Or, for those of you speak Latin, “The Opposite of E Pluribus Unum.”
Today’s recipe is super-exciting because it’s flexible, so it yields itself to over a million variations.
You get to be creative: Vegan Whipped Cream?
Banana pudding? Pumpkin pudding? Chocolate-mocha-fudge? You can make all these and more from this one basic recipe! Working with agar agar can be troublesome because certain ingredients (such as citrus fruits) may inhibit the gelling process. So you’re never sure if the final product’ll turn out right. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to make recipes on a prayer; if I’m making something, I want to KNOW it’s going to turn out well and that my time won’t have been wasted.
But agar is such a useful ingredient when it does work, so I didn’t want to give up on it completely. Therefore, I experimented until I figured out a way to have my agar and eat it too– no risk involved! I’ve tweaked the recipe so it’ll work with just about any add-ins, even those pesky citrus fruits. Plus, you can make up a big batch of the “base” ahead of time and then portion it out to make different-flavored puddings all at once!
“Working with Agar” Tutorial
Basic Agar Pudding
(makes about 2 cups, or two large servings)
- 2 and 2/3 cups nondairy milk (I like 640 g almond milk)
- 2 tablespoons agar flakes (5-6 g)
Follow the directions below.
Then refer to the “add in ideas” section to make puddings, mousses, sauces, and more!
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Step One: Measure the agar and non-dairy milk into a pot. Before turning on the heat, let the two sit for 5 minutes to help the gelling process.
Step Two: Slowly bring to a boil. After it starts to boil, lower to a simmer until the agar flakes pretty much dissolve, about 5-8 minutes. (They won’t dissolve completely. It should look something like the above photo.)
Step Three: Turn off heat and leave for a few minutes (5ish) to cool, then put in the fridge (covered or not).
Step Four: When it’s cooled and gelled, the fun part begins.
Now you get to make pudding, or my favorite Vegan Whipped Cream.
Be creative! And, as I said before, nothing’s stopping you from making extra, dividing the recipe, and adding different mix-ins to each serving! Put your mix-ins into the pot, and use your hand blender to blend it all together (or, transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor. Lately, I’ve been loving my Magic Bullet).
Below are some add-in ideas I’ve brainstormed (not all of which I’ve tried)… maybe after you experiment, you can come back and leave me comments telling me what YOU did with the basic mix. I’d love to know! (Seriously.)
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Add-In Ideas:
(I’ve tried #s 1, 3, 5, and 6, with great results)
- Add pureed pumpkin, winter squash, or sweet potato, and add some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
- Add pureed fruit, or even a jar of baby food or applesauce!
- Decrease the amount of milk, and add some coffee, for a coffee-flavored pudding.
- Use a flavored beverage as your milk, such as Silk Coffee, Silk Eggnog or Chai Latte.
- Mix in some protein powder.
- Add veggies to make a thick, creamy soup.
- Use coconut milk as the non-dairy milk, and add coconut shavings (and maybe even chocolate chips!).
- Mix in some nut butter, and jelly, fruit, or chocolate chips(!) for PB&J, PB-Banana, or Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Cup Pudding.
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Anyone have other flavor ideas?
P.S. I finally updated my About Me page.
What do you think? 
{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }
I am so excited to try one of these agar agar recipes!!! I have to go grocery shopping soon so HOPEFULLY I will try one before the end of the week. Happy Monday!
mm adding pumpkin to it sounds like a great idea
that looks amazing!! i’ve never tried agar agar. cute name though
but i am a huge fan of smoothies/ puddings so i need to try this! coconut creme sounds deeelish
Wonderful little tutorial! I’ve only used it a handful of times, for this reason exactly! So oodles of thanks to ya! Puddin looks delish per usual girl!
-C
I’m definitely going to try some of these out. Especially since my usual soy pudding has been hard to find these days!
I love this idea! I always want to make your puddings but then I have to make multiple batches…this is perfect!!
I’m so glad you’re touting the joys of agar–I think so many people are scared of it! Next, I have to get me a Magic Bullet. . .
I sure hope I get an immersion blender for Christmas so I can make all these yummy puddings.
Definitely, let’s get together after the Holidays!
Now you are not only the Cupcake Queen, but the Pudding Queen too! I have not enjoyed agar agar pie fillings in the past, but the blending idea certainly seems like it would make it more pudding like and therefore much more palatable. The tutorial was great and all the flavor ideas are wonderful.
this is soo cool!!! i got the agar flakes exactly where you said they’d be in the asian section.
i will definitely try this pudding. it looks so easy.
