Tip: To save time buy pