I need to provide a pudding for a dinner party where one of the guests cannot have any milk based ingredients. This pudding also needs to be transportable (so cannot be frozen). Any suggestions?

Does that include all dairy products?

Yes, I believe so. I know that she cannot have any milk, cream or butter.

Fresh fruit salad or a fruit platter.

I had thought of a fruit salad but was thinking that I should try to do something a little more exciting.

A summer pudding but made with winter fruits or frozen summer fruits. Or make a meringue base and when you arrive fill it with fresh fruit that could be marinated in some alcohol.

What about a Clootie Dumpling which is a scottish pudding or pears poached in red wine.

My son is lactose intolerant, and there are some products which substitute nicely. If you bake anything, while you won't be able to use butter, there are some really good dairy-free margarines (my favourite has a 4-letter name, but I don't know if I'd be allowed to mention it, but it's free from hydrogenated fats, which is a bonus) and where small amounts of milk are needed, you can either use lactose-reduced milk (it stinks, but it's fine cooked into stuff) or soya milk (the ones that are free of maltodextrin are very nice).

This of course, opens the door to being able to make a wicked chocolate cake (using only plain chocolate or cocoa, of course) and serve it with some nice fruit, such as brandied apricots or cherries. If you make something that would benefit from a little custard (plain or posh) or cream on the side, you can find free-from versions in larger supermarkets for your guest who can't have the real thing.

One thing to look out for, mind is that a lot of quite unexpected products have lactose or even milk powder added as an actual ingredient.

Some recipes on this site that look promising:
Apple and Rum-soaked Sultana Chocolate Frangipane
Apricot and Almond Pudding (I think this one was broadcast last week)

Also if you ever saw the edition of Tony And Giorgio where George made an eggless chocolate cake for his daughter, that one is also dairy free, keeps well and makes a great pudding warmed and served with fruit and custard or cream. The recipe isn't on this site, but is easy enough to search for. I made it for my son's birthday, this year

Good luck

there are a couple of less well known milk substitutes that I've found are godly, oat milk makes perfect yorkshire puddings every time, almond milk works wonderfully for custards and set puddings, i even had people begging for my creme brulee recipe, when i made it the same as always but with almond milk, rice milk and cream make beautiful baked desserts, and soya milk makes incredible bread, far better and lighter than using skimmed milk powder.

My Step son is also allergic to dairy and for the past few years I have been learning to cook for him without using dairy when we have get togethers. Like Ouryve said there are some really great products available. You can get some from the health food shops around, again a well known retailer. This year I made biscuits(cookies) for him and used the non dairy margarines. They worked beautifully and everyone is a little healthier this year. In America (where I am from) I think some recipes we have there, substitute applesauce and prunes for the butter in some cake and cookie recipes. I haven't tried these though. Be careful for the hidden dairy ingredients. Chocolate is a definate no for him as most of it contains milk of some sort. I have been wondering about cocoa and must check the label before making something from it for him. He has only been diagnosed in the past 3 or 4 years as being intolerant.
Finesilver thanks for the tips on the other milk substitutes. I will have to give those a try sometime. Was wondering how I could make some Yorkshire puddings for him.

Hi Pat in the UK : Think you will find Cocoa ok - Not Drinking Choc tho. Choc problem is that English Style which always includes milk? or Choc whatever? If that is so Cocoa not ok: If not try Belgian/Swiss 70% or plus chocs they are cocoa solids no milk. Maybe? I did find a 'plant milk' called White Tiger - very expensive but tasted lovely when drank on own. Was with Soya/Rice/UHT(?!) variety area of supermarket. Anyone seen recently?
Yorkshire Puds could use water instead of milk! or Soya milk and water mix

Thanks Jshka, I did look at the label of the cocoa and all it says for ingredients is cocoa. Guess next time I see my step son I am gonna make him up some brownies. As those were one of his favourites that he had given up. I was thinking about the real chocolate and if they contained only chocolate and no milk products. Will have to check that out next. Don't think I have see that milk before. Will keep an eye open for it. Thanks again for the info.

Hi Pat in UK : Just had a quick check various kinds/brands from my stash:
If I dare mention brands?
Tesco Finest 72% Plain Choc : Lists Cocoa Mass:Sugar: Cocoa Butter(Not dairy):Cocoa Powder; Flavourings (Not specified)
Lindt 85% again no milk mass/solids or dairy mentioned.
Lindt Dark/Hazelnut does list butterfat- near end list
Other Ones with Nuts and bits seem to have milk butter
Tis a minefield!

Lists are also in quite small print
Happy hunting

interesting topic. not!

