Cadbury's Creme Eggs...crazy healthy style!

I know this is a Silent Sunday (that will be along later) but I just couldn't help myself...I got so excited yesterday when this recipe worked out, I actually shouted 'yes' as I cut into the 'yolk' and it looked so amazingly realsitic....if I hadn't been holding a sharp knife at the time I would have also flung my arms in the air!

This recipe, may appear to have a few steps to it, but actually it very simple and the coating is my 'worlds healthiest truffle recipe' which really you should make a batch up anyway (because it is amazing!) and because it makes for perfect Easter truffle balls... plus the 'dough' can be made in advance and frozen which makes things much more versatile.

So the yolk....would you ever have guessed it was a dried apricot! Nope didn't think so!

And for the white creme...my newest 'coconut cream' discovery. You saw it first in this green smoothie cheese cake recipe, and I have loads more recipes that use that as a base coming up.

A little bit of freezer action in between to help firm things up and make the eggs easier to model and there you have it!  I've even provided some step by steps pictures.... just cos I'm being nice today ;-)

Can you believe this crazy indulgent recipe is sugar free, fat free, gluten free.... It also just about fits my Wholefoods Challenge (other than the tiny bit of agave in the truffle mix- but I let that one slip!)

Would you ever think these could make Creme Eggs!!! Crazyness at is best...

Right I'd better go, as I am off to London to meet a friend at the Vitality Show at Earl's Court...there is an amazing line up of stalls and events and Terry Hope Romeo is giving a talk on veganism..so excited!!

I have another Easter themed recipe planned for next week...I'd love to hear of your Easter plans too!

Recipe: Healthy Cadbury's Creme Eggs

Makes approx. 5-6

Ingredients:

1 batch of this truffle mixture* (you will probably have some left over)

approx. 1 heaped cup vegan yoghurt (or any yoghurt for non-vegan)
1/4 heaped cup fine coconut flour (it is important to use the fine stuff to get a really smooth paste)
1/2 tsp pure liquid vanilla stevia (or to taste) or regular stevia and extra vanilla extact.

1 dried apricot for each yolk

*If you don't want to make the truffle mix, you could freeze the eggs once you have wrapped them in coconut cream and then once fairly solid, smooth the surface into shape and dip in chocolate (obviously not quite so healthy but still better than regular creme eggs!)

Method:

Make a batch of truffle mixture and set aside (this can be made in advance and chilled/frozen).

Mix the yoghurt, coconut flour and stevia together to form a thick smooth paste. Chill for approx. 30 minutes until very stiff.

Once the 'white' is stiff, form egg sized dollops tucking a dried apricot in the centre of each one, Roughly smooth into egg shapes. Lay on a lined baking sheet (so they don't touch) and re-freeze for another 30 mins or so until fairly firm.

Meanwhile roll approx. 30g balls of truffle dough into ovals approx. 2-3mm thick, and then wrap around the eggs, using a wet finger to smooth the seams. Allow to sit for a few minutes so that the whites inside can fully defrost and get super creamy. Yum!!

I imagine these would store in the fridge for a few days (I haven't tested that though!)

Christmas party time! (and the Christmas pudding recipe!)

Yesterday was a crazy day! 

Thankfully it finished on a high with my work Christmas party...my 8th and final Christmas party with the architects practice since as of next Wednesday I will be leaving the gang to find my own way into this big big world...more on all that another time. After the chaos of the day I was looking forward to eating good food and letting my hair down. 

All the team pitched in to cook a huge Christmas roast... I was chief event co-ordinator and so of prime importance to me was to make sure we had plenty of vegetable dishes! Of course there was lots of meat as well for the rest of the team so I let them get on with that part. I cooked up a chestnut and cranberry nut roast for me...but big enough to share (for anyone who cared for a slice), I also made a little batch of vegan bread sauce- no way was I going to miss out on that regardless of the fact I didn't have turkey to accompany it, it was a perfectly fine match for my nut roast! We also made a variation of this brussel sprout salad without and bacon but with extra shallots and sliced chestnuts too...it was so good!

For dessert we had fruit salad, along with some more of these truffles that i'd whipped up earlier in the day. I also had my 'Christmas pud for one' whilst my colleagues served up their puddings and gateaux. I served my pudding with a drizzle of Alpro vegan vanilla pouring yoghurt. I'd not come across it before but found it in the supermarket yesterday and was very excited to try it, whilst I can't say its healthy since it does contain quite a lot of sugar, it was great for a little treat and for a change to regular vegan yoghurt or cream and the lovely vanilla flavour gave a real festive feel.

