Soft white bread (Sandwich loaf, bread rolls, fruit toast and sticky finger buns)

September 2, 2015January 17, 2022 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

We don’t have very much white bread in our house. But occasionally, a soft white bread sandwich (with cheese and gherkin as my preference!) is amazing.

The base for all the recipes is below.

500g white spelt
1 heaped tsp yeast
1 heaped tsp coconut sugar
15g olive oil
275g luke warm water
1 tsp salt
olive oil to cover
1 heaped tsp pea protein powder OR 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional but acts as a bread improver)

To make the Sandwich Loaf or rolls seeded add: 20g flax seeds and 20g chia seeds

For Fruit Toast: remove 100g of white spelt and replace with 100g wholemeal spelt and add 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tbsp extra coconut sugar and 3/4 cup dried fruit of choice.

For the Sticky Finger Buns: add 1 tsp of mixed spice, 1 tbsp extra coconut sugar, optional 1/2 cup of sultanas and icing (1 tbsp melted Nuttelex whisked together with 4 tbsp pure icing sugar, few drops food colouring and topped with GF sprinkles).

Place the water, yeast and sugar in the food processor and pulse briefly to combine or speed 2 for 6 seconds). Allow to stand for 5 minutes (a good time to check that your yeast is still active. Look for it foaming).

Add seeds (milled first if you’d prefer less obvious ‘bits’) and spices if applicable and pulse again to combine.

Add flour, pea protein, salt and oil (in that order) and process to bring together (speed 6 for 15 seconds).

Tip onto a lightly floured mat and knead until dough is soft and elastic.

Add in fruit and knead at this point if using.

Cover with oil, using hands and place in a clean oiled bowl, cover and place in a warm place to double in size (about – 45 mins-1 hour).

Knock back the dough and place into oiled loaf tin or break into bun size (about 10-12 rolls or finger buns of equal weight – rolled tightly for buns) and place on a lined baking tray. It is a very light and fluffy dough so be careful not to over work it.

20150902_114328 — Need to work on making them more finger like!

Leave to double in size again (approximately another hour).

Place into a preheated 250C oven for 10 minutes, then drop temperature to 190C and cook for a further 25 minutes, or until golden on top and bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Leave to cool before slicing.

20160306_125530-1 — Sandwich loaf and rolls (plus some Yoghurt Dough Cheeseymite scrolls!)

Harry the 'Carbivore'!! — Harry the ‘Carbivore’!!

For the sticky finger buns and bread rolls, place into a preheated 190C oven and cook for about 15-18 minutes or until bottoms sounds hollow when tapped. Ice while warm.

Enjoy!!

Will-kshake

August 2, 2015August 2, 2015 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

My biggest boy, William, is about to turn 7 and has recently become quite interested in ‘creations’ in the kitchen.

A couple of weeks ago, he made this smoothie which has now become known as a Will-kshake in our house and he was very keen for me to share it with you!

We made it in our Nutribullet, but you could also do it in a high powered blender.

It is very thick and filling and he tells me that it’s like having soft serve ice-cream for breakfast 🙂

1 cup milk of choice, nice and cold
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1/3 cup frozen mango
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 a ripe banana (fresh or frozen – frozen makes it even thicker)

Add all ingredients to cup and blend until smooth.

Enjoy 🙂

Thick custard – vanilla & chocolate

August 2, 2015June 15, 2021 ~ desertcook ~ 1 Comment

I’ve made allergy friendly custards before, like this one, but I’ve been looking for a plain custard to use with cakes and puddings for desserts.

This is version I have come up with – so far I have only made it in my Bellini – so I’m not sure about stove top conversion, sorry.

The base for both flavours is:

30g gluten free cornflour
500g milk (to suit diet – but pick a high protein version if it is a plant based milk)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 heaped tsp of No Egg powder

For the vanilla version add:

1 extra tsp vanilla bean paste
80g milled coconut sugar

For the chocolate version add:

60g milled coconut sugar
50g dairy free chocolate bits

Place 100ml of milk into a measuring jug, add to it the flour and No egg. Whisk well until well combined and smooth.