Actually footycrazy11, this is a fascinating conversation for those of us who've had to learn to cook without things that we used to take for granted.
Anyway Green and Blacks have a great dark chocolate range that's safe, even a few with bits, my best find for baking is that a lot of the dark chocolates that are specifically for baking use soya instead of milk, even bournville chunks are safe, despite the bar containing milk.
also on shop bought biscuits, most of the supermarket bourbon creams and orange chocolate jaffa type cake thingys are fine, although always read the label of course.

Thanks finesliver and jshka. I think my step son is now in for a few treats when I see him next. All the best and I agree this is a great topic. I have friends that have wheat allergies, Diabetics, vegetarians and I personally have a few food allergies. Nut allergies are one of the most dangerous ones to have. So reading labels is paramount for some people and for people who wish to cook for friends and family that have these problems. I really enjoy cooking and want to make things that my step son likes and the whole family can have also. Life would be pretty boring if we didn't try new things and find alternatives for things we can't have but really like.

I think that this siteis reallygreat for giving people ideas and thoughts on practical problems

Thanks for all the ideas on this topic.

Hey Frexy..Happy new year..
To the subject..have a look at...veganvillage.co.uk. this is a good site with lots of dairy free recipes. There are some pudding ones here
[link]
Banana parcels are tasty... Another nice easy and good looking one I do are Raspberry tartlets.

Clootie Dumpling has buttermilk what would be used as a substitute?

I've found soy milk with a bit of lemon mixed in and left for about an hour works a treat as a buttermilk substitute

I'll agree it is an interesting topic, specially considering it's one I've had to learn so much about over the past year for the sake of my son's health. I'm not even sure why footycrazy took the time to respond to something he(?) isn't even interested in. You sure won't find me posting on football message boards.

Anyhow, I've found it really pays off to experiment with milk substitutes. Some things work well, others, notsomuch. I tend to stick to substitutes with added calcium, mind, because of the age of my son (he's only 2) but I'm sure in a few years I'll be trying out rice and oat milks. I would love to try almond milk, but have never seen it anywhere.

Mashed potatoes taste disgusting made with soya milk, by the way, just in case anyone ever considers trying it (OK, I know it's not a pudding). The taste is just funky. Thankfully, my son has quite a strong texture aversion to potatoes in most shapes or forms, so we just cut our losses, bake him a few alphabites, which he loves, and enjoy proper buttery mash all to ourselves!

[link]

Recipe for almond milk.

Ouryve, Thanks. If I do mash for him I don't add milk. just use the soya margarine and then I either add lemon juice and garlic or even butter beans crushed up are good. Also mustard or a little sauteed onion in the mash is also good.
And I highly recommend a potato ricer. Didn't have one for years, but since having one, I hardly put milk in our mash anymore. I do however sometimes put in greek yogurt as it has a slightly sour taste a bit like sourcream. Much healthier. And I can also recommend the lemon juice with the mash, it goes well with a nice piece of grilled cod.
Thanks Marie05 for the almond milk recipe.

No one has mentioned goats milk products as far as i can see.
I discovered i was intolerant to cows milk about 6 years ago, and have since had a really keen interest in cooking, especially baking and making desserts!

For people with lactose intolerance, it is definately worth trying out goats milk productst. Goats milk has much less lactose in it then cows milk, and is much more easily digestible than cows milk products.
If i accidentally eat something with cows milk i get intense food poisoning style symptoms very soon after, however with goats and sheeps milk products i am totally fine, though goats butter and full fat goats milk are a bit too much, but that might be a psychological sickness..

It is worth experimenting and seeing anyway, you might be totally fine with goats milk and if you find this to be the case then life will be a lot easier and there will be a few more options that will open up in the way of yoghurt, milk, cheese etc. Though i still think alpro soya have a lot of stuff going on, and the sainsburys free from double chocolate cake is amazing!

Another thing i should bring up is that my digestive system was shattered after years of prescription medication, painkillers etc. I was intolerant to cows milk, yeast, sugar, alcohol, wheat, coffee, chocolate, even turkey and cod bizarrely. However after half a year of being diagnosed and treated by Mark Costar of the Ki Clinic, i started excluding those food groups, getting colonic irrigation, and taking digestive supplements and enzymes from the Ki Clinic in Lancashire and Cheshire ([link] i am now only have problems with cows milk and am being able to integrate more yeast and sugar products into my diet. So overcoming food allergies is possible, the stronger your digestive system the more chances you have of being able to eat things you never imagined was possible.

I hope thats helpful

hi im new to this thanks for the yorkshire pudding posting tried to use rice mikl and failed badly. Has everyonbe tried the rice cream can get it in tesco bit pricy but gorgeous. Does anyone know of a dairy and soya free chocolate i want some for my 18 month old. Incedently there is a chocolate brownie mix that is dairy and soya free for the person that was asking cant remember the make but it was in a green box got it in morrisons chocoalte fudge brownie its called my kids love them and they can make them themselves as you just add water.