Instagram Christmas pud!

As promised here you have my Christmas pudding recipe, I found my notes! Most Christmas puddings require preparation way in advance and also need hours of steaming- not this one... here is a pudding in a day!

Recipe: Mini Christmas pudding (quick, easy and gluten free)

(Makes 2 mini puddings or one slightly larger. serve 2-4 altogether)

Ingredients:

50g each of raisins, sultanas and dried apricots
50g oatmeal or GF flour mix of choice (note: rice flour may give a slightly grainy texture though barely noticeable)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3tbs ground almonds
1 tsp each orange and lemon zest and a small squeeze of juice (or 1 tbs sugar-free marmalade)
1 small grated apple
1/2 tsp mixed spice (cinnamon/nutmeg/cloves)
1 tbs brandy (or omit for non alcoholic)
10g rapadura/fruit sugar or other unrefined granulated sugar

Method:

In a food processor pulse the dried apricots to chop very roughly and then add the sultanas and raisins and pulse a few times to achieve a very coarse paste (the raisins should still be mostly whole).

Transfer to a small bowl and mix through the grated apple. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.

You can either prepare this mix the night before and let to sit overnight to 'mature' or you can use it straight away (I tried both ways and did not notice a significant difference to flavour).

Spoon the mixture into two silicone egg poachers (similar to this method) or one slightly larger domed bowl (silicone or glass). I really recommend silicone since its so much easier to remove once cooked. Make sure you cover the tops very well, I used baking parchment and then foil over folded tightly to the rim.  Steam the puddings with the bowl half submerged in simmering water with the covered top well out of the water. Steam for 90 minutes for 2 mini puddings or slightly longer for a larger pudding (I only tried making two smaller ones).

Allow to cool with the tops still fully covered, and uncover when ready to serve.  If you are serving these at a later time, they can be re-steamed or simply microwaved for 1 minute each to warm through.

P.s this recipe is actually much simpler than it sounds in these steps!!

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.

DAY TWENTY SEVEN: 'Surprise me Saturday' Chocolate pillow cakes

We are nearly at the end of Vegan Mofo now…the month has flow by! I’ve enjoyed my oaty experiments and also following other vegan bloggers along the way. One last round-up of inspring recipes tomorrow but for now I give you chocolate!!

Just other day I was contemplating something chocolately, I was also contemplating whoopie pies…something I have not yet attempted to create.

The result of my kitchen experiment were these light as a cloud chocolate pillows, not a whoopie pie as such as they don’t have a frosting (no reason you couldn't whip up a batch of healthy banana frosting or this jam and cashew cream to sandwich between them) and anyway I wasn't really attempting a full on whoopie pie quite yet. I love the way they rose and cracked the surface as they baked.

The best thing about the these little flat sponge cakes are so versatile, much more so than a cupcake. They also have a healthy dose of fruit (you could also add some beetroot!) and are fat free. Healthy fats are an important part of any diet, but its sometimes nice to create a cake on the lighter side- plus you then have the option to dress these up with a slather of peanut butter…oh yeah!

I've used wholemeal spelt flour for these cakes as I've found it typically gives a lighter crumb than GF flours, particularly when baking fat free, but there is no reason at all why you shouldn't try substituting your favourite gluten free mix- you could add a little oil if you wished to ensure a good texture.

One of my variations for an afternoon snack was a light covering of sugar free raspberry jam with a handful of fresh garden raspberries on the side…yummy!

What variations will you be coming up with?

Recipe: chocolate pillow cakes

Makes approx. 12-16 pillow cookies (depending on size)

Ingredients

1 cup wholemeal spelt flour

½ cup cocoa powder

¾ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon

Pinch salt

½ tsp chocolate extract (optional for a more intense flavour)

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup agave and a pinch (1/6^th tsp) stevia

½ cup apple puree

1/3 cup vegan yoghurt

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Up to 1/3 cup soy milk (or other vegan milk) to achieve required consistency

Method

Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the dry and mix through evenly.

Add just enough soy milk to achieve a smooth batter, not to runny so that it flattens right out when spooned onto the baking sheet, but not so thick that the surface does not have a smooth appearance.

Bake at 180C for 10 mins or until just beginning to brown and the sponge springs back when pressed with fingertips.

What Vegan MOFO means to me.

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.

