Madeleine Shaw: Two Healthy Desserts

Madeleine Shaw, the goddess of healthy eating, shares her tasty dessert recipes

Madeleine Shaw is mama to baby Shay, a nutritional therapist, cookbook author and yoga teacher. We interviewed Madeleine here — check out her fab advice to new mamas and how she got back into shape after giving birth. Madeleine has authored a number of stunning cookbooks, the latest of which is A Year Of Beautiful Eating. Check out her delicious healthy dessert recipes below!

Madeleines

“It’s not a coincidence that I love madeleines. My love for these soft, shell-shaped sponges blossomed at a young age, but I also lived in France for a brief time when I returned from Australia. I’d just set up my blog, and was experimenting with how to make some of my favourite treats gluten, dairy and refined sugar free. Well, I finally did it with the madeleines, but I have to say I’m yet to crack the croissant!”

Makes 16, serves 6–8

50g coconut oil, melted, plus extra for greasing
60ml almond milk
85g maple syrup or honey
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
120g buckwheat or white spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the strawberry chia jam

400g strawberries
4 tsp chia seeds
3 tbsp maple syrup

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 and brush a madeleine tray with melted coconut oil.

2. Make the jam by blending the strawberries, chia seeds and maple syrup until smooth. Leave on the side – the chia seeds will soak up the liquid and the mixture will become gelatinous after 10 minutes.

3. To make the madeleines, whisk the coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, lemon zest, egg and vanilla together in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarb and stir to mix. Pour the batter into the madeleine moulds and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

4. Serve the madeleines with a dollop of jam. They are also great dipped in chocolate.

Rhubarb and Coconut Rice Pudding

“I first tried rice pudding on a yoga retreat. It’s the most comforting dish; I love it made with Indian spices like cardamom and cinnamon. Rice pudding goes perfectly with stewed rhubarb – and any leftover rhubarb compote is great on top of porridge or on toast at a later date. Pudding rice can be hard to find (trust me, it took some time!) but no worries if you can’t find it. Just use short-grain or basmati rice, although check the cooking time for basmati as it cooks a little quicker.” Madeleine Shaw

Serves 2

500ml rice milk or other milk
200g coconut cream
1 vanilla pod
1 cinnamon stick
1 cardamom pod
1 tbsp maple syrup
120g pudding rice or short-grain rice
2 tbsp flaked almonds, to serve
extra maple syrup, to serve (optional)

For the rhubarb compote

2 rhubarb stalks
2 tbsp maple syrup
grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Directions
1. First make the rhubarb compote. Finely chop the rhubarb into 1cm pieces. Place in a saucepan with the maple syrup and orange zest and juice. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer for 15–20 minutes until cooked through. Keep warm to serve with the rice pudding.

2. Meanwhile, put the milk, coconut cream, vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, cardamom pod and maple syrup in another pot, over a medium–low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 10 minutes. Then bring to the boil and add the rice. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring well, until the rice is cooked through. Take out the cinnamon stick, vanilla pod and cardamom pod (if you can find them).

3. Serve the rice pudding with a dollop of the rhubarb compote and sprinkled with flaked almonds on top, plus a drizzle of maple syrup if needed.