Apple & Caramel Sago Pots

Sago is a favourite 'go to' dessert for me, it's so easy to make and so easy to create new flavour combinations. A sago parfait is always fun to make and impressive to serve, and I've posted a couple on this blog before - remember my Apple & Rhubarb Sago Parfait or my very unusual Cambodian Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Sago Parfait (Borbo Skor La-Pov). Today's recipe comes with an autumnal twists - caramel and apple. I've used the sweet grated apple in the sago itself and it's sweetness means I can cut down on the amount of sugar I add (win!). Your choice of apple will determine how sweet the end result is. If you use lovely sweet Pink Ladies or Galas then you may not need to add any sugar to the sago at all, if you use less sweet apples like Granny Smiths or Delicious then adjust the sugar to taste. There is still plenty of sugar in the caramel sauce, so you don't need to worry about it not satisfying your sweet tooth. If you can buy a pre made vegan caramel sauce then you can substitute that to save time, but I've used my home made Vegan Dulce de Leche which is absolutely incredible! The crunch from the chopped toasted almonds sprinkled on top is the proverbial icing on the cake!

Apple & Caramel Sago Pots

Ingredients
1 can coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sago (tapioca pearls)
2 medium apples, peeled and grated
2 tbsp sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch salt
1 batch Vegan Dulce de Leche
1/2 cup chopped toasted or dry roasted almonds

To Make:
1. Set the dulce de leche on to cook according to this recipe.
2. Heat the coconut milk, water and sugar in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the cinnamon stick, sago, salt and grated apples. Stir while bringing to a simmer. Simmer, covered over a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the cinnamon stick.
3. In 5 individual dessert bowls, ramekins or glasses, spoon enough sago to just cover the bottom. Then divide the dulce de leche evenly amongst the 6 individual glasses, leaving about 6 or so tablespoons to drizzle on top.
4. Cover by dividing the remaining sago evenly amongst the glasses. Drizzle the top of each with the remaining dulce de leche and sprinkle with chopped toasted or dry roasted almonds. Eat warm in winter and autumn or chill in the fridge for a spring or summer dessert.

Makes approximately 6 individual desserts (this may vary depending on the size of your serving bowls/glasses, if you have large ones then it may only make 4).

I've submitted this recipe to the Vegan Virtual Linky Potluck - click here to see the other entries.

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Sago Parfait (Cambodian Borbo Skor La-Pov)

As with most Asian countries, Cambodia has a list of typical desserts which Westerners may deem "exotic". They pair things based on sweetness rather than classification. Whereas in the West we understand that basically vegetables and legumes go in savoury dishes and typically fruit is for sweet dishes. There are some obvious exceptions, such as carrot cake, pumpkin pie and duck al'orange, however, this rule is generally held true. In Asian cultures, however, these barriers don't exist. Fruit is freely added to savoury dishes and curries throughout Thailand, Cambodia, India and Sri Lanka. Whilst desserts use anything that has a sweet taste, including carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, corn, cassava, taro, red beans (also called adzuki beans) and mung beans. 

Mostly, as I've observed before, the main crossovers are orange vegetables. This is because orange vegetables are generally often sweet (carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato) whilst orange fruits are often naturally tart and sour (oranges, mandarines, tangerines etc). However, in Cambodia (as in other Asian countries) beans such as mung beans are also classified as sweets and used in desserts.

My Cambodian inspired dessert for you today is based on a recipe which involves mixing pumpkin, sweet potato, cassava and taro into sago. I've changed it up a bit by simplifying it and serving it parfait style - in layers! It's a very easy dessert and quite healthy (except for the sugar) and makes a nice change from the same old desserts we're used to serving up to guests.

Ingredients

Orange Layer

400g pumpkin (I used Jap), peeled and cubed

400g sweet potato, peeled and cubed

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional - not traditionally used)

Sago Layer

1 can coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sago (tapioca pearls)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean, sliced open - remove before serving if using)

Chopped peanuts, to garnish.

To Make:
1. Cover the pumpkin and sweet potato with water and bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered for about 30-40 minutes, or until very soft.
2. Bring the coconut milk, water, (vanilla bean), and sugar to a simmer in a different saucepan. Add the sago and simmer over a very low heat, partly covered for about 30 minutes. Stir frequently to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom too much (it probably will a little bit anyway). After 30 minutes remove from heat, stir through the vanilla extract and allow to cool.
3. Strain the pumpkin and sweet potato, reserving the water. Add back 1-2 tbsp of the reserved water and then either mash or puree in a food processor until smooth (I was able to just mash mine pretty smooth because they were quite over cooked, which is what you want!).
4. Pass the purée through a sieve to make it extra smooth and smash out any remaining lumps (this is optional, it just makes sure that your purée is nice and smooth and even consistency). Stir the vanilla extract and cinnamon through and allow to cool completely.
5. Start with a layer of the purée in the bottom of your parfait glasses (using about half the purée across six parfait glasses). Follow with a layer of the sago (once again, using about half the sago) and then the remaining purée and sago in layers. Top with chopped peanuts and serve.

