Dark Chocolate and Date Bakes

These are seriously dangerous to have in the house!

A great gluten free bake that is very forgiving.

Makes 12.

Ingredients

100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids

125g pitted dates

130g ground almonds

3 egg whites

60g caster sugar

40g melted dark chocolate to decorate

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

Line a 12 hole muffin tray with baking parchment.

In a food processor, blitz the chocolate until you have a light crumb. Tip into a large bowl.

Next, check each and every date for a stone and then blitz them in the food processor until finely chopped too. Tip the dates into the chocolate crumb.

Weigh the ground almonds into the same bowl and then, using your finger tips, break up any big chunks of dates so you have an even mix.

In another large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks, add the sugar, a table spoon at a time until all of the sugar is incorporated.

Fold the chocolate mix into the egg white mix and spoon into the prepared tins.

Bake for 20 minutes. Once golden, turn the heat off but leave the bakes in the oven, with the door a jar, to cool completely.

Melt the remaining chocolate and then drizzle over the cool bakes.

White Chocolate and Ginger Tart

If you aren’t into sweet treats, stop reading now!

My youngest came up with this recipe and has grudgingly shared small slices with the rest of us.

You could use a pastry shell but, as we are gluten free, the biscuit base is a nice quick alternative.

This tart fits a 25cm round tin or we use a rectangular tin and make two individual tarts for another night.

Ingredients

475g gluten free ginger nuts

150g butter

400g white chocolate

100g butter

400mls creme fraiche

Dark chocolate to grate over

Method

Melt the butter in the microwave or in a pan, add the crushed biscuits and mix well.

Press the biscuit mix into a loose bottomed tin or individual tins, packing tightly into the base and sides.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Gently heat the chocolate and butter in the microwave, stirring frequently until melted.

Whisk in the creme fraiche until lump free.

Pour into the prepared tins and smooth the top.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Brownie Cakes

We have an ongoing argument in the family as to what to call these, bruffins is the boys choice but they really are just a brownie.

As they are a brownie, they come out of the oven puffed in the middle and rapidly fall as they cool, the icing then fills the gap but be warned, these are rich!

Makes 16.

Ingredients

120g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids

120g butter

70g smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

300g caster sugar

120g ground almonds, almond meal

3/4 tablespoon baking powder

3 eggs

ICING

130g butter, at room temperature

225g icing sugar

25g cocoa powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Centigrade.

Take two muffin tins and line 16 holes with muffin cases.

Either over hot water or carefully in the microwave, melt the butter and chocolate gently, stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.

In another bowl, measure out the sugar, ground almonds and baking powder.

In a third bowl, whisk the eggs until light and fluffy.

Pour the chocolate into the dry ingredients and then fold in the eggs gently.

Spoon into the prepared cases and bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

Once the cakes are cool, make the icing.

In a food processor, blitz the icing sugar to get any lumps out or sieve it.

Add the cocoa powder and then beat in the butter.

Spread a little icing into the middle of each cake and then grate over some white chocolate.

Gluten Free Sweet Waffles

Bit of a lazy Sunday morning breakfast that the boys love making.

If you don’t have nutmeg, cinnamon works beautifully too.

Makes 6-8 waffles depending on the size of your waffle iron.

Ingredients

150g gluten free plain flour

40g caster sugar

2 and 1/2 tablespoons gluten free baking powder

1 egg

300mls milk

Freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Heat your waffle iron.

Using a stick blender, whizz all of the ingredients until lump free.

Cook according to your waffle iron instructions.

Coconut And Chocolate Squares

Another sweet treat was required this weekend for cricket morning tea so, introducing one of the easiest sweet treats to make with no baking required.

Makes 30-50 pieces depending on how you cut them up.

Ingredients

600g desiccated coconut

420g icing sugar, sieved

2 x 395g condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

50g plain chocolate, I use 70% cocoa 

Method
Line the base and sides of  a large roasting tin with baking parchment.

In a very large bowl, weigh out the coconut and sifted sugar, stir to combine.

Now add the condensed milk, vanilla extract and cider vinegar.

Using your hands, mix really well.

Pour the coconut mixture into the prepared tin and push down with the back of a silicone spatula to flatten it out evenly.

Melt the chocolate carefully in the microwave and drizzle over the coconut base.

Pop the roasting tin into the fridge for three hours and then remove the paper and cut into squares.

I keep this in the fridge here as we are in summer but if you are in a cooler climate, in the cupboard is fine.

Brazilian Chocolate Orange Balls

These are a rather dangerous treat to have in the house!

I get the boys involved in rolling the balls out as they are often for their social events or cricket club morning teas.

Makes 28 balls.

