Chocolate or Carob Pudding & Pie Filling

Author: Heather Leno
Servings – 6 ( 1/2 cup)    Prep Time – 10 minutes Cook Time – 8-10 minutes      Chill Time – 4 hours
Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup raw cashews

3 tbsp cornstarch—1 1/2 additional teas. for pie filling

3 tbsp roasted carob powder or 2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp Roma–-this is a coffee substitute

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup coconut milk

2-4 tbsp evaporated cane sugar, 2 for carob and 4 for chocolate

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract–-don’t over measure
Instructions:
  1. Blend first six ingredients until nuts are smooth as cream. –-If you don’t have a powerful blender,  just blend longer.
  2. Add milks, blending briefly to mix, then pour it into a 1-quart saucepan. Cook and stir until it is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat.
  3. Stir in the last four ingredients. Continue to stir pudding several times while it is cooling to keep skin from forming.
  4. For pudding: cover and refrigerate until ready to serve or fill individual serving cups and cover.
  5. For pie: pour into a prebaked crust and cover with saran. Chill until ready to use.
Notes:

The Coconut Whipped Topping can be made ahead and refrigerated, just stir before spooning. If using a decorator, do not stir,  just spoon directly into decorator. Keep chilled until ready to decorate.