Serves 6.

This month I'm featuring lots of amazing recipes from Cambodia!

Check out my other Cambodian recipe posts:

Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup

Kho Manor Nung To Hu (Pineapple and Tofu)

Cambodian Spiced Eggplant

Num Chet Chien (Banana Nuggets!)

Khmer Lemongrass Vegetable Curry

Nem To-hu Sap (Vegetarian Summer Rolls)

Tirk Salouk Swai (Mango Chilli Salsa)

Cucumber & Vermicelli Salad

Rhubarb and Apple Sago Parfait

When the Sweet Adventures Blog Hop Hosts announced their next theme to be "Layer upon Layer" I was a bit at a loss. There are lots of things that immediately spring to mind - layer cake, baklava, slice, trifle etc. None of these things really excited me though, plus I really wanted to make something healthy and not too heavy! I have to admit that sometimes I find these blog hops a bit difficult because I just wish I could cook something savoury instead! I eventually decided a fruit parfait would be a healthier option than any other that I could think of - however, I was still faced with the layers of cream all through it. Then it hit me like a cream pie in the face - sago!

I love sago. Love love love it! It is the perfect alternative to cream and to custard (as you can see in my Vegan Strawberry Cherry Sago Trifle!) On a recent trip to my favourite Asian supermarket I found the most amazing thing..... green sago!! Green sago (thought I should say it again for emphasis!). As far as I can see it really is just sago with some food colouring because the ingredients just say 'sago'.... so evidently it is just sago. But check it out!!!!!

So once I had decided on sago parfait I knew that I just had to use my new green sago. I decided to combine it with the rhubarb that was growing abundantly in my garden and what better partner to go with rhubarb than apple? Rhubarb and apple are quite a classic combination - however combining them with sago?? Well it was amazing! The fruity sago layers are creamy yet refreshing, and the whole parfait is an amazing mixture of textures! Stringy, pulpy rhubarb and firm sweet apple pieces combined with the amazing creamy pearls of sago and then a beautiful surprise at the bottom in the form of crunchy, syrupy walnuts!!

Ingredients


Sago Custard:
1 can coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup sago (tapioca pearls)
1/3 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, sliced open

Fruit:
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 green apple

1/3 cup water
3 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1cm pieces
1/3 cup walnuts

To Make:
1. Heat the coconut milk, water and sugar in a saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the cinnamon stick, vanilla bean and sago. Stir while bringing to a simmer. Simmer, covered over a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean and allow to cool.
2. Heat the other cup of water in another saucepan and add the sugar. Leave on a low heat until all the sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon juice.
3. Peel the apple and set the peel aside (you'll use it later!). Cut the apple into quarters, remove the core and slice the apple into slices about 1/2 centimetre thick. Add the apple to the saucepan and simmer, covered, for 4-5 minutes. The apple slices should be just tender but not mushy! Remove the apple slices and set aside.
4. Add the apple peel to the saucepan and leave the syrup on a low heat to simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes turn off the heat and remove the apple peel. Allow to cool.
5. In another saucepan combine the 1/3 cup water and the rhubarb. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove lid and simmer gently for another 5 minutes, there should be little or no water left. Mash the rhubarb with a fork until you have a lovely mushy rhubarb pulp. Add 2 tbsp of the hot syrup that you have simmer in the other saucepan (I'm assuming you are cooking all of these elements at the same time, I did!!). Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
6. Allow the sago, apples, syrup and rhubarb to cool to room temperature before assembling (don't refrigerate - all the elements will congeal and you will find it hard to layer it!).
7. Take 4 wide short tumblers (like scotch glasses) or small glass bowls. You could also use wine glasses or Martini glasses. Place a few slices of apple on the bottom of each glass and then layer 1/4 of the walnuts into each one - breaking them up into smaller pieces as you do. Spoon 2 tbsp of the syrup (which has cooled to a lovely thick honey like consistency) over the walnuts. This will be the lovely syrupy walnuty surprise at the bottom!
8. Layer the rest of the ingredients into the glass/bowl in this order: sago, rhubarb, apple, sago and then a spoonful of rhubarb on top. Chill for at least an hour in the fridge before serving. Enjoy!

Makes 4 individual parfaits (will vary depending on the size of your tumblers/bowls).

This is part of the March Sweet Adventures Blog Hop. Check out all the other layered desserts in the hop by hitting up all those little tiny pictures you see here:

Vegan Strawberry & Cherry Sago Trifle

Trifle has been something that has been on my to do list for a while - I have been working out the easiest way to veganise all the different elements for a while. The cake is easy, the cream is easy, the fruit is already vegan. So that leaves jelly and custard. I am currently still experimenting making my own vegan jelly - and have not yet perfected it, so for this trifle I used a packet of vegan jelly which I bought online (I've included a photo later on), the brand I used wasn't really that good - as the jelly set very runny. This is ok for trifle as it's all in there together anyway - but it certainly wasn't a very good substitute for jelly and definitely wouldn't have worked in molds or just to eat straight. I will keep working on my vegan jelly recipe using agar agar and keep you updated! The custard I found difficult until I had an epiphany one night when eating a big bowl of sago - sago is a very similar consistency to custard plus it's beautiful and creamy and actually easier to make than custard.