Put the mixing tool (butterfly attachment) in place and in the jug of the thermal cooker place the remaining 400ml of milk, vanilla and sugar (or syrup). Add in the floury milk mix.

Tilt the measuring cup on top of the machine so that it is cracked open.

Cook for 17 minutes at 100C on Speed 3.

For the Vanilla version, add both lots of vanilla at the same time. (Because of the coconut sugar and the lack of egg, the vanilla version is more a brown colour than regular vanilla custard).

For the Chocolate version, add the chocolate at the end and mix through gently until melted and evenly distributed – speed 3 for about 20 seconds.

The mix will thicken further as you let it cool.

If you are using a Thermomix instead of a less powerful version of the machine, you may need to adjust the cooking time to a minute or 2 less.

Makes enough for our family (2 adults and 4 kids) for dessert.

Best served warm.

Enjoy 🙂

Thai Red Curry (Poached Chicken)

July 14, 2015October 6, 2015 ~ desertcook ~ 5 Comments

This is such a quick and tasty curry!

270ml coconut milk (I like the Aayam brand)
1 heaped tbsp red curry paste
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 large head of cauliflower
2 large handfuls green beans
2 cups hot chicken stock (I used Massel)
4 chicken thighs, fat removed

Place coconut milk, stock and curry paste in a large saucepan and stir well to combine.

Dice the potato and add to the curry mix. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Dice the chicken, about the same size as the potato, then add to the potato mix.

Allow to simmer for 10 minutes then roughly chop and add the cauliflower.

Simmer for a further 5 minutes before adding the chopped green beans.

Serve with rice and your preference of sauce quantity.

This made enough for about 8 adults.

Enjoy 🙂

For a delicious vegan option for this curry simply omit the chicken and bulk up the other veggies. I have done this recently and no-one in my family even realised!

Singapore Noodles

July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

Well, they’re not really Singapore Noodles because we can’t make them with egg noodles (so sad!!) but they are based on the dish that I grew up with.

The thing I love most about this dish, (well, apart from the fact that my family all loves it!), is that it can all be prepared in advance and then takes, literally, 10 minutes at dinner time. Yay!

These are the rice noodles that we have found work well

400g pork fillet
2 medium carrots, finely julienned
1/2 cabbage, finely shredded
wok ready rice noodles (go with egg noodles if your diet allows!)

Sauce

1/4 cup honey
3tbsp coconut aminos
2 tsps minced ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup chicken stock
3 tsp pure corn flour

Marinade

1tbsp garlic olive oil
2 tsp pure corn flour
1/2 tsp coconut sugar
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp water

Mix together all marinade ingredients until smooth.

Finely slice pork and place into marinade. Mix to cover all meat and then leave, covered in fridge for at least 2 hours.

Mix together all sauce ingredients in saucepan and set aside.

Fry pork in a small amount of oil in wok or pan. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place cabbage and carrot in work and cover to wilt.

Put the sauce saucepan on a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to simmer gently for a few minutes to thicken and reduce slightly.

While the sauce is simmering, place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Stir until warmed through, then drain and add to veggie mix.

Pour the sauce into the noodle mix.

Serve the noodles then top with pork (and some sesame seeds if your diet allows).

Serve about 6 adults.

Enjoy 🙂

Chocolate ripple bikies

July 10, 2015May 23, 2021 ~ desertcook ~ 9 Comments

We had a little bit of heartbreak here yesterday.

The ice-cream van came around, and as a school holiday treat, for only the 2nd time in their lives, my kids were allowed to go. They waited ages, just bursting with excitement, but when we got to the front, their snow cone machine was broken and so there was nothing that Ellie could eat. She was crushed and cried quietly by my side while the boys got their treats. Thank goodness for a stash of special treats at home!!

I felt so bad for her and I was so pleased with the way that she didn’t make a fuss that when she asked for ‘special chocolate bikkies’ to take to morning tea at the park, I was pretty well inclined to make her anything she wanted!!

I’ve seen lots of recipe for chocolate ripple biscuits so I decided to give them a go for her.

This is the version I based mine on here.

