Dairy Free Berry Ice Cream

It may look super healthy, topped with chia seeds and coconut, and although it is; I promise it's super tasty. It's also extremely easy to make, it's a bit like Nigella calling avocado toast a recipe, it's that easy. Plus, it's healthy food but with flavour, so your not going to give up on that "new year, new you", just yet. It's pretty easy to make ahead, just make a big batch, pop this into a container, and into the freezer, and take a scoop whenever you need it.

I like having it at breakfast, but is probably better as a dessert, in replace of ice cream. That's kind of why I have it at breakfast, because it's like ice cream, and there's no denying unconventional breakfasts are the best. If you wanted it more like a breakfast sprinkle granola on top, and add fresh fruit.

This recipe is super adaptable, swap the berries with whatever fruit you like (mango is another of my favourites). If your not that into fruit add a couple teaspoons of cocoa powder, would make a lovely chocolate "ice cream". If your latest internet craze, a smoothie bowl recipe; then just add more coconut milk to reach the desired consistency.

Ingredients 

1 banana, frozen 

1/4 - 1/3 cup frozen berries 

Coconut milk

Toppings, e.g.chia seeds, coconut flakes, granola, pomegranate seeds

1. Pop the frozen banana and berries into a blender 

2. Pour over a good glug of the coconut milk, leave to warm up slightly for a few minutes 

3. Blend until smooth, add more coconut milk if needed 

4. Top with chosen toppings, serve immediately 

Canapés: Elderflower, Raspberry, Almond Cake with chargrilled Apricots, and quenelle of Marscaspone

Just one of those posts, that make you feel like a professional, as you did it so long ago (March), when the main ingredients were out of season(it was a nightmare, finding apricots, and had to resort to tinned, sadly). I did have a reason though, instead of seeming incredibly organised, which i wish i could be. The main reason why i held off sharing it, was because it was the winning canape (i won something for the first time in my life!!) so i wanted it too appear first (in all it glory) at the event.

I created it for the London produce show, the brief was to create a seasonal cold canapé, for the event. Simples, nope, not really. You might have gathered from the majority of my posts, that i have a sweet tooth, so of course it had to be sweet, not to mention i couldn't think of a good savoury one, without tomatoes or peas/beans, as i knew everyone else would use them. 

Feel free to change the apricots, if you don't like it, to another stone fruit e.g. nectarine or peach, and just grill the same, although you might want to cut them a little smaller. You could also switch up the base flavour, with lime or add in blackberries like my favourite slice here. Also feel free to take out the lemon basil (which a didn't actually use, it was just for the recipe) and replace with tiny normal basil, or mint leaves.

So, after many hours of brainstorming, searching pinterest, looking back at old recipes, and double checking that the fruit was definitely in season, i finally came up with my canapé.

My inspiration behind the recipe:

"I wanted to create something delicious with several of my favourite foods, using ingredients that I personally eat seasonally.

I chose a sweet canapé, because I have a sweet tooth, and I like making things look pretty.

I forage for elderflower every year, make it into the cordial, and am always looking for an excuse to use it because I enjoy its flavour.

I also wanted raspberries in the canapé, as they are my favourite fruit, and I only tend to eat them when they are in season, as they are most flavoursome then.

I used an almond sponge as I enjoy the taste and texture of almonds, but also because I wanted to create something lower in gluten, as it’s becoming more popular to eat less gluten."

Makes 48 (4.5cm cake tin), preparation(including cordial):-approx. 49hrs, preparation(excluding cordial):- approx. 30mins Cooking time:- approx. 1 hrs.

Elderflower cordial recipe

For the cake:

225g butter

50g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

200g almonds

225g caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

4 eggs

2 packs raspberries(300g)

100ml undiluted elderflower cordial(can also use bought)

Juice 1 lemon

1tbsp caster sugar

8 apricots

100g Sugar

200g Mascarpone

250g Pistachios

1 pack Raspberries(150g)

Lemon basil to garnish

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 180c°.Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure everything is incorporated, before adding more. Fold in the almonds, flour and baking powder. Place into greased tins, about half. Put one raspberry in each, and press down. Bake for 15 mins, or until risen and golden on top. While the cakes are baking, stir together the cordial, lemon juice and 1 tbsp sugar. When the cakes are done, remove from the oven. Spoon the syrup over the cakes whilst still hot. Leave to cool.

