I'm in dessert heaven!

This healthy pumpkin parfait recipe is even better than regular parfaits. Who would have thought that a dairy-free, gluten-free and free of refined sugars parfait could be SO good?!

I know, pumpkins aren't known for their taste. Except, for in particular the jarrahdale pumpkin which is grey in colour and has a lovely creamy, sweet flavour. It's most definitely the best one for cooking with, and just perfect for desserts.

Plus, you can't see an Autumn through without eating pumpkin. It's all part of celebrating the crowning glory of our harvest.

Healthy Pumpkin Parfait Recipe

Serves 4

Ready in 75 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Parfait base:

• 4 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons juice of lemon
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• pinch of cinnamon & Himalayan salt

Pumpkin Topping:

• 1/2 medium sized jarrahdale pumpkin (the grey one)
• 2 apples (spartan or sweet tasting)
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk
• 125g raw cashews
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• Pecans for decoration

INSTRUCTIONS

Parfait base:

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a simmer.
3. Combine the egg whites, maple syrup, lemon juice and salt  in a mixer bowl and place it over the pot of simmering water. Stir until the mixture is warm, about 3 minutes.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and beat the mixture with an electric whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form (like a meringue), about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the cinnamon, vanilla essence and arrowroot powder.
6. Put the mix onto the lined baking tray and bake in the oven for an hour. Allow it to cool in the oven, so this is best done at night. And the parfait base can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. When cool or ready to use tear the base into small pieces.

Pumpkin Topping:

1. Soak the cashews in a bowl of water overnight or for at least 5 hours. Drain the cashews and blend them in a food processor until they reach a grainy paste like consistency.
2. Peel and chop up the pumpkin into small chunks.
3. Wash the apples well and roughly cut into slices. Put the pumpkin and apple in a steamer above a pan of simmering water and cook until slightly soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
4. Carefully remove the cream from the top of the coconut milk (discarding the water) and puree the coconut cream into the cashews along with all the other ingredients - pumpkin, apple, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
5. Serve in individual small and wide, or tall and narrow glass dessert dishes. If you use small and wide dishes layer the bottom of the dish with the broken pieces of parfait base, and then add the pumpkin topping. For tall and narrow glass dishes, you can create layers - parfait base - pumpkin topping - parfait base - pumpkin topping. Alternatively you can serve this dessert in one large bowl in the same way as you would the small and wide dishes.
6. Put the pumpkin parfait(s) in the fridge for a couple of hours.
7. Before serving, decorate with a few pecans.

Top tip: If you don't have an electric mixer with an electric whisk, you can buy an inexpensive hand blender stick with a whisk attachment and use this for the parfait base.

Whether  you're a pumpkin lover or would just like to try more healthy pumpkin recipes, why not give my Feta, Veggie Pizza With Pumpkin Puree a go. It's really worth trying it too.