đDe Parang Now Start: 4 Days 'Til Christmas
Ponche de Creme- Trini Christmas Classic recipes that will level up your plant-based table one at a time.
Happy Thursday, Love!Â
How are you feeling today? Have you started gathering those holiday ingredients yet?
Well, I'm here to add a few more to your list, as we continue our dive into Trini Christmas classics. Like many other countries around the world, Trinidad has a few very special holiday drinks that are revered widely. In this issue, we're tackling the famous Trini Ponche de Creme. This is a creamy holiday treat that could be likened to eggnog or cremas in other countries.Â
You'll be shocked and awed at how easily and effortlessly this recipe achieves this luxurious treat using just a few easy-to-source plant-based ingredients. I made one base and two flavors.
Buckle up! Let's ride.
Melâs Pumpkinâ & Peanut Ponche de Cremes
Full disclosure: I found a ton of traditional ponche de creme recipes online and a few not-so-traditional ones. I came up with an amalgamation of a few that worked for me. This vegan ponche de creme recipe mightâve converted me as Iâm allergic to cowâs milk and never quite developed a taste for milky drinks.
Made with a quick homemade vegan condensed (coconut) milk, almond milk, a lilâ pumpkin puree, and a whole lotta love, this drink took me back to sitting on the living room floor listening to my cousin and uncle old talk as Mom and Granny baked black cake. This drink will transport youâif you let it!
Hereâs what youâll need:
Âź large piece of boiled and pureed pumpkin or squash (this is your egg substitute-you can use canned as well)
Âź cup of almond or any plant-based milk (optional)
Ÿ -½ cup of Johnnie Walker Whiskey Double Black (or liquor of your choice)
½ tbsp of lime zest
1-2 tbsp of Angostura Bitters (to taste)
2 cans/ small cartons of coconut milk
3 tbsp of creamy peanut butter (optional)
Nutmeg (grate/ shake until the ancestors whisper âenough childâ or as much or as little as you like)
Hereâs what youâll need to do:
#1 Make your condensed milk
In a small pot, reduce down 1 ½ cups of coconut milk with two to three pot spoons of brown sugar on low heat. Let it cook down to half of the original amount while stirring constantly. Boom! youâve got your vegan condensed milk.
#2 Build your base
You want to peel and puree your boiled pumpkin. Make sure to drain any excess water so the puree is nice and thick.
In a bowl, you are going to combine your condensed milk and your remaining coconut milk with your pumpkin puree, nutmeg, and whiskey. Coconut milk can be very thick, use a 1/2 cup of your favorite plant-based milk to thin out the mixture if needed. I like to incorporate everything well by hand and then give it a quick whiz in the blender to ensure that it is smooth.
I did two versions; the first one was a classic ponche de creme, so I stopped here with that one. For my peanut ponche de creme, I blended the classic mix with a tablespoon and a half of creamy peanut butter.
Remember, you can add as little or as much alcohol as youâd like, but make sure that you add plenty that youâll be drinking at home.
#3 Drink Up
I used peanut butter for my flavorâsome people use fresh roasted peanuts, Iâm TOO lazy for this! However, to each his own; you can oven-roast your peanuts, blend them up with a plant-based milk of your choosing, and strain for that more authentic peanut flavor. Then, mix it into your base. However, Iâm all about easy, and the fewer steps the better. Nevertheless, the flavor options are only as limited as your imagination. You can add a little more pumpkin for a pumpkin-flavored version. You can try coconut or peppermint, one of the more controversial flavors is chocolate about anything you can think of really is permissible depending on your audience.
Pour over ice and Voila!
I hope you arenât too tipsy, but a little holiday buzz wonât hurt. I hope you enjoyed this issue and are loving these Trini Christmas classics as much as I am. Share this recipe with a friend and have a sip together.
Until we meet tomorrow, drink up! You deserve it.
XOXO,
Mel
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