To make Chia gel, just add liquid to chia seeds, its as simple as that, no mystery. This is because Chia seeds absorb liquid and this also makes the seed soft.

Raw, unsoaked chia seeds are hard and crunchy. They can be eaten raw, the taste being very mild and nut-like. Making a chia gel softens the seeds and makes them easier to eat and more versatile for use in recipes. An added benefit is that the soaked Chia seeds absorb the flavour of whatever liquid they are soaked in, making some interesting flavour combinations possible.

You can soak chia seeds in water, milk, nut milk, fruit juice, stock, gravies, eggs, vegetable juice, or whatever other liquid you would like to try.

Its fine to vary the thickness of the gel by adding more or less liquid as you wish..

I prefer to soak my chia seeds whenever I use them whole unless I want a crunchy texture.

To make a basic chia gel.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1 cup of liquid

Method

1. In a bowl, add the seeds to the liquid, and whisk them in with a fork or whisk.
2. After a few minutes you will need to whisk the gel again to make sure  seeds
3. don’t clump together in the bottom of your bowl. Leave to stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. This enables the seeds to absorb the liquid.  Two tablespoons of chia seeds to one cup of liquid makes a very thick gel.

To make a fruity chia gel

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 cup of fruit juice. I like to use orange/mango. Any fruit juice will do and you can also use your own freshly made juice.

Method

1. Whisk together in a bowl and leave to stand, making sure to stir to prevent clumping.
2. I like to use fruity chia gel as a topping over cheesecake, icecream or yoghurt.

It can be eaten on its own. Kids seem to love its fruity taste.

Ideas

A good idea is to have some water based chia gel on hand in the fridge to add as an egg or butter substiute to cakes or cookies, one tablespoon of gel replaces one egg. Replace half the butter with an equal portion of gel.  Prepared chia gel will keep for up to 2 weeks. To make an egg substitute I use 3 teaspoons of chia seeds to one third of a cup of water to replace one egg

For cake

• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For glaze

• 2 cups chopped pecans (71/2 ounces)
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 5 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Special equipment: a 9-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan

Make cake:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pan well and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
2. Melt butter (2 sticks) in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then whisk in cocoa. Add water and whisk until smooth, then remove from heat. Whisk in separately sugar, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl, then sift again into cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined (don’t worry if there are lumps).
4. Pour batter into cake pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 45 to 55 minutes. (Leave oven on.)
5. Cool cake in pan on a rack 20 minutes, then loosen edges with a thin knife and invert onto a plate.

Make glaze:

1. Spread pecans in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 6 to 8 minutes. Cool pecans slightly in pan on a rack, about 5 minutes.
2. Melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, then stir in half-and-half and confectioners sugar. Add chocolate and cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and salt. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
3. Spoon glaze over top and sides of cake (cake will still be warm) and spread with a small offset spatula or knife to cover completely.

(via Kosher Recipes: Lemon-Scented Almond Milk Custard | Gourmet Kosher Cooking)

We have good tags for all of that stuff!

• Berries
• Honey
• Fruits
• Eggs

And I’ll post some of my personal favourite dessert recipes for you.

- Wolf

(via Cool Rise Challah recipe from Food52)

• 2 tbsp/25 mL butter or margarine
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 3 cups/750 mL cubed day old white or whole wheat bread
• 1/2 cup/125 mL raisins or dried cranberries
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups/500 mL milk (1%)
• 1/3 cup/75 mL packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp/5 mL vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp/2 mL ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp 1 mL ground nutmeg