Splendid Brownies

Everyone is our household is a big fan of brownies (in fact it is very hard to find people out there who dislike those magical squares right?). 
A vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free version of the most desired sweet thing, seemed like a very bad idea at the time I found this recipe. Replacing flour with black beans? All the 'what the hell' bells started ringing. 
Also in theory I can't bake, mostly because I find it very hard to follow any recipe without adding something or leaving something out. Well in this case, I was able to tick this box too!
So I made a few changes to the initial recipe. Instead of pumpkin puree I used avocados and we had no vegan chocolate at home so I used some very bitter choc chips. It gave the brownies  a twisted erm... twist. 

Ingredients

1 can of black beans rinsed and drained. 

1 tablespoon of white vinegar ( I used apple cider vinegar instead)

2 small ripe avocados  

• 3 tablespoons of melted and cooled coconut oil 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ( I didn't have this so left it out) 
• 80ml date syrup 
• 150g gluten free oats 
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda  
• 100g of cocoa powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• a handful of vegan dark chocolate chips and a handful more for the top. 

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 and grease a square brownie pan. Put all ingredients in the food processor apart from the choc chips. Process until in becomes really smooth. Fold in the choc. 

Pour the mix in to the baking pan and top it with the rest of the choc chips. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 20 minutes. The last thing is very important and the hardest instruction to follow as by this time the smell has brought everyone in the kitchen. 

Cut and eat!!! 

Cinnamon Orange Muffins

Easy to make, Christmas treat. Perfect with mulled wine.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups (gluten free) flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl, cream 1/3 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, egg, vanilla and orange zest.
3. Blend flour combination and milk into egg mixture.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin.
5. In a small bowl, mix together remaining butter, sugar and cinnamon until mixture becomes crumbly; sprinkle over top of muffins.
6. Bake at gas mark 5 for 20-25 minutes.

Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes

for the cupcakes

• 150g room temperature unsalted butter
• 150g vanilla sugar (that is a homemade version and can be made with a vanilla pod planted in a jar of caster sugar)
• 3 eggs (take out of fridge ahead of time so it's room temperature)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsb xanthan gum
• 150g gluten-free white flour
• dash of organic full fat milk

Preheat oven gas mark 5
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy then beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add in the baking powder, xanthan gum, flour and milk.
Pour into cupcake liners in a cupcake tin and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top and a cake tester comes out clean.
Let cool and then frost.

For the cream cheese frosting

• 150g cream cheese
• 150g softened butter
• 110g icing sugar
• 3 tbsp good quality berry or fig marmalade. I used my friend's Serafim 's mother's excellent fig marmalade.

With a hand mixer, mix together cream cheese and butter until combined.
Add marmalade to the cream cheese-butter mixture.
Sift in the icing sugar and mix well with a spatula. Chill in fridge for at least an hour before use.
Spread on top of cupcakes with the spatula. Decorate with a couple of raspberries on top or other.

Carrots Are My Friends

Full of moist and goodness, carrot cake is easy to make and yum. This is a gluten free version for one big cake or 36 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

200g sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups light olive oil or avocado oil
200g all-purpose gluten-free flour mix
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups freshly grated carrots
50 g unsalted butter
80 g cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g gluten-free powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 200 c or gas mark 6.

Cream sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl with an electric beater or stand mixer. Add oil and vanilla and beat just until smooth.

In a separate bowl combine gluten-free flour mix, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until blended.

Stir in grated carrots and nuts. Pour the batter into prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. For muffins, reduce baking time to 30-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

While cake or muffins are cooling place butter, cream cheese and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat on high until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.

When cake is cool add the frosting. Same for cupcakes.

Summer Pudding Winter Joy

Summer pudding is a gateaux for lazy people like me.
Ingredients :
200g strawberries
300g blueberries
500g raspberries
100g redcurrants
180g caster sugar
a packet of sliced white bread (gluten free bread is working too)
How:
Wash fruit and gently dry but keep strawberries separate. Put sugar and 3 tbsp water into a large pan. Gently heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil for 1 min, then tip in the fruit apart from the strawberries. Cook for 3 mins over a low heat, stirring 2-3 times. The fruit will be softened, mostly intact and surrounded by dark red juice. Put a sieve over a bowl and tip in the fruit and juice.
Line the basin with cling film as this will help you to turn out the pudding. Overlap two pieces in the middle of the bowl as it's easier than trying to get one sheet to stick to all of the curves. Let the edges overhang by about 15cm. Cut the crusts off the bread. Cut 4 pieces of bread in half, a little on an angle, to give 2 lopsided rectangles per piece. Cut 2 slices into 4 triangles each and leave the final piece whole.
Dip the whole piece of bread into the juice for a few secs just to coat. Push this into the bottom of the basin. Now dip the wonky rectangular pieces one at a time and press around the basin's sides so that they fit together neatly, alternately placing wide and narrow ends up. If you can't quite fit the last piece of bread in it doesn't matter, just trim into a triangle, dip in juice and slot in. Now spoon in the softened fruit, adding the strawberries here and there as you g0
Dip the bread triangles in juice and place on top - trim off overhang with scissors. Keep leftover juice for later. Bring cling film up and loosely seal. Put a side plate on top and weight down with cans. Chill for 6 hrs or overnight. To serve, open out cling film then put a serving plate upside-down on top and flip over. serve with leftover juice, any extra berries and cream.

Bananarum A

There is nothing worst for a woman's silhouette than being pregnant + discovering that apart from cooking, baking is amazing too.
It 's all downhill from now on my friends, all the way to Fatland.

First ever attempt to bake was more than successful, boyfriend suggested to get a stall at Broadway Market and sell them. Ha, as If I don't have anything else to do on a Saturday!

So for gluten free Bananarum-a Muffins you will need:

Ingredients:
100g Caster Sugar
100g Butter (at room temp or microwaved for 5 sec.)
2 Eggs
3 Large Ripe Bananas
170g Rice flour
50g Corn flour
1 tsp Gluten free Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 shots of Dark Rum
chocolate flakes


Preheat the oven to 200C. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Use a small electric hand mixer. Add both eggs and mix well until you have a smooth light & airy mixture.
Mash the bananas one at a time and add them. Mix well between each banana until they disappear into the mixture. These hold the muffins together really well and allow this recipe to be made without xanthan gum or another binding ingredient.
Mix the rice flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt together in a separate bowl. Sift this mix into the butter and egg mixture bit by bit, mixing in between until you have a thick but even consistency and all the flour mix has disappeared into the wet mix. Pour in the rum gently. Add the chocolate flakes and mix again very well.
Spoon into muffin cases until even. The baking powder will make them rise so don't make them overflowing.
Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown.