Chocolate Rice Cereal (Cocoa Pops)

December 31, 2015September 24, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ 4 Comments

When we were growing up, my brother and I, used to hang out for school holidays and the much coveted ‘1 box of holiday cereal’!

It was always either Froot Loops or Cocoa Pops – stuff that was never otherwise allowed in our home! We would be up at the crack of dawn the first day to make sure that one of us didn’t get a bigger serve than the other 😀

Now the ‘special cereal’ tradition has been passed on to my kids … but there is just no way I could put that stuff in my trolley … even if it wasn’t for the allergies! Freedom Foods makes a pretty decent chocolate cereal that is fairly low in sugar and has extra fibre from chic peas and psyllium but it is a little box and with 4 excited kids – it makes it a very expensive treat that disappears after only 2 days!

So, I’ve had a go at making my own version of Cocoa Pops, inspired by my Sweet and Salty Puffed Corn. They are yummo – Even I have been tempted by a bowl 😉

170g puffed brown rice
2 tbsp tasteless coconut oil
1 tbsp sunflower seed butter (or nut butter)
3 tbsp rice malt syrup
3 heaped tsp cocoa powder (or 2 of cacao)
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

In a saucepan, place the oil, seed butter syrup, salt and vanilla. Cook over a gentle heat until all melted (90C, speed 2, approx 90 seconds).

Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa until you have a smooth but runny chocolate syrup.

Pour in puffed rice and mix until well coated. Initially it wont seem like enough mixture, but keep mixing, it will cover it all. I find this easier to do either in a very large saucepan or my big roasting tray – the thermal cookers aren’t quite big enough for this quantity, but do half at a time if you’d prefer to do it in one. Use the blunt blade (or reverse function in the TMX) and a very low speed.

Spread out on 2 lined baking trays (so it’s not too thick a layer) and place in a pre-heated 160C oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring once about half way through.

Allow to cool completely so they go crispy. Store in an airtight container in the cupboard, and serve as you would any cereal.

My kids have enjoyed it with cold milk and also just eating it as a snack!

Enjoy 🙂

Apricot Chicken

December 30, 2015September 13, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

In the 1970’s in Australia, Apricot Chicken was all the rage. And consequently, a lot of kids who grew up in the 80’s (like me) were raised on it as a family dinner standard.

There does seem to be 2 camps of people – those who love it and those who really dislike it – I have always loved it, and was disappointed when it had to be scrapped from our menu because of the allergens in the dried soup mix that is standard for the meal. But since I’ve been making my own French Onion Soup Dry Mix, it is back on the menu! Yay!

Please see below the recipe for a few additional recipe variations.

2kg chicken drumsticks
400ml apricot nectar
1 cup hot chicken stock (I use Massel)
2 x 400g tins chic peas (drained and rinsed)
200g dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 tbsp plain GF flour
2 tbsp Fench Onion Soup Mix
3 tbsp coconut aminos

Place half of the chicken into a double layer plastic bag.

Add to the bag half of the flour and half of the soup mix.

Shake the bag well to coat the chicken.

Place in the bottom of the slow cooker, and repeat with the remaining chicken and dry ingredients.

Add in the chic peas and apricots to the top of the chicken.

Pour in the nectar, stock and aminos then return the lid and set on high for 5 hours.

It will initially look like there isn’t enough water, but the chicken produces liquid and after a few hours there will be plenty.

After 3 hours, stir the mix and ensure that the chicken is covered with liquid, them return lid.

Serve with brown rice and steamed greens.

This makes a large quantity – about 8 adult serves. Freezes and thaws well.

A few notes:

You could also use chicken thighs if you don’t like the messiness of the drumsticks, about 1.2-1.4kg.

If you are like my husband and prefer a sweeter meal, swap out some of the chicken stock for equal quantities more of apricot nectar.

Depending on what I have on hand, I sometimes do half chick peas and half brown lentils.

If you want a less sweet meal (or need to avoid the sulphites in the dried fruit), I also swap out the nectar and the dried apricot for about 600g of tinned apricots in natural juice.

Enjoy 🙂

French Onion Soup – Dry Mix

December 29, 2015December 29, 2015 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

French Onion Soup as a dry mix is such a tasty addition to casseroles, potatoes and dips etc. But sadly the store-bought variety have gluten in them, sometimes milk, soy and lots of additives and preservatives and as such, it has been off the menu for us for quite some time. So I have been experimenting and have come up with a great substitute.

You can use it in exactly the same way as you’d use a packet of the dry soup mix. About 30g is the equivalent of 1 packet.

4 heaped tbsp Onion flakes
1 heaped tbsp Garlic flakes
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 heaped tbsp beef style stock powder (I use Massel as it is vegan too)
3/4 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried paprika

Mix all ingredients together and mill until peppercorns are fine.

You could use ground pepper if you don’t have access to a machine that mills, then just blitz all together in a food processor/blender etc.

Store in an airtight container and this will last many months (if you don’t use it first!)

Enjoy 🙂

Fruit Mince Pies

December 23, 2015January 14, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

These little bites are a regular feature at Christmas time in Australia … in fact, I’m pretty sure that they start appearing in shops about September … so hard to resist them!

I have posted previously a healthier version but I had a request from my biggest boy to ‘please just make them normal, like with the pastry from the shops’. Ok. I know when I’m beat!

I was lucky enough to be given a jar of my mum’s amazing fruit mince so I still haven’t gotten around to making my own … one day 😉

So you’ll need a fruit mince filling as well as the pastry.

1 1/4 cup plain GF flour (or 1 1/3 cups spelt)
1/2 tsp psyllium OR 1 heaped tsp almond meal (omit this if you use spelt/wheat)
1/3 tsp GF baking powder
1/4 cup pure cornflour
1/4 cup custard powder (Well and Good make a good allergy safe mix)
1/2 cup pure icing sugar
125g Nuttelex, or other vegan butter, cold
1 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas)
1 tbsp port or sherry

Place all dry ingredients into food processor and pulse briefly to combine.

Add in Nuttelex and pulse several times, until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Mix together the aquafaba and port and add it into the mix whilst processing (Speed 3 on a themal cooker). Add a little more flour if dough is too wet.

Tip mixture on to a floured surface and knead gently (Speed 1, 20 seconds).

Bring into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and place in fridge for 1-2 hours).

Roll pastry out on a floured surface to about 3mm thick.

Cut into circles, large enough to cover the base and sides of your tart shells. I used my mini muffin tin, so a small round scone cutter was a good size.

Grease the muffin tins, place the pastry base inside, then fill lined tart shells with about a teaspoon of the fruit mince.

Roll out rest of the pastry and cut out in the shape of stars, place them on top of the pies.

Bake in 180 C pre-heated oven for 20 minutes or until golden.

Allow to cool completely before dusting with pure icing sugar and eating. Makes about 14 and they’ll last for about a week in an airtight container.

Wishing you a joyous and peaceful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

Looking forward to sharing more with you in the New Year!

Wacky Cake

December 16, 2015March 1, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

This cake is based on one that 2 special friends have given me over the years (Hi Elena and Mary!). One of them lived in India, the other in Nepal, and at times, both struggled to get ‘normal’ cake ingredients, like butter and eggs, so it is made from super simple pantry staples.

There are a lot of versions around. I’ve seen them called Wacky cake, 3 Hole Cake or Depression Cake (as in, from the era of the Great Depression …. eating it will not make you feel sad!). This is my version.

See below the recipe for cupcake details and also a vanilla version.

1 1/3 cups plain GF flour (250g)
1 tsp psyllium OR 1 heaped tbsp almond/seed meal (20g)
1/2-1 cup coconut sugar (depending on your sweet tooth – I do 1/2)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tbsp white vinegar
5 tbsp rice bran oil (or tasteless coconut oil/vegan butter melted, works too)
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
275ml cool water

(if you want to use regular wheat flour or spelt, omit the GF flour and psyllium/almond meal and replace with 1 1/2 cups plain wheat flour)

In a large baking dish, place all of the dry ingredients and use a whisk to combine evenly. (or speed 4, 6 seconds – then pour into a greased baking dish/tin)

Then make 3 holes in the mix and into each hole, add 1 of the following; vinegar, oil & vanilla. (Add in all wet ingredients together, including water, then, speed 4 for 15 seconds)

Pour water over the top and mix well (you skip this step if you are using a Thermal cooker, since you have already added the water above)

Cook in a pre-heated, moderate oven for about 30-35 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Rich Chocolate Icing

1 tbsp Nuttelex
1/2 cup dark choc chip of choice
3 tbsp milk of choice
approx 1 cup GF icing sugar (more if required)

In a saucepan, gently melt the Nuttelex, choc chips and milk. (Speed 2, 100C, approx 2 mins)

Add the icing sugar and whisk until well combined and smooth. (Speed 4, 15 seconds at a time, scraping down in between)

Allow the cake to cool before icing.

We also make this cake into cup cakes – makes about 12 and they take about 17-20 minutes to bake.

