Coconut-Persimmon Pudding by Chef Perkunas

This recipe is fun and easy to make, kids love it and adults feel too guilty eating something so yummy… And your friends not aware of the magic of raw foods may even think it is one of their very special unhealthy desserts coz it tastes so awesome! It only takes a few steps to prepare the fruits, the coconut pudding and cacao fudge separately and put them all together as shown in the picture....

And it goes like this:

First prepare the caramelized fruits. Cut 4 persimmons (or your favorite fruit) into small squares, mix them with yacon syrup and dehydrate for 50 minutes at 115 F, or place them under the sun for 3 hours. (If there are bugs around you may want to cover the fruits - yes, they like sweets too!) They should be ready by the time you finish with the next two preparations.

For the cacao fudge, just melt 1/4 cup of raw coconut oil by placing it in the dehydrator or under the sun and mix it with ¼ cup of first cold pressed organic olive oil, 1/3 cup of raw agave nectar, a pinch of sea salt, 1.5 cup of raw cacao powder.

Mix all the ingredients until you get a homogenous mass (some raw cacao powders have different moisture content so if your fudge looks too thick just add in a little bit more olive oil, if it is too soft just add in more cacao powder).

The coconut pudding may take a little more work if you don’t know how to crack a young Thai coconut, but you can find plenty of videos. Blend two fresh coconuts (the “meat” of both coconuts and ½ of their water all together) and add ¼ vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ cup of raw agave nectar and 2 tablespoons of raw organic coconut oil.

Once you have done these three steps just feel free to play with them, you can combine all of them in many different ways. The pudding served in a glass cup, as shown in the picture, placing the coconut pudding first and the fruits and cacao fudge after is just one of them. And remember, it is all about the good vibes that you have that will help you to create amazing dishes and desserts in no time. Keep it fun and keep it bright!

Recipe by Chef Perkunas ©2010 Veggie Vibes

www.veggievibes.net

www.rawfoodsandiego.com

More Desserts by Traci

Raw Vegan Fresh Berry Cheesecake (serves 8 - 10)

There are 4 decadent layers to this mouth watering RAW VEGAN cheesecake! The crust, the coconut cream layer, the berry layer, and the berry topping. Please experiment and add more or less of certain ingredients to your liking. Keep tasting! I like to make this in a glass dish so you can see the different layers.

Crust

8 - 10 really soft pitted Medjhool or Honey dates
2 Cups raw nuts (I like a mix of almonds, pecans & walnuts...or you can use Macadamias & Cashews to make it richer & creamier)
tiny sprinkle of sea salt

sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tsp Almond extract
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until fairly smooth. You can add more DATES if you want it sweeter. Some chefs like to dehydrate the crust so it's more like regular pie crust.

Coconut Cream Layer

2 Cups firm Coconut Meat (OR pre-made Coconut Cream from store & follow directions on box if any...we like Let's Do Organic Creamed Coconut :))
Few TB of thick Chia Gel (optional)
Agave or Honey to taste (OR Dates but they may turn it brown)
1 - 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until fairly smooth. You want the Coconut Cream thick, but I like to add the Chia Gel to make it less fattening :) If your coco cream is too thin, add coconut flour or blend in shredded dried coconut. You want this layer THICK and CREAMY to hold up your berry layer on top!

Fresh Berry Layer

2 Cups fresh Berries (blueberries, strawberries or a mix! Avoid using too many berries with seeds)
Agave or Honey to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. This layer will not be very thick but will hopefully be held up by the thicker coconut cream layer. You can add dates to thicken the berry mix, but then it may turn brown :0

I like to keep ALL these layers in separate containers in the fridge until RIGHT BEFORE I'm about to serve this cheesecake. OR I've heard some chefs assemble this and keep it in freezer, then thawing it before serving. Pat down your crust layer along the bottom of your pie or casserole dish, making it even. Then spread on the coconut cream. Gently spoon on your berry layer. Top with fresh berries and/or coconut sprinkles and serve!

Chocolate Chia Sleeper Creeper (serves 1)

1 big glassful of Chocolate Almond Milk (pre-made raw recipe below or buy from health food store)
1 C Chia seed Gel (soak chia seeds for 30 min, stir after 15 to make gel consistent)
agave nectar or honey to taste (only if needed)

Soak chia seeds (about 2 TB to 1 C water) Stir into chocolate almond milk until smooth. Low calorie, simple, fast, yummy and QUIET! Perfect to creep out to the kitchen to make late at night without waking up your sleeping housemates :)

Lucuma Balls (serves 8 - 10)

10 really soft pitted Medjhool or Honey dates
2 - 3 TB raw Almond Butter (Trader Joes is cheapest)
agave nectar or honey to taste
sea salt, to taste
1 TB Raw Cacao nibs
1 tsp Vanilla extract

2 - 3 TB raw Lucuma Powder

Blend up in food processor until smooth, tossing cacao nibs in after other ingredients. Roll in Lucuma powder for best taste. Don't have any? You can try raw carob or raw cacao powder. Keep in fridge.

