Chocolate fruit cake

Chocolate Fruit Cake

A fruit cake is a very versatile thing. It works well without gluten, eggs and lactose but is open to the addition of so many good things such as chocolate and spice! This is a very comforting cake yet so easy to make.  

Ingredients:

175g unsalted butter/dairy free margarine

140g dark chocolate

3 tablespoons potato starch

10 tablespoons water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

250g plain gluten free flour

130g soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

10 green cardamom pods

1 pinch salt

225 g mixed dried fruit

3 teaspoons cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 160C/fan 140C and grease and line the base of a 10 inch loose bottomed cake tin.

Pop the dark chocolate into the microwave for 2 minutes. Mix the potato starch and water in a bowl and set to one side.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter/margarine until softened. Grate the apple into the bowl including the skin. Add the sugar and beat until soft. Pour in the melted dark chocolate, potato starch mixture, oil and continue to beat.

In a small pan over a medium heat, add the fennel seeds and cardamom pods and warm for about a minute until the seeds begin to pop and are browned. Grind the fennel and cardamom in a pestle and mortar until the seeds are ground. Sieve the ground spices into the cake mixture and discard the cardamom skins. Next add the flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, cocoa powder and salt and mix to combine. Add the mixed fruit and beat to combine. Pour into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Pop into the oven for about 90 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and remove the cake from the tin to cool on a wire rack. 

Jaffa Cake Loaf

Jaffa Cake Loaf

This recipe started out as a clementine cake but after I caught the first smell and taste of this cake I was brought to the distinctive jaffa cake. Whilst there has long been a debate about whether a jaffa cake is a cake or a biscuit (the English tax tribunal ruled that they are indeed a cake), there is no doubt that this is a cake. It has a wonderful citrus aroma which combines well with the dark chocolate coating. It celebrates the wonderful flavour of a clementine. 

Ingredients:

140g unsalted butter/dairy free margarine

200g self-raising gluten free flour

1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

140g soft brown sugar

3 eggs

2 clementines, zest and juice

6 tablespoons rice milk/dairy free milk

40g golden caster sugar

75g dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C and grease a loaf tin. 

Beat the butter/margarine until softened then beat in the sugar. Add the eggs, beating one at a time then mix in the clementine zest flour, bicarbonate of soda and milk. Whenever you are using zest in a mixture, be sure to zest the fruit directly into the mixture in order to catch all of those priceless oils which give so much flavour. 

Pour into the oven and bake for about 50 minutes. 

10 minutes before the end, prepare the clementine syrup by heating the clementine juice together with the sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat. This will take about 5 minutes although be careful not to bring it to the boil too much or else you will evaporate all of the juice and be left with a caramel! The clementine can be a bit tricky to handle when juicing so I had to use a sieve as the clementine broke up in my hands.  

When the sugar has melted take the syrup of the heat and leave to one side. 

When the cake is golden on top and cooked through (knife inserted in the middle comes out clean), turn off the oven and insert the knife a few more times evenly through the top of the loaf. Spoon the syrup evenly over the top of the cake. Leave to cool in the tin. 

Melt the chocolate by popping in a non-metallic bowl and zapping for about 2 minutes in a microwave. Use the melted chocolate to cover the top of the cake. 

Salted caramel chocolate slice

Salted Caramel Chocolate Slice

This is a truly indulgent slice which is best enjoyed in small amounts. It is really lovely though and will cure cravings for unhealthy chocolate bars. 

Ingredients:

Shortbread 

225g plain gluten free flour

70g golden caster sugar

200g salted butter, chilled and cubed

Caramel

175g salted butter

160g golden caster sugar

100g golden syrup

395g condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Topping

300g dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C and grease and line a 10 inch loose bottomed tin with greaseproof paper. 

In a large mixing bowl add the flour, sugar and butter. Using the tip of your fingers, rub the butter with the flour and sugar until you have a breadcrumb consistency. Knead the mixture until it comes together and you have a dough. 

Press the dough into the base of the prepared tin and smooth evenly. Prick the base with a fork and pop into the fridge for 15 minutes. 

Pop into the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Take out and leave to one side to cool. 

In the meantime prepare the caramel by putting the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk into a small saucepan. Heat over a medium heat, stirring to combine and allow to come to a gentle boil before simmering for at least 10 minutes stirring until the mixture turns a caramel colour. 

Take off the heat and add the vanilla essence. Pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread and leave to cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour. 

Melt the chocolate by breaking into pieces in a glass bowl and either popping in the microwave for 90 seconds or over a simmering pan of hot water making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. 