We also make a vanilla version of this cake by omitting the cocoa, then adding 2 extra tbsp of flour and 1 tbsp more of almond meal, plus 1 more tsp of vanilla bean paste. If you want them to be whiter cupcakes, use white sugar instead of the coconut sugar, as it gives a caramel colour.

I have even seen recipes for this kind of cake made without cocoa and some oil removed, added mashed banana and half of the water replaced with coffee, but I’m yet to give that one a go!

Maybe it could even be turned into carrot cake with lemon icing?! Let me know if you come up with any other varieties 😀

Enjoy!

Chocolate Tarts

December 15, 2015December 15, 2015 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

My precious girls turns 4 this week.

That tiny, fragile bundle that arrived into such a boisterous house has had massive impact on our lives. Despite her size (which she will quite happily stamp her foot and tell you is ‘just the right size for me!’) she is strong, feisty, fiercely determined and independent as well as being funny, clever and kind. She is an absolute delight and the way that she deals with all of the challenges life has thrown at her is admirable to say the least!

She requested a High Tea for her Birthday … so an Ellie Safe High Tea it was. Watching her be able to serve herself and hearing her squeal ‘I can eat EVERYTHING!’ was worth every second of baking!

We had Chocolate Truffles, Mini Doughnut Muffins, Blueberry friands, Sweet and Salty Puffed corn, Chevup Sausage rolls, Gingerbread muffins, Chocolate tarts, Cucumber and soy cream cheese rye sandwiches (crust off of course!) and wholegrain rice crackers piped with hummus.

Don't think she could be any happier! — Don’t think she could be any happier!

The chocolate tarts were new to us and they were very tasty!

I used the vegan version of my Sweet Shortcrust Pasty. Half the quantity in the recipe makes 12 mini tart cases.

Use a large scone cutter to make circles of pasty, then press into a lined muffin tin and bake in a preheated moderate oven for about 12-15 minute.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from patty pan.

While the cases cool, make the chocolate custard.

I made the chocolate version of my Thick Custard, but I used chocolate almond milk this time for a bit more flavour. Reduce the cornflour to 25g. (The 12 tart cases use only half the quantity of custard made by this recipe).

As soon as custard is ready, pour it into the cooled tart cases and place in the fridge for 2 hours to set.

Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Makes 12 and they last (if there are any left!) for several days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Enjoy 🙂

Choc chip Gingerbread Muffins

December 7, 2015December 20, 2024 ~ desertcook ~ 5 Comments

I love any excuse to bake … and Christmas provides SO many opportunities!!!

These delicious little morsels are a cross between my doughnut muffins and my Christmas pancakes.

See below the recipe for a gluten free Coeliac friendly version too.

200g flour (half wholemeal if you like)
80g sugar
1.5 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp No Egg powder OR 1 whole egg
1.5 tsp GF baking powder
65g melted butter of choice
240g milk of choice
1/4 cup choc chips (we use dark chocolate dairy free chips)

In a large bowl place the flour, sugar, salt, spices, egg replacer and baking powder. Use a whisk to combine the dry mix. (or Speed 4 for 6 seconds)

In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the butter and milk.

Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and whisk vigorously to combine mix until smooth. (Speed 5, 8 seconds)

Fold through the choc chips (speed 4, 5 seconds)

Place into lined/greased muffin pans and bake in a preheated 180C oven for about 20 minutes.

Mini muffins take 12-15 minutes.

To make these Coeliac friendly replace the spelt flour with 200g of a gluten free flour mix plus 1 tsp of psyllium.

Makes 12 regular or 24 mini muffins.

These freeze and defrost really well.

**If you’re looking for a fun gift, make up a large glass jar of all of the dry ingredients in layers, then add a tag with instructions about the wet ingredients to add and the baking directions.

Enjoy 🙂

“This recipe has been included by Twinkl among their top picks for Delicious Christmas Dessert Recipes“

Gingerbread (that will also stand up in houses!)

December 5, 2015December 11, 2019 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

A few years ago Libby posted this amazing Gingerbread recipe and it has been my go to Christmas cookie recipe ever since.

Everyone loves this gingerbread, but it can be a little soft for construction work! Since we make our own Gingerbread houses, I’ve been playing around with the recipe to come up with a slightly harder gingerbread that can stand up to the building process a little better but still meets all of our allergy requirements and this is it.

If you are making this mix in a Thermal Cooker, you will need to be mindful of the weight capacity limit of the machine – I do only a half batch at a time in my Bellini. This recipe does make a large quantity of dough, and half is more than enough for a house and some cookies.

