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.

Vanilla Macaroons

A rather old fashioned recipe but great for baking ahead for the holidays and did I mention gluten free and dairy free!

Makes 40.

Ingredients

220g ground almonds

350g caster sugar

4 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a little Demerara or raw sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Centigrade.

Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Weigh the almonds and sugar into one bowl.

In the other, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, add a tablespoon of sugar, from the other bowl, and whisk until glossy.

In batches, fold the dry ingredients and vanilla extract into the egg whites.

Using a couple of teaspoons, spoon small scoops of macaroon onto the baking sheets, spaced well apart.

Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes.

Allow to cool a little on the baking sheet before moving to a rack to cool completely!

 

Raspberry Meringues

In a household full of males, it’s always nice to sneak a little pink in!

Makes 50 mini meringues.

Ingredients

4 egg whites

170g caster sugar

4 teaspoons freeze dried raspberry powder plus a little extra for decoration

Method

Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Centigrade. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until forming peaks, slowly add the sugar, no more than 10-15g at a time, beating really well between additions.

Once all of the sugar has been added, spoon over the raspberry powder and beat well.

Spoon the meringue into a piping bag and pipe into small meringues on the prepared sheets. My meringues are 2-3cm diameter.

Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes until the meringues are lifting off the paper.

Remove the trays from the oven and sprinkle over a little extra raspberry powder for colour.

Allow to cool on the baking sheets and then store in an airtight container

Meringues

One of the simplest gluten free treats to make that just about everyone loves.

I like to serve them sandwiched with whipped cream or with strawberries and cream.

Ingredients

4 large egg whites

180g caster sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 140degrees Centigrade.

Line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

Whisk the egg whites in the bowl until very stiff, you should be able to turn the bowl up and nothing moves!

Start adding the sugar, a dessert spoon at a time, whisking very well in with each addition.

Either spoon the meringue onto the prepared tins or pipe, the meringues above are tiny, around 3cm across.

Pop in the oven and bake for around 45-60mins depending on size, they should lift easily from the paper and sound hollow.

Allow to cool on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container.

Brown Sugar Meringues

Two ingredients and a little patience really pay off here.

These delicious morsels are lovely on their own or serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit and did I mention gluten free too?

This is also a great way to use up left over egg whites, possibly left over from spaghetti alla carbonara.

Ingredients

4 egg whites

225g brown sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 110 degrees Centigrade and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.

In a large clean bowl beat the eggs until very stiff, a test of this is turning the bowl upside down, I like to threaten a child with it!

Add the sugar a dessert spoon at a time, beating well with each spoonful to the point where you cannot see any sugar crystals.

Once all the sugar is added spoon or pipe the meringue mix onto the prepared sheets.

Bake for 1hour and then allow to cool on the trays.

Store in an airtight container, the meringues will keep for 3 weeks.

This mixture will give you 12-16 large meringues using a spoon. I use a piping bag and tend to get around 50 meringues, these are the size of a 50c coin when they go in the oven.