Chia Parfait with Raspberry Compote

For breakfast or as a dessert, this recipe is a fancy take on chia pudding with granola. I love that it's fast and can be prepped in advance, yet still leaves people astonished.

Servings: 4

Hands-on time: 15 minutes (30 minutes including the homemade compote)

Total time: 45 minutes (1 1/4 hours including the homemade compote)

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Ingredients

- 45g chia seeds

- 180 mL non-dairy milk

- 5-20 mL maple syrup/agave syrup/honey (optional)

- raspberry compote or if you're making it yourself (10 minutes):

- 150 g fresh raspberries

- vanilla extract, mint leaves, basil leaves or lemon zest, to taste (optional)

- 150 g fresh blackberries

- 15 g butter

- 12 g granulated sugar

- 1 cup yoghurt

- 1/2 cup granola

- fresh figs, to serve

Tips: A creamier milk (e.g. coconut or cashew) will give a thicker pudding, whereas a thinner milk (e.g. rice or almond) will give a lighter pudding. For a sweeter pudding, use rice, quinoa, or oat milk (barista versions give a creamier texture), or add a sweetener.

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Recipe

1. Whisk chia seeds, milk and sweetener together in a mixing bowl to combine. Cover with a plate (let's be eco-conscious and not use plastic film) and refrigerate for 10 minutes, then stir again to prevent clumping. Refrigerate for at least another 30 minutes. It should be thick and creamy, if not add some more chia seeds and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

2. If you're making the compote yourself, combine raspberries, sweetener, a tablespoon of water (to prevent sticking and burning) and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Mash to desired consistency. Stir in any optional ingredients or sweetener.

3. To caramelise the blackberries, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add sugar and simmer until it starts to brown. Add blackberries and cook for another minute or so, coating the blackberries but keeping them firm.

4. Assemble the parfaits in small glass jars or cups. In layers, add chia pudding, raspberry compote, yoghurt, granola and blackberries to each jar. The thickness of each layer is to your preference.

5. Serve with fresh figs, more fresh berries and a mint or basil leaf to decorate.