Cacao Date Balls (serves 10 or so)

10 soaked (or really soft) pitted Medjhool dates
2 C raw pecans
agave nectar or honey to taste
sea salt, to taste
3 TB ground Raw Cacao nibs or raw cacao powder
roll in dried shredded coconut

Photo below has a fresh raspberry in the center!

Blend all ingredients together in food processor. Roll into bite sized balls and store in the fridge. Perfect by themselves or dipped into the Strawberry Sauce below

Strawberry Sauce (serves 2-3)

2 C fresh organic or partially thawed frozen strawberries
agave nectar or honey to taste

Blend ingredients together in food processor until creamy and smooth. Store in the fridge. Perfect over fresh fruit (like chopped Mango) or with the Cacao Date Balls above.

Cacao Shake (serves 2) TRACI'S ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!

2 frozen bananas (thawed out a little so they're softer)
1 TB raw tahini
2 TB raw almond butter
agave nectar, to taste
2 TB raw Hemp Protein powder (optional)
1/2 TB Raw Cacao nibs
2 TB Raw Cacao powder
dash sea salt (optional)
2 cups pure water, almond or nut milk (you can make this raw yourself or buy non-raw almond milk at the store, your choice)

Blend all ingredients together in blender until smooth and creamy. Sooo Dreamy and addictive!

Raw Almond Milk (serves 3-4)

1 Cup raw almonds (other other raw seeds or nuts), soaked in pure water overnight in fridge
2 Cups pure water
agave nectar or honey to taste
vanilla extract to taste

Drain almonds, then blend all ingredients above together in blender until smooth and creamy. Strain out almond pulp. Store in fridge. You can make chocolate milk by omitting the vanilla and adding carob or cacao instead. This doesn't last very long in fridge, so drink it up!

Banana Baby (serves 1)

1 ripe banana, sliced or whole
raw almond or nut butter
agave nectar or honey

Spread almond butter on banana and drizzle with agave or honey. Sooo Yummy!!

Turtles (serves 1 or 2)

several large soft medjool dates
handful of raw pecans

Pit all the dates, insert 1 pecan half in each date. Arrange on plate. Divine!!

Chocolate Heaven (serves 3-4)

1/2 C raw almond or nut butter
3 TB raw tahini
1/4 C raw carob powder
agave nectar or honey to taste
sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together in bowl with fork. When done, this should taste sweet, chocolately and a little salty, like a peanut butter cup! You can shape these into little balls or just eat plain. Super rich and yummy!!

Turtles (serves 1 or 2)

several large soft medjool dates
handful of raw pecans

Pit all the dates, insert 1 pecan half in each date. Arrange on plate. Divine!!

Frozen Fruit Dream Cream (serves 2)

this recipe requires a Champion juicer with the blank plate in

4 frozen bananas
2 Cups frozen mangos or other sweet fruit

Run frozen fruit through the Champion into a large bowl. Serve and enjoy! Guiltless ice cream!

Midnight Madness (serves 1)

1/4 ripe avocado
1 ripe banana
1 TB of raw carob powder
agave nectar or honey

Mash avo and banana together in bowl and add other ingredients, or blend all together in food processor. Mix until smooth & creamy!

Strawberry Cookies (serves 3 or 4)

requires dehydrater

1 Cup ripe organic strawberries
3/4 Cup raw cashews, soaked for 20 minutes until soft
agave nectar or honey to taste

Blend ingredients together in food processor until smooth. Spoon onto teflex sheet in round cookie shapes about 1-2 cm thick and dehydrate at 95F for several hours, flipping over when ready. Dehydrate until firm but soft, like a chewy cookie. Enjoy! Store in fridge.

Chocolate Orange Cake (serves 4)

Filling:
2 Cups fresh raw young coconut meat (the white pointed ones) OR double the recipe from Midnight Madness and just add the orange zest
3-4 TB raw cacao powder OR raw carob powder
4 dried pitted prunes, soaked for 1/2 hour
1 TB orange zest (peel)
agave nectar or honey

Crust:
1 C Pecans, ground into powder
6 soft Medjhool Dates
dash sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)

Mix crust ingredients in food processor until mixture is fairly blended together. You may want to add a few more nuts or a date or two to have the desired consistancy. Spread into pie pan. I always make the filling much sweeter than the crust. Blend other ingredients in food processor until smooth, and spoon onto pie crust. Cover in fridge for a couple hours and enjoy!!