Vegan Snickerdoodles

This came about as I was in experimentation phase and due to stay at friends – one of whom is vegan. I don’t like to arrive somewhere empty handed so the hunt was on for some vegan baked goods. I couldn’t be bothered to hunt through my old copies of Jamie magazine to find the ‘vegan’ issue so just went free style on an old favourite.

 

This recipe needed substitutes for butter and egg. The butter is easy as coconut oil has a lot of the same qualities. The egg was harder as I’d never had to do it before. Plus I had thought that this recipe didn’t have egg in so it was initially a bit of a surprise. However help is only a google away. There are tons of suggestions but I went for vegetable oil as it seemed to promise to do what was needed.

 

The final products were very good. A bit more crumbly than regular ones, as I guess the egg does a binding job that the oil doesn’t, but they held their shape. I took them into work, my usual test for my baking, and everyone was very complimentary.

 

Ingredients

125g plain flour

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

60g coconut oil

50g caster sugar + 1tbsp

30ml vegetable oil

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/GM 4.
2. Add the nutmeg, baking powder and salt to the flour and mix well.
3. Whisk the coconut oil and 50g caster sugar together. You’re not going to be creaming it as much as you would with butter, but make sure you spend a couple of minutes doing it.
4. Then add the vegetable oil and vanilla, mixing well, before adding the flour mixture. You’ll need to use your hands at the end to bring the dough together.
5. On a plate mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together.
6. Then divide the dough into 16 balls. Just break the dough into quarters then each of the quarters into four. Roll into balls, then roll in the sugar and cinnamon mix to cover the outside completely.
7. Pop on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

Bacon and Chocolate Chip Cookies (Primal/Gluten Free/Dairy Free)

Primal – sounds fairly basic and maybe a little bit cool huh? It’s apparently a diet. Not a ‘less not eat anything until we need to pass out and then have a small piece of cheese’ diet but one that looks at what we evolved to eat. Or something like that. It’s probably like the Paleo diet and the Caveman diet and anything else that basically doesn’t let you eat anything fun or anything that was invented in France – French bread, pastries, macaroons, croissants (some of these things may not have been invented in France but I can’t be bothered to research in this for the sake of this). 

I’m slightly suspicious of these kinds of restrictions on what you eat, mainly because it stops me eating chocolate and bread. The Thew follows a Paleo-esque diet. He eats an incredibly healthy diet so he can drink lots of alcohol and maintain fitness. Currently he is spending most evenings upside down in a handstand position against one of our walls. Hey – whatever works for you! 

My good friend Claire shared this recipe with me and, while I’m not sure about trying to recreate recipes using paleo/primal ingredients in place of good old butter and sugar, it was intriguing enough for me to give them a try. The original method I read is a bit lacking on details and the one thing you need to do with these kind of recipes is a good methodology if you have any hope in hell of making something that looks like the ‘real’ thing. Many people at work liked these, and they are ok, but I’d just rather eat a chocolate chip cookie made with brown sugar and wheat flour. I’m not sure what the bacon adds, other than a bit of salty taste, but I guess it’s to add protein. Anyway, if this is your thing, go knock yourself out! 

Ingredients

5 rashers of streaky bacon (I used M&S)

60ml of maple syrup (plus 125ml – see below)

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

125ml coconut oil (make sure it’s fairly well melted so room temp or melt it first)

125ml maple syrup

1 tsp bicarb of soda

1 tsp salt

300g ground almonds

200g dark chocolate chips 

1.    Preheat the oven the 190°C/GM 5.

2.    Dip the bacon in the maple syrup and bake for about 25 minutes. It may need longer. Put them on foil to save mess. Turn half way through and ignore how burnt the foil gets from the run off maple syrup. Cool, ideally on fresh foil or greaseproof paper. They are very sticky! Chop into bits.

3.    Whisk the eggs, vanilla, coconut oil and 125ml maple syrup together in a bowl. You want to goof frothy mixture as the eggs will add air to the mixture and help keep them light.

4.    In a large bowl mix the bicarb, salt and almonds. Add the egg mixture and whisk together.

5.    Add the chocolate chips and bacon bits stirring to incorporate.

6.    The put heaped teaspoons of mixture on a baking tray, leaving space between them. Flatten them out with the back of a spoon or spatula so they resemble a cookie shape.

