The strawberries, rhubarb, creamy cashews and bright red crunchy pomegranate seeds come together to make a delicious summery pudding that is sweet and satisfying without being sickly. It’s great for those who need to avoid dairy, but if you want a nut free option you can use regular whipped cream or perhaps coconut yoghurt instead of the cashew cream. Of
It’s great for those who need to avoid dairy, but if you want a nut free option you can use regular whipped cream or perhaps coconut yoghurt instead of the cashew cream. Of course, it’s good for you too – strawberries and pomegranates are rich in antioxidants to help protect cells from oxidative damage, and cashew nuts contain the minerals copper, magnesium, manganese and zinc. Allow enough time to soak the nuts before you want to make the recipe.
| For the fruit |
|---|
| 600g strawberries |
| 1 large or 2 small stalks rhubarb |
| 1 tsp vanilla extract |
| 2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup |
| For the cashew cream |
|---|
| 1 cup cashew nuts (can be any medium-large cup of choice) |
| Scant ¾ cup water (use the same cup) for blending |
| 1 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup |
| 1 tsp vanilla extract |
| Topping |
|---|
| A handful of pomegranate seeds |
| Toasted chopped hazelnuts |
Soak the cashew nuts for about 4 hours before use, using enough fresh water to cover them. Don’t be tempted to soak them for longer than this, they will go slimy. You can do this at the same time as the early steps from the starter above.
Wash and hull the strawberries, chop into quarters and place into a saucepan. Trim the rhubarb and cut into one-inch chunks, and add to the pan. Allow the fruit to stew very slowly for about 20-30 minutes until soft. Add the honey and vanilla, cook for just another few minutes and then set aside to cool, in the fridge is fine if you want to speed it up – the mixture will thicken and intensify in flavour as it cools. You can blend the fruit for a smoother consistency, or keep the chunky fruit pieces; it’s up to you. You can also stew the fruit earlier in the day, or even the day before, and store in the fridge.
When ready to assemble the pudding, drain the cashews, and then add them to a blender with the ¾ cup of water, honey/maple syrup and vanilla, and blend well until really smooth and creamy. Layer the fruit and the cream into four glasses or containers – empty jam jars work well. Finish with a creamy layer, and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and chopped nuts before serving. You can make the puddings up a few hours in advance, and store them in the fridge until you need them.
