Tofu pumpkin pudding

November 25, 2006 at 6:51 am (B_(3 stars, like), Dessert, Mom’s recipes, Pudding, Silken tofu)

• 3/4 lb firm silken tofu
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups canned pumpkin puree, preferably organic
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla (optional)
• 1 1/2 Tbs. blackstrap molasses

Serve immediately.

My notes:

This is based on a recipe from my mom. It originally called for 1/4 cup oil, but I think it’s unnecessary. Don’t use regular tofu, as it will give the pudding a gritty, lumpy texture. We made the pudding today without the vanilla and with fresh nutmeg, and we were a little short on pumpkin, and it was better than usual (says Derek). We suspect it could have used less brown sugar, perhaps only 3/4 cup. Derek’s mom thinks the dish would be improved if it were a bit thicker, possibly by using more pumpkin.

Rating: B+

Update Jan 2007:  I made this today and it didn’t turn out nearly as well, but I don’t know why.  I started out by using only 3/4 cup sugar, but it tasted way too spicy and dark–not orange and bright and pumpkin-y like last time.  So I added the last 1/4 cup of sugar and it did taste brighter, but still more spicy and dark than last time.  I’m not sure what the difference is.  I used a different brand of pumpkin puree (organic, but not 365 brand like last time), and I only used 1.75 cups (one 15 ounce can).  I also used a different brand of molasses (but still blackstrap), different spices (I think Derek’s moms were from Penzey’s whereas mine were from the co-op).  Also, last time I used fresh grated nutmeg, and didn’t measure it,  I might very well have used less than 1/4 tsp.  Maybe 1/4 tsp. is really too much, which is what made it taste so overspiced?  It didn’t taste like too much nutmeg though, just too much spices overall, and a bit powdery as well.  I wonder if the oil would help with the powdery-ness of the spices.  Also, I added the vanilla this time, not sure how that would affect things.

New rating: B

Also, I calculated the nutritional content this time:

Serving Size: 1 cup
Amount Per Serving
Calories	328
Total Fat	2.4g
Saturated Fat	0.4g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	353mg
Carbohydrate	69.9g
Dietary Fiber	4.1g
Sugars	57.7g
Protein	6.7g
Vitamin A 333% Vitamin C 7% Calcium    19% Iron 29%

Yikes!  That’s a lot of calories for something I think of as a healthy dessert.  It’s almost entirely from the sugar.  I’ve really got to cut that back, and apparently cut back on the spices too, and maybe the molasses?  As it is, you might as well have a piece of chocolate cake!