7.    Bake for 11-12 minutes – you want them turning golden brown. Cool completely before serving.

Makes about 30.

N.B. I made these afterwards without the bacon and they worked well. The bacon definitely gives a good savoury/salty edge but it's not necessary.

 

Olive Oil Bread

I’ve been a bit quiet recently on the blog. I have been baking but it all got a bit busy and emotional, so the writing got left behind. My Uncle died suddenly at the end of April and it’s been very difficult to drum up energy for anything outside of work and prior commitments.  

However the baking goes on and very excitingly I managed to arrange a ‘Sausage Roll Day’ at work where we had about eight people baking around 10 different types of sausage roll. It was epic! It’s exciting to see people get worked up about baking (or it is for me) and as someone who is seen to ‘know’ about baking I get lots of questions and enthusiasm from people when they see that it’s not actually that hard. 

My neighbour, knowing I bake, gave me some fresh yeast so I decided to make bread. I’ve never used fresh yeast before but I highly recommend it. Very easy to use and the bread was great. The method below looks a bit long winded, and it does have more steps, but you’ll spend less time fiddling with the dough. Rather than 2 x 5-7 minutes of kneading your total time is more like 2 minutes. I believe it’s the method Dan Lepard (?) uses, or my bastardised version, as I read it on a Guardian baking blog and thought it sounded interesting. It is and I recommend it whole heartedly. I hate kneading so this is bliss. 

Ingredients

500g strong white bread flour

15g fresh yeast (I have no idea where you get this unless you live near my neighbour who had some)

300ml warm water (100ml boiling to 200ml cold)

2 tbsp olive oil 

1.    Crumble the fresh yeast into the flour and use your finger tips to distribute it throughout the flour. Much like you would mix butter into the pastry.

2.    Add the oil to the water and pour into the centre of the flour mixture. Mix until it comes together as a dough.

3.    Then knead for 15 seconds vigorously in the bowl. Then cover with a tea towel and leave for 15 minutes. Then do another 15 seconds. Leave for 15 minutes and then a final 15 seconds of kneading before covering again and leaving for an hour or so somewhere warm.

4.    Once it’s puffed up and doubled in size turn it out onto a floured surface. Stretch the dough out into a big square (random I know but stick with me). It’s best if you start this from the middle underneath, stretching to the sides before pulling the sides out. It doesn’t need to be perfect as all you need to be able to do with it is this: fold the bottom third into the middle, then the top third over the bit you just folded. Then repeat long ways. Just watch the video below! (Sorry it's using a paper towel and not dough).

5.    Once this is done pop into the bowl, cover and leave for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes do the same again, leave for 20 minutes in a covered bowl and then do it again. After this final third folding shape and place on a baking tray. Cover the dough and leave in a warm place for an hour or so to double in size. Oiled cling film is best I find.

6.    Preheat the oven to 190°C/GM5. Once the dough has risen, uncover, slash some cuts in the top if you like and pop in the oven for about 30 minutes. You might need another 5 and if a gas oven then turn half way through to get an even colour on top.

7.    Eat warm, ideally, with lashings of butter. Or bring into work and see it demolished. Or make two smaller loaves, rather than one big one and give one to the neighbour who gave you the yeast.

 

 

Alfajores

What is with all these celebrities writing open letters to each other? I get the idea behind them but it’s getting a bit boring. They have all this money and they resort to releasing the equivalent of a press release about someone else and their thoughts on them. It also seems to be the older celebrities that write them, I guess because younger celebrities just let rip at one another in 140 characters or less. 

However that is also disappointing. These people are meant to be creative and they’re just doing what everyone else does. Where is the sky writing above someone’s film premiere? Where is the interpretive dance on Oprah’s sofa to show how they feel about twerking while drinking SodaStream? Why don’t they write their thoughts across their naked body and commission a Vogue shoot? It could be so much more interesting and entertaining for all.  

Hey ho. I’ve been feeling slightly angry all week as the extent of my wheat allergy (which I’m in total denial about) starts to make itself known. I’ve done something gluten free this week and gone all out and made it dairy free as well. These do taste ok, and the texture of the biscuit does work, although if you’re ok with dairy then use better instead of the margarine. Sadly when cooking they don’t fill your home with the smell of fresh baking but more like slightly burnt rice. However the caramel filling smells great so that’s a bonus. The original recipe has Xanthan Gum in but as it's powdered mould I left it out. It doesn't lack for want of it.