Raspberry ripple chocolate torte slices (fat free)

These chocolate torte slices are the perfect summery twist on my tried and tested chocolate brownie torte recipe. Super healthy and indulgent…yet light and fruity!

The perfect summer snack to put a smug smile on your face, knowing that you can indulge guilt-free without worrying about undoing all your hard ‘beach-body’ work.

These are also the perfect pick me up….or in this case the ideal ‘get well soon’ gift. The recipe below makes a small batch of 4 slices (you could easily double the recipe) as I created this recipe for a friend who was laid up and recuperating after an accident. The criteria was simple….low fat but not low taste!

I often use coconut oil or coconut butter in my recipes, as a healthy good fat which I rarely skimp on, but in this instance I wanted to lower the fat as much as possible or even eliminate it. The obvious choice was the brownie recipe, and so to change things up a bit and create a unique dessert, here you have the raspberry almond version. 

I used crushed frozen raspberries to mix through the batter as they hold up better when they are mixed through (although you can barely see the pieces in the photos). I also sprinkled a few extra pieces on the top and then once out of the oven I glazed them with a layer of sugar free raspberry jam.  I made sure these brownies were not too overly sweet as I love the richness of the dark chocolate and tartness of the raspberries contrasting with the sweet topping, but you can increase the agave/stevia slightly to taste. If you add more agave (up to 1/3 cup it might be advisable to increase the flour by a couple of tablespoons also).

These chocolate slices  are by nature more dense and gooey than cakey when bitten into, although they do have a lovely firm texture. I think they are best served warm as a dessert, maybe with a little vegan icecream or cashew cream with some extra berries on the side.

Recipe: Raspberry ripple chocolate torte

4 slices (approx. 3x9” pan)

Ingredients

½ cup silken tofu

¼ cup agave and a pinch of stevia

1 tsp almond extract

1/3 cup black beans

1tbs ground chia plus 2tbs hot water

½ cup wholemeal spelt (or GF mix)

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

¼ cup frozen raspberries- crushed

Handful cacoa nibs or dark chocolate chunks- optional

Handful flaked almonds

Handful frozen raspberries- crushed

Method

Blend all wet ingredients together in food processor until well mixed and smooth. Mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add the wet ingredients, mixing lightly until well mixed, add the cacao nibs (if using) and the ¼ cup crushed frozen raspberries last and fold through the mixture.

Spoon the batter into a smallish tin or mini muffin pans, scattering the remaining frozen raspberry pieces and flaked almonds across the top

Bake in a preheated oven for approx. 25 mins (less time for mini muffins). Test with a toothpick in the centre to check when done.

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.

Celebrations all round……easiest ever fat-free vanilla sponge!

Today it is the official day of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Street parties and bunting have dominated the country this (cold and rainy) weekend. All the packaging in the shops has also gone mad for the jubilee…take this for example:

image source

Well, it made me smile!

Myself, well I have another small reason to celebrate, well two in fact!

On Saturday I won a prize with a photo I’d submitted to a competition for nature photography, the image I submitted was this one. It meant a lot to me as I’m hoping to push my photography to the next level over the coming months and not just in the area of food photography, so this small element of recognition inspired my confidence!

Secondly, drum roll please…..

…..This post is my 200^th post on this blog! Wow, that seems crazy to me and to think less than nine months ago none of this existed.   

To celebrate all of these things I wanted to make a jubilee inspired cake. For this occasion I have created my easiest ever fat free GF vanilla sponge.  It takes the form of a mug cake in its simplicity but here I have dolloped the sponge in the same way I did with this birthday cake to create a pretty stack! 

You could use other GF or spelt flours in place of the buckwheat as I have used.  Then let your imagination run wild with layering combinations…. Berries and cashew cream (or yoghurt for a lighter version) make the perfect summer pudding centrepiece with minimal effort!

 

If you have no celebration coming up…simply celebrate being alive, that in itself it pretty amazing after all!

Recipe: fat free vanilla sponge

Serves one as 3 dollops or 1 mug cake

Ingredients

3tbs buckwheat flour (or other mild flavoured GF flour)

1 tbs ground almonds

1 tsp agave

½ tsp vanilla extract

Scant ½ tsp baking powder

3tbs plain soy yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non-vegan)

Method

Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl and then add wet ingredients and mix together well.

Either spoon into a microwavable bowl/mug for a mug cake or spoon in little round dollops on a microwavable plate to serve as flat sponges that can be layered up with fruit and cream in between.

