Recipe: Pumpkin Parfaits

Post by Olivia Martino Blodgett, Registered Dietitian and Owner

After selling out our annual Vegan Thanksgiving cooking class last week, I get the sense that there is some interest in learning how to prepare plant based holiday treats.  These pumpkin parfaits fit the bill and are a fun dessert for holiday parties.  They are both gluten free and vegan, but don’t let those words distract you from what they most importantly are: DELICIOUS.

PUMPKIN PARFAITS

image from thecozyapron.com

Ingredients

For the filling:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

½ cup pure maple syrup

2 Medjool dates, pitted

½ cup coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

 

For the Hazelnut Crumble:

• 1 cup raw hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup dried dates 
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

For the coconut whipped cream:

• 1 (14 oz) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 Tbs maple syrup or confectioners sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped or ½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

The night (or a few hours before making parfaits):

• Cover cashews with water and let sit. 
• Place a metal bowl and whisk in the freezer for your whipped cream. 
• Turn the can of coconut milk upside down and chill in the fridge for 9-10 hours.

 

1. Make the Filling: Drain and rinse the cashews. In a food processor or high speed blender, combine all filling ingredients and process until completely smooth. You can add some liquid if the mixture needs something to get it going.  Place pumpkin filling in a glass bowl in the freezer to firm up while preparing other components.
2. Make the hazelnut crumble: Pulse all ingredients in the food processor.
3. To make whipped cream: Flip the chilled coconut milk right side up, and drain off the coconut water. Scoop the solid cream into the chilled bowl. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream until fluffy. Add the sweetener and vanilla and beat until just combined.
4. To make parfaits: in the bottom of several glasses or small mason jars, layer pumpkin filling, whipped cream and hazelnut crumbles, repeating layers until you reach the top.