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!

Banana, coconut and honey bread

Banana, coconut and honey bread

My new focus is to make my gluten-free cakes even more healthy and cost effective. This is even more important when moving to a new country where ingredients are different and more scarce than you are used to. Making the most of what you have and using cheaper alternatives are important. This recipe can double up as a breakfast bread which is delicious lightly toasted with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas

150g gluten free flour

70g buckwheat flour

10g baking powder

1 tsp ground cardamom

30g dessicated coconut

120ml olive oil

2 eggs

6 tbsp honey

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees and greasde and line the bottom of a loaf tin. 

Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add the flours, baking powder, coconut,cardamom and honey and mix lightly to combine.

Measure the olive oil in a measuring jug, add the eggs and mix to combine. Pour into the mixing bowl and fold together to incorporate air.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the top is firm to the touch and a knife comes out clean when poked in the middle. Place on a wire rack to cool. It will keep for a week and can be sliced like bread. If you are feeling naughty you can add your favourite topping or even just dairy-free margarine. This is a good breakfast alternative to expensive gluten-free bread.