Mango chia parfaits and how to make perfect chia pudding every time

When I was a child my favorite dessert was tapioca pudding, or as we would call it, “frog’s eggs”. After I got over my inital disgust and realised that of course it wasn’t actual frog’s eggs, it became my most requested dish whenever my mum was feeling generous and decided we would be having dessert after our dinner. The chewy little pearls nestled in among the creamy pudding tasted divine to me, and I think it could be why I am such a huge fan of chia puddings. While the textures isn’t exactly the same, there are similarities there, and chia puddings also win in the health stakes, packing a huge nutritional punch.

There are a million and one ways to make chia pudding, but seeing that mangos are in season at the moment and I just can’t get enough, I’ve chosen to share a mango-based recipe here. If there is a fruit that could epitomise summer for me it would be mangos, with their sweet juicey sunshine-coloured flesh and beautiful aroma. And not only do they taste like summer all wrapped up, they are packed full of other goodness too – antioxidants, fibre, folate, Vitamin C and a hefty dose of Vitamin A to keep your eyes and bones healthy.

 Chia pudding is quite simple to make really – at it’s very basic level it’s one part chia seeds and four to five parts liquid. I love chia puddings made with coconut cream which lends a beautiful rich and creamy taste to the puddings. If you want something a little lighter though, you could use coconut milk, or part cream/milk, part water. Any milk will work well here – dairy, rice, soy, nut etc. But coconut cream is definitely your best bet in my book.

To make the puddings, you need to add the chia seeds to a large container, and then add whatever liquid you choose to use and mix well to combine. If using a sweetener or flavourings, you’ll also want to add them here. I like to mash some banana (or even better, blend it) in with my coconut cream to sweeten the pudding, but you could also use coconut sugar, honey or other sweetener of your choice to the liquid. I also usually add a little sprikle of cinnamon to the seeds at this point and stir through.

Then, you need to add in the liquid. You can add it all at once here and it will work fine, but I find the best way to do it is to add half the liquid and stir well, and then stir in the rest. This allows for a more even consistency – if you don’t incorporate thoroughly you’ll end up with clumps of chia seeds in the end product.

The pudding then needs to thicken, so place it in the fridge and leave it for a good few hours, or overnight if you can. Lastly, before serving I like to stir through a little extra coconut cream just to make things extra creamy. You can then stir through or top with extra flavours like fresh fruit, shredded coconut, chopped nuts and seeds, granola – whatever takes your fancy. Or for something a little different, blend the pudding in a Vitamix or other high-powered blender with some fruit to create a smooth pudding instead.

Mango chia parfaits

2015-01-15 01:50:56

Serves 3

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Chia pudding

1. 1/2 cup chia seeds
2. 1 1/2 cup coconut cream
3. 1 cup water
4. 1 tsp vanilla
5. 1 Tbsp raw honey

Mango cream

1. 2/3 cup prepared chia pudding
2. 1 mango
3. 2 Tbsp coconut cream

Toppings

1. Coconut cream
2. Extra mango
3. Chopped nuts
4. Shredded coconut

Instructions

1. To make the chia pudding, add the chia seeds to a large glass jar. Mix the coconut cream, water, vanilla and honey until combined then pour half into the jar with the chia seeds and mix well. Then add the remaining liquid whilst stirring. Leave at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
2. After the chis pudding is set, you need to use some to make the mango cream. Measure out 2/3 cup and add to a high powered blender with a mango and the coconut cream and blend until smooth.
3. To assemble the parfaits, spoon even amounts of chia pudding into four small bowls or glasses, then add a quarter of the mango cream to each. Add the remaining chia pudding, and then top with fresh mango, nuts and coconut.
4. Can be enjoyed straight away or kept in the fridge up to three days.

Notes

1. These parfaits are quite rich, if you are wanting to make them a little lighter you can substitute the coconut cream for milk.

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