200g GF flour (or 230g spelt)
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp flaked salt
150g raw sugar
100g Nuttelex
1 ‘no egg’ egg OR 3 tbsp aquafaba OR 1 whole egg**
1 heaped tsp pysillium husk
2 heaped tsp rolled quinoa
2 heaped tsp flax seed
50g sunflower seed butter

*You can use equal quantities of shredded coconut to replace the psyllium and quinoa if they aren’t pantry staples for you.

In your processor, grind down the sugar to resemble castor sugar (Speed 8 for 10 seconds in a thermal cooker)

Add in the baking powder and soda, cocoa, salt, psyllium, quinoa and flax and blitz until fine (speed 10 for 10 seconds)

Add in the flour and mix again (speed 6 for 10 seconds)

Add in the Nuttelex and seed butter and pulse several times to combine.

Add in the egg replacer and pulse to combine, then scrape down sides and process until mix resembles wet sand (speed 5 for about 20 seconds).

Form teaspoons of mix into balls and place on lined baking tray.

Press down with hands and place into pre heated 180C oven for about 12 minutes.

Biscuits will be soft when removed from oven, but harden on cooling. My kids (and husband!) are so delighted -they are delicious and are honestly one of those times you can’t tell that something is ‘everything free’!

Makes about 24 biscuits – store in an airtight container for about a week.

Enjoy – like my very happy girl did!!

** Recently I’ve had a few questions about the egg replacement options. I have tried flax eggs but they don’t work so well here. If you can’t use any of the above, suggestions then leave out the egg replacement and increase your vegan butter and seed butter each by 25g… Works really well!

Doughnut muffins

July 7, 2015September 1, 2025 ~ desertcook ~ 5 Comments

They were a really easy (and VERY popular!) school holiday treat to bake with the kids, and I have done my best to make it a little healthier than the original, which you can find here.

See below the recipe for a gluten free Coeliac friendly version and several options for a nutrition boost.

Also see below the recipe for how to make mini baked doughnuts with this recipe.

200g SR flour (half wholemeal)
90g sugar
1/2 tsp flaked salt
1 tsp mixed spice
1 egg worth of egg replacer (OR 3 tbsp aquafaba OR 1 whole egg)
65g light olive oil/melted butter or nuttelex
240g milk of choice
Melted nuttelex/butter to top
extra sugar and spice to top (mix in a 10:1 ratio)

In a large bowl place the flour, sugar, salt, spice and egg replacer (if using). Use a whisk to combine the dry mix. (Speed 4, 8 seconds)

In a separate smaller bowl whisk together the oil and milk. Add in aquafaba or whole egg at this point if using. (If using a thermal cooker, add the liquids to the dry mix here)

Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and whisk vigorously to combine mix until smooth. (Speed 4, 8 seconds)

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

As soon as you remove the muffins from the oven, brush them with melted Nuttelex/butter and sprinkle with a mix of sugar and spice.

Makes 12 …. did not last long in my very busy, hungry house!! Now I just make double batches and freeze 😉

Enjoy!!!!!

To make these Coeliac friendly replace the spelt flour with 1 1/4 cup of a gluten free flour mix plus 1 tsp psyllium.

For a more filling version, I replace 50g of the flour with 50g of nut/seed meal.

You can also also replace the oil with a very well mashed medium overripe banana.

Boost the protein with 1/4 cup of hemp seeds.

Add some more fibre with 1 medium grated apple (or blitz it in your machine) – if you use this option, you will need to reduce the milk to 200g.

To make these into mini doughnuts you need an appropriate tin, very well greased.

Place the mixture into a piping bag and pipe the mixture into the tin.

Cooking a moderate oven for about 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack.

For a spiced doughnut, brush the tops with a melted vegan butter and sprinkle with the same sugar and spice mix as above.

For an iced doughnut, melt some dark chocolate of choice, then drop the doughnuts into it and then sprinkle with your choice of decorations. We use the Hoppers 100s & 1000.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

July 6, 2015June 7, 2019 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

This soup in its original form was a regular feature on my Mum’s winter menu as I was growing up.

I seem to remember taking great effort to convince my younger brother that the rice vermicelli in it was dried eels brains … and for ages he believed me! Rotten sister!