Your little agar formula is so simple and convenient! I like your idea for using flavored soymilk — Chocolate Peppermint Vitasoy is my current addiction, and it would probably make quite a pleasing pudding! Guess we’ll have to crown you as “agar queen” in addition to the many other tiaras and crowns you hold.
The Coconut-Cream Pudding!! I choose the Coconut-Cream Pudding!! I need an intervention for this coconut addiction.
OK, that’s it! I’m making the pudding tomorrow. No more laziness! Plus, I slowed down on the eating a little bit today, so food is starting to look good again… already!
This is awesome! Starred it.
Thanks!
ha ha yeah you DEFINITELY get a YAY for this! Awesome!
Mmmm suddenly I’m seeing peanut butter puddings in my future….not to mention notella puddings…….oh YUM!
Thanks for posting this! I’ve already tried your pumpkin pudding recipe and loved it–can’t wait to get creative:)
This is so weird…why am I suddenly craving pudding? Very strange indeed.
Have you ever tried tapioca flour as a thickener? The recipe I found in Vegan With a Vengeance calls for it- I haven’t tried it yet- will let you know if I like it… I’m looking for a good pudding recipe right now. You read my mind!
Those are SUCH creative recipes… I just wish I didn’t have such an aversion to food that jiggles!
Pudding madness!!!
I’ve never worked with agar agar before–thanks for breaking it down
Awesome! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
MMM!! Strawberry pudding! And all those great ideas..you amaze me!
Wonderful! Though it might be important to add that if a person were to use agar powder, it’d be better to use a little less – maybe 2 heaping teaspoons? I’ll try it and get back to you.
Thank you again for the wonderful recipe!
I can’t wait to get some agar and try those recipes!!
Very interesting! I am going to try it!
Agar is such an amazing ingredient, but yes, sometimes tricky. Looks like you’ve mastered it!
Ooooooooooh- that looks awesome! I’d say that with some fruit blended in it could pass as a suitable breakfast…hm….
Yummy! That looks great!
You’ve got me excited about agar agar again! I’ve had the same pouch forever, having failed at a strawberry, blueberry, and banana jello mold. I’ll have to give these recipes a shot!
I’ve had agar hanging around forever. I really need to be using it, thanks for the reminder and and the inspiration!
The vanilla pudding looks fantastic!!!
Fantastic idea – I can sense a batch of chocolate-orange pudding coming on!!
By the way, from one choco-holic to another, I would definitely recommend trying Uli Mana’s raw chocolate truffle butter or truffles. You can find them on Vegan Essentials or on the Uli Mana’s website. They are a little bit on the expensive side but are so rich that you can only eat a bit at a time (well, that’s a lie).
This is a great tip, as I love to use citrus in cakes. Now maybe I’ll get it right with agar thanks to CCV!
Those puddings look amazing! I love all the variations you came up with.
VegSpinz—Nope, I’ve never tried tapioca flour as a thickener… I’m not even very saavy about cornstarch. Except for agar, I’m pretty naïve about thickeners. But definitely let me know how it works when you try it
).
Halie– Thanks for the suggestion; I’ll have to be brave and tackle agar powder sometime soon!
Andrea– I love the name too! It’s so fun to say.
What a good idea to make protein pudding with agar. Sounds like a great way for us vegans to get our protein in while eating dessert at the same time. Gotta try this!
that is really awesome. I will have to try it. I love a good pudding.
That pic of the peach pudding is killing me. It looks so good.
can you say filled cupcakes? hell yeah!
I usually stick to a Chocolate hemp-protein pudding but I like the chai idea!! Great directions and I love your blog!
Your a freaking genius! I have made agar jellies before (that I cut into little squares because I keep forgetting to buy a jello mold), but never would of thought of using a milk base and pureeing it at the end to make a pudding. I am definitely trying this soon!
Thanks Christine! Andyou’ve reminded me: I still need to try agar jellies! I want to make coffee jelly… mmmmm.
Scale guess #5!
A variation that I’ve been eating regularly now is the agar base with cocoa powder and steamed beets. So rich! I make the base with agar powder, and i use about 2 tsp for 2 cups of milk. It ends up being thicker than your photo, but I just add in a little milk if I need to.
Oh, and the agar jellies are great! I made a licorice fllavored one that was so good.
I want this now!!!! I’m off to the health food store ASAP- Agar, here I come!
A new International Foods grocery store just opened up in my parent’s neighborhood, and while visiting them I found a packed of Agar flakes (with about .25 cups) for A DOLLAR. I’m about to make some of this pudding
I’m way excited.
