Blueberry, Lime and Coconut Cloud Pudding - Grain, Gluten and Dairy Free (includes Thermomix instructions)

A delicious, soft and fluffy dessert with a secret ingredient that might surprise you!

I do enjoy experimenting in the kitchen at times, and it is nice to take flavours which work well together, and then try to use them in different contexts. Blueberry, coconut and lime (or you can use  lemon) are a really complementary partnership of flavours and textures, which crop up in various different forms together.

A mini-portion!

In this dessert, the fluffy texture of the body of the coconut lime pudding contrasts nicely with the bursts of flavour from the blueberries, and the toasted coconut on top.

If you want to freeze it in portions, then cool and chill it first for a couple of hours, to firm it up before cutting into portions. It is definitely best eaten hot (and can be quickly microwaved to re-heat in a few seconds, if you use one!), but I have also been known to send a small piece each from the freezer wrapped up as a lunchbox treat for my children!

You will ideally need a food processor to blitz up the beans (yes, beans, the secret ingredient I mentioned!), therefore you may as well use it for the other stages of the recipe too.

Serves: 16 modestly-sized dessert portions or cut larger or smaller as desired!

Calories: 209 calories per portion as above, or cut into 20 smaller servings at 168 calories each. [Calories in square brackets after ingredients]

Ingredients

• 75g extra virgin coconut oil [696]
• 250g coconut cream (around 22% fat - not the same as 'creamed coconut') [530]
• 150g golden caster (raw) sugar [600]
• 5 eggs (UK medium, 58g each) [438]
• 1 x 15ml tbsp good vanilla extract [43]
• 3 limes (or you could substitute 2 lemons - finely grated zest and juice of - around 80ml juice) [27]
• 235 cooked canellini beans (one 410g tin, rinsed and drained) [259 calories]
• 70g coconut flour (e.g. Tiana, fair trade, organic) [258]
• 1 teaspoon (gluten free) baking powder [3]
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 400g blueberries (divided 125g / 275g) [180]
• 50g dessicated coconut [317]

You will also need

• Food processor or blender
• 9" (23cm) square tin (or you could use a lasagne style dish if you don't have one)

Method
See below for Thermomix method (in italics) 

1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4 / 160C fan oven, and line the tin with greaseproof baking paper.

2. Blitz the coconut oil, coconut cream and sugar together in the food processor until combined.

3. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, 80ml lime juice and the finely grated lime zest and quickly blitz again until combined. Don't worry if it looks curdled at this point.

4. If you haven't already rinsed and drained the beans, then do so thoroughly and add to the food processor and process until they are blended into a reasonably smooth batter.

5. Next, add the coconut flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and mix together until well combined, making sure any mixture from the sides is scraped in. You will have a reasonably thick cake batter.

6. Gently fold in 125g of the blueberries, and pour the batter into the tin and level it. Scatter the rest of the blueberries evenly over the top, then give them a quick, gentle press / pat down with flat hands so that they are about 2/3 submerged in the batter.

7. Scatter the dessicated coconut over the top then bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on your oven) or until it's golden on top, no longer wobbly and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

8. Serve hot / warm with fresh blueberries, coconut cream or ice cream (or whipped cream if you can have dairy), blueberry sorbet, or whatever you fancy!

Tips
If you want to portion up and freeze this, then put into the fridge and chill until firm for a couple of hours, or overnight, once it has cooled down. You can even cut into small servings to add to packed lunches as a cold treat!

Thermomix method 
1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 4 / 160C fan oven, and line the tin with greaseproof baking paper.

2. Add the coconut oil, coconut cream and sugar to the bowl and mix together 30 seconds / Speed 5.

3. Scrape down, then add the eggs, vanilla extract, 80ml lime juice and the finely grated lime zest and mix 15 seconds / Speed 4. Don't worry if it looks curdled at this point.

4. If you haven't already rinsed and drained the beans, then do so thoroughly and add to the bowl and process 20 seconds / Speed 7.

5. Scrape down, then add the coconut flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and mix 20 seconds / Speed 5.5. You will have a reasonably thick cake batter.

6. Gently fold in 125g of the blueberries with a spatula or plastic/wooden spoon (you might find it easiest to pour your batter into a separate bowl to do this), and pour the batter into the tin and level it. Scatter the rest of the blueberries evenly over the top, then give them a quick, gentle press / pat down with flat hands so that they are about 2/3 submerged in the batter.

7. Scatter the dessicated coconut over the top then bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on your oven) or until it's golden on top, no longer wobbly and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

8. Serve hot / warm with fresh blueberries, coconut cream or ice cream (or whipped cream if you can have dairy), blueberry sorbet, or whatever you fancy!

Tips
If you want to portion up and freeze this, then put into the fridge and chill until firm for a couple of hours, or overnight, once it has cooled down. You can even cut into small servings to add to packed lunches as a cold treat!