds handy, you can substitute with raw cashews. Of course, it won’t be nut-free, but it will still be rich and creamy and delicious.
- Cacao powder is basically raw cocoa powder, so if you don’t have raw cacao powder, you can use unsweetened cocoa powder instead.
- Vanilla bean powder is just fresh vanilla beans air-dried and ground into a powder using a spice blender or coffee grinder. You can make your own or you can buy it from your local health food shop. If you can’t get your hands on any of this, you can just scrape out 1/4 of a fresh vanilla bean into the mix, or add 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence.
- You will probably need to use your tamper with your blender (if you have one) to get this to blend fully. Otherwise, just stop regularly and mix it around thoroughly to make sure that everything is being blended properly. If you’re struggling, just add a bit of extra water until it gets easier.
- This raw chocolate hemp pudding is not low-fat. Not by a long shot. But frankly it’s so good for you in so many other ways, how important is that, really?
- This raw chocolate pudding is also very, very rich. Amazingly good, but rich. You may even struggle to finish a serve. Or you may scoff the lot in one sitting, like I have been known to do.
- Eating it with fresh berries, especially blueberries, helps to balance out the richness beautifully. It also goes really well with fresh banana.
- You can serve this chocolate pudding warm, straight from the blender, or put it in the fridge for several hours, where it will cool down and thicken up just a little.
- You should be able to store this in the fridge for at least four days (if it lasts that long), and maybe even for a week or more.
My inspiration
As I mentioned above, this amazing recipe emerged out of a mishap with my raw hot chocolate recipe.
And my raw hot chocolate was a last-minute idea that came from needing to use up some soaked cashews.
A very happy accident indeed.
Isn’t it wonderful how one unexpected moment leads to another, and then you find yourself eating the most amazing raw chocolate hemp pudding on earth?
Sigh. Ain’t life grand?
And have an incredibly chocolate-y day!
I studied Biochemistry and Genetics at Monash University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science, with Honours.
I've always had a passion for natural health, having grown up with asthma, eczema and numerous food allergies, and I wanted to help my kids avoid the same issues.
I love blending science and alternative approaches to find the best of both worlds, and I'm always looking for ways to create more amazing health and happiness in my life.
Learn more about me
Maisy says
that’s so funny! i just made some raw vegan chocolate pudding a few days ago, using avocado and banana, but seeds is a great idea too! i’m gonna have to try this out soon. maybe using flaxseed or chia seeds since i don’t have any hemp. thanks for the inspiration! :)
all the best ~ Maisy
Nikki says
Hi Maisy,
You’re welcome. I like the idea of flax or chia, although I’d guess that they’d create a different consistency because they’re normally so good at binding things together. I’d love to hear how it goes.
Maisy says
mh… yes you’re probably right. i’ll report to you as soon as i’ve tried it :)
~ Maisy
Abbi*tarian says
This is so fantastic! Thank you for this recipe, Nikki! I look forward to enjoying it! I have super sensitive teeth, though. Do you have an idea how much fluid (maybe coconut milk :0D) that I could replace the ice with? Thank you for any info./guesstimates you can give me :0). I’ve enjoyed but never experimented with hemp seeds directly in my own recipes, & I look forward to changing that. It’s esp. helpful that this recipe is very approachable & has many of my other favorite ingredients! Though, I have many favorite ingredients :0).
Nikki says
Hi Abbi,
You’re very welcome. With so many delicious foods to choose from, how could you not love them all? But hemp seeds are an awesome addition to any diet, so I wish you lots of success with your experimentation.
And by the time you’ve blended this thoroughly, the ice has all melted and the pudding is warm, so there should be no traces of ice left. But if you want to substitute the ice, just use half a cup (125ml) of liquid instead. Water would work just fine, but coconut milk would be nice, although it might make it even richer!
Abbi*tarian says
Exactly, I just love good, healthy food :0)! Though I’m not a vegan, papaya is the only vegan food (that I can eat – food allergies) that I don’t like, though I unsuccessfully keep trying to change that :). Thanks! I’m looking forward to hemp seeds addition, too! I hear they’re so healthy! I’ve had them in already made snack bars in the distant past & am sure I liked them but working with them directly is exciting. I have a suspicion that I will want to experiment with them further after this. Also, vanilla powder is something I’ve never consumed or worked with, but it’s actually been a plan of mine to work with, as I’ve just started hearing of it all over the place & love vanilla. Thank you so much for your advice – half a cup I will do then :0)!! Richer sounds good to me :0D. I love coconut & am ok with a little more fat when it’s from a fruit, veggie, seed or nut :0).
Anne says
This is an absolute winner.
Nikki says
Hi Anne,
Thank you :D Glad you enjoyed it!
DAVID A BAINES says
Hi Nikki
I have never used such hard seeds as these, however can you advise if by soaking the hemp seeds in water for maybe 8 hours they will be suitable?
Nikki says
Hi David,
Hemp seeds (or hemp hearts) should be very soft, and most people don’t recommend soaking them. They’re more likely to go to mush than anything else, and they don’t contain much phytic acid, the enzyme inhibitors found in many other nuts and seeds. If your hemp seeds aren’t hulled (and that’s why they’re hard), then I don’t have any experience with that.
Kimberly says
We have made this several times as ice cream. It’s fabulous! Just make as directed and plop into an ice cream maker. It also works on Popsicle sticks as jello pudding pops!
Nikki says
Hi Kimberly,
I LOVE that idea. I’ve frozen heaps of my other concoctions, but I never thought of doing it with this one. Definitely going to have to try it out! Thanks for the tip ♥
Dana says
Could soaked prunes be substituted for dates? And cocoa powder for cacao?
Nikki says
Hi Dana,
You can definitely substitute cocoa powder for the cacao powder. Just makes sure it’s unsweetened cocoa.
You can also swap out the dates for other dried fruit, including prunes, raisins, figs and even apricots or apples. Just keep in mind that each fruit will change the flavour of the dish slightly, and a stronger flavour is better to balance out the strong flavour of the hemp seeds.
If you use prunes, they possibly wouldn’t even need soaking, depending on how dry they are to begin with.
Yolanda Quimby says
I’m between homes,so my blenders made it here, but not the tops.
so, can I use my Breville food processor, that made it here because it was packed up in its original box!
Nikki Stokes, Eating Vibrantly says
Hi Yolanda,
I’m so glad you found a creative solution. All the best with the move!
Sherri Cohen says
great taste, but the texture was a bit too grainy for my liking. Adding fruit on top helped with that!
Nikki - Eating Vibrantly says
Yes, I can understand that. Both hemp and dates might leave that kind of texture, depending on your blender.
I’m glad you found a way to make it work for you.