To finish:

Cut the apricots into 6ths, dip into the sugar. Place on a preheated and lightly oiled griddle/barbecue. Cook the apricots for 1-2 mins or until caramelised on both sides. or sprinkle with sugar and blowtorch. Leave to cool.

Cook the raspberries until they start to break down. Blend the raspberries, sieve to remove and seeds. Set aside to cool.

Chop up the pistachios, set aside.

Quenelle the mascarpone and place on top of the cakes.(if you don't have small spoons feel free to pipe).
Place the apricot on top of the mascarpone, place on the pistachios, drizzle with the raspberry coulis and garnish with lemon basil.

Dairy-free Coconut Spelt Pancakes

 The Sunday Post- 

Hmmm pancakes....Who doesn't love pancakes on Sunday? But guess what...? Pancake day is this week! and that means pancakes on a Tuesday( *does an exiceted little dance*), whats not to love? On a Sunday we normally have crepes, as thats what my sister likes to make, but since it's Pancake day soon, i thought i would try something different. 

These are made of spelt flour, which is higher in protein and lower in gluten than regular flour, which leaves you less bloated.The spelt flour also has a lovely nutty taste. These are also dairy free. Personally, these are healthy enough for me, without straying to far away from the normal pancake; I'm not convinced by the egg and banana malarkey.

I served them with berries and Greek style yogurt, but i think coconut yogurt or soya yogurt would also work well, if you wanted it entirely dairy free. Since they are lighter style, i think any fresh fruit would work well with these.

serves 4

Ingredients

100g spelt flour
150ml coconut milk
2 eggs
berries and yogurt to serve

1. mix together the flour, milk and egg yolks.
2. in a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks.
3. gently fold in egg whites
4. heat pan up with coconut oil or any flavourless oil
5. when hot enough spoon mixture in, 2 tbsp
6. cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown on both sides
7. serve with berries and coconut yogurt 
8. enjoy

Blackcurrant, Chocolate and Almond Cake

Last year, when we moved house i was particularly exited as we had several blackcurrant bushes, in the garden. I love blackcurrants, and will always pick them out of the frozen fruit mix, before anything else. My first proper taste of them cooked, without any other fruit,i owe to my aunt who also has several blackcurrant bushes, had cooked them up with a little sugar and served with cream. yum. and yep I'm drooling right now, just thinking about it. 

If your not lucky enough to possess a blackcurrant bush, then making this might be quite difficult.  I find it annoying that blackcurrants aren't sold separately either fresh or frozen, like most other berries. When in season a good market might have them, but your safest bet if you live in the UK it buying them from this website here, which sells frozen blackcurrants all year round, and fresh when in season.

The pairing of the chocolate and the blackcurrants, works well as the slight bitterness from the chocolate works well with the sharpness of the blackcurrants married happily with the nuttiness and sweetness from the almonds.Serve warm with a blob of thick cream or cool until firm, then serve as afternoon tea.

Ingredients

175g butter, plus extra for extra for greasing
175g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
1 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp natural vanilla extract
175g ground almonds
75g good quality dark chocolate, chocolate
100g blackcurrants (weighed without stalks)
icing sugar, to dust

1. preheat oven to 180 °c / gas 4. 
2. grease and line, the bottom and the sides, of large loose bottom cake tin
3. beat butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy
4. gradually beat in eggs, one at a time. (If it threatens to curdle, add the flour)
5. beat in the vanilla extract
6. fold in the almonds and flour (if you haven't already) 
7.stir in the chopped chocolate
8.pour the mixture in the tin
9. sprinkle on the blackcurrants, gently press into the mixture
10.bake for around 40 mins until the cake has puffed up slightly and is golden brown on top
11. leave to cool for 30 mins, remove from the tin and dust with icing sugar
12. serve either warm or cool.