I LOVE yoghurt (oh how I do). I also love double cream. In fact I'm just a big fan of 'dolloping' creamy deliciousness on 'stuff'. I am well aware however, that not all of us are able to eat dairy and many simple choose not to. I am also very comfortable mixing things up in the kitchen ;-) So today, for those of you who missed my recent newsletter, I introduce to you a dairy-free 'dolloping' alternative , Coconut Cashew Chia Cream by the very clever plant based Queen, Buffy-Ellen Gill from Be Good Organics. This is notably dollop worthy, I assure you of that. It is also super simple to make.
So let's hear a few words from Buffy about her delectable creation first shall we?
"I was really pleased when recently I whipped up this most delicious recipe. It is an absolutely superb substitute for greek yoghurt, regular yoghurt, thick cream, pouring cream, mascarpone, creme anglais, even milk - you name it, this recipe can be turned into it. It even makes a delicious vanilla bean ice cream if you pop it in the freezer, slice, then pulse in a food processor until smooth. Chia seeds are the magic ingredient here. They absorb up to 17 times their weight in water, which is what makes this cream so delightfully thick. It's also full of healthy fats, omega 3 6 & 9, and protein. After the cream has set you can split it into two containers, adding more water to one to get your runny yoghurt/creme anglais version, and leaving the other as is for your thick greek yoghurt/mascarpone needs. You can even add a few teaspoons to your favourite tea if you don't have a batch of plant-based milk handy (it mixes in perfectly). Or add a bit more water still and pour over your morning cereal. It really is too versatile".
You'll need:
1 cup cashews (soaked 2 hrs or overnight)
1 400ml can coconut milk - kept in fridge
2 tablespoon white chia seeds
2 inches vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)
3 tablespoon rice malt syrup/maple syrup/coconut nectar (or stevia to taste)
Pinch organic sea salt
1/2 cup water
Drain your cashews and rinse.
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until completely creamy, scraping down the sides mid way to make sure all the chia seeds are ground up.
Pour into a glass jar and place in the fridge overnight - by the morning it will be nice and thick. If you want a thinner consistency, stir through another 1/4-1/2 cup of water in the morning
Will keep for around 4-5 days in the fridge - if it lasts that long. Enjoy dolloped on fresh fruit salad, stewed fruit, fruit crumble, muesli, porridge, buckinis, raw granola, or served alongside your favourite orange, carrot or chocolate cake for added moisture. Or you could dollop on a piece of banana bread, as I have at the very top of this page! YUM!
