Chia Pudding
Serves: 2
Aine Carlin, our vegan columnist, shares her comforting vanilla-soaked and spice-spiked porridge to ease her into autumn...
Ingredients:
For the chia:
3 tbsp chia seeds300ml plant milk (I used a mix of coconut and almond)
2 tbsp agave or maple syrup
Pinch of saffron
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
For the apricots:
5 apricots600ml water
75ml agave or maple syrup
1 vanilla pod, split
1 tbsp rose water (optional)
Peel of ½ lemon
2-3 cloves
method:
- Place the plant milk in a small pot along with the saffron, sweetener, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gently heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring from time to time and ensuring it doesn’t boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly for several minutes, allowing the saffron to infuse further.
- Add the chia seeds to a bowl and pour over the warmed milk using a sieve to catch the saffron strands. Stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes to let the chia absorb the liquid and become thick and gelatinous.
- Rinse the same pan and fill with 600ml of water. Add the vanilla pod, sweetener and lemon peel and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and add the cloves and rose water. Halve the apricots and add to the pan, allowing them to gently poach for a maximum of five minutes.
- Remove the apricots using a slotted spoon and return the poaching liquid to a rapid boil for 10-15 minutes or until it reduces to a reasonably thick syrup. Spoon over the apricots.
- Fill several small glasses or tumblers with the saffron-soaked chia and top each with several poached apricots. You could also add a handful of golden raisins and a smattering of chopped pistachios to finish.