Lunchtime puddings have become a bit of a lockdown thing at home: a midday treat providing comfort and sustenance in between Zoom calls. Working-from-home desserts, however, have to be a little less indulgent than the likes of syrup and custard and warm sponge. There’s enough flavour here to brighten up another working day at home, and lots of nourishment to fuel you through it.
Quick granola, yoghurt and roast plums and figs
This makes a lot of granola and plenty of roast fruit – pudding for two for almost a week! – so store what you don’t eat in an airtight container and covered in the fridge respectively.
Prep 15 min
Cook 40 min
Makes 8 servings
For the granola
100g whole, skin-on almonds
60g prunes
50g dried cherries
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 tbsp honey
30g sesame seeds
30g pumpkin seeds
30g sunflower seeds
200g rolled oats
1 large egg white
For the roasted fruit
8 large, ripe black plums
10 figs
75g light brown sugar
100ml apple juice
To serve
Greek yoghurt (100g per person)
Orange blossom water (½ tsp per person)
Heat the oven to 185C (175C fan)/385F/gas 5½. To make the granola, roughly chop the almonds, then cut the prunes into chunks roughly the same size as the cherries.
Warm the oil and honey in a large saucepan, then pour in the seeds, oats, almonds and dried fruit. Sir through the egg white, then tip out on to a large baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, until the oats are toasted brown, then remove. Turn up the heat to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7
Now make the roast fruit. Cut the plums and figs into quarters and place on a metal roasting tray with sides. Sprinkle over the sugar, then roast for 10-15 minutes, until the edges of the fruit are starting to darken.
Remove the fruit from the tray, leaving behind the caramelised juices. Pour in the apple juice, place the tray on the hob on a low-medium heat and warm, stirring the juices to loosen the caramel. Once it has dissolved into the juice, simmer for three minutes, until the syrup has thickened, then pour into a heatproof bowl to cool.
When you’re ready to serve, spoon some yoghurt into a bowl, then top with some of the roast fruit, granola, syrup and a few drops of orange blossom water.
