You can use rice milk or almond milk or half-and-half dairy milk in this recipe. Dark chocolate (70 to 80 percent cacao) has antioxidant properties, so it is preferred over milk chocolate but it is bitter and that is why coconut sugar is included in the recipe. Serve warm for dessert. Cover tightly and refrigerate leftover pudding and serve with fresh fruit for breakfast or as a midday snack.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
2 large eggs or egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups nut milk (see recipe introduction)
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
¾ cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar
1½ cups cooked rice
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. You will need a 1½-quart ungreased baking dish or Dutch oven and a deep baking pan that is large enough for the baking dish to sit within.
2. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, and set aside.
3. Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chocolate, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, whisking constantly, until the chocolate has melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the sugar, stirring until it has melted. Bring a kettle of water to boil.
4. Stir the rice into the egg mixture. Add the chocolate mixture to the rice and egg mixture in a slow, thin stream, stopping frequently to mix well at first. When the chocolate and rice mixtures have been combined, scrape into the baking dish. Set the baking dish inside the baking pan and pour boiling water into the pan until it reaches about three quarters of the way up the outside of the baking dish. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.