SERVES 6
Looking for a comforting winter dessert that’s both skin and gut friendly? When it comes to desserts, puddings and dumplings are the two that satisfy the most! This warming and sumptuous dessert is like bread and butter pudding meets apple pie. And, aside from being delicious, it will also keep both your skin and microbial community happy, as it’s full of beauty-boosting and fibre-rich ingredients like rhubarb, coconut flour and pear.
INGREDIENTS
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz, approx. 1 bunch) rhubarb, cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz, approx. 3 medium) ripe pears, quartered, cored & sliced into thirds lengthways
- 4 medjool dates, pitted & coarsely chopped
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 80 ml (2½ fl oz / ⅓ cup) water
- 4 tablespoons arrowroot
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons pure organic maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
- 100g (3½ oz / 1 cup) ground almonds
- 40g (1½ oz / ⅓ cup) coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- 1/½ tablespoons unsalted cultured butter, chilled & diced
- 2 free-range organic eggs, lightly beaten
- 80ml (2½ fl oz / ⅓ cup) tinned coconut milk, plus extra for brushing
- 80ml (2½ fl oz / ⅓ cup) almond milk
- Coconut yoghurt, to serve (optional)
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas Mark 5).
- In a medium bowl, toss the rhubarb, pears, dates and lemon zest. Transfer the mix into a 2 litre (68 fl oz/8 cup) capacity ovenproof dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the water and 2 tablespoons of the arrowroot. Add the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, the vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over the fruit and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground almonds, coconut flour, remaining arrowroot and baking powder and stir.
- Use your fingers to rub in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, coconut milk, almond milk and the remaining maple syrup.
- Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to rehydrate the coconut flour.
- Drop six evenly sized lumps of the dumpling mixture over the fruit. Brush with some coconut milk milk and lightly dust with cinnamon.
- Cover the tray with aluminium foil and bake for 30 minutes until the filling begins to bubble up around the sides.
- Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden brown.
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Serve with coconut yoghurt, if desired.
CARLA’S TIP: If you don’t have pears, you can swap them for apples with their skins on for a probiotic-rich dessert.
For more gut-nourishing recipe ideas, check out The Beauty Chef Gut Guide – available now.
