South Beach Diet Ricotta Crème Pudding

This South Beach Diet ricotta crème pudding is a delicious no-cook mocha mousse you can make in about 5 minutes. It’s a wonderful diabetic-friendly dessert that is rich and creamy yet naturally low in sugar.

This ricotta pudding is such a special treat that’s actually good for you! It takes on an amazingly creamy texture from the food processor and is so tasty that you’ll want to eat it even when you aren’t watching your sugar intake. Serve it with fresh berries or a hot cup of coffee for an extra special treat any time of the year.

Why you’ll love this South Beach Diet ricotta dessert

• Naturally lower carbs - The great thing about the South Beach Diet is that you can still eat delicious foods; you just try to focus on simple whole ingredients and reducing sugar. This ricotta chocolate dessert is sweetened with a sugar substitute and has only 12.1g net carbs per serving.
• Delicious mocha flavor - The mixture of coffee and chocolate in this South Beach ricotta dessert is so satisfying! It’s perfect for people who love rich, chocolatey treats.
• Ready in a hurry - Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a mini food processor and blend. That’s it! This dessert is quick enough to make it whenever you get a sugar craving.

Ingredients

• Part-skim ricotta - This is high in protein and low in carbs. Use part-skim to keep the fat content low.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Vanilla extract
• Sugar substitute - We like Splenda for this, but you could also use monkfruit, stevia powder, or erythritol.
• Espresso powder - Instant coffee will work well, too.
• Mini chocolate chips - Look for sugar-free chocolate chips to avoid any sugar.

Variations

• Use cottage cheese - Cottage cheese and ricotta are very similar. Blend the mixture very well in your food processor, and you won’t be able to tell it’s cottage cheese!
• Add peanut butter - Instead of coffee powder, add a little peanut butter powder for a low-sugar chocolate peanut butter treat.

How to Make South Beach Diet Ricotta Dessert

This recipe initially came from The South Beach Diet Cookbook.

1. Mix together the ricotta, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sugar substitute until smooth. It's easiest to use a mini food processor for this.
2. Serve chilled in a dessert bowl, topped with a dusting of espresso powder and mini chocolate chips.

Expert Tips

• Blend well - The food processor will cut the curds in the ricotta into incredibly small pieces, making them essentially disappear. Keep blending until it’s luscious and smooth.
• Chill before serving - It’s tempting to dive in right away, but the flavors will really come out after the ricotta creme chills in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Adjust the consistency - Is the texture too thick? Add a splash of milk as needed to thin it out.

Recipe FAQs

Is South Beach mocha ricotta creme low-carb?

Yes and no. This recipe is lower in carbs than traditional puddings or desserts but higher than you’d want for a truly low-carb diet like the keto diet. One serving has 12.6g carbs and 0.5g fiber for 12.1g net carbs. Since many keto diets call for 10-20g of carbohydrates daily, it would be high. However, it’s an excellent lower-carb option compared to many popular dessert recipes and is a good fit for diabetics or people trying to reduce their sugar intake.

How do you make protein pudding?

If you love sweet, creamy desserts but need to increase your protein consumption, this recipe is great! One serving has 14.3g of protein, which is more than 2 large eggs. It’s also sweetened with Splenda to avoid a sugar spike and is naturally gluten-free.

What desserts can you eat on the South Beach Diet?

The great thing about the South Beach Diet is that you can still enjoy some sweet treats. You just need to look for low-sugar options that are lower in carbohydrates. One great trick is to make a whipped, fluffy pudding out of blended ricotta. It tastes just like a luxurious mousse but is naturally low in carbs, sugar-free, and high in protein. This mocha version is an excellent option for someone who loves chocolate, and this lemon ricotta creme is a lighter alternative that is great with fresh berries. This lime ricotta creme tastes like lime pie!

More South Beach Recipes

• South Beach Lemon Ricotta Creme
• South Beach Balsamic Chicken
• South Beach Florentine Egg Cups
• South Beach Lemon Garlic Salmon
• South Beach Cabbage Salad