Egg free recipe

Coffee (and chocolate) Syrup

~ desertcook ~ 1 Comment

One year for Christmas when my brother and I were about 10 and 12, Mum and Dad gave us joint presents. A milkshake maker, an air popped popcorn maker and a recipe book for kids.

What an awesome summer that was – we ate a lot, and we ate well!!

20… ahem… something years later, the popcorn maker still features regularly, now for my children. In fact we used it today for our Friday movie 🙂

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I’m not sure what happened to the milkshake maker.

I suspect the recipe book is still hidden in my Mum’s recipe cupboard … But I really don’t need it anymore, since the ice coffee recipe from it is firmly cemented in my brain (along with the reminder inscribed on the inside from Mum to clean up after we cooked!!). I would make it for mum ready when she got home from work on a really hot summer’s day. Or at the weekends when my parents had been hard at work in the garden.

Now it is my husband who is the fan… and Will requests it in decaf form!! We’ve cut back the sugar and converted it to an unrefined form.

See below the recipe for a chocolate syrup.

  •  1.5 cups Instant coffee (whichever brand you enjoy, but it must be instant)
  • 2.5 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1.5 cups boiling water

Mix together all ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Simmer gently, stirring regularly, for about 10-12 minutes. (Or 100C, speed 2 for about 12-14 mins).

Pour into glass jars and seal.

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To use the syrup mix a tablespoon or two with a glass of cold milk of your choice and some ice blocks blocks in a blender/Nutribullet/food processor/thermal cooker.

It is certainly a much cheaper option to make this at home if you are a regular buyer of the in store or cafe variety!.

If you like different flavoured coffees you can replace the vanilla with an essence of that flavour (hazelnut is particularly nice!).

During my university years I became (just slightly) coffee reliant and one of my very favourite drinks was a (large, eek!)’Very Vanilla Chiller’ from a certain popular coffee chain. There’s no way I could drink one now without feeling ill, but I have discovered that this syrup together with a handful of ice blocks and very cold unsweetened vanilla almond milk, makes a very close approximation!! Yum!

You can also use a splash of this syrup in plain buttercream icing to turn into into coffee icing for Banana cakes etc.

To make a chocolate version of this syrup follow the same method, but use:

  • 1 cups Cocoa
  • 2.5 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1.5 cups boiling water

This version is great mixed with ice blocks and milk of choice for milkshakes or stirred through hot milk for decadent hot chocolate … make sure you add some mini marshmallows 😉

Enjoy 🙂

Choc Chip Cookies

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Together with the apple crumble that I’ve posted about before, these cookies (in their original form) were sustenance for my husband during exam time at uni … and he says, convinced him to marry me!

I remember making these as a ten year old for my younger brother and eating them together, while they were still warm, over school holiday movies. I must have made a hundred batches of them over the last 20 years! So the other day when my crook William asked if we could make cookies for afternoon tea, I decided to update these to make them safe for our family, and to add a few more nutrients than your standard cookie … and they are now as popular with my kids as they were with my husband, and my brother and I decades ago!

Please see below the recipe for the coeliac friendly version

  • 120g vegan butter at room temperature
  • 50g sunflower seed butter (or nut butter)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup flour (half wholemeal)
  • 1/3 cup almond/seed meal (OR use and extra 1/3 cup flour here)
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tsp GF baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • pinch salt flakes
  • 1 egg OR 1 egg of egg replacement
  • 4 squares of dark chocolate, roughly chopped (about 40g) OR choc chips

In your blender/food processor/nutribullet/thermal cooker place the oats, baking powder, salt & sugar. Blitz to a fine flour (speed 8, 10 secs). You can skip this step if you’re happy with whole oats in your cookie.

Add in the flour and mix to combine (speed 4, 6 secs).

Add in the butter, seed butter, vanilla and egg then pulse a few times to roughly combine before processing to a dough (speed 4, 8secs, scrape down and repeat if required)

Fold through the chocolate. (Speed 4, 6 seconds)

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To make a coeliac friendly version: This is one of those times when you can do a straight swap for a GF flour mix for the wheat flour. Replace the oats with shredded coconut.

Form a teaspoon full into a ball and spoon onto a lined baking tray, allowing space to spread. Press down gently.

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Cook in a preheated moderate oven for about 13-15 minutes.

They will be very soft when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will be crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.

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Makes about 20.

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Lasts for a few days in an airtight container…. if you’re lucky!

