Choc-berry buckwheat bake

I have a new favourite....maybe two new favourites! Here we have them combined together in the same dish!

The concept of the buckwheat bake is nothing entirely new since buckwheat has formed the basis of my gluten free cakes and single servings for some time now, but for some reason I have never given it credit in its own right before. So today we celebrate all that is buckwheat!

The concept of the buckwheat bake is not my own and has been explored in various ways over at Ashley’s blog Edible Perspective. This is where I also first came across the general concept of the coconut cream topping (but I've just looked back and can't find the page to link it too-sorry!), I’ve since taken that idea to some crazy new heights (p.s I’m super excited about it!!) You may have seen a photo or two pop up on my Instagram in the last few days.

The buckwheat bake makes the perfect breakfast dessert....my absolute favourite combination. I think these little gems even give my baked oatmeal concoctions a run for their money...craziness indeed!

I have made the buckwheat bake a few times now, in different sizes and varying the cooking technique. Both the oven and microwave work just fine. The photos here show the single serve microwave version but I also made a large oven bake version for Mother’s Day last weekend which was luscious...slightly more moist and fudgy than the microwave version.

You can use any fruit you fancy, I was in the mood for red berries since I was going for a Mother’s Day theme, I also opted for chocolate to max out the indulgence factor, but you could omit this is you preferred. I imagine pumpkin, ginger, apple, pear and banana bread versions would also be amazing.

Ok, I’m going to stop now, I’ve made myself hungry, and have no food to hand. Never a great plan.....

Oh, and the topping...I almost forgot!

I’ll save that for another post :-p

Recipe: Choc cherry buckwheat bake

Serves 3

Ingredients:

½ cup buckwheat flour

2 tbs cocoa powder

½ heaped tsp baking powder

¼ cup date syrup (or 2-3tbs other sweetener o]f choice)

1 tsp almond extract

1 mashed banana (or ¼ cup apple puree or yoghurt)

1 tbs chia or flax

1/3 cup milk of choice (I used soy)

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1 cup of mixed berries (I used frozen blueberries and raspberries)

¼  cup flaked coconut or almonds (I used a mixture)

Method

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl and then add to the dry, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

 Break up the raspberries a little and mix half of the fruit lightly through the batter- I used frozen fruit to minimise colour running.

Spoon the batter into 3 single serving dishes or one larger dish. Grease the bottom of the dish if you are using a larger dish and not eating directly from it. Press the remaining berries onto the top and sprinkle with the coconut/almond.

Bake at 180C for approx 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes away clean. Note: individual dishes are likely to require less baking time. Alternatively serve into individual dishes and microwave on full power for 2 minutes each.

The microwave version in slightly dryer and cakier than the oven version which I found to be a little more moist and fudgey which I (slightly) preferred.

more buckwheat bakes.. with the first trial of topping (not as smooth)

Mother's Day bake- sorry for 'blue' photos the daylight was not cooperating!

For further guidance on making gluten free choices please see this post.

For tips and info on recipe measurement conversions, ingredients, substitutions and the methods behind how I do things.... check out my 'baking tips' tab at the top of the page.