Ingredients

 

Biscuits

200g dairy-free margarine (or butter)

100g icing sugar

200g ground almonds

200g brown rice flour

1tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt 

Caramel

150g dairy-free margarine (or butter)

150g light brown soft sugar

A good dollop of golden syrup

OR A tin of Carnation Caramel

 

1.    Cream the margarine and sugar, then add the rest of the biscuit ingredients, mixing well.

2.    Make the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for 30 minutes or so.

3.    Preheat the oven, while you wait, to 180°C/GM4.

4.    Next make the caramel as it will need to cool before you use it. Put the sugar and golden syrup on a very low heat and melt together. You’ll need to mix it every now and again as you don’t want it to burn. It will create a paste, rather than liquid, so don’t panic.

5.    Add the margarine (it will spit a bit) and mix until the margarine is incorporated. Then leave on a slow simmer (it will look very bubbly) for 15 minutes. Do not stir. After that time drop some of it into a cup of cold water and check if it’s chewy. If it is it’s done. Leave to cool. Stir a bit as the fat will want to separate out but don’t panic about it.

6.    Once the dough has had its time in the fridge roll out on a surface floured with rice flour. You want it about 4mm thick. Then cut out discs of 4 – 6cm in diameter.

7.    Put on a baking tray, they don’t spread so you don’t have to worry about that, and bake for about 22 minutes (if you have a gas oven then turn half way through for an even colour).

8.    Cool and spread one biscuit with the caramel – there is enough to be generous – and sandwich with another. This makes about 20 in total if you use a 6cm cutter.

Nigella's Clementine Cake

The Thew has informed me that he sends people to my blog to get the recipe for the Clementine cake that I make and that they can’t ever find it. Well that is because it hasn’t been on here until now. I thought I should rectify the matter as it’s a great cake and one of those dairy and wheat free ones that rock (it’s not vegan because it uses eggs). 

I don’t think that you can get this wrong. It’s so easy and don’t be put off by the long time needed to poach the clementines. It’s very low intensity and fills your home with the most wonderful smell. The addition of chocolate to the top makes this a kind of massive Jaffa Cake. 

Ingredients

375g clementines (now you want to go over not under on weight so don’t worry if you’re at the 390g mark)

6 large eggs

225g sugar

250g ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder (use gluten free if you want to keep non-wheat eaters happy)

100g dark chocolate (I sometimes use Maya Gold Green and Black as it has orange oil in it) 

1.     Fill a large saucepan with water and put the whole clementines in. Bring to the boil, cover and let simmer for 2 hours. By covering the saucepan the water won’t evaporate so you won’t need to keep topping up to ensure the clementines float throughout the poaching process.

2.    Once done, remove from the water and cool slightly. Cut in half, remove the pips and whatever is left of the stalk and pulp everything left including the skin.

3.    Preheat the oven to 190°C/GM5 and line a springform tin, greasing with oil to keep dairy free. I’ve used both a 20cm and 23cm tin so whatever you have.

4.    Beat the eggs well – make sure they get light and foamy. Add the sugar, almonds and baking powder, mixing well before adding the clementine pulp.

5.    Put in the tin and bake for 1 hour. Check after 40 minutes as it does brown and cover with foil for the last 20 minutes if it’s got dark.

6.    While that is going on grate or whizz up the chocolate into little pieces. Once the cake comes out of the oven sprinkle all over the top and watch it melt into a lovely topping.

7.    Cool completely before serving.

Chocolate, Fruit and Nut Bars

 

 

Why couldn’t my mum be from the Maldives? I hear it’s the flattest country in the world. Very flat, no big hills, level. But no. Ireland it is and not just any old part – Connemara with its hills, bogs and lashing of rain. Now on a good day Connemara is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s also good on a bad day when you’re in a car or a pub. When it’s not good would be when you’re running for two miles up a fairly hefty gradient knowing that it’s only the start of the half marathon, or so I imagine. Soon I won’t have to imagine and will actually be experiencing this joyous event for myself. 

