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. 

Fluffy coconut and lime cake

Fluffy coconut and lime cake

Coconut and lime is one of those combinations that work just so well. This is a simple cake which highlights that combination in a light and fluffy cake which goes so well with a passion fruit curd.

Ingredients:

175g unsalted butter/dairy free margarine
130g golden caster sugar
175g self-raising gluten free flour
3 eggs
60g shredded coconut
2 limes zest and juice
1 tsp baking powder

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

Add the butter/margarine to a large mixing bowl and beat until softened. Add the sugar to the bowl and beat until pale and soft. Add the flour, eggs, coconut, lime zest and juice and baking powder and mix together for 3 minutes. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and pop into the oven for 50 minutes or golden brown on top. Take out of the oven and leave in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. 

This cake is lovely and fluffy with a tropical freshness.

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.  

Black banana and berries cake - gluten free and dairy free

Black Banana and Berries Cake

This recipe came about by circumstance - three black bananas in the fridge, a broken measuring scale, some mixed berries in the freezer and no butter in the fridge! What to do? The solution also used up some of the buckwheat flour that had been lying dormant for too long in the pantry.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

1 cup self-raising gluten free flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup light muscovado (raw) sugar

3 black (over-ripe) bananas

2 eggs lightly beaten

1/3 cup vegetable (canola) oil

1/5 cup rice milk

1/2 cup mixed berries (frozen)

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

A tip to grease a cake tin easily is to use a 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil on the base, spreading evenly over the rest of the base and sides of the tin. Tear a square of greaseproof paper larger than the diameter of the tin. Place the paper on the greased base and press down to ensure the paper is greased. Turn the paper over and place over the base in the exact same position from before. Carefully attach the side of the tin to the base ensuring the greaseproof paper is sticking out from underneath. Et voilà the tin is prepared. 

In a large mixing bowl, sieve the flours, bicarb and cinnamon and mix with the sugar. In another bowl, mash the bananas until you have a lumpy purée. Mix in the beaten eggs, oil and milk. 

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir the ingredients together. Take the frozen berries and place in a bowl. Pour over some lukewarm water and wait for the berries to come apart. Drain the water and add the berries to the mix. Gently stir in the berries and pour the mixture into the tin. 

Pop into the oven and after about 30 minutes place a piece of greaseproof paper or wrapping foil on top of the cake to stop it burning on top. After 50 minutes check to see if the cake is ready by inserting a knife in the middle and seeing if it comes out dry. Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out on a wire tray. 

This cake can be kept for about three days in an airtight container.    

Gluten Free Gingerbread

Gluten Free Gingerbread

Gingerbread is a warming cake that is in danger of being forgotten amongst macarons and whoopie pies but it merits its classic status. It is a cake that works so well with all those lovely spices!

Gingerbread!

Ingredients:

435g golden syrup
200g dairy free margarine
110g light brown sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp mixed spices
450g gluten free self-raising flour
4 eggs beaten
4 tbsp rice milk

Indulgent Muscovado

Preheat the oven to 170C. Add the syrup, margarine and sugar into a saucepan over a low heat, mixing until the margarine and sugar have melted into the golden syrup. 

Melting Magic

Add the spices and flour and mix to combine. Don’t worry if bubbles start to appear as this means that it is working! 

Bubbles are good!

Add the eggs and milk and stir to blend.

Ready for the oven

Pour into a greased and lined 30x20cm baking tray and pop into the oven for about 50 minutes until golden brown and slightly shrunk from the sides. Leave in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. 

Lovely warm gingerbread

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?

Gluten Free Sour Cherry Cake

Sour Black Cherries

Gluten Free Sour Cherry Cake

Cherries are wonderful pockets of juicy bursts. In this country at least though they can be quite expensive. I am an advocate of fresh fruit but in this instance I want to big up the qualities of tinned cherries. They have a long history in cakes so for example the black forest gateaux makes use of them. I can also see the reason why tinned cherries are used as they have a sourness that is not as pronounced perhaps in fresh cherries. Let me know what you think as I use tinned cherries in this recipe. 

Tinned fruit!

Ingredients:

125g dairy free margarine

150g caster sugar

2 eggs

35g ground almonds

155g self raising gluten free flour

90g plain gluten free flour

125ml rice milk

425g black cherries in light syrup

Baba Tin

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and flour a fluted baba tin and pop into the fridge. In a large mixing bowl cream the margarine and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the almonds and then alternate between the flours and milk. 

Lovely Cherries

Drain the cherries and add the cherries to the mix and fold in. 

More Cherries

Pour the mix carefully into the prepared tin and smooth down to ensure it is even. 

That baba tin

Pop into the oven for 45 minutes and leave in the oven for 10 minutes before tipping out. 

Sour Cherry Cake

This cake does not need any fancy icing on it since the shape of the cake provides the fanciness. 

Moist and light

So, did you have trouble finding a baba tin?

