Pear Surprise Muffins

May 19, 2016January 9, 2020 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

I love these muffins – sweet and fluffy, without being loaded with too much sugar – and the gooey, surprise middle makes my kids happy every time 🙂

Great for a lunchbox treat, or even served warm with some cream or icecream, as dessert.

225g stewed/tinned pears (drained from their juices)
50g olive oil
170g milk of choice (unsweetened vanilla almond milk is fabulous here)
1 medium overripe banana
2 tbsp maple syrup OR honey OR coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 cups spelt flour (Half wholemeal) OR 1 1/2 cups GF flour mix plus 1/4 cup almond/seed meal
2.5 tsp GF baking powder
pinch Himilayan salt
100g dark chocolate of choice

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

In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, salt 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.

Line a standard muffin tin, then spoon fill to about 2/3 capacity.

Place some broken chocolate in the middle of each muffin, then add approximately another heaped teaspoon of muffin mix to the top of the chocolate.

Place in a preheated moderate oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until well risen, golden and they spring back when gently touched.

20160519_132717-1 — Sometimes some of the surprise escapes!

Transfer to a rack to cool (mostly …. the chocolate surprise is especially good if it still a bit gooey!)

Makes about 14 and they freeze well.

P.S. I have also made these with a white Chocolate filling by Sweet William – so delicious but no longer soy free.

P.P.S These are also really yummy if you replace half of the pear with very ripe strawberries. Mmmmm!!

Enjoy 🙂

Honey and Banana pancakes

May 17, 2016February 23, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ 3 Comments

I have discovered (through many an unpleasant experience) that my kids come out of school ‘hangry’ (hungry which makes you angry!) in the afternoons.

I need to have food prepared for them to shovel in quickly …. then mostly we can cope better with the afternoon homework and jobs .

These are the snack we made to ward off the hangries today – and they were demolished in mere minutes.

1 cup spelt flour
1 cup oat flour
2 tsp GF baking powder
pinch Himilayan salt
100g honey/maple syrup
1 large overripe banana
45g Nuttelex/vegan butter
1.5 cups milk of choice
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste.

For the coeliac friendly version replace the above flours with: 1 2/3 cups plain GF flour mix plus 1 tsp psyllium

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 and flour (and psyillium if using).

Add the dry mix to the wet and mix to combine (Speed 4, 10 seconds, scrape down and repeat).

Place tablespoons of the mix into a hot, greased frying pan.

Cook until bubbles appear and pop, then flip and cook until the second side is golden.

Serve warm or cold with a little butter of choice …. I think they’re especially great with a smear of sunflower seed butter and some blueberries!

Enjoy 🙂

Lemon Blueberry Tea Cake

May 11, 2016September 16, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

Mmmm, warm tea cake! Such a perfect afternoon tea.

We enjoyed ours on a sunny winter’s day down by the lake with a picnic cuppa for Mother’s day …. highly recommended serving suggestion 😉

1 1/2 cups plain spelt flour OR 1 1/4 cups plain GF flour mix
1/2 cup almond OR seed meal
2.5 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar
3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chic peas) OR 1 whole egg
3/4 cup milk of choice (I use rice or oat)
60g Nuttelex or tasteless coconut oil, melted
the juice and finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1 tsp Nuttelex and 1 tsp vanilla sugar to top (optional)

In a small bowl mix together the wet ingredients, including the zest and whisk well to combine.

In a large bowl use a whisk to mix together the dry ingredients.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until combined, don’t over beat it.

For a Thermal cooker, place all dry ingredients into machine first and mix on speed 4 for 10 seconds. Mix together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl then add through the chute at the top whilst mixing on speed 4. One all of the liquid is added, scrape down the sides and mix for a further 8 seconds on speed 4.

Pour the mixture into a lined 21cm round cake time.

Press the blueberries gently into the top.

Place into a preheated moderate oven for 45-50 mins or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

As soon as you remove the cake from the oven, spread the Nuttelex over the top and them sprinkle with the vanilla sugar.

Leave it in the tin to cool for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack.

Serve warm or cold.

(as an aside, I don’t know how this does in the freezer because there was only 1 slice left and my 7 year old claimed it for his lunch-box!)