Not a fan of choc chip? Weird, but ok! Use sultanas instead!

Enjoy 🙂

Banana, Seed & Oat Muffins

~ desertcook ~ 4 Comments

These muffins are super easy to make (quick enough that we’ve had them fresh for breakfast!), they are light, moist and sweet but low on sugars, they freeze well for lunchboxes, and best of all – my little people love them!

See below the recipe for the Coeliac friendly version.

  • 300g spelt flour (half wholemeal)
  • 3 heaped tbsp of your favourite seed (mill these first if you want to hide them!)
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats (mill these too if you need to hide ‘bits’)
  • 2.5 tsp GF baking powder
  • 3 tbsp honey/maple syrup/date paste
  • 3 tbsp melted Nuttelex/Vegan butter/tasteless coconut oil**
  • 1 large overripe banana
  • 220ml milk of choice (I love unsweetened vanilla almond milk here)
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • pinch pink salt flakes

Into your blender/processor/nutribullet/thermo cooker place the banana, Nuttelex, vanilla, milk and honey. Blitz until smooth (Speed 7, 10 seconds)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, salt, oats, seeds and flour.

Add the dry mix to the wet and mix to combine (Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat). Don’t over beat. I often just tip the wet mix into the bowl with the flour mix and combine by hand.

Spoon into muffin pans (lined or well greased) and bake in a preheated moderate oven for about 20 mins or until they are well browns and spring back when gently pressed.

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Makes 14-6.

Enjoy 🙂

For an even more nutritious muffin, I reduce the flour by 50g and add in another 50g of almond or seed meal.

To make these ones Coeliac friendly I replaced the spelt  with 1.5 cups GF flour and  1/2 cup almond/seed meal mix, then replace the oats with equal measure of rolled quinoa or desiccated coconut. Increase the milk by an additional 2 tbsp.

** If you want to cut back on your oils, 1 heaped tbsp of sunflower seed butter (or other nut butter) plus 2 tbsp of aquafaba work well here to replace the 3 tbsp of oil.

Self Saucing Chocolate pudding

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This warm gooey pudding seems to be a bit of an Aussie ‘classic’ for dessert, and one I have enjoyed at my Mother-in-law’s home many times. But my little miss has always missed out … until now.

“Pleeeeeeease can we make cake for dessert?!”.

Well, it’s Friday – sure! 5 minutes to whip it up and it baked while we ate our dinner. Yummo!! One happy little girl … who wants the left overs in her lunchbox … um, maybe not flossy-dot!

Pudding:

  • 80g neutral tasting oil (I’ve used rice bran or melted Nuttelex)
  • 100g sugar (increase to 130g if you are a sweet tooth)
  • 3/4 cup SR flour
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 130g milk of choice
  • 2 tbsp cocoa
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas) OR 1 whole egg.
  • Optional: handful finely chopped dark chocolate or choc chip of choice

Sauce:

  • 2 tbsp cocoa
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 350ml boiling water

In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix together the flour, nut meal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa.

In a smaller bowl whisk together the milk, oil, egg/aquafaba and vanilla.

Add the wet mix to the dry and whisk together until well combined. Stir in the chocolate peices if using.

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Pour into a greased baking dish.

Mix together the cocoa and sugar for the sauce and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cake batter.

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Pour the boiling water evenly over the top of cake, but do not mix it.

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Place the dish into a preheated moderate oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the cake is well risen.

Oops – forgot to take a pic before we dug in!

Serve warm, on its own, or with a little ice-cream of choice.

Serves 6-8

Want it gluten free? use 160g of a good all purpose GF SR mix (I like Bob’s Red Mill) with 1 tsp of psyllium, and increase the milk to 150ml.

Want it nut free? Replace the almond meal with another 1/4 cup of SR flour and omit the baking powder

Need it for a bigger crowd? The recipe doubles perfectly.

Enjoy 🙂

Spiced Apricot Muffins

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These little delights are a bit of a twist on my Spiced Plum Cake.

So easy to make and speedy to get in the oven, the kids love them … and I might be quite partial to one with an afternoon cuppa too!

