Creamy Meyer Lemon Chia Pudding with Mixed Berries

Creamy Meyer Lemon Chia Pudding with Mixed Berries
Serves: 4

Although there are lots of chia seed pudding recipes on the internet, they lack the rich, creamy pudding-like texture I crave in a dessert. Most call for nut milk and taste like a compromise. While almond milk is a great substitute for whole milk if you watch your sat fat levels, its thin, watery texture, similar to skim milk, creates a pudding that lacks flavor and “mouthfeel.”

This dessert is nothing of the sort: it's rich, creamy and decadent. While the foundation is unsweetened almond milk, adding a bit of labneh (Middle Eastern yogurt) to the nut milk not only adds richness but tempers the sweet/tart Meyer lemon juice in the same fashion as condensed milk mellows bitingly-tart key lime juice in a Key Lime pie filling. Skip the labneh, and the chia pudding lacks depth of flavor and complexity— it's a one-note dessert that tastes like “diet food.” 

Although this is a simple dish, there are several caveats: whisk the nut milk, labneh, sweeteners, Meyer lemon juice, Meyer lemon zest, salt and vanilla in a bowl before adding the chia seeds to the mix, which prevent lumps. Sprinkle the seeds into the milk mixture, stir well to incorporate the seeds, then allow the pudding to sit for at least 10 minutes before mixing again to ensure no seed clumps have formed. Cover pudding and place it in the refrigerator overnight to thicken up. Do not skip the sweeteners—they flavor the bland chia seeds. If you are watching your sugar intake, use stevia powder and drizzle a bit of honey on top right before serving.

Ingredients
1 cup vanilla-flavored almond milk, unsweetened
1/3 cup labneh
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Juice and zest of 1 Meyer lemon
1/8 teaspoon kosher flake salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup chia seeds

Preparation
Place almond milk, labneh, maple syrup, honey, agave syrup, salt, lemon juice and lemon zest in a medium bowl and whisk until mixed until creamy and without lumps. Sprinkle chia seeds into milk mixture and whisk until incorporated and no lumps are present.

Let the mixture sit for at least 10 minutes and whisk again to ensure no chia seed clumps have formed.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight until thick and creamy.

Berry Topping and Plating

Ingredients
1 pint blueberries
1 pint raspberries

Preparation
Rinse berries and allow to air dry. Place 1/2 cup of chia seed pudding in a glass and top with mixed berries on one side and a heaping teaspoon of labneh on the other. Sprinkle lemon zest over labneh and serve.

Keeps for 7 days in the refrigerator.