Candied almonds add the perfect crunch to this vegan dessert by celebrated Oakland cookbook author and podcaster Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. The recipe, from the updated version of her cookbook, “The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Healthfully and Living Compassionately” (Round Tree Press; $25), features bright strawberries and blueberries between layers of silky vanilla custard.
Strawberry Banana Parfait with Vanilla Custard and Candied Almonds
Serves 6
Ingredients:
Vanilla Almond Custard
¼ cup cornstarch
6 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups plain or vanilla almond milk, store-bought or homemade
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Candied Almonds
1 cup sliced or slivered raw almonds
2 tablespoons organic, granulated sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt
Parfait
1 batch of Vanilla Almond Custard
2 pints fresh strawberries, cored and sliced or halved
1 batch of Candied Almonds
1 cup fresh blueberries
4 large ripe (not overripe) bananas, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
Directions:
To make vanilla almond custard, in a 3-quart saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Slowly whisk in a small amount of the almond milk, and continue whisking until smooth. Whisk in the remaining almond milk and vanilla extract.
Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Whisk continuously until the mixture comes to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute, whisking the entire time as it starts to thicken.
Remove from heat, and pour into a bowl that is sitting in a larger bowl filled with cold water and ice. Whisk frequently to prevent a skin from forming and to distribute and release the heat. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
To make candied almonds, preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all the ingredients together until well combined, and spread onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.
With a metal spatula or wooden spoon, gently scrape the almonds from the edges of the pan to the middle, and nudge the almonds from the middle to the edges. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until the almonds are toasted and the sugar mixture is light brown. Remove from the oven, and let cool completely on the sheet pan. Break into bite-size pieces.
To make parfait, layer in each glass about ¼ cup of custard, a few strawberry slices or halves, a sprinkle of almonds, a handful of blueberries, another ¼ cup of custard, a few slices of bananas, more almonds, more blueberries, and repeat until parfait glasses are three-quarters full. Repeat in the next glass.
Refrigerate for several hours until custard is completely set up. Top with one banana slice, one strawberry, a few blueberries, and a few candied almonds right before serving.
— From “The 30-Day Vegan Challenge: The Ultimate Guide to Eating Healthfully and Living Compassionately” (Roundtree Press; $25) by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.