Pour the chocolate over the caramel. It should pour easily over the set caramel so no need to spread it. Pop in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow it to set completely. 

It is best enjoyed in small slices since it is so indulgent and will keep for at least a week in an airtight container. 

Passion Fruit Tunis Cake

Passion Fruit Tunis Cake

Tunis cake is a wonderfully indulgent cake which also goes well with passion fruit. This recipe has been tried and tested to produce a cake which is not overly sweet. The crumb on the cake is nice and light which goes well with the bitterness of the ganache and the tartness of the passion fruit. 

Ingredients:

Madeira Cake

225g softened butter/dairy free margarine

160g golden caster sugar

225g self-raising gluten free flour

70g ground almonds

4 eggs

1 lemon zest

Passion Fruit Curd 

8 passion fruit
1 lemon juice
100g golden caster sugar
100g butter/dairy free margarine
2 eggs
2 egg yolks

Chocolate Ganache 200ml coconut cream
280g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C and grease and line the base of a 10 inch loose-bottomed tin. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter/margarine together with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the lemon zest, flour and ground almonds and mix until combined. 

Pour into the prepared tin and pop into the oven for 45 minutes. Place a piece of greaseproof paper on top of the cake after 30 minutes to prevent the surface over browning.

Leave in the tin whilst you prepare the chocolate ganache. Pour the coconut cream in a saucepan over a medium heat until it is warm. Add the chocolate pieces and stir for a while before leaving for the chocolate to melt. Stir after a couple of minutes until all the chocolate has melted. Pop the saucepan back onto the heat if it is not melting but do not overheat. 

Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the cake in the tin and smooth the top. Leave to one side in a cool place to set for at least 2 hours. Once set carefully remove the side of the tin so that the chocolate ganache sits nicely on top.  

This cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. You can take out a piece of cake every day in advance to allow the ganache to come back to room temperature. 

The passion fruit curd can be made in advance as it needs at least 4 hours in the fridge to set. 

Scoop the flesh from seven of the passion fruit into a bowl. Whisk the seeds to loosen the juices. Spoon into a sieve placed over a bowl and press down with a spoon until all the juices have been extracted. Squeeze the lemon through the sieve to collect any seeds.

Heat the butter/margarine in a saucepan over a low heat. Whilst this is melting, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar together in another bowl and add in the passion fruit and lemon juices. 

When the butter has melted, pour in the egg and juice mixture and whisk over a low heat until the curd thickens to the consistency of double cream. Make sure you keep stirring to avoid any curdling. 

Take the thickened curd off the heat and scoop in to the pulp from the remaining passion fruit. Stir into the curd and pour into a container before popping into the fridge for at least 4 hours. The curd can be enjoyed with other delights as well and keeps in the fridge for over a week. Unless finished before hand of course! 

Enjoy a slice of the cake with a scoop of passion fruit curd on the side.  

Orange chocolate biscuits

Australian gluten-free products are comparatively expensive so it is cost-effective to make your own especially if you have a sweet tooth like mine! These easy biscuits punch alot of flavour for an afternoon tea treat which is quick and quite easy to make. Orange and chocolate is a classic combination of flavours that work well in this crispy little biscuit.

Ingredients:
1 orange, finely grated rind and one half juiced
125g dairy free margarine
120g golden caster sugar
1 egg, lightly whisked
150g gluten-free flour
50g buckwheat flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g 70% dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Grate the orange in a mixing bowl over the margarine in order to catch the invaluable orange oil. Add the sugar and beat with a wooden spoon until light and pale. Pour in the egg and mix to combine.
Sieve in the flours and bicarbonate and fold in to incorporate air.
Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking tray leaving about 1 to 2 centimetres space in between. Pop into the oven for about 25-30 minutes. Leave to cool on wire rack and repeat with the remaining mixture, It took me three turns to use up the mixture.
When the biscuits are cold, melt the dark chocolate in a bowl. I pop mine in a microwave for about 2 minutes but you can melt it over a bain marie. Mix the chocolate to ensure there are no lumps and use to sandwich the biscuits together. These biscuits keep for a couple of weeks and can be dunked, which is very important for an English biscuit eater!

Fennel Chocolate Clusters

Fennel Chocolate Clusters

Fennel Chocolate Clusters

When you are on a low sugar, gluten-free and lactose free diet it is hard at times to find something easy and tasty to pack in your lunchbox. These chocolate clusters though tick all the boxes. Dark chocolate contains less sugar so these treats are not too sugar intensive. The addition of fennel adds a lovely twist. 