 

For some reason I agreed with The Thew when he said that when visiting my family we should time it so we could do the Connemarathon. Ok I agreed to half but still, the course looks brutal. This now means that I have to actually train for it. I’m not saying that I wouldn’t have to train for a normal one but it would be so much easier training for one in say the Maldives, than building hill training into my regime and thinking about waterproof clothing. I’m not the biggest fan of running at the best of times so I’ve decided to try and be a bit healthier so I have less of me to drag around the course.

  

So I’m afraid that today’s recipe is fairly healthy (although the dried fruit has a ton of sugar in so not that great – yay!) However it’s very easy and doesn’t involve putting the oven on. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while as The Thew eats a lot of Nakd bars and I think that they are dry and horrible. However when looking at the ingredients the bars should be moist so I decided to try them myself. I’m guessing that Nakd have to dry theirs out more in the cold pressing process they use so that they stay more rigid and can be packed easily. These bars retain the juiciness of the dried fruit used and are fairly sweet with the cocoa adding a nice touch of chocolate.  I actually enjoy these and they have gone down well in the office. Also gluten and dairy free, along with being vegan!

 

Ingredients

290g dried dates (stoned)

175g cashew nuts (not roasted or salted)

100g flame raisins (so I didn't use flame raisins once. You can read what happened here)

10-30g good quality cocoa powder (it’s more to taste and depends on how chocolately you want it. You can always add more so start low and just add more if you think it needs it.) 

 

1.    Whizz the cashews buts in a food processor until they are in tiny pieces.

2.    Add the rest of the ingredients and whizz into a mush. You’ll see what I mean.

3.    Turn out into a silicon or lined tray. I used a 20cm x 20cm silicon tray so something of similar dimension. Smooth out with the back of a spoon.

4.    Cover the top with baking paper and top with heavy books. Ideally the first book would roughly fit the dimensions of the tin to give an even press. Put it in the fridge for anything from 3 – 48 hours.

5.    Remove from the tin and cut into whatever size pieces you want.



Nigella's Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

 

Everyone seems more concerned with their diet these days. We’re bombarded with messages about nutrition on a daily basis with most of it conflicting. Quite a few of these are directed at food which, let’s be honest, is the more fun stuff. Cakes, biscuits and the like. Due to my love of baking this does cause issues as I only use butter, never margarine, and I won’t scrimp on full fat milk so some feel that they are unable to indulge. The Thew (my husband) avoids wheat and refined sugar so he’s immediately out of the tasting circle although he will sometimes have a slice of a gluten free cake if he’s feeling crazy!

There are those who are allergic to certain foods and these people have my sympathy. Not only do they not get to eat delicious desserts and cakes but the substitutes are generally fairly below average. There is a very lovely girl at my work who is allergic to dairy so when I saw Nigella’s Olive Oil Chocolate Cake I immediately thought of her. I make Nigella’s Clementine Cake, which is gluten free and is delicious, so I had high hopes.

The cake can also be gluten free but I didn’t have enough ground almonds at home to do that. It was raining outside as well so I wasn’t going to pop out and get some more. What you get for your effort is a wonderfully moist chocolate cake that is simply stunning for the minimal work that goes into it. I may try adding some ginger to this next time - this is a cake that encourages experimentation.

Ingredients

150ml regular olive oil

50g cocoa powder (I use Green and Blacks as its fab)

125ml boiling water

2 tsp vanilla extract

125g plain flour (or 150g ground almonds)

½ tsp bicarb of soda

200g caster sugar

3 large eggs

1.     Preheat the oven to 170°/GM3. Grease a springform tin with oil and line the base.

2.     Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl and add the boiling water. Whisk until smooth, add the vanilla, whisk some more and set to one side. Now it looks tempting to dip your finger in and try some. Warning - just because it looks like melted chocolate, doesn't mean it tastes like it!

3.     Combine the flour, bicarb and a pinch of salt and leave to one side.

4.     Put the sugar in a bowl with the eggs and olive oil. Whisk until very aerated and thick – this takes 3-4 minutes with a hand held mixer.

5.     Add the cocoa mixture followed by the flour mixture, beating together after each addition.

6.     Pour into your tin and bake for about 40 minutes.

7.     You can eat hot or cold so let cool for a few minutes if you want to eat it hot, or cool completely if you want it cold. I had it cold but I imagine that for those who aren’t allergic to diary, some double cream would do well with it.