Enjoy 🙂

P.S. If you enjoy this flavour combination you should check out my Lemon and Blueberry tart

Date Oat and Ginger Biscuits

May 7, 2016May 30, 2017 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

My mum loves her cuppa. If we’re out at a cafe she mostly she resists sweet treats (serious will power!) but she does have a soft spot for a date and oat biscuit, so these ones are for her for Mother’s day. Hope you enjoy them mum 🙂

1 cup wholemeal spelt or light rye flour or plain GF flour mix
3/4 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 cup vegan butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons flaxseeds
4 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid drained from a can of chic peas) – or 1 whole egg plus 1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 Himilayan salt
2 cups rolled oats (or rolled quinoa for the GF version)
6 medjool dates, pitted

Using a food processor cream together the butter and sugar (Speed 4, 10 seconds)

Add in the aquafaba, vanilla, ginger salt and flax then mix again to combine (Speed 4, 8 seconds)

Drop the pitted dates one at a time onto spinning blades through the chute at the top, then process until dates are finely chopped (speed 4 whilst adding dates, then up to speed 7 for about 10-15 seconds)

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, oats and baking powder then add half of this dry mix at a time to the processor and process to combine (Speed 4, 12 seconds, scrape down and repeat for next half).

Use about 3/4 of a tbsp of mix and roll into a tight ball (not quite as big as a golf ball), place onto a lined baking tray, then press down with the palm on your hand to a thick disc shape.

Bake in a preheated moderate oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

The cookies will still be soft when you remove them. They will harden as they cool. Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring then to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 18. They keep for about a week in an airtight container or you can freeze them.

Enjoy!

Spanish Rice

April 12, 2016September 15, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

Even though it was the inspiration for this dish, I daren’t call it ‘paella’ because I know that this one is not authentic and there are a lot of paella purists who would be very unimpressed!

So this is my take on a Spanish flavour for a 1 pot rice dish.

1.5 cups short grain rice
2 cups hot chicken stock (I use Massel)
1/2 brown onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
400g tin crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine
3 large handfulls chopped green beans
3 large handfulls sliced button mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
Optional – 125g sliced spicy chorizo (make sure it is GF and DF)

If you are going to keep this as a vegan dish, and not use the chorizo, you will need to add; 2 tbsp oil, an extra tsp of the paprika plus 1 tsp of minced chilli. It also benefits from a 400g tin of drained and rinsed chick peas!

In a large, heavy based fry pan, place the chorizo and render down the fat, whilst browning the meat.

Remove the meat from the pan, but leave the oil in the pan. (Add your oil to a dry pan at this point if making the vegan dish). Add the garlic and onion and cook until translucent (chilli too if you’re using it).

Add in the paprika and tomato paste and mix well.

Add in the wine and use a spatula to deglaze the pan (getting all the tasty, stuck bits off the bottom of the pan so you don’t lose their flavour).

Add the rice to the pan and stir well to coat. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.

Pour over the tomatoes and stock, stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.

Allow to simmer gently for 12 minutes, mixing occasionally.

Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Add in the mushrooms, stir well and simmer for a further 3 minutes.

Stir in the beans, remove from heat. Place lid on the pan and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

Return chorizo to pan and stir through, then serve immediately.

Serves about 6 adults.

Enjoy!

Pear Gingerbread Cake

April 6, 2016July 16, 2021 ~ desertcook ~ 2 Comments

This delicious, moist cake is perfect for afternoon tea (…. or any time cake is required really!).

See the option within the recipe for the coeliac friendly version.

2 very ripe pears, peeling, cored and diced
125g vegan butter
3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chick peas) OR 1 whole egg
150g maple syrup
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp bi carb soda
1.5 tsp GF Baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour (OR 1 1/4 cup GF flour mix and 1/2 cup almond or seed meal)
300ml milk of choice

Whisk together the milk and aquafaba until light and frothy (Speed 4, 15 seconds). Then set aside.

Melt together the Nuttelex and syrup (Speed 2, 100C, approx 2-3 mins or until all melted).

