SWEET POTATO PUDDING

• 2 lb/1 kg Sweet Potato Peeled and Grated
• 4 oz/225 g Brown Sugar
• 4 oz/225 g Grated Fresh Coconut or Dessicated Coconut
• 1 oz/50 g Grated Fresh Ginger
• 2 x 400 ml Tins Coconut Milk
• 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Fresh Grated Nutmeg
• 1 Vanilla Pod Scraped and Seeded or I tsp Vanilla Extract                                                                                                                        

Nutrition: Sweet potatoes are so packed with nutrients and vitamins, they are an incredibly versatile vegetable. Whilst going well with almost any food, they can also be served as a dessert or as a main meal. There are not many vegetables that can boast that. They are very rich in Vitamin-A, in the form of beta-carotene, which is a very powerful antioxidant (all orange fleshed fruits or vegetables are very powerful antioxidants). They are also a very good source of Vitamin-C, manganese, copper, Vitamin-B6, potassium and iron. They are a good source of fibre (when eaten with their skin, Sweet potatoes have more fibre than oatmeal), and with the lowest glycaemic index of any root vegetable, they are excellent for diabetics, also the lower the glycaemic index of a food the less it will cause weight gain, so it is also excellent for people on a diet!

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest, ranked the sweet potato as number 1 in nutrition of all vegetables, more than double it’s closest rival, spinach!

This dish is very similar to sweet potato pie, but with the added advantages of being wheat free, dairy free and suitable for vegan’s, due to the lack of pastry and eggs.

To cook, simply mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a large baking dish such as a lasagne dish and press into the dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 180c/350f for approximately 1 hour, or until golden on top and firm to the touch. This is delicious served with my coconut sorbet and cardomon syrup.

Serves 4-6

Simply the best chocolate dessert you’ll ever taste! 

• 9 oz/250g Quality Dark Chocolate or Couveture
• 5 oz/150g Butter
• 2/3 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Good Quality Cocoa Powder
• 10 Eggs Separated

Nutrition: This is one of my favourite recipes. It is very low in sugar, lots of eggs for protein and if you use couveture (confectioners chocolate) it is much more pure than normal chocolate, being richer in cocoa solids. The health benefits of chocolate, i.e. reduced risk of heart disease and improved blood clotting are found in the cocoa solids. It can also be eaten straight from the fridge as a chocolate mousse as well as a hot chocolate soufflé!! You don’t get many more versatile sweets than that, and it is very quick and easy to make, and more importantly it is wheat free. The butter can be replaced with olive oil for dairy free too, if I ever take this off the menu for any length of time my customers start to get a bit surly!

METHOD

Melt the chocolate and butter together over simmering water.

In a large bowl mix the yolks with the cocoa.

Whisk the egg whites in a third bowl until soft peaks, then add the sugar and continue to whisk until firm.

When the chocolate has melted use a spatula to scrape it into the yolk mixture. Working quickly, whisk the chocolate and yolks until smooth.

Immediately fold one third of the whites into this to ‘loosen up’ the mix. Then fold in the rest of the whites and fold over until smooth and incorporated.

Divide between 4-6 pie dishes approx 5-6” in diameter. You can use any individual sized dishes; you can’t just make one big one of these!

Place in the fridge until set.

To cook, preheat your oven to 180-200c/350-400f (high). Place your puddings on a tray in t he oven for approx 8-10 minutes. As soon as they have puffed up and the top isn’t wobbly remove and top with a ball of ice cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve IMMEDIATELY!

The ice cream will slowly melt into the pudding, which will be all gooey and chocolaty in the middle. Delicious and decadent, but really not that bad for you. This will be a quick easy favourite in every household!