Healthy Vanilla Bean Recipes Series: Coconut Vanilla Pudding

Kindi Lantz September 27, 2018

Healthy Vanilla Bean Recipes Series

Post 3: Dairy Free Coconut Pudding with Tahitian Vanilla

I’m one of those people that can’t get enough vanilla. I have vanilla-scented candles throughout my home, I put vanilla simple syrup in my coffee every morning, a vanilla air freshener dangles from my rearview mirror, and it doesn’t even end there. I am continuously looking for new ways to use vanilla. But, it recently occurred to me that I know of very few healthy vanilla bean recipes. So, I decided to develop some of my own and share them with our readers in our Healthy Vanilla Bean Recipe Series.

Our previous two recipes were:

1. Vegan Mango and Vanilla Ice Cream
2. Vanilla Bean and Dark Rum Barbecue Sauce over Cherry Smoked Ribs

For my third recipe, I decided to recreate a simple dessert that was one of my childhood favorites—vanilla pudding. Oddly enough, I’m not much of a sweets fan; but there is something so comforting about a small dish of vanilla pudding.

This particular version is smooth and mildly sweet, with gorgeous flecks of vanilla caviar. No refined sugar is added—only a small amount of raw honey. The natural coconut and vanilla flavors seem to fool your taste buds into believing it is sweeter than it really is, so you won’t even have a sugar crash. Gluten free, low carb, vegetarian, nut free, and dairy free; this coconut vanilla pudding will satisfy most dietary restrictions (sorry, it does contain egg yolks).

Bonus: It will fill your house with the fragrance of vanilla bean and coconut!

Dairy Free Coconut Vanilla Pudding

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Grade A Tahitian Vanilla Beans
• 2 13.5 oz cans coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon raw honey
• 3 egg yolks (Quality matters! Use local, free range chicken eggs, if you can. The yolks are creamier and contain way more flavor!)
• 3 tablespoon cornstarch

PROCEDURE:

1. Take the seed out of the vanilla beans.  Tahitian vanilla beans can be cleaned in a different way than other varieties of vanilla beans—learn how here! 
2. Separate the coconut water from the cream, set the cream aside.
3. Whisk the coconut water and vanilla seeds together in a medium saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, blend the egg yolks and honey in a standing mixer. Set to med-high and mix for 5 minutes.
5. Remove ½ cup of the hot vanilla/coconut water mixture and place it in a small bowl. Using a fork, whisk in the cornstarch until there are no lumps.
6. Turn the mixer to low and slowly drizzle in the cornstarch mixture.
7. Add the coconut cream to the water/vanilla mixture and mix it in well.
8. Turn the heat to medium and slowly drizzle in the egg mixture, whisking consistently so it gets extremely hot but doesn’t boil. If it starts to boil temporarily move it off the burner and turn the heat down slightly.
9. Once the entire egg mixture has been poured in, turn the heat to simmer and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
10. Pull the mixture from the burner and pour it into single-serving dishes.
11. Place it in the refrigerator immediately, uncovered.
12. Let it sit for at least an hour before serving (I like to prepare it the day before).

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Top with unsweetened toasted coconut or a bit of fresh crushed pineapple!

We know you’ll love this coconut vanilla pudding; it’s the perfect transitional dessert when the seasons are changing from summer to fall—creamy and comforting but with a chill reminiscent of a summer night and an unmistakable island aroma.

All the posts in our recent Healthy Vanilla Recipes series were created using our Gourmet Tahitian Vanilla Beans from Tahiti. They are subtle yet incredibly intoxicating, and they are visibly more plump than any other beans we’ve come across. It’s no wonder they are prized by top chefs around the world! Get yours here!