I’m making the pumpkin version tonight.
I use unsweetened almond milk which is a magical low calorie drink of the gods and thus I can eat a HUGE portion gleefully. I love that. I’m all about huge portions of low cal food! It’s why I love making tofu pudding with lite mori nu. WHOLE box is one portion? You betcha. YUM.
It will be one serving rather than two. Hee.
Hehe mine is always one serving too! When I first did the recipe, I made it two… but let’s face it: who needs leftovers?!
the opposite of “e pluribus unum” would be “ex uno plura”
(excitingly!)
Hey girl, thanks for all the awesome recipes. Where do you get your agar agar flakes from?
Here ya go!
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2008/12/14/harry-potter-and-the-elusive-agar/
Katie, I tried this agar base for my homemade salad dressing and turned out great! Unfortunately my agar powder has sugar in it…maybe next time I should pick the one without.
Thanks again btw.
hey thanks.. you didn’t mean to but you really helped me today with my chocolate/hazelnut filling to my layer cake today.. oh but i only had the powder agar agar.. still turned out amazing though so thanks so helping me figure out the right amount of the stuff to add to the liquid..
Aw yay! I’m so glad
. The cake sounds insanely good!
just wanted to let you know that i’ve tried this recipe many-a-time and fell in love with it all over again this morning. i impulse-bought a can of lite coconut milk (not the soy-milk-like drink made by So Delicious) but the Thai canned kind. anywho, i boiled the can (1 2/3 cups) with 1.5 Tbl agar according to the pkg instructions. then i added a 1/2 tsp of coconut extract & let it set. this shiznit is friggin’ delicious. add avocado/chocolate pudding to create awesome black & white parfaits! tons of healthy fats and TONS of delicious flavors
You had me at “coconut”
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at an asian supermakret by where i live,they have agar agar in bar form,could this be used instead of agar agar in flake form?couldnt i just grind the bar into a powder?
No idea, sorry. You can experiment, though!
Hi Beccah, and Katie if you’re wondering too!
I tried out your method using agar in bar form and it worked perfectly!
Here is the method written on a card inside my bar Agar, just as a guide:
1. Place 1100ml water in a pan
2. Add 2 bars (20g) agar-agar to soften
3. Cook using low heat, stirring constantly until agar-agar is fully dissolved
4. Add sugar and other flavourings as desired
5.Continue stirring until mixture becomes homogenous
6. Pour into dessert pan/mould and chill.
Hope this helps!
hi katey,
Sorry to use comments but I didn’t see an email option; I wanted to (a) let you know I was linking to your agar preparation, but I also (b) wanted to know if you could give me any suggestions on incorporating agar into a recipe I am working on. I tried using xanthum and it not only fell flat, but then it souped up and ended up in a bowl. I’m looking to achieve a mousse’ier texture than a pudding/gelatin one. Any chance you could take a look and give me a direction on how to proceed? Also, sorry to put up an outward bound link, but here’s the experiment’s page; http://www.nomfg.com/su/2011/9/29/experiment-and-pics-oreo-cream-pumpkin-pie.html
I do’t really know much about agar. The only way I know to use it is in the recipe you already saw on my site… I would say that it’s definitely mousse-ier if you blend it after it sets. Before blending, it will be gelatinous, but if you put the whole thing in the blender, it’ll be more creamy. Good luck!!
I, too, have a bar of agar agar which I bought at my local Asian market as it is FAR less expensive than agar powder. I wonder with becca if it can be pulverized and used? I wonder how best to go about that? Has anyone tried? I would like to make pumpkin pudding using it as the thickening agent. Thanks for your ideas and guidance.
Hi Susan-Jane, I used the Agar in the bar form and it worked perfectly!
Here is the method written on a card inside my bar Agar:
1. Place 1100ml water in a pan
2. Add 2 bars (20g) agar-agar to soften
3. Cook using low heat, stirring constantly until agar-agar is fully dissolved
4. Add sugar and other flavourings as desired
5.Continue stirring until mixture becomes homogenous
6. Pour into dessert pan/mould and chill.
Hope this helps!
Wow! this is so informative! LOVE ur work!
)
This looks so good! Agar’s really readily available around here, so I’ll probably give this recipe a try some time soon. Normally I get 6-7 hours of sleep, but I run fine on that amount even though I should probably get more; I take intermittent naps throughout the day (between classes, on the way home etc) so my energy’s pretty fine.
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