The key to success with these easy-to-make puddings is choosing a full-flavoured pumpkin such as Jap. Baking the pumpkin takes more time than steaming, but you’ll be rewarded with a rich, sweet taste that more than compensates!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ground linseed/flaxseed – preferably golden
3 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups mashed, baked pumpkin (cut pumpkin into wedges and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes or until soft – no oil required; allow to cool before scooping the flesh out of the skin and mashing)
8 prunes, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
1 cup silken tofu, divided
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce*
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup cashews, soaked in water for 2 hours
1/4 cup pitted dates, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes (retain soaking liquid)
Extra nutmeg for garnish

Method:

Whisk ground linseed and water together and leave for 5 minutes to thicken. Transfer to a food processor or high-speed blender, add mashed pumpkin, drained prunes, 1/2 cup tofu, spices, applesauce and maple syrup, and blend on high speed until completely smooth.

Scoop pudding into 4 serving dishes and chill for at least 1 hour.

Drain cashews, and blend with drained dates and remaining 1/2 cup silken tofu, drizzling in enough soaking liquid from the dates to reach desired consistency.

Top puddings with tofu cream and sprinkle on additional nutmeg.

* If you can’t find unsweetened applesauce in your health food shop, buy unsweetened apple purée – the kind that’s sold in the kids’ snack food section at the supermarket; or make your own. I make applesauce in my Thermomix by blending cored, chopped apples for 5 seconds at speed 8, then cooking at 100°C for 10  minutes on speed 2, then blending for 10 seconds on speed 10.