Ah, the classic trick of pretending to eat healthy while secretly indulging in the sweet, sweet allure of dessert. The lemon cucumber salad is the kind of light, refreshing dish you pretend to savor while planning your next dessert course. With tangy lemon and crisp cucumbers, it feels like you’re on a cleanse—until you hit the rich coffee caramel pudding. That pudding will make you forget about your ‘healthy’ choices. It’s a smooth, velvety end to a meal that leaves you wondering, “Should I really be eating all this?” Probably not, but here we are.
Lemon Cucumber Salad with Coffee Caramel Pudding
A tangy and refreshing lemon cucumber salad paired with a smooth and decadent coffee caramel pudding. It’s guilt and glory.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cucumber Salad:
- 2 cucumbers thinly sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh mint chopped
For the Coffee Caramel Pudding:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Slice cucumbers thinly, place in a bowl.
- Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper together.
- Pour the dressing over cucumbers and mix.
- Garnish with chopped mint and chill.
- For the pudding, heat cream, milk, and sugar in a saucepan.
- Dissolve the coffee granules into the hot mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and cornstarch.
- Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened.
- Stir in vanilla, then pour into dessert glasses and chill.
- Serve the chilled salad alongside the creamy pudding.
Notes
Nutritional Values (Per Serving)
Calories: 340Total Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Carbohydrates: 34g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 5g
Vitamins and Minerals (Per Serving)
- Vitamin A: 8%
- Iron: 6%
- Calcium: 8%
- Vitamin C: 25%
- Magnesium: 4%
Additional Notes/Tips
- Add more lemon zest to the salad for extra zing.
- Don’t skip the chilling process for the pudding. It’s what makes it indulgent.
- Consider a little espresso drizzle on top of the pudding for an extra kick.