Fortunately all these trifle thoughts I was having coincided with 2 events: firstly a surprise birthday party I was holding for a friend, and secondly, the Holiday Recipe Club Valentine's Day Blog Hop. For this blog hop our host, Erin, chose the theme ingredients of beef, strawberries and heavy cream. Now, if you've read this blog before then you'll know you're going to be getting a recipe with strawberries - because beef and heavy cream just aren't a party of my vegan diet! However, this trifle is piled with delicious fluffy cream so is quite appropriate in the sense that it is really the closest thing to heavy cream a vegan is ever going to get.

Trifle is actually the perfect party dessert because it's generally huge by nature and also because almost all of it is done the night before. For a totally stress free party you should prepare the cake, sago custard, jelly and cherry mixture the day before and remember to put your coconut cream in the fridge minimum overnight (the more time the better so if you can do this a couple of days in advance then even better - I just keep a couple of cans in the fridge at all times). Then all you need to do is assemble it and whip the coconut cream for the top. You can then put it together a couple of hours before your guests show up and put it back in the fridge and it is totally amazing!

Strawberry and Cherry Sago Trifle

The Cake

1 cup soy milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup canola oil

½ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp orange extract (optional)

1 ¼ cups wholemeal plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarb soda

½ tsp salt

2 tsp arrowroot

Strawberry jam

Sago Custard

2 x 400ml tins coconut milk (or cream is fine too)

4 cups water

1 ¼ cups sago (tapioca pearls)

½ cup sugar

Fruit & Jelly

1 packet Vegan strawberry jelly

3 punnets strawberries, washed

600g cherries, washed and pitted

1 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

Coconut Cream

2 cans coconut cream, chilled in the fridge overnight (minimum- a few days is optimum)

2 tablespoons soft confectioners sugar

To Make:

The Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside for a few moments to curdle.

3. Add the sugar, canola oil and extracts and mix well (I use a whisk for this).

4. Sift in all other ingredients and mix well to combine.

5. Line a medium sized lightly greased square baking dish with baking paper. Pour in the cake batter.

6. Bake for 20 minutes – or until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean when inserted.

7. Set aside to cool completely (you can work on one of the other trifle components while you wait).

8. Once cooled, cut into smaller, more manageable sections and slice in half lengthways.

9. Spread strawberry jam between the 2 halves and stick them back together. Cut into cubes that are about 2cm squared and set aside for later.

The Sago Custard:

1. Heat the water and coconut milk in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer.

2. Add the sugar and the sago. Reduce the heat as low as it goes and allow to simmer gently (with you stirring frequently) for about 30 minutes, or until sago is cooked and the custard is starting to thicken (it will thicken even more on cooling so don’t worry if it is a bit runny).

3. Pour into a bowl or container and allow to cool.

4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (optimum is over night).

Fruit and Jelly:

1. Prepare the jelly to the directions on the packet. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Halve and pit the cherries.

3. Place the cherries with ½ cup water and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

4. Mix the cornstarch with ½ cup cold water until you have a smooth and watery mixture.

5. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the cherries and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (best over night).

The brand of vegan jelly I used - it set pretty runny and I probably wouldn't use it again.

Coconut Cream Topping:

1.  Refrigerate the 2 tins of coconut cream over night.

2. When you open the tin you will notice that the top is a very solid thick cream. Scoop out all of the solid thick cream on top (you can reserve the rest of it to use in another meal – like a curry).

3. Put the thick cream into a bowl and mix well using a hand held electric mixer. Move the beaters up and down to try and get as much air into the cream as possible. Add the sugar and beat until it pretty much resembles thick cream.

To Assemble:

1.  Wash and trim the strawberries. Cut in half (if they are big strawberries you may need to slice them).

2. Layer the bottom of a large glass bowl with the squares of cake.

3. Cover with the jelly.

4. Press strawberry halves around the outside to make a layer which is visible through the glass (see the pics if you’re not sure what I mean). Sprinkle a few bits in the middle as well.

5. Next, layer half of the sago custard over the top.

6. Next, layer the cherry mixture over the top of that.

7. Spread the rest of the sago mixture over the cherries.

8. Spread a punnet of strawberries over that (or however many strawberries you have left – remembering to keep some aside to decorate the top).

9. Finally, the last layer is the coconut cream topping.

10. Decorate with the remaining strawberries.

11. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Serves about 15 (with no seconds – so serves about 7-8 people with seconds!).