Dairy-Free Whipped Topping Berry Dessert

Oh my goodness.....this is the best tasting whipped topping dessert!!!  The deliciousness is all about the whipped up pears, cashews and vanilla.  I have been experimenting and looking for a good whipped topping for a long time and was so excited to see this on Julianna Hever (The Plant-Based Dietitian's) blog.  Chef AJ created this with Julianna and I decided to give it a try.  I am so glad I did, because this is amazing. I have made this for many people and they all loved it, including two cooking/nutrition classes I just taught. I added a little lady bug at the top with some dairy-free mini chocolate chips for some extra cuteness. You have to give this dessert a try. Julianna also just published her book "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition available on Amazon August 2, 2011.

Dairy-Free Whipped Topping Berry Dessert
Printable Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 cups sliced berries
mini vegan chocolate chips

Pear-Cashew Cream
1 (28 oz.)  jar of pears in own juice (drained)
1/3 cup raw cashews
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tsp. xanthum gum

Directions:
1.)  Make cashew cream by blending drained pears, cashews, vanilla and xanthum gum in blender until smooth. 

2.)  Place 2 cups of sliced berries in 4 serving dishes.  Cover with cashew/pear cream and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.  Add a lady bug by add 1/2 red grape to skewer, followed by a strawberry (cut small wings out by making thin sliced on each side of strawberry).  Finish lady bug by adding some mini chocolate chips for spots.  Display on top of cashew/pear Cream.