Tropical Pineapple Cake with Cognac

Tropical Pineapple Cake with Cognac

The upside down pineapple cake is a classic which sadly says too much about the quality of fresh fruit that some parts of the world have to make do with. Who would be happy with pineapple slices from a tin. On top of it all you have to add more sugar in order to sweeten the pineapple base! I was fortunate enough to come across some tropical pineapples that smelt so gorgeous and tasted so sweet that there was no need for added sugar. There was also no need to turn the cake upside down!

Ingredients:

150g dairy free margarine

2 eggs

100g light muscovado sugar

2 tbsp cognac

100g ground almonds

100g plain gluten free flour

1 tsp gluten free baking powder

1 pineapple peeled and cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 200C and put a sheet of baking paper into a cake tin - you can lightly grease the baking paper.

Melt the margarine and whisk in the eggs, cognac and sugar. The muscovado sugar helps to keep the cake moist.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, flour and baking powder and then mix in the liquid mixture. Once combined, pour into the prepared tin. Add the pineapple pieces on top.

Place in the oven for 40 minutes or until golden on top.

I like this cake as it is wonderfully moist whilst celebrating the natural beauty of pineapple.

So, what other fruits would you prefer not to eat from a can?

The First Post - Pandan Commiseration Cake

The First Post - Pandan Commiseration Cake

It is tough being different. This is the inspiration for this blog. It is inspired by a few things. Firstly, it is inspired by my wife and soulmate (one and the same person!), who shall go by the name of Mrs. NMFS who gives me the kind encouragement to put something out there to share tales of our journey together.

Secondly, it is inspired by our gluten-free, lactose intolerant, occasionally sugar-free, pescetarian (a pseudo-vegetarian seafood only diet not to be confused with something religious) diet which takes inspiration from our mix of influences including European, Mauritian, Asian, Indian, South American (my wife's favourite for some reason...), Caribbean and all things sweet. It is a diet which has proven tough for some to cater for hence the title of this blog! We grew tired of the number of times on a recent trip to the Lake District that we were offered fruit salad as a dessert alternative to the lovely temptations offered at the hotels or restaurants that we frequented. Even back home in the supposedly cosmopolitan and modern London town, fruit salad has been offered to us seemingly without thought that despite our diet we still crave something more tempting especially during the cold months.

Thirdly, it is inspired by The King's Speech. 'Why?' I hear you ask? Does this blogger have royal connections or is he just a film buff? No, it is something more personal. I am a stammerer who wants to have a voice in the same way that those with 'free from' diets sometimes lack a times. The ability to say 'No more fruit salad!' We love fruit but there is always a time and place and there are times when you want something a bit more tempting. This blog wants to articulate the wish that one day when you go to have afternoon tea at some swanky place, a gluten free option does not mean that you do without. Having the stammer makes one less confident at times to say that just because you are different, does not have to mean that you do without just because it might be tougher to make something gluten free. This blog will share some of the gluten free delights that I have learnt to create for myself and Mrs. NMFS and also reviews of books and restaurants.

Why create the blog today? It seems apt on the day that The King's Speech won so many Oscars to post the first blog. To commemorate the film which put stammering out there in a fab way so that fellow stammerers can feel slightly less stigmatised.

Whilst today should be a celebration with the launch of my blog, it is also tinged with sadness as my beloved Arsenal transpired to lose the Carling Cup final yesterday in freakishly frustrating circumstances. I decided to console Mrs. NMFS and I with a pandan cake chosen for its green shades which was intended to copy the green grass of Wembley stadium but which now seems strangely calming and fitting as a commiseration cake...

No product placement intended with the Starbucks mugs by the way, just thought the green logo went well with the cake. The recipe was inspired by The Little Teochew blog but with a few minor alterations a la Nigella:

Ingredients:

80g caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp honey

100g butter melted

30g coconut cream

Pandan juice made from blending 4 pandan leaves with 200ml of water and strained through a sieve

220g gluten free plain flour

1 tsp gluten free baking powder

The method:

Preheat the oven to 170C and grease and line a medium sized cake tin. Mix the eggs, sugar, caster sugar and honey in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, whisk together for a few minutes until you get a mousse like mixture full of bubbles. In a measuring jug combine the melted butter, coconut cream and pandan juice and mix together briefly. In a bowl combine the flour and baking powder. Fold in a third of the flour mix to the bubbly eggs. Add half of the pandan mix and stir in. Add another third of the flour and fold and stir in the last half of the pandan mix. Lastly add the last third of the flour and fold in gently. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a knife poked in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Take out of the oven and and leave in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Enjoy and commiserate at will.

Pandan leaves might be a bit hard to locate but can be sourced at most Asian grocery stores. It needs to be kept in the fridge and when blended smells like grass but lends a nice taste and shade to cakes.More pandan recipes might follow this week if only because I bought a big bunch of leaves and hate to waste.

So please let know what you think of my blog and what you would do with pandan leaves? For fellow Arsenal fans out there a snapshot of the Emirates stadium from my back garden...