Whisk together all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add the milk mix to the butter mix, then add the pears and mix gently (Speed 2, 12 seconds). If you are using an egg instead of the aquafaba, add it in at this point.

Add the dry mix gradually to the wet mix and fold together until just combined (Speed 3, 10 seconds at a time, scraping down in between).

Pour mixture (which is quite runny), into a lined/greased tin and place into a preheated moderate oven for about 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.

Enjoy warm, dusted with icing sugar, or served with a little cream/icecream if your diet allows.

Happy afternoon tea!

Preserving Chilli

March 31, 2016March 31, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

There’s not much nicer in the kitchen than being able to cook with the food that you have grown only metres away!

Our chilli plants have been very productive this summer and these are a couple of the ways I have used them.

Chopped/Minced Chilli – use 1 flat tsp in place of 1 fresh chopped chilli in any recipe.

150g chilli
2 tbsp white vinegar.

Place whole chillis and vinegar in your processor and process until well chopped. (Speed 6, 10 seconds).

Of course, if you don’t have a processor you can just finely chop by hand and then stir through the vinegar.

Store in small, sterilised glass jars.

Chilli Infused Olive Oil – use in place of regular olive oil in cooking to add a bit of extra bite, or as a dip for some delicious crunchy bread.

400ml extra virgin olive oil
6 small chillis (mine were the size of my index finger)

Slice chillis lengthways and place in a saucepan with the oil.

Bring to a gentle simmer (100C, Speed 1, about 4-5 minutes) and then remove from the heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Pour into sterilised glass bottles, through a sieve to remove the seeds. Then add the remaining chilli flesh into the bottles and seal.

Enjoy all year ’round 🙂

Garlic bread

March 8, 2016 ~ desertcook ~ Leave a comment

This is a super simple appetizer or addition to dinner – we have even taken it as a snack to picnics.

I use my yoghurt dough recipe – there are both vegan, soy free and GF options.

Most regularly I use a spelt/soy mix.

1 quantity dough (though 1/2 is sufficient for 1 large base)
1-2 tbsp garlic olive oil
1 tsp Himilayan salt
1 tsp fresh, finely chopped, rosemary.

Roll out dough to a pizza shape (thickness depends on how doughy or crispy you like your garlic bread) then brush with oil.

20160213_134004 — My gorgeous little helper 🙂

Sprinkle with salt and rosemary.

Place into a preheated moderate oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden.

Slice into wedges and serve.

I often make a whole quantity of dough, then freeze half uncooked (tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a zip lock bag), for an even quicker bread next time.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Gravy Pot Pie

March 4, 2016February 24, 2018 ~ desertcook ~ 1 Comment

I don’t like waste … in any form! Time, money, food and energy are all precious to me so I try to use them all to the best of my capability. This pie kind of exemplifies that! It uses scraps of left over meat, pantry staples and veggies that might be looking a little sad in the fridge, and it makes 2 meals at once. Love it.

A couple of weeks back I bought 2 bbq chickens to take to a picnic. After I’d pulled all of the firm, white meat off, there was a heap left that was brown meat, or a bit soft and fiddly to eat at a picnic, so I pulled every last shred off and froze it to use later – I got 350g off 2 chickens – easily an extra meal!

*If you’re not eating any meat, check below the recipe for a simple tweak to make this a vegan pie.

Then I make a simple chicken style gravy (not actually any chicken in it!). You need:

2 cups very hot chicken stock (I used Massel brand)
1 tbsp Nuttelex/vegan butter
1 tbsp spelt or pure corn flour
1/3 cup white wine
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
ground black pepper to taste

Melt the Nuttelex in a saucepan then add in the flour, whisking immediately to avoid lumps (Speed 2, 100C for 2 mins or until melted, then add flour and continue speed 2, 90C for 4 mins). Cook, over medium heat, for about 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly. Then add in 1/3 of a cup of chicken stock at a time, whist whisking (Speed 2, 90C, and add stock through hold in lid). Once all the stock is combined, add in the wine, thyme and pepper and allow to simmer very gently for 2-3 minutes (Speed 2, 80C for 3 minutes). Set aside.

