Three Easter desserts celebrating Indigenous ingredients

As Easter approaches, why not infuse your holiday table with a delightful blend of tradition and innovation? Embrace the richness of Indigenous ingredients by incorporating them into your dessert offerings this season. From the sweet earthiness of maple syrup to the vibrant hues of wild berries, these three desserts showcase the diverse flavors and cultural heritage of Indigenous cuisine. Get ready to impress your guests with treats that honor the land and its Indigenous peoples, making this Easter celebration truly unforgettable.

Cinnamon Wild Rice Pudding
Indulge in a delightful twist on a classic dessert with our wild rice pudding recipe, enhanced by the natural sweetness of Passamaquoddy Maple syrup and sugar.

What you’ll need:
2 cups cooked wild rice
½ cup Passamaquoddy Maple syrup, plus extra as garnish
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups half and half, warmed
2 eggs
¾ cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
Passamaquoddy Maple sugar for dusting

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice according to package.
2. In medium sized bowl, mix rice and all other ingredients except for pecans. Turn into a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole, sprinkle with pecans and cinnamon sugar.
3. Bake for 1 hour or until warm and set.
4. Serve warm or chilled, drizzle with additional syrup before serving.

Beanie Brownies
This recipe is a great way to “sneak” in some protein with Tepary beans. The infused raisins add a savory flavor while the sweetness of the honey keeps things in balance.

What you need for the brownies:
1 cup cooked brown Ramona Farms tepary beans
½ cup Hershey’s cocoa
¾ cup Ioway Bee Farm honey
¼ cup salted butter, melted
½ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup chopped pecans
½ cup infused raisins (recipe below)
2 eggs
¼ tsp salt

What you need for the infused raisins:
½ cup raisins
1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ cup milk
¼ cup Ioway Bee Farm honey
1 cup hot water
½ tbsp vanilla

Infused Raisins Instructions

1. Let ingredients soak for 20 to 30 minutes then blend on low until smooth. This will be added to the brownie ingredients.

Beanie Brownie Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8″ square pan.
2. In a large bowl mix all of the brownie ingredients together. Mix in blender or with mixer until smooth.
3. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
4. Cool before removing from pan. Makes approximately 16 2″ squares.

Hazelnut Maple Sorbet
This recipe is inspired by the book “The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen” by Sean Sherman. We have made adjustments using our favorite SweetGrass Trading Co. products. Hazelnut milk is easy to make, but in a pinch you can use organic packaged milk. This recipe serves 4 to 6 people.

You will need:
3 cups hazelnuts
4 cups water
½ cup Passamaquoddy Maple syrup to taste
1 pinch salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put hazelnuts on a roasting pan and bake until they smell nutty and the skins crack, about 10-15 minutes. Remove, place in a clean dish towel and rub to remove some of the skins.
2. Put the hazelnuts into a jar and cover with water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain the hazelnuts. Rinse and put into a blender with 2 cups of fresh water. Blend until smooth and creamy. Strain through a cheesecloth until most of the liquid is removed.
3. Pour the nut milk into a bowl and add the maple syrup and salt to taste. Transfer to an ice cream maker or large baking dish and freeze. Temper slightly at room temperature before serving.