Ingredients

30g butter

395g tin condensed milk

100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa

Zest of one orange

150g desiccated coconut

Method

In a large heavy based pan, heat the butter and condensed milk over a low heat, slowly bring it up to the simmer and simmer, stirring all the time, until it thickens, around ten minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and beat in the chocolate.

Once the chocolate has melted add the orange zest and 100g of coconut. Stir well and set aside to cool.

Once the chocolate mixture has cooled, pour the remaining coconut onto a plate and roll walnut sized balls of the chocolate mixture in the coconut. Repeat until all of the chocolate mixture has been used up.

Keep in a cool place.

Almond And Cherry Mini Cakes

With the start of cricket season here in Western Australia it is time to get back to baking for the shared morning teas when the boys play matches at their home ground.

These are lovely sweet treats that disappear quickly. Any leftovers freeze very well and are perfect for school lunch boxes.

Makes 48 mini cakes.

Ingredients

150g ground almonds, almond meal

140g gluten free plain flour

80g caster sugar

1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder

100g butter, melted

140g Greek yogurt

1 egg, beaten

125mls milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

140g cherry conserve

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Centigrade. Line 2 x 24 hole mini muffin trays.

In a large bowl, combine the ground almonds, flour, sugar and baking powder. Give it a whisk to get rid of any lumps.

In another bowl combine the butter, yogurt, egg, milk and vanilla extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and begin to fold in, don’t over mix it.

Spoon the conserve into the batter in dollops and then fold in gently.

Spoon into the prepared cake tins.

Bake for 17-20minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Salted Chocolate Caramels

The start of the school hols here in Western Australia calls for a sweet treat in our house.

Ingredients

130g salted butter

395mls condensed milk

200g brown sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2 tablespoons glucose syrup

100g 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate

Salt flakes

Method

Line a small tin, 15x25cm, with baking parchment.

In a heavy based pan, heat the butter, condensed milk, sugar and syrups very gently over a low heat.

Once the sugar has dissolved, slowly bring up to the boil and simmer very gently for five minutes until thickened.

Take off the heat, stir in the chocolate and stir until combined and lump free.

As soon as the chocolate has dissolved, pour the caramel mix into the prepared tin and smooth out.

Sprinkle over a few salt flakes and pop into the fridge until cold. Once completely set, using a sharp knife, cut into squares.

Mocha Roulade

A sweet treat today, one for the coffee lovers!

The boys devoured this so it isn’t too strongly flavoured with coffee and it is gluten and nut free.

Cuts into 8 very generous slices.

Ingredients

6 eggs 

150g caster sugar

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

50g cocoa powder

ICING

250g icing sugar

125g salted butter

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

15mls boiling water

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Line a baking tray, 38x25cm, with baking parchment, folding it right into the corners as the cake batter is too light to weigh it down.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk to stiff peaks, add 50g of the caster sugar and whisk in until the whites are shiny.

In another large bowl, using the whisk that you used for the whites, whisk the egg yolks, remaining sugar and coffee powder until really thick, creamy and the powder has dissolved. Sieve the cocoa over the bowl and fold in.

Now, fold a third of the whites into the yolk very gently. Once combined repeat with another third and then with the remaining third.

Spoon the batter, spreading it evenly up to the edges, onto the baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.

While the cake is baking boil the kettle.

In a food processor, whizz the icing sugar to remove any lumps, add the butter and whizz until creamy in the processor.

Measure out the coffee powder into a small cup, add the boiled water and stir to combine.

Slowly pour this coffee into the processor with it on to combine. Scrape down the sides and process again. You may neeed to do this a few times to get all of the coffee incorporated.

Once the cake is ready, remove from the oven and let it sit for five minutes.

Cover the cake with a clean tea towel and invert so you have the parchment up. Peel the parchment off.

Now, roll the cake, including the tea towel, skinny end to skinny end. Allow to sit and cool with the tea towel still in situ.

Once the cake has cooled, unroll gently, remove the tea towel, spread the inside of the roll with the icing and roll back up.

Sift a little icing sugar over and serve.

Coconut and Cranberry Balls

In the days before healthy bliss balls, I can remember my Mum making a version of these, raisins instead of cranberries and dipped in chocolate. 

This recipe makes 25 balls. They are small but trust me, you don’t want them too big, these are rich sweeties!

Ingredients

110g butter

150g icing sugar

80g desiccated coconut

130g cranberries

25g 70% coco solids chocolate

Method

In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar.

Add the cranberries and coconut and pulse until combined.

Form into balls and place, spaced out, on a piece of baking parchment.

Now melt the chocolate, I cheat and melt it carefully in the microwave.

Take teaspoons of the chocolate and drizzle over the balls.

Allow to cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.