Ingredients:

300g dark chocolate
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
200g blanched hazelnuts
75g sour cherries

Dark chocolate

In a large non-metallic mixing bowl, break the chocolate into pieces and pop into the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir the chocolate until it has melted. 

Fennel, cherries and nuts

In a pestle and mortar, grind the fennel seeds until you get a powder and mix into the melted chocolate. Add the hazelnuts and cherries and stir until combined. On a baking tray, place a piece of greaseproof paper and place tablespoons of the chocolate mix on top. Leave to set. Transfer to an airtight container. 

An everyday treat!

So, do you like fennel?

Indulgent Brownies

Indulgent Brownies

Brownies are supposed to be indulgent…but it does not have to be too unhealthy. The inclusion of alot of dark chocolate compensates for the lesser amount of sugar and fat. I do not add nuts to brownies as I think the chocolate should do the talking!

Indulgent Brownies

Ingredients:

400g dark chocolate

225g dairy free margarine

3 eggs beaten

175g golden caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

75g gluten-free self-raising flour

200g plain chocolate in pieces

Preheat the oven to 190C. Melt 400g chocolate with the margarine and leave to cool.

Chocolate goodness

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla together. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until just combined. Add the flour and chocolate pieces and mix until just combined.

Brownies mix

Pour into a greased and lined 30x20cm baking tray. Pop into the oven for about 30 minutes.

Straight out of the oven!

Gluten Free Sachertorte

Sachertorte

Gluten Free Sachertorte

Sachertorte is a cake which has intrigued me since my early days of baking as a teenager. This was a cake which I had never tried before and introduced to me the concept of adding ground almonds and stiff egg whites to a cake mix. It is also a cake which actually tastes better the next day and which has a rich and strong flavour. I always thought of it as a ‘male’ cake. One of my dreams was to visit the hotel in Austria where the recipe was invented. Some years later my dream was realised when I chanced upon Hotel Sacher whilst walking through the streets of Vienna. I was so delighted to have afternoon tea there although ironically I was disappointed by the sachertorte that was served up to me! I still enjoy this recipe though and think it is well suited to a gluten free diet given the small amounts of flour used. 

Ingredients:

200g dark chocolate

150g dairy free margarine

80g caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

75g ground almonds

40g gluten free self raising flour

Topping

250 ml lactose free cream

250g dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 180C. In a bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave being careful not to burn. In a large mixing bowl, add the margarine and beat lightly. Add the sugar and mix until light and creamy. Add the cooled chocolate and essence and mix. Separate the eggs adding the yolk to the chocolate mix and beating. Add the almonds and flour and beat to combine. 

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into the other mix and pour carefully into the prepared tin. Pop into the oven for about 50 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Cracks are a good thing!

When the cake is cold, prepare the topping by pouring the cream with the chocolate into a large bowl and melting in a microwave.Mix together until smooth and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

As if by magic...

...turns into this!

Pour over the cake and leave to set whilst admiring its indulgent glossiness!

Glossy!

So, have you visited Hotel Sacher?

Choccy nutty biscuits

It was funny going to the supermarkets yesterday avoiding the frenzy around the aisles stacked up with pancake day ingredients. It is amazing how many special days have been taking over as marketing campaigns and cause so many of us to feel pressured into conforming. It seemed as though alot of people felt pressured into making pancakes yesterday, perhaps out of fear that they might not be seen as the perfect mother/wife if pancakes are not served up. Pancakes are not seasonal, they can be made all year round. I honoured the day by trying a new recipe but will still have pancakes at least once a week. Are we happy that so many days have become marketing campaigns, directing us what we should be buying in order to conform?

So I thought today to make a variation on a favourite which if homemade, can be a bit healthier.

Choccy nutty biscuits

Ingredients:

150g dairy-free margarine
50g caster sugar
200g plain gluten-free flour
300g 70% dark chocolate
200g blanched hazelnuts

Method:

Cream the margarine and sugar together then add the flour until you get a smooth dough.

Roll out and using a pastry cutter, cut out rounds and place on a baking sheet.

Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.

Preheat the oven to 190C and bake the biscuits for 20 minutes. Remove from oven to cool down.

Roast the hazelnuts for 8 minutes and chop into pieces. Carefully melt the chocolate.

Mix the hazelnut with the chocolate and place a spoonful of the chocolate on top of the cooled biscuits.

These are a variation of my chocolate clusters. Add flavours such as lemon, orange to the biscuits and chocolate as you wish.

So fellow readers, are there any other favourites that you would like to make yourself to make more healthy? Custard creams inspired by Nigella are one for sure that will appear soonish.