British Summer Berry & Chia Parfait with Vanilla Skyr
Layered summer-berry chia jam and vanilla skyr — a fresh, high-protein British parfait rich in omega-3.
Best for A protein-rich summer pudding with plant omega-3 from chia and walnuts
This is the parfait I make when the hedgerows and market stalls are heavy with British summer berries and I want pudding without the sugar crash. A quick no-cook chia jam sets the berries into a glossy, seed-flecked layer that spoons beautifully against cool vanilla skyr, while toasted oats and a scatter of walnuts add crunch and backbone. It's genuinely a dessert — bright, jammy, creamy — but the chia and walnuts carry the omega-3 and the skyr does the protein, so it satisfies instead of spiking.
Ingredients
- 300 g mixed berries , fresh; hull and halve any large strawberries
- 30 g chia seeds
- 20 ml maple syrup , plus a little more to taste
- 1 lemon , zest and 1 tbsp juice
- 500 g vanilla skyr
- 5 ml Vanilla extract , only if using plain skyr (optional – can be omitted)
- 40 g rolled oats
- 40 g walnuts , roughly chopped
- 4 fresh mint , small sprigs, to garnish (optional – can be omitted)
Instructions
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1
Make the chia jam: put 200 g of the berries in a bowl and crush thoroughly with a fork until juicy and broken down. Stir in the chia seeds, maple syrup, lemon zest and lemon juice. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes, stirring once halfway, until thick, glossy and spoonable like jam. Taste and add a touch more maple syrup only if the berries were sharp.
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2
Toast the oats and walnuts: warm a dry frying pan over medium heat and toast the rolled oats and chopped walnuts, tossing often, for 4–5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate to cool and crisp. If your skyr is plain rather than vanilla, stir the vanilla extract through it now.
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3
Layer the parfaits: in 4 glasses, spoon in half the skyr, then half the chia jam, then a sprinkle of the toasted oats and walnuts. Repeat the layers, finishing with the remaining fresh berries, the last of the toasted topping and a mint sprig. Serve straight away for maximum crunch, or chill up to a few hours (the topping will soften but the flavor deepens).