  • 225g stewed/tinned apricots (drained from their juices) – this is about 8 whole fresh fruit
  • 50g Nuttelex/vegan butter/tasteless coconut oil, melted
  • 160g milk of choice
  • 1 medium overripe banana
  • 4 tbsp honey (use rice malt or maple syrup for the vegan version)
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 cups spelt flour (i do half whomeal and half white) OR 1 1/2 cups GF flour mix plus 1/4 cup almond/seed meal
  • 2.5 tsp GF baking powder
  • pinch Himilayan salt
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar

Into your blender/processor/nutribullet/thermo cooker place the apricots, banana, Nuttelex, vanilla, milk and syrup. Blitz until smooth (Speed 7, 10 seconds)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, salt, spices and flour (and almond/seed meal if using).

Add the dry mix to the wet and mix to combine (Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat). Don’t over beat. I often just tip the wet mix into the bowl with the flour mix and combine by hand.

Pour into a lined muffin tin and sprinkle with coconut sugar.

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Place into preheated moderate oven and bake for about 18 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

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Makes about 20 and they freeze and defrost well.

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Enjoy 🙂

Gingernut Biscuits

~ desertcook ~ 4 Comments

I grew up dunking hard gingernut biscuits in hot drinks … Ultimate comfort food!

When William was really little and we’d go to visit his grandparents, he’d want to copy us and ‘dunk’ too. We found a pretty decent substitute in the Leda brand of gingernut … But they have a lot of sugar and they are quite expensive… And on the whole I always prefer to make my own if at all possible.

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He’s still a keen dunker!

 

So I’ve been playing around with a ginger bikkie to dunk into our afternoon cuppa … And this seems to be the winner!!

  • 1 1/4 cup spelt flour OR 1 cup plain GF flour mix plus 1/2 tsp psyllium
  • 1 tsp GF baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
  • 80g coconut sugar
  • Pinch pink salt
  • 2 heaped tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 60g nuttelex/vegan butter, room temperature
  • 30g maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas)

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and use a whisk to combine evenly (speed 4, 10 seconds)

Add in the Nuttelex, syrup and aquafaba and use a wooden spoon to mix well and bring together to a stiff dough (speed 4, 8 seconds, scrape down and repeat).

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Make small balls of the mixture (about 1 teaspoon full). Place on to a lined baking tray and press down gently.

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Place into a preheated 150 C oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.

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The bikkies will still be slightly soft when you remove them from the oven but will harden on cooling. Leave on the tray for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

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Makes about 24, and they store well for about a week in an airtight container.

Enjoy…. And happy dunking!

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Upside down spiced Banana cake

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I have been really busy lately and don’t feel like I’ve spent as much time with my kids as I’d normally like – so today, at her request, my little miss and I had a really lovely afternoon together. We watched Lady and the Tramp cuddled on the couch and then she asked to make a cake together for afternoon tea – how could I resist this face …..

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We had a whole bunch (pun intended!) of bananas that needed using up, sooner rather than later, so we quickly made this cake. So  deliciously moist and sweet. My kids were in afternoon tea heaven!

  • 1 1/4 cups plain spelt OR GF flour mix
  • 1/4 cup almond OR seed meal
  • 2tsp GF baking powder
  • Pinch pink salt
  • 2tsp mixed spice
  • 90g Nuttelex/vegan butter, melted
  • 30g Sunflower seed butter (or other nut butter that suits)
  • 1/4 cup yoghurt of choice (I’ve used soy or coconut)
  • 1/2 cup honey OR maple syrup
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4 medium, overripe bananas
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar.

Into your blender/processor/nutribullet/thermo cooker place 2 of the the bananas, Nuttelex, seed butter, yoghurt, vinegar and honey/syrup. Blitz until smooth (Speed 7, 10 seconds)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, meal, baking powder, salt and 1 tsp of the mixed spice..

Add the dry mix to the wet and mix to combine (Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat). Don’t over beat. I often just tip the wet mix into the bowl with the flour mix and combine by hand.

Line the bottom of a cake tin, then mix together the coconut sugar and 2nd tsp of mixed spice, the sprinkle evenly over the bottom of the tin.

Slice the remaining 2 bananas and spread them evenly around the tin on top of the spiced sugar mix.

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Pour the cake mix over the top of the bananas and sugar, then place into a preheated moderate oven for about 30 minutes or until well risen, golden and an inserted skewer is just clean.

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Allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate, slice and serve.

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Especially delicious served warm!

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Enjoy 🙂

Lemon Thyme Mushroom risotto

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It is really chilly in Perth today – delightful! But it does trigger the desire for some serious comfort food.

I have been working really hard to add some more vegan meals into our regular menu – so we’ve been eating a lot of mushrooms. I also have copious amounts of lemon and thyme from my garden – so risotto it is!

