Chocolate Almond Coconut Berry Cream (Printable Version)
A luscious layered cream with chocolate, almond, coconut, berries, and protein—ideal for breakfast or dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chia Pudding
01 - 1/4 cup chia seeds
02 - 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
03 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
05 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Protein Cream
07 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
08 - 1 scoop (about 30 g) chocolate or vanilla protein powder
09 - 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
10 - 1 tablespoon almond butter
11 - 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
→ Berry Layer
12 - 1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen — raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries)
13 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (optional)
→ Toppings
15 - 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
16 - 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
17 - Fresh berries (optional)
18 - Dark chocolate shavings (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the chia seeds, almond milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt until thoroughly combined. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes, then whisk again to break up any clumps. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the pudding reaches a thick, gel-like consistency.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, protein powder, shredded coconut, almond butter, and maple syrup. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
03 - In a small bowl, gently toss the mixed berries with lemon juice and maple syrup if using. If working with frozen berries, thaw them first and drain off any excess liquid.
04 - In serving glasses or jars, layer the chocolate chia pudding, protein cream, and berry mixture. Repeat the layers once more if desired for a taller presentation.
05 - Finish with sliced almonds, shredded coconut, fresh berries, and dark chocolate shavings. Serve immediately or chill until ready to enjoy.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It legitimately tastes like dessert but packs enough protein to keep you full until lunch.
- No oven, no stove, and you probably already have most of the ingredients hiding in your cabinets.
02 -
- Those two hours of chilling are nonnegotiable because raw chia seeds in thin milk is a sad texture nobody deserves.
- Taste your protein powder mixed with yogurt before assembling, some brands are cloyingly sweet and you may want to back off the maple syrup.
03 -
- A fork actually works better than a whisk for breaking up chia clumps because it gets into the corners of the bowl more effectively.
- Warm your almond butter for ten seconds in the microwave before stirring it into the yogurt and it blends in half the time.