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.

Belguim Biscuits

These are for the days when you feel like a pretty biscuit; Something a bit more fancy than a plain old digestive, or rich tea (which are both some of my favourite biscuits: which is why they must be kept out of sight when I'm around!). They also make great gifts, as they are probably one of the prettiest biscuits, a great Mother's Day gift as the look dainty and pretty, with speckles of pink.

They are spiced with cinnamon and mixed spice, and remind me of German Christmas biscuits, but without the jam. The raspberry jam is traditional, and I've sprinkled them in freeze dried raspberry powder, as it has a good strong raspberry flavour, but traditionally they would be sprinkled with raspberry jelly crystals.

There also great addition to a bake sale as the look impressive and something a bit different than cupcakes to raise money. Such as, for Comic Relief on the Friday 13th.These make a great gift particularly around Christmas time, as the spices are Christmassy: i usually give these to both my aunt, and my mum. Just don't put raspberry jam in them, unless you know there going to eat them immediately (within a day),as they will go soft quite quickly.

Ingredients- Biscuit

225g butter
1 cup sugar
1 dtsp golden syrup
2 eggs, one white kept aside for later
3 cups flour
1 dstp cinnamon
1 dstp mixed spice
1 tsp cocoa 
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt


1. preheat oven to 180° .
2. cream together the butter, sugar and golden syrup, until light and fluffy
3. add one egg and one yolk, beat well
4. sift together the flour, spices, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
5. add the dry ingredients and mix to form a ball
6. roll out the mixture, around a pound coin thickness, cut with a cutter and place on baking tray
7. bake for 10- 12 mins or until starting to brown
8. leave to cool

9. when cool, make the royal icing

Ingredients -royal icing

1 egg white icing sugar 
raspberry jam
raspberry powder/ jelly crystals

1. mix the egg white and icing sugar to form a spreadable icing
2. spread icing on half of the biscuits and sprinkle with freeze dried raspberry powder
3. sandwich together with raspberry jam 
4. enjoy 

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