Maple Ginger Cashew Cream

Try a dollop of smooth, creamy Maple Ginger Cashew Cream on a piece of pumpkin pie, slather it on pancakes or waffles, or use it as a sweet and luscious dip for cookies or fruit.

You know those food matches made in heaven's kitchens? The ones that taste as if they were meant to go together? Like apple pie and ice cream, wine and cheese, or potatoes and gravy?

Well, yesterday we had our pumpkin pie with Maple Ginger Cashew Cream, and now I don't know if I can ever eat it with anything else again. I mean, a spoonful of whipped cream is fine, and so is a scoop of ice cream, but give me a generous dollop of cashew cream to make my pumpkin heart sing. Whipping up soaked cashew nuts with a slurp of amber maple syrup and a pinch of warm ginger turns them from nutty to very, very nice - velvety, rich, and creamy.

This sweet cashew cream is very versatile. Use it, of course, to top pumpkin pie, or any other type of pie that would go well with the flavours. But you can also use it to top oatmeal porridge, or pancakes, or waffles. Blend it into smoothies, stir it into yogurt, or top a slice of pound cake, banana bread, or gingerbread with it.

Maple Ginger Cashew Cream also makes a delicious sweet dip on its own. Surround it with fresh apple wedges, banana slices, small or broken cookies (like gingersnaps, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies), graham wafers, pecan or walnut halves, or dried fruits or dates, for dunking.

Send a little container of it in your kids' lunch boxes with some apple wedges, cookie pieces or tiny graham teddy bear crackers to dip into it - so much better than those packaged dips of sickly sweet icing.

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Kitchen Frau Notes: If you don't have a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix, Blendtec, or Ninja) make sure the nuts have soaked at least 6 hours, and try whizzing them in a mini food processor, or a regular blender, making sure to scrape down the sides occasionally. They may not blend up quite as silky, but should still be just as tasty.

In Canada, maple syrup usually comes in four grades: No. 1 Golden or Light, No. 2 Amber, No.3 Dark, No. 4 Very Dark. The darker the syrup is, the stronger the maple flavour. I always go for the Dark, if I can get it, for maximum flavour.

For plain cashew cream, omit the ginger and use honey or raw agave nectar instead of the maple syrup.