camp meals

Lemon Gel Protein Pudding

Sugar-free lemon gelatin set with powdered yogurt. A cold dessert for a basecamp with a cooler or a cold night.

calories
180
weight
2 oz
cal / oz
90
protein
16 g
serves
4, scales
prep
10 min
cook
5 min
total time
15 min
water
1000 ml boiled
cost
$

Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.

  • Dessert
  • Canister stove
  • Campfire coals
  • Car camping
  • Basecamp
  • Canoe / raft
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten free
  • Nut free
  • One pot
  • Pre-mix at home
  • Shelf stable
  • Basic

Ingredients

Sugar-free lemon gelatin powder 2 packets
Water 1 liter
Powdered whole milk yogurt or plain milk powder 3/4 cup whisked with 1 cup of the cooled water; a cultured yogurt powder gives the tang
Unflavored whey protein powder 2 scoops vanilla works, cut the gelatin sugar-free packets accordingly
Dried lemon slices 4 for the top, optional
Citric acid or lemon powder 1/4 tsp sharpens the lemon after the powder mellows it

Method

  1. Boil the liter of water, then pull the pot off the flame.
  2. Stir in both gelatin packets until no grains are left on the bottom. Scrape the sides.
  3. Let the pot cool all the way to camp-cold. This is the whole recipe. Warm gel curdles the milk protein into strings.
  4. Whisk the yogurt powder and protein powder with a little of the cooled liquid into a smooth paste, then whisk that paste back into the pot along with the citric acid.
  5. Pour into mugs or jars, lid them, and sink them in the cooler or set them out overnight if the night is below 40F. Six hours to set, longer is better.
  6. Top each with a dried lemon slice.

The original is a refrigerator dessert. On the trail the fridge is the cooler or the night air, and fresh yogurt is not coming with you, so the yogurt is powdered and the protein comes from whey powder instead of a tub. Everything else survives the change intact.

The cooling step is not optional. Gelatin liquid still above body temperature will curdle milk protein on contact, and you get a grainy, separated set that no amount of stirring fixes. Boil early in the evening, cook dinner while the pot sits, then mix the powders in when the pot is cold to the back of your hand. Sugar-free gelatin sets firmer than sweetened, so the protein powder can go in without loosening it.

Packing

Gelatin packets, yogurt powder, protein powder, and citric acid go into one bag at home, but keep the gelatin separate from the powders so you can dissolve it alone. Dried lemon slices in a small envelope so they do not crush.

Variations

  • Sugar-free lime or orange gelatin behaves the same way.
  • Skip the yogurt powder and use only protein powder for a dairy-lighter, clearer set.
  • Set it in a single wide pot and spoon it out rather than portioning into jars.

https://www.matprat.no/oppskrifter/sunn/enkel-proteindessert-med-sitron