It is such a comforting winter food that it is still a favourite of mine.

4 large chicken thighs, very finely diced*
4 tins corn kernels, drained and rinsed
200g rice vermicelli
12 cups hot chicken stock
1 large brown onion, finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp freshly chopped thyme
pepper
2 tbsp Port or coconut aminos
1 large head of broccoli, chopped

In a very large saucepan heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and fry gently until the onions are golden.

Add in the chicken* and season with pepper, thyme and port. Cook stirring until lightly browned

Add in the stock, stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, take 2 of the tins of corn and place them in the food processor. Process until it fairly smooth. (You can just used 2 tins of creamed corn for ease if your diet allows, but the ‘extras’ in tins of creamed corn do not agree with Ellie).

Add in the now creamed corn and the whole kernels of corn and stir well. Add in the broccoli here.

Break up the rice vermicelli and add to the soup.

Heat until noodles are soft and serve.

This makes a very large quantity – love my giant 12L saucepan!! Go with a half batch if your saucepan isn’t quite so big!

Soup freezes well and keeps in the fridge for about 4 or 5 days.

*If you have some left over roast chicken it works really well here in place if the chicken thigh, just chop it and add it in at the same time as the corn and broccoli.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Salty puffed corn

June 27, 2015December 21, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ 4 Comments

I’ve seen a few versions around for sweetened puffed corn so I decided to give it a go.

It was super simple and very well received – happy kids!

1 tbsp Nuttelex/tasteless coconut oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
3/4 tsp pink flaked salt
170g puffed corn

In a large bowl melt together the Nuttelex and syrup.

Add in the salt and mix well.

Add the corn to the bowl and use your hands to mix until the puffs are thoroughly coated.

Place in a lined baking tray and cook in a 150C preheated oven for about 15 minutes.

Allow to cool and store in an air tight container for a few days.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Hazelnut spread

May 7, 2015March 2, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ 6 Comments

So, after recent skin prick tests and blood tests came back showing that my biggest boy’s reaction to hazelnuts had decreased, he was booked in to the children’s hospital for a food challenge.

Scary but exciting. We were asked to bring along some Nutella … not something we have ever had in our house. So I dutifully bought it and Will ate it with great gusto! He was absolutely delighted to have a new food – especially such a sweet treat one – in his diet! Thankfully he passed the challenge and now needs to include hazelnuts in his diet at least once a week for the next couple of years.

Given that the first ingredient in a jar of Nutella is refined sugar, then followed by oil, it is not something I really want to feed to him on a regular basis! So I set about making a sweet choc nutty spread of my own, without all of the added extras.

2 cup hazelnuts (toasted and skin off – or follow the instructions below)
1 heaped tbsp cocoa (or 1 flat tbsp cacao)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 tsp flaked pink salt
120 mls boiling water (or up to 160 if you want a thinner spread)
8 medjool dates (pick the big fat juicy ones!)
Optional: 1-2 tbsp maple syrup

If you bought raw nuts, roast them first. I did mine on a tray under the grill (and watched them very carefully!!!)

While the nuts are roasting, seed the dates and cover them with the boiling water. Add the vanilla and salt to the water.

Process the hazelnuts (after rubbing them in a towel to remove skin) for 10 seconds on speed 10. (This will take longer in a food processor). Their oils release best while they’re hot so if you’ve bought roasted nuts, place them in a hot oven for a couple of minutes first. Scrape down sides and repeat.

Add the date mixture, water and all, to the hazelnut mixture and process again until well combined (10 secs on speed 8, scrape and repeat twice).

Depending on the level of sweetness you enjoy add the maple syrup here and process again to combine well (Speed 7, 10 seconds).

Store in a clean, airtight glass jar in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

20160804_124520-1 — Yep – you can eat this one by the spoonful too!!

Enjoy 🙂

P.S. If you enjoy cheesecakes, leave about 1/3 of a cup of this mixture in your processor and blitz it together with 200g of your favourite plain biscuit (we used LEDA arrowroots) to make a great crumb base. It heads to the freezer until needed!