  • 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock (for an instant variety I use ‘Massel’ stock powder)
  • 4 tbsp garlic olive oil
  • 1 small brown onion, finely diced
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chooped
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 2 cups chopped green beans
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 tsp pink salt
  • 1/3 tsp ground black pepper
  • fine zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • OPTIONAL – 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped

In a large, heavy based pan, heat 1 tsbp of oil. Add in the mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme and lemon zest.

Cook down until the mushroom are just tender. Set them aside.

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Bring the stock to boil in a saucepan then turn it down to the lowest possible simmer.

In the same pan that you used for the mushrooms, heat the remaining oil and add in the onion. Cook, stirring for a couple of minutes until the onion is just soft.

Add rice and stir for about 1 minute, ensuring the rice in coated with the onion mix.

Add in the juice of the lemon and stir well, to deglaze the bottom of the pan.

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Add approx 1/2 cup of stock at a time to the rice and stir consistently over a low/medium heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is creamy and just tender.

Meanwhile, lightly steam the green beans.

Remove risotto from as you add the final half cup of stock. Stir through the mushrooms and beans, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

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Still a bit wet after the last stock addition …

Top with hazelnuts if your diet allows.

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Serve immediately. Feeds 5-6 adults.

If your diet allows it, you could also stir though a handful of finely grated parmesan cheese before the mushrooms…. but I think it is creamy and flavourful enough without it!

Enjoy 🙂

 

Super Simple Hot Chocolate

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A cold, rainy day and my kids beg for hot chocolate … but I’ve just started a 1 month no extra grocery shoping challenge….

No problems!

My crazy babies love this powder and it made for a very happy afternoon tea 🙂 (together with my Honey and Banana Pancakes)

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  • 4 tbsp cocoa
  • 4 tbsp coconut sugar (or your choice of sugar)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 tsp pink salt

Place all of your ingredients in a powerful blender/processor/nutribullet/thermal cooker.

And blitz until fine and really well combined (there should be no clumps or hint of the wet paste left). (use Speed 9 for 10 seconds).

Use powder as you would for any hot chocolate. And store in an airtight container.

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My kids have 1 teaspoon, half a cup of hot water, then topped up with their milk …. and a few mini marshmallows (egg, dairy and gluten free of course!)

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Enjoy 🙂

 

 

Vanilla Almond Pikelets (Hotcakes)

~ desertcook ~ 7 Comments

Light and fluffy pikelets (or you might know them as hotcakes?!)  –  are a very popular weekend breakfast in our house.

These are light, fluffy and fragrant and they get absolutely demolished …. by all 6 of us!

  • 1 1/2 cups flour (half wholemeal) OR 1 1/3 cups plain GF flour mix
  • 1/2 cup almond meal OR a seed meal mix
  • 2 tsp GF baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups milk of choice
  • 30g melted butter/nuttelex/light tasting oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 whole egg OR 3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from can of chick peas) OR 1 medium, overripe banana, well mashed
  • Optional- 1 tbsp sugar or maple syrup*
  • Optional – 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • toppings of choice to serve
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (optional)

*We don’t add any sweetener when we use a ripe banana in the mix, but taste test and adjust according to your preference.

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In a large bowl whisk together all of your dry ingredients (Speed 4, 10 seconds). Then set aside.

Mix together the oil/butter, milk and vanilla and whisk until well combined. If you are using the maple syrup, aquafaba, banana or an egg, add in at this step. (Blend all together on speed 5 for 8 secs)

Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and whisk well to combine. (Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat).

Fold through the blueberries (Use speed 3 for 15 seconds), if using. Vanilla, almonds and blueberries go so well together!

Pour the batter into a preheated (medium heat) lightly greased frying pan, wait until bubbles appear on the surface, then flip and cook until both sides are golden brown.

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Add your topping of choice and serve warm.

These ones also freeze and defrost really well. I tend to make a double batch and then freeze 2 together, sandwich style, with vegan butter or sunflower seed butter in the middle for an easy, low mess snack -perfect for lunchboxes or rushed school morning breakfast!

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Enjoy … We sure do!

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For Easter we have tuned our pikelets in to bunny butts! So cute as they run away!

A bigger one for the body and 2 smaller ones for the feet – decorate with your imagination.

We like Bananas, dates and seed butter as a great combo, or if you’re a serious sweet tooth, whipped cream and dark chocolate!