Finally we have enough power so I can at least do some typing and some cooking.

Been living off takeaways, quick meals and junk food for a while now. It was such a pleasure to wake up and not rush around or get home from work and not stress. It will be wishful thinking to hope load shedding is over.

But while we have power and water, I will enjoy it.

I came across this recipe during lockdown and due to restrictions I never really got the chance to locate Labneh. The first time I heard about such an ingredient was on My Kitchen Rules Australia and then I read it in Bibby’s recipe book. I have never seen it in our local super markets. To prevent disappointment, I just shoved this recipe right at the back on my recipe file.

This past weekend, I decided it was time for a deep clean on my recipe file and there this recipe was and then I remembered that I had come across this ingredient online the other day. I quickly hoped online to check it was still available from the local supermarket and it was. I quickly added it to the cart and asked for a quick dash and collect. 20 minutes later I was whipping up a pudding in the kitchen.

The original recipe used Labneh and turned it into a cheesecake. I opted to make it into a pudding, by substituting the base ingredients.

Instead of the granola, dates, nuts and water, I took a short cut and blitzed Lotus biscuits. Verdict, delicious, smooth, yummy and creamy. I might have over done it with the honey and towards the end I was queasy. My parents verdict, my mother was not a fan of the labneh, it is a unique acquired taste and well her taste buds are local and not international cuisine. My dad as usual complained that the berry coulis was far too too sweet and I was pushing up his sugar. I didn’t want to inform him that there was no sugar in the coulis rather honey but who am I to correct an old man…shh don’t tell him I said his old.

Ingredients:

• 1 x packet Lotus biscuits, crushed.
• 1 x 250ml tub Labneh.
• 1 x tsp vanilla essence.
• 2 x tbsp. honey.

Method:

• In a bowl, whisk together the labneh, vanilla essence and honey. Set aside.
• In a long milkshake glass, lay a biscuit base at the bottom of the glass.
• Place a labneh mixture base next
• Alternate between the two layers, ensuring that you end with a labneh layer.

Top with  fresh berries and drizzle with a coulis.

To make the coulis, puree 125ml fresh strawberries with 30ml honey, strain and discard the seeds.