Vanilla Pudding Cake

This uses my Coconut Vanilla Pudding recipe as most of the wet ingredients, however, you don't need to cook it to quite a thick to us it in a cake. That cake portion is based on this wonderful recipe which I'm sure we will find many other uses for: Milk & Egg Free Cake Check that one out, it's a nice solid base cake recipe.

Vanilla Pudding Cake

Preheat oven to 335 degrees F. Make Coconut Vanilla Pudding recipe, but don't cook it except to let it thicken just slightly. Set aside off of heat.

Cake Mix:

2 C flour

1 C sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

2 teaspoons of vanilla

Whisk together dry ingredients then add the coconut oil, vanilla and the entire pudding mixture from above and combine well. Poor into a square 9x9 inch pan and bake until knife comes out slightly moist from the center of the cake, about 25-35 minutes, depending on your oven, altitude and ingredients. For a gooier version cook for less time and scoop out with a spoon. It's done when you say it is. Sift powdered sugar over the top.

Allow to cool for 20 minutes, and serve with macerated strawberries or blueberries over the top, or with sulfur-free homemade coconut milk ice cream.

Mange!

~Miriam

Kheer - Indian Rice Pudding (Link/Replacement)

As a child, I went with my family to spend 14 months in India. India is full of incredibly delicious food, but sadly much of the savory cooking includes curries that incorporate cumin, coriander and turmeric. And many dishes are bean-centered, alas, some of my all time favorites. So far, with some sadness, the savory side of India is on pause until I can work out the details with alternative ingredients.

The dessert side of India, however? Wide open! :) This recipe for their delicious version of rice pudding, called Kheer comes from Care2.com's Kheer Recipe, which I have repasted here, minus the yoga and ayurvedic medicine references.

One note, saffron will take your wallet, chew it up and spit it out, it's so expensive. The recipe does *not* require saffron. Instead of saffron, when the you remove the kheer from the heat, add a tablespoon of Rosewater instead. It's lovely that way.

Kheer - Replacements

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

8 cups unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice (usually basmati)
1/8 cup almonds (sliced, slivered, or crushed)
1/4 cup raisins (golden or dark)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom seed
2 threads saffron (optional, see above note)
1/4 cup evaporated cane juice (or to taste)

1. Rinse the rice and combine it with milk in a medium pot. Slowly bring to a low boil, stirring so the milk does not scorch. After about 30 minutes the rice should be done—the grains should be plump and almost falling apart.
   
   
2. Add the nuts and raisins, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, and then turn off the heat.
   
   
3. Take a spoonful of hot milk and pour it over 2 threads of saffron in a shallow dish. After a few moments you should be able to grind the saffron into a paste with the back of a metal spoon. Stir the saffron paste, cardamom, and sugar into the kheer and let it rest, covered, until it reaches room temperature. Then cool in the refrigerator until it is time to serve.

Variations
Try a variety of dried fruits, such as apricots or apples. Swap the almonds for cashews. Substitute honey, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup for sugar. Add a drop of rosewater. Garnish with 1/4 cup crushed pistachio nuts.


This food is comforting, delicious and healthy. The fresh cardomom brings it home for me.

Cheers! (चियर्स)
~Miriam

Coconut Milk Vanilla Pudding

A nice simple dessert. You can reduce the sugar, if you prefer less sweet, to 1/4 Cup and it will still taste lovely.

2 Cups carton unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 Cup sugar (we always use organic evaporated cane juice)
3 Tablespoon corn starch, -or- 2-1/2 T Arrowroot starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon butter

Begin with no heat. Whisk together sugar, starch and salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Add in cold coconut milk and whisk again until all the lumps disappear. Once it is smooth, turn the heat on to medium and stir constantly until thickened. Do not boil! Once the mixture is thick, remove from heat and add in the butter and vanilla.

Pour into serving dishes and chill before serving.

Note: This recipe is superb as a base for yummy additions. Suggestions for things to add: cardamom, raisins, frozen raspberries dipped in sugar, bananas, ground pistachios (or other nuts), caramel, cooked fruit, rosewater, tangerine slices, use your imagination! :)

Cheers!
~Miriam

© 2012, Miriam Mason