Chocolate Pudding

So I decided to make some chocolate pudding. I miss chocolate. It is yummy and good and makes my tummy smile. BUT it is usually made with milk and butter and other things that make me sad. Fortunately I found this recipe -

1½ cups soy/rice milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup maple syrup or other sweetener
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the vanilla extract. Whisk rapidly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the pudding is thickened. Stir in the vanilla and pour into individual serving dishes. Chill and serve.

I was a little hestitant to make this last night. I wasn't sure if I would have the patience for it. I've been stuck at a stovetop waiting around for chocolate icing to thicken and I didn't know if I could suffer another culinary blow. But it thickened surprisingly quickly! It looked like legit pudding in no time. As for the taste, well you can definitely tell it isn't pudding pudding. There was a sweetness factor missing. I said to my boyfriend, "It tastes like there is something missing..." and he replied "Yeah, milk." ...Next time I think I might add a little sugar, or maybe up the maple syrup or vanilla extract. But the recipe is not a total loss.