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Do you have any tips to help people put on weight through recovery from cancer? I use a recipe with chocolate and tofu.

Chocolate in Vegan Desserts

Fran Costigan - Chocolate in Vegan Desserts

Recorded

This event was on May 5, 2026

Join Chef Fran Costigan, Rouxbe Director of Vegan Pastry, for a discussion and practical information about chocolate. We’ll explore its many forms, functions, and best uses in vegan desserts. From types of cocoa powder to bars, fèves, and chips, you’ll learn how to choose the right form for specific recipes and how chocolate behaves in batters, creams, and glazes. Chef Fran will cover melting and tempering basics as well. Common problems, including seized or overheated chocolate, will be looked at. Expect to learn how to choose quality chocolate and what labels really mean, as well as some fixes for common mistakes. Bring your queries and questions about chocolate, Fran will be ready!

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Question

Vesanto Melina

Do you have any tips to help people put on weight through recovery from cancer? I use a recipe with chocolate and tofu.

Answer

So, what you've really made is a chocolate tofu pudding, very high protein. I would perhaps, if it's available to you, I might add some vanilla extract or a little bit of almond extract, or a little bit of a good cinnamon, and I think that would be great. And there's more. To the previous tofu pudding, optional add peanut butter and pea-based yogurt. Helped gain weight recipe. Oh, thank you. So, you guys can go and look for-- It looks like you have a new book coming September 15th. Yay. "Plant-Powered Seniors." That sounds great. So, yes. If you're making a tofu pudding, for example, or a tofu frosting, you never want to hear somebody say, "I almost didn't taste the tofu." No, you shouldn't taste it at all. Using chocolate is-- Chocolate's a very strong flavor. That's really going to help. And then add some peanut butter or another nut butter. You've added protein, and you've added a lot of flavor as well. I have never seen pea-based yogurt. I make my own using soy milk, but I will look for it.

Fran Costigan

Director of Vegan Pastry

FranCostigan.com

Fran Costigan is internationally renowned as the authority on vegan desserts. Trained at the New York Restaurant School and Natural Gourmet Institute, Fran was a chef in both traditional and vegan pastry kitchens before moving into teaching over 20 years ago. A lifelong chocoholic and long time vegan, Fran’s latest book, Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy Free Desserts, (Running Press 2013) is for all who madly, deeply love chocolate desserts, whether or not dietary considerations are an issue. Her previous cookbook, More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally (Book Publishing Company 2006) is the basis of the Costigan Vegan Baking Boot Camp Intensive®. For more information, www.francostigan.com.