Pumpkin Spice Parfait

We all need a little sweetness in our lives. When pumpkin and the spices from the Orient were first joined, something magical happened. No one could quite explain it, but it was as if the New World and the Old World first made friends and began to put the whole war and pirate business in the past. At least that's what I'd like to think.

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So, at Day 6 of my 31 Days of Pumpkin Spice, the pumpkin and the pumpkin pie spice are making their first appearance together in my vegan version inspired by A Beautiful Mess's Pumpkin Pie Pudding. I decided to go all the way and add some ice cream and make it a true parfait. Because those things are delicious.

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Pumpkin Spice Parfait

 Ingredients:

• 1 large box of vanilla pudding
• # of cups of milk according to package directions (I used cashew milk for it's creaminess and lack of aftertaste)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Whipped topping (I used So Delicious Cocowhip)
• 2 Cups crushed ginger snaps
• Carton of vegan ice cream, plain or vanilla (I used coconut milk ice cream)

Follow the directions on your pudding box and cook the pudding in a sauce pan. You want a very creamy milk for pudding, so I used cashew milk. Coconut milk is also a good choice, but has more of it's own flavor. Some puddings call for the addition of an egg yolk. I sprinkled some of The Vegg egg yolk replacer into the mix as it was cooking, but this is optional.

After the pudding is fully cooked, remove from heat, add the pumpkin puree and the spice and whisk in. Pour the pudding into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to prevent that pudding skin crap that never mixes back in. Refrigerate for at least one or two hours, until it is cold and solidified.

When the pudding is almost ready, crush the ginger snaps. You can do this in a variety of ways: with a mortar and pestle, with a food processor, or the ol' put 'em in a bag and whack 'em trick. I like my crushed cookies in larger pieces, so I hand-crushed them by placing them in a ziplock bag and gently smacking with a rolling pin. If you prefer fine cookie crumbles, use a food processor.

After this, it's just all about the layers. Layer the ice cream, cookie crumbles, and pudding until you near the top of your pudding glass. 

Add the whipped topping and you're in business! I add a sprinkle of nutmeg on the top for taste, as it is my favorite spice.

If you are serving for a party, or just feel fancy, add a cinnamon stick or a whole ginger snap to decorate the top.

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This is Day 6, in my 31 Day of Pumpkin Spice. Join in the fun on Twitter with your favorite recipes, quips, or (semi)historical facts by using the hashtag #TeamPumpkinSpice

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