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Single-serve, apple bread pudding with raspberry sorbet

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A rich fall dessert with a crisp, brightly coloured sorbet for contrast, all in a single serving.

Ingredients

For the pudding
1 slice of whole wheat bread, staled and crumbed (about 1/2 cup packed)
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1t baking powder
2T plant-only vegetable shortening
A pinch of sea salt
4T sugar, divided as below
1 small baking apple (preferably granny smith), cored and thinly sliced
1/2t dried, ground cinnamon
1/2t corn starch
A pinch of cloves
1t lemon juice

For the sorbet
1/3 cup of frozen raspberries
2T unsweetened soy milk
1/2T agave nectar

Directions

Let the bread get stale (don’t toast).
When ready, preheat the oven to 375F.
Chop the bread in a food processor (or by hand).
Toss with the soy milk, baking powder, shortening and sea salt and 1T of sugar.
Mix the sugar and spices.
Toss the sliced apple with lemon juice and the sugar and spice mixture until evenly coated.
Line a ramekin with tinfoil — with several inches extra to accommodate all of the apple.
Add 1/3 of the bread crumb mixture to the bottom.
Add half the sliced apple.
Add 1/3 of the bread crumbs and the rest of the apple.
Top with the last of the bread crumb mixture.
Seal up loosely (it will extend beyond the ramekin and then shrink as it cooks).
Bake for 30 minutes sealed.
Open the and spread the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let stand 5 minutes, close up the foil and compact.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes to serve warm.
Open the foil and carefully turn out the pudding, bottom up.
Using an immersion blender, blend the sorbet ingredients in a small cup until smooth.
Use two spoons to quennelle the sorbet, or dollop it on top or on the side.

Single-serve pistachio pudding with fresh raspberries

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A simple pudding with pistachio’s rich flavour, colour and texture combined with fresh raspberries. The recipe easily doubles.

Ingredients

1.5 cups unsweetened soy milk
1/4t vanilla extract
1/4 cup and 1t sugar separated*
4T pistachios, separated 3T/1T
A pinch of coarse sea salt
1T scant tapioca flour dissolved in 1T cold water
2T fresh raspberries

Directions

Bring the soy milk, vanilla extract, sugar and sea salt to a simmer in a sauce pan on medium.
Reduce heat to medium low and reduce the soy milk by about half (being careful to not let it boil over).
Add about 1/4 cup of the soy milk mixture to 3T of pistachios and let stand about 5 minutes.
Using an immersion blender (or similar) puree the soy milk and pistachios.
Add the mixture back to the pan and puree with the remaining liquid until smooth.
Return the pan to a light simmer.
Whisk the tapioca flour and cold water until dissolved.
Stirring continuously, slowly add the tapioca mixture until the pudding thickens (should be almost immediately).
Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes to cool.
Pour into a martini glass or similar.
Chill for 20 minutes uncovered.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for another 2 hours at least to setup.
When ready to serve, toss the raspberries with the 1t sugar.
Sprinkle 1T pistachios and then 2T of raspberries over the pudding and serve.

*A growing number of white cane sugar is processed without animal bone charcoal. Organic cane, beet, agave, and other alternatives are available.

Single-serve salted peanut butter and bourbon pudding with bittersweet chocolate shell

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A rich, nuanced and hearty dessert that you get to set on fire.

Ingredients

1/2 water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (I use soy)
1t apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup bourbon whiskey, divided
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2T unsalted, unsweetened peanut butter
1T tapioca flour dissolved with 2T water
20g bittersweet chocolate (1)
Sea salt to taste

Instructions

In a sauce pan with a lid, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil with 1/4t sea salt.
Add the oats, cover and simmer on low until most of the water has been absorbed (about 20 minutes).
Puree the cooked oats with 1/2 cup plant milk, peanut butter, and apple cider vinegar and set aside.

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring 3T bourbon to a rolling boil and reduce to about 1T on medium.
Add the coconut sugar and reduce heat to low.
Swirl the sugar in the pan until it melts with the whiskey.
Add the remaining 1T bourbon and — very carefully — light the pan to burn off remaining alcohol.
Simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes to further caramelize the sugar.
Add the oat mixture to the pan and stir to combine.
Simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Slowly add the tapioca mixture to the pan and stir continuously until thickened.
Let stand 2 minutes to cool, and pour into a martini glass.
Sprinkle the top of the pudding with a pinch or two of coarse sea salt.
Shave the chocolate using a box grater, and sprinkle in a thin but continuous layer over the warm pudding.
Let stand to cool uncovered 15 minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap and let chill at least 2 hours to setup before serving.
Freeze for 10 minutes before serving for a crisper chocolate shell.

  1. I use a nice fairly traded bar with organic beans and organic sugar.

Chocolate amaranth pudding, red pear and walnut cream and sweet black cherries

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A simple, very nutrient dense pudding — a healthy dessert or a rich breakfast.

Ingredients

For the amaranth
1 1/2 cups water
1/4t coarse sea salt
1/2 cup dried white amaranth
1/4 cup cocoa (I use a fair-trade, Dutch-processed brand)
1/4 cup agave (or to taste)
1T cashew butter
Coarse sea salt to taste

For the garnish
1 red pear
2T chopped walnuts
1T lemon juice
1T agave nectar
1 cup dark cherries
1/4t coarse sea salt

Directions

In a small sauce pan with a lid, bring the water and sea salt to a light boil.
Add the amaranth, cover and simmer on low approximately 25 minutes, until the amaranth is thick, stirring occasionally.
Remove from head, add the cocoa, agave, and cashew butter.
Whisk to combine, season to taste and transfer to small glasses.
Chill uncovered for 20 minutes, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours.
Core and chop the pear.
Puree the pear with the walnuts, lemon juice, and agave until thickened.
Spoon the pear and walnut sauce over the top of the amaranth.
Garnish each with 1/2 cup of cherries tossed in the remaining sea salt.

 

 

Vanilla flax and chia pudding with raspberries

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Flax and chia are very nutrient dense — and no danger of sprouting.

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened plant milk
2T chia seeds (I use black)
1T cold-milled brown flax meal
1/2t pure vanilla extract
A pinch coarse sea salt
Sweetener to taste (stevia, maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave nectar, etc)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries

Optional: 1t powdered maca root. Blueberries,
blackberries, strawberries, etc., will all work fine, as will fresh berries. Different sweeteners will affect the texture and colour.

Directions

Mix the flax, chia, plant milk, vanilla and sea salt. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature, stirring
periodically. Sweeten to taste, cover and refrigerate for about 8 – 10 hours. When the pudding is ready, the seeds will be puffed and the texture will be thick. Stir to homogenize, garnish with berries, and serve.

Chocolate chia pudding with strawberries

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A simple breakfast or a light treat rich with omega 3s.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
2T black chia seeds
A pinch coarse sea salt
1t lemon juice
2T cocoa (I use a fairly traded, Dutch-process brand)
Sweetened to taste (I use stevia)
1/2 cup strawberries

Optional: Maple syrup, date syrup, agave nectar, etc., will work fine to sweeten this. To use dates to sweeten, mix the cocoa, a small amount of water and about 2-3T soft, dried dates, pitted and chopped. Puree till smooth, and add the mixture to the chia.

Method

Mix the chia seeds, plant milk, lemon and sea salt. Cover and let stand 30 minutes, stirring periodically. Refrigerate covered for 8 – 10 hours or until the seeds have thickened. Stir in the cocoa thoroughly and sweeten to taste. Cover and chill for another 20 minutes. Garnish with strawberries and serve.