Have 8 ramekins, goblets or glasses ready to receive the pudding.

Whisk together the cocoa, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Slowly whisk in about half of the almond milk until smooth, then whisk in remaining almond milk.

Bring to a simmer over low-medium heat, (might take about 3 to 5 minutes), and simmer for 1 minute, whisking frequently until it looks thickened and you can see faint whisk marks. Add chocolate and whisk frequently for about 1 minute more until chocolate melts and the pudding is thick and smooth. The pudding should be thick enough to leave definitive whisk marks in the surface. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla, then immediately pour into waiting dishes or goblets.

Now, you have a choice. You probably assumed that the pudding needs to cool down and then even be chilled. And it is true that most puddings are, and this one can be enjoyed in that traditional way. But, what about warm chocolate pudding? Have you ever had warm chocolate pudding? A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. So you can serve warm or cool until almost room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight until set. Serve chilled with the optional whipped coconut cream topping. A very light shaving of chocolate is a nice touch. If you add this decorative finish, go very light on the chocolate to keep FODMAPs in check.