To make the filling of the pie you will need:

2 tbsp garlic oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
10-12 large button mushrooms, sliced
2 cups roughly chopped green beans
400g tin chic peas, drained and rinsed (save the brine when you drain it to use as an egg replacer!)

Heat the oil in a large pan (fabulous if this pan/dish can go from stove top to oven!), add the onions and good until translucent. Add in the mushrooms and cook, stirring until softening, about 4-5 minutes. Add in green beans and chic peas.

Pour gravy over the top of the veggie mix, then add the chopped cooked chicken, mix well and then bring to a gentle simmer for a few minutes.

To make the topping of the pie (which is a type of savoury scone dough!) you will need:

45g vegan butter
1.5 -1.75 cups spelt flour (or 1.25-1.5 cups GF flour plus 1 tsp psyllium)
2 tsp GF baking powder
1 heaped tbsp Nutritional yeast
1 tsp Himilayan salt
5-6 grinds back pepper
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme.
1/2 cup milk of choice – or water works well too.

In your food processor pulse together the Nuttelex with 1.5 cups of flour and baking powder.

Once it resembles bread crumbs stop the processor and add nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, thyme. Process to combine (Speed 4, 5 seconds)

Then whilst the mixer working (used speed 3), gradually add in 1/2 cup milk or water.

Process to bring together (adding 1 tsp of flour extra at a time if your dough is too wet) then tip on to a floured surface and knead gently.

Roll to shape of you pie dish and top. Cut little vent holes.

Place in preheated 200C oven and bake for about 20-25 mins or until risen and golden brown minutes. It’s like having dumplings with a thick chicken casserole!

This quantity of filling is actually too much for one meal for our family, so I froze half for an easy meal down the track!

It is super simple to make a vegan version of this pie – simply leave out the chicken and double the quantity of chic peas and mushrooms.

Enjoy 🙂

Vanilla Almond Cake

March 3, 2016June 10, 2020 ~ desertcook ~ 4 Comments

You might have already noticed, but chocolate flavoured anything is a fairly firm favourite in our house, for all 6 of us! Just occasionally, it’s nice to change it up a bit though 🙂

In the coming week, my 2 youngest boys and my husband have birthdays. We are having a joint birthday party (along with my Nanna!) and each has requested a cake. I couldn’t imagine taking along 3 chocolate cakes, so decided to have a go at a vanilla flavoured base for George’s “Daddy Raa” (Lion King) cake. It is based on my regular Chocolate Cake (which you should try too!). This is was the result – and it is yummy … thumbs up from everyone!!

See below the recipe for a coeliac friendly version.

1 1/4 cup spelt (I do half wholemeal)
1/2 cup almond meal (use extra flour or seed meal for a nut free option, see note below)
2 tsp GF baking powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar (use white sugar if you want a lighter coloured batter)
100g Nuttelex/vegan butter/tasteless coconut oil
1 cup milk of choice (I use oat/rice/vanilla almond)
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid drained from a can of chic peas) 1 egg of egg replacement powder OR 1 egg

Mix together the oil, milk and vanilla and heat until melted and well combined.

In the large bowl of your mixer sift together the flour, sugar and baking powder.

Mix the wet mix into the flour mix and beat well so the mixture is light. While the mix is beating, add in the aquafaba.

Pour into a lined cake tin or about 14 regular muffin holes.

Bake in a preheated moderate oven for approx 50 minutes (for the cake) or 25 minutes for the muffins, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack. Ice as desired.

(I make a simple icing from 1 tbsp melted Nuttelex, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, a splash of milk and pure icing sugar).

To adapt for a Thermal cooker:

Place the oil, vanilla and milk in the jug and cook on speed 2 at 100C for 2 1/2 mins, or until the oil is melted.

Add in the sugar, baking powder and mix on speed 4 for 15 seconds.

Add the flours and mix on speed 4 for 30 seconds. Whilst mixing, add the aquafaba through the opening in the top if the lid.

Enjoy 🙂

To make this into a coeliac friendly version make sure you use rice or almond milk and replace the spelt flour with 1 cup of a plain GF flour mix and increase the almond or seed meal to 1 cup.

I make the seed meal by milling 3 tbsp each of flax, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.