Pantry recipes
Vanilla Chia Breakfast Pots
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Make these simple chia pots ahead, then finish with fruit just before serving.
Serves: 2
Prep: Approx. 10 minutes, plus chilling
Cook: No cooking; chill at least 4 hours
Two rounds of stirring make the difference between a smooth chia pot and a mixture with dry clumps. Mix everything in one bowl first, let the seeds begin to swell, then stir again before the longer chill.
Ingredients
- 40g chia seeds
- 250ml milk of your choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or to taste
- 150g berries, to serve
Method
1. Mix the liquid ingredients
Pour 250ml milk of your choice into a mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, then whisk until the syrup is evenly mixed through the milk.
Starting with the liquid ingredients makes it easier to distribute the vanilla and sweetness before the chia seeds begin to thicken the mixture.
2. Whisk in the chia seeds
Sprinkle the 40g chia seeds into the bowl while whisking. Scrape around the sides and base so no dry pockets remain.
Leave the mixture for about 10 minutes. During this first rest, the seeds will begin to hydrate and the milk will become slightly thicker.
3. Stir a second time
Whisk the mixture again, breaking up any clusters that formed during the first rest. Check the base of the bowl, where seeds can collect.
The mixture will still be loose at this stage. Do not add extra seeds simply because it has not yet reached the thickness you want; it will continue to thicken as it chills.
4. Cover and chill
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Keep the berries separate until you are ready to serve so the topping stays fresh.
Before portioning, give the chilled pudding a thorough stir to even out the texture from top to bottom.
5. Adjust the texture
If the pudding is thicker than you prefer, stir in a small splash of your chosen milk, then check again. Add the milk gradually so you do not make the mixture too loose.
Taste and adjust the maple syrup if needed. The base should hold on a spoon while remaining easy to stir and divide.
6. Finish the breakfast pots
Wash and dry the berries. Divide the chia pudding between two small bowls or pots and spoon the berries over the top.
Serve chilled. The quantities make two modest portions; add the fruit at serving rather than mixing it into the bowl before the long chill.
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