Sometimes you find yourself lost in a daydream pondering the ideal world. More often than not, that ideal world is full of bacon. Sometimes, depending on the day or your workload, it involves a drink or two. Occasionally, you have the wherewithal to act upon this daydream and you make it happen. Cue: my life.
I’m not going to lie, these pudding shots required about 75% of my heart and soul, a lot of bacon, and tons of patience, but they are worth it. From the rich, chocolate flavor of the homemade espresso pudding spiked with enough vodka to taste it but not really taste it, to the salty bacon rim and creamy coconut cream, these shots will get your night started in a deliciously classy way.
One of my roommates described the flavor as “something you would get from a restaurant” and I imagined for a moment I was the female version of Daniel Boulud, and everything was right in the world.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours (estimated)
Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Servings: 10-12 pudding shots
Ingredients:
Chocolate Espresso Pudding
4 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or any other kind of sugar)
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons espresso powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups coconut milk creamer (thicker than regular coconut milk!)
1/3 cup chocolate chips (I used dairy-free because…well, you know)
¾ cup vodka (I used Bakon vodka because I got it for Christmas and wanted to try it out)
4 tablespoons coconut cream (this isn’t totally necessary but makes it creamier)
½ teaspoon vanilla
Coconut Whipped Cream
1 can full-fat coconut milk, set in the fridge a few hours in advance (muy importante)
2 packets stevia or 2-ish tablespoons sugar
Bacon Rim
5 slices bacon (I used espresso-rubbed bacon because I’m clearly a bacon connoisseur)
2 tablespoons honey
Directions:
- In a small cup, combine 3 tablespoons corn starch and 2 tablespoons water. Stir to fully incorporate and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, add coconut sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt.
- Turn heat on medium-low and add coconut milk creamer ¼ cup at a time, stirring to fully incorporate in between each installment. Cook for about one minute, making sure the mixture does not boil.
- Add chocolate chips, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick to the bottom. Then add corn starch mixture and vanilla and stir constantly for about 3 minutes as the pudding thickens.
- Remove mixture to a heatproof bowl and lay sheet of plastic wrap directly on the pudding (not the bowl) to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge to chill.
- While the pudding cools, it’s BACON TIME. Slice bacon in half length-wise, so the strip is half as wide. Then dice from there. This is the ideal dice for this dish.
- In a medium frying pan over medium-low heat, add diced bacon and sauté for about 5-6 minutes, or until fully cooked. Remove bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the grease. Pat as dry as possible. Set aside until you’re ready to build the shots.
Photo courtesy of Kelda Baljon
- Once pudding is cool (totally ok to shove it in the freezer for a bit if you’re impatient), transfer it to the bowl of your standing mixer (or a bowl you can use your beaters in). Start the mixture on low, and add a few tablespoons of vodka.
- Once this is incorporated, add a ½ teaspoon of coconut cream and an 1/8 teaspoon of corn starch. Repeat until all vodka, coconut cream, and corn starch has been used. If you can add more vodka without the pudding separating, DUH, go for it. Test the limits. Be an inspiration to mankind.
- Once now-alcoholic pudding is complete, transfer to a flat Pyrex or glass dish and let cool in the fridge for maybe 30-45 minutes. Then clean the bowl of your standing mixer because it’s whipped coconut cream time!
- Add the solidified coconut milk from the top of the can to bowl of your standing mixer. I add a few tablespoons of the remaining liquid milk as well. Add your Stevia or sugar now, too.
- Start on low speed, and then eventually turn your mixer as high as it goes, head into the other room and watch Netflix for about 10 minutes.
- Return back to your beloved mixer and continue beating until it forms whipped cream. If the peaks aren’t super stiff, that’s ok. The cream is more for taste than anything.
- Transfer your bacon to a cutting board and go to town chopping it. Even smaller than bacon bites. I’ve tried to do this in my food processor before but the bacon is typically too meaty or greasy and it never works. Do it the old fashioned way. Chop the daylights out of it with the sharpest knife you own. Transfer your mega-chopped bacon to a small plate.
- Gather every shot glass you own. If you’re using disposables, make sure to get the plastic ones so you can add the bacon rim. In a tiny bowl, add some honey. Gently dip the shot glass (face down) into the honey, making sure it covers every part of the rim, then dip the shot glass into the plate of mega-chopped bacon and twirl so entire rim is covered.
Photo by Analiese Trimber
- Spoon pudding into shot glass. Top with coconut cream.
- Put assembled pudding shots in the fridge until you’re ready for them. I refrigerated mine for a few hours and the pudding became nice and thick. You might need a spoon!
Photo by Analiese Trimber