Cook in the microwave  on full powder for 1 minute for flat dollops or slightly longer for a mug cake. Alternatively cook in the oven for approx.. 10-15 mins depending on size until ever so lightly golden.

Add-ins: substitute 1tbs flour for cocoa powder. Add a tablespoon of nuts/dried fruits /fresh fruit/choc chunks…..

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.

‘Twelve Days’ day 11: mini choco-nog sponges

I had really enjoyed my chocolate yule log, it was so indulgent yet not at all heavy and sickly sweet (meaning I could eat a lot in one go). It was the combination of the light and airy fat-free swiss roll sponge combined with the luxurious (but healthy) chocolate frosting that made such an amazing pairing and so it got me thinking….how else could I achieve that same effect?

Frosting is the obvious answer, so this time instead of going for the obvious cupcake and frosting scenario, I decided to make another tray of swiss roll sponge but this time instead of rolling it up, I cut out circles with a cookie cutter and frosted those instead. So then you have mini chocolate sponges.  But the chocolate sponge needed something a little bit special and a little bit (ok, a lot bit) seasonal to top it. 

I’ve already given you a number of cranberry and mincemeat inspired creations (and I haven’t quite finished with the cranberries yet!) so I didn’t really want to go down the fruit route again.  This left the Christmas spiced combo up for grabs. Not that I mind…I love ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla- all warm and creamy dreamy. Mmmmm.

So egg nog anyone? Or maybe more accurately in this case, simply ‘nog’. Or even more appropriately… choco-nog mini sponges!

Ok, so now you’ll think I’m crazy…but…I have never actually tried egg nog. I’m not sure I’ve ever even come across it on the shelves (although often if you’re not looking for something you don’t realise it actually exists when its right in front of you face!)  So, here I am making what I call a ‘nog’ frosting having never actually tried egg nog before!  This may be nothing like real ‘nog’ but it’s a warm and creamy nutmeggy-vanillary frosting and to me that sounds like a noggy creation…or what I imagine one to be!

I’ve used banana in this recipe which does give a little bananary taste. If you would prefer a more neutral base to let the spices shout more loudly then feel free to reduce or omit the banana and substitute for more cashew (or other neutral) nut butter instead.

I know…I really must find some egg nog to try this Christmas, I’ve heard the vegan versions are pretty good so I just need to track some down! In the meantime whipping up a bit of this frosting with some almond milk and a dusting of nutmeg on the top may well just do the trick- I’d certainly recommend it and it's definitely the best way to clean up the remnants in your blender!

Recipe: mini choco-nog sponges

Ingredients
 

Frosting

¾  cup cashew nut butter

4 dates

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp rum extract

¼- ½ tsp ground nutmeg

½ a frozen banana (or another ¼ cup nut butter)

½ cup firm tofu (water pressed out)

3 tbs maple syrup/brown rice syrup/agave nectar

Pinch of stevia powder (approx. 1/6 tsp or to taste)

3 tbs coconut butter melted- if you want a thicker frosting (omit for a soft whippy frosting)

Makes approx. 1 ½ - 2 cups

Sponge

10 1/2 oz. firm silken tofu

1/3 cup rapadura

1/3 cup agave syrup

1 tbs vinegar

1 tbs water

1 tbs vanilla extract 

1 tbs ground flax mixed with 2tbs hot water

1 cup whole wheat spelt flour

¼ cup ground almonds

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½  tsp salt

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.

 

Makes approx. 20 mini sponges (depending on their size and shape)

Method

Prepare frosting by adding all the ingredients to the food processor and blending together until smooth. If your blender is less powerful you may want to chop up the dates and soak them in a little hot water first. Once fully blended, the mixture will be thick but fairly runny. Set aside to use as a soft frosting or if you added the coconut butter for a thicker frosting, spoon into a bowl and allow to firm up in the fridge for an hour or two.

To make the mini sponges. Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Line a 10x15 inch pan with baking parchment.

In food processor, mix tofu, rapadura, agave, vinegar, water, vanilla and flax mix (see note below). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Pour the blended tofu mixture into flour mixture; stir together thoroughly.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top of the batter evenly  and bake  for 10-12 minutes. 

Once the sponge is cool, lift out of the pan, place on a cutting board and using a circle (or any simple shape) cutter, cut rounds of sponge out of the slab. There will be a little wastage (or nibbles), so to avoid this you could cut the slab into squares.

Once the frosting is prepared, drizzle, spoon or pipe the nog frosting onto the individual sponges and serve immediately. The frosting and sponges can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored separately for last minute frosting.

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.