Dark Chocolate Raspberry Parfait

Dark Chocolate Mousse. Creamy Yogurt. Tart Raspberry Sauce. All in a dark chocolate raspberry parfait. 

This healthy dessert is rich, flavorful, and so good for you! Desserts are usually full of sugar, lacking in nutrients and leave us craving more and more. This is different. 

This blended chia pudding parfait is low in sugar and provides nutrients that will build you up rather than leave you feeling empty at the bottom of an empty pudding cup.

 

Health benefits of this chia parfait recipe from a nutritionist:

I love chia pudding and with this recipe you will too! 

If you’re unfamiliar with chia seeds, keep reading! They’re a big part of what makes this recipe a healthier take on chocolate raspberry parfait. 

Here’s a little breakdown of the nutrient-packed ingredients in this dessert.

• Chia Seeds act as the thickening agent and are a great source of fiber. Fiber is slower to digest, keeping you full longer, your blood sugar balanced and supporting gut health. Fiber can promote heart health, reduce cholesterol and improve digestion, just to name a few benefits! 
• Dark chocolate is where the parfait pudding will get its rich, decadent flavor. Choosing an organic brand that is 80-100% cocoa will ensure that your dessert will be low in sugar and full of antioxidants.
• Yogurt and fresh raspberries work well together in this treat to provide antioxidants and probiotics that support for your digestion! Choose a plain, low sugar coconut or greek yogurt that’s rich in probiotics. Raspberries provide prebiotics, which the probiotics need to grow in our microbiome and become useful as well as anti-inflammatory antioxidants.

 

Why you’ll love this chocolate raspberry parfait:

• It’s low in sugar and packed with nutrients, but still decadent.
• This raspberry parfait dessert is also gluten free and paleo. You can make it dairy free by using a dairy free yogurt.
• It’s an easy homemade dessert to whip up, with just a handful of ingredients.
• The raspberries, cream, and chocolate mousse make this a tri-colored treat that’s quite festive – a perfect Valentine’s Day dessert, or bring it along to your next dinner party.
• The tangy creaminess of the yogurt and tart raspberry sauce really compliment the chia pudding making this a treat that’s full of flavor and more decadent than you believe! 

 

Ingredients you’ll need for dark chocolate chia mousse and raspberry parfait:

• 1 bar of 80-90% chocolate approximately 2.5-3 oz. Endangered Species or Pascha
• 1 can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup unsweeted almond milk like Three Trees
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or honey
• ¼ cup + 2 ½ tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 ½ cups frozen raspberries
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened vanilla yogurt, use a full fat greek yogurt, Forager’s Cashew Yogurt or CocoJune Coconut Yogurt

 

How to make dark chocolate raspberry parfait:

1. In a small or medium saucepan, add enough water to fill the pan with 1 inch of water and place on the stove on medium-high heat. Bring water to a boil.
2. Find a glass or metal bowl that can sit on top of the pan without touching the water. Add chocolate to the bowl to melt over the heat of the boiling water. When about 80-90% of the chocolate has melted, remove from heat and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool for approximately 5 minutes.
3. Vigorously shake the can of coconut milk before you open it to combine the liquid and coconut solids. Very slowly stream in the coconut milk along the side of the bowl while whisking to incorporate well into the chocolate. Make sure to the stream the milk very slowly and whisking at the same so the chocolate doesn’t separate. This will allow for a more fudgy chia pudding. Follow by gently whisking in the almond milk.
4. Add the chia seeds, and coconut sugar (if using) and whisk to thoroughly combine. Chill in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes to allow chia seed to absorb the liquid and expand.
5. In the meantime, add the frozen raspberries to a small sauce pan and warm over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the fruit has warmed and thickened to your preferred consistency.
6. Once the chia pudding is set, pour it into a high speed blender and puree until smooth. Divide pudding equally across 4 cups. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to set. Once set, layer with yogurt and raspberry compote. Top with shredded coconut, chopped nuts, and/or cacao nibs.
7. Best enjoyed chilled.

 

Try these variations of this parfait dessert:

• Make it completely dairy free by swapping the yogurt for a dairy free option – try coconut yogurt like CocoJune! 
• If you tolerate dairy, you can also use unsweetened whipped cream for an extra touch of richness.
• Use any fruit you’d like! Blueberries, blackberries, cherries or strawberries would all be delicious.
• For hint of sweetness use honey, coconut sugar, mapel syrup or monkfruit for unrefined sugar options.
• You can use all coconut or all almond milk, but the combination creates the perfect consistency. 

 

How to store your raspberry parfait or make it ahead:

Keep assembled parfaits in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days and are even better the day after they’re made – all the flavors really come together!

You can prep this dessert a day ahead. Again, just store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy!

Decadent pasta dinner recipes to pair with your parfait:

Roasted Tomato and Lamb Ragu

Vegetable Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash

Paleo Shrimp Pasta

Other low sugar dessert recipes you’ll love:

Apple Crisp

Matcha Brownie with Cheesecake Swirl

Gluten Free Blackberry Cobbler

ENJOY!

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If you make this Chocolate Raspberry Parfait, please share a photo with me! It would make my day! Tag me on Instagram or Facebook @withthymenutrition or email me directly at hi@alannadesalvo.com.