250g vegan butter
180g brown sugar
2 eggs worth of egg replacer (or 5tbsp aquafaba)
300g golden syrup
800g plain GF flour mix (or closer to 900g of you use wheat flour)
pinch salt
6 tsp ground ginger
4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp bicarb soda
120ml boiling water

In your stand mixer, cream dairy free spread and sugar until light and fluffy (Speed 5, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat twice).
Add in the egg replacer. If you are using the aquafaba here, you need to add in this extra step: in the small bowl of your mixer place the aquafaba and beat it until frothy – you don’t need to go quite as far as sort peaks forming. Add this mix into the beaten sugar mix and beat to combine. (Speed 4, 8 seconds)

Add in the syrup then mix well (Speed 4, 12 seconds)

Dissolve the bi carb in the boiling water.

Mix together dry ingredients and then add to the wet mix mixture in parts, alternating with the bicarb water. Start with 800g of flour then add more 1 tbsp at a time if the mixture feels too soft. I used a full 900g last time. (Set machine on speed 4 for about 3 minutes to allow you to add mix through the measuring cup opening while the machine mixes). *Note that the mix will still be fairly soft when it is ready to go in the fridge – it is not a really stiff dough.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours – overnight
Remove dough from fridge and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then roll dough out (use a little pure cornflour to dust the surface) and cut out to shape.

Lay on lined baking trays and place in a preheated 170C (or 160C fan forced) oven for about 15 minutes.

They will be browned and still slightly soft to touch when removing from oven
Remove from oven but leave on tray for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack.

20191210_223840 — For your reference – this is a big quantity of dough – it makes about 130 small gingerbread men!!

Then if you’re making a house you just need to get building!

For a fabulous egg free Royal icing (to use as your cement) check out this one. I made and used 2/3 of this recipe to construct and decorate our house. (For a thermal cooker: place icing sugar in bowl and set machine to speed 4 for about 2 minutes, add lemon juice and glycerine through the measuring cup opening in the top. Mix until thick and well combined … you probably won’t need all of the 2 minutes!)

My 3, 5 and 7 year old decorated ours this year and they are very proud of the outcome!

Hope you are enjoying Christmas baking as much as I am 🙂

Chicken, chick pea and date curry

November 30, 2015July 17, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ 1 Comment

This delicious Moroccan inspired curry is actually adapted from one that Libby gave me at a recipe swap night about 8 years ago – thanks Lib!

8 chicken thighs, diced
800g tin crushed tomatoes
2 x 420g tin chick peas, drained and rinsed
12 medjool dates, diced
about 4 tbsp oil of choice
1 brown onion, finely diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp plain GF flour
3 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp chilli powder
2 cups hot chicken stock (I used Massel)
1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds or blanched almonds

Into a large plastic zip lock bag, place flour and all dry spices, shake to combine then add in the diced chicken and shake well until coated.

Heat oil and brown chicken in a couple of batches, then set aside.

Heat some more oil, add onion and cook for a few minutes translucent.

Add garlic, and cook stirring for another 2 minutes.

Return the coated chicken along with any spices remaining from the bag to the frying pan.

Stir well and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stock to the pan. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chick peas and dates and cook, stirring for another 5 minutes.

Add in the sunflower seeds or almonds and serve with brown rice, corn cous cous or cauliflower rice.

Makes about 10 serves and freezes and defrosts well.

A few Budget/Bulk Cooking tips:

For less expensive dates you can use dried ones. Just add them to the pot about 5 minutes earlier so they have longer to soften and plump up.
When I need to make this meal stretch further, I add an additional 400g tin of tomatoes and an additional tin of drained chick peas. Works beautifully to feed our family 4 times over!

20160717_174828-1 — Lots to freeze – even the rice can be done in bulk.

Enjoy 🙂

Salted Caramel Bliss Balls

November 2, 2015March 21, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

I guess it’s no surprise to you by now that I’m posting more salted caramel flavoured recipes!

These bliss balls came about because I had some almond milk dulce de leche left over and I want to stop myself eating it from the jar with a spoon!

See below the recipe for nut free and coeliac options.

150g rolled oats*
30g rolled quinoa
20g flax seeds
3/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tbsp sunflower seed butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp almond milk dulce de leche (or use an extra tbsp maple syrup)
1tsp vanilla bean paste
12 pitted medjool dates

Place oats, quinoa, flax and salt in the bowl of your processor and blitz until fine (Speed 8, 12 seconds).

Add in seed butter, syrup, vanilla and dulce de leche. Process until well combined. (Speed 7, 8 seconds, then scrape down sides).

Add in dates one at a time through the top chute, on to spinning blades then process until date is finely chopped and evenly distributed. (Speed 4 whilst you are adding dates, then up to speed 7 for 15 seconds).

Use teaspoons of mix and roll into balls.