Vegan Vanilla Caramel Pudding Topped with Salted Peanuts
Salted Caramel on Vanilla Pudding
This is one of my favorite combinations in this Vegan Vanilla Caramel Pudding Topped with Salted Peanuts. How can you go wrong with salted caramel. This is a dessert that the whole family will enjoy, especially the children. Some fresh crunchy apples for dipping go so well with this. Why not make it even more healthy. Right?! With a little fancy topping, top it off with vegan whip cream and some extra chopped salted peanuts.
How to make Vegan Vanilla Caramel Pudding
This Vegan Vanilla Caramel Pudding Topped with Salted Peanuts is a very easy dessert to make. I think the thing I like the most about this recipe is that it is a no bake pudding. Plus I didn’t have to make crust for this type of dessert.
Mind you that the vanilla pudding is made with silken tofu. Silken tofu is the healthiest tofu you can buy because it is the least processed. I do enjoy making desserts with silkened tofu. It is so smooth and creamy. Sometimes you can taste the tofu flavor in desserts which is very mild. I find that I can illuminate that tofu taste if I rinse the tofu off under water and drain the tofu with pressure on it. I like to use a heavy bowl or plate on top of the tofu in a strainer because it really helps to squeeze out the excess tofu liquid.
As you can see from the pictures this is very creamy. I make this recipe with soft silkened tofu but you can use firm silkened tofu if you want it less runny. It would work just as well only making the pudding a little thicker.
Making the Caramel and Salted Peanut Topping
The caramel in this recipe is delicious! This is one of my favorite versions of caramel sauce. I like it because you can make it as thick or runny as you want. I use anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken this sauce up. If I use the soft silken tofu like in these photos then I use only 2 tablespoons of cornstarch because it is a similar consistency as the vanilla pudding. If you use a firm silken tofu then I would use 3 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch in the caramel to have it match the consistency as the firmer pudding.
Another way that I thicken up this caramel sauce is by using almond butter. I tried peanut butter to go with the peanuts on top but it didn’t work out as a caramel taste. It was good as a peanut sauce but that was not what I was going for. Maybe on another day for a different recipe. The almond butter really goes well with the caramel taste. It really enhanced the taste.
As for those yummy peanuts! I find that salted roasted peanuts work the best. Although some people have their favorite peanuts. So use what you like just as long as it is a little salty to enhance the caramel experience. I hope you enjoy this Vegan Vanilla Caramel Pudding Topped with Salted Peanuts as much as we do.
Vegan Vanilla Caramel Pudding Topped With Salted Peanuts
Equipment
- 1 Food processor or Blender
- 1 Rubber scraper
- 1 Medium sauce pan
- 1 Stirring spoon
- 1 Pudding serving dish 9 inch pie dish or 10 inch tart dish will work
Ingredients
Vanilla Pudding
- 1 16 oz Silken Soft Tofu
- 1 5.4 oz can Coconut Cream
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil
Caramel Topping
- 1 13.5 oz can Coconut Milk, full fat
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- 2 Tbsp Corn Starch
- 2 Tbsp Almond Butter, put in after the caramel has cooked down for 15 minutes
Peanuts
- ¾ cup Salted Roasted Peanuts
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender add the drained silken soft tofu, coconut cream, vanilla extract and sea salt. Blend until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar and fold it slightly into the smooth tofu mixture with a spoon so that the powder does not blow all over the top of the food processor or blender. This helps anchor it down into the mixture. Blend the mixture together again until smooth.
- Pour this pudding mixture into a serving dish. Spread out the pudding evenly. Put into the refrigerator to stay cool while you make the caramel.
Caramel Topping
- In a medium sauce pan add the coconut milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and corn starch. Mix together.
- Turn the heat on to medium heat. Heat until the caramel thickens about 15 minutes. Then add the almond butter. Stir the almond butter into the caramel. Mix together until there are not lumps. Turn off heat.
- Take the vanilla pudding out of the refrigerator and gently spoon the caramel over the vanilla pudding. You have to be gentle or the caramel will pour right into the pudding. So spoon it on gently over the pudding.
- Chop the peanuts in a food processor and spread evenly on top of the caramel layer. Refrigerate for one hour before eating. This pudding is best as it sits for at least 4 hours. Great dessert to make in the morning for the evening dinner dessert. Enjoy