Choc-Chia pudding

With spring on it's way, it's time to start thinking cold desserts. I've adapted my own recipe for Chia seed pudding. It makes about 900mls so select the appropriate sized individual servings. I used 6 x 200ml custard cups.

INGREDIENTS:

600mls almond milk
200mls choc soy milk
1/3 cup chia seeds
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup


1. Combine all the ingredients in a pouring jug.
2. Stir every 15 minutes for 1 hour.
3. Pour into individual bowls and refrigerate.
4. Best eaten several hours later or leave overnight, to thicken.


Chia seeds don't really have a flavour, they are used to thicken the pudding as they swell and absorb the liquid. So if you're considering adapting your own recipe, consider the combination of liquid ingredients.

I found the almond/soy milk blend a good combination. On it's own, almond milk can be quite thin and choc soy can be quite thick - but together, they make a very silky, flavoursome blend.

The first time I made Chia pudding with just almond milk, I remember it being quite bland. I wasn't impressed enough to make it again. With a large bag of Chia seeds left over however, I explored different combinations of liquids. The 200mls of chocolate soy milk, makes all the difference to the plain old gloop I made before.

I know Chia seeds are healthy, but without a enticing liquid flavour, they aren't worth the effort.

 

Sunflower & Sesame Crackers

I haven't tried these yet, but they seem so simple to make! As this is an US recipe, it uses Fahrenheit for oven temperature - I will have to translate into Celsius when I make them.

1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
a little water (1/4 cup)


1. In a food processor, blitz sunflower seeds for 2–3 minutes, or for the seeds to break down and turn into a more flour-like consistency, although it will be thicker and heavier.

2. Add sesame seeds and pulse a few times (or mix in by hand), then slowly add water, stirring or pulsing until a thick paste forms that can be rolled out.

3. Between two greased pieces of baking (parchment) paper, roll out the paste as thinly as you can. Remove the upper piece of parchment. Lightly score the batter into squares with a sharp knife, and sprinkle with salt and pepper/herbs if you’d like.

4. Bake at 350°F until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly before gently breaking into squares as scored.

Beetroot cake

I am putting this recipe down for reference, but I have not baked one yet. The quantity seems slightly larger than an ordinary cake recipe, so consider this when choosing pans to bake in.


2 fresh beetroots (peeled & finely chopped)
250g butter
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 cup currants
2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup Self Raising flour
1 cup Plain flour

1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs (one at a time).
2. Stir in beetroot, currants, lemon juice and rind.
3. Add half the flours and mix well.
4. Stir in the rest of the flours, mix and spread into greased/floured cake tin.
5. Bake 160 degrees celcius for about 1 1/2 hours or until cooked.