Combine the raspberries, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla essence in a blender and blend until completely smooth. This creates a silky, naturally sweet base that will absorb the chia seeds evenly. Pour the mixture into a bowl or individual serving glasses.

Add the chia seeds, sea salt, and lemon zest to the raspberry mixture from Step 1 and stir well to combine. I like to add lemon zest at this stage because it brightens the raspberry flavor without overpowering it. Make sure the chia seeds are distributed throughout—they'll expand and thicken the pudding as they absorb the liquid.

Cover and refrigerate the pudding for at least 1 hour, or overnight for best results. The longer it sits, the thicker and creamier it becomes as the chia seeds continue to absorb the liquid. I find overnight chilling gives the most luxurious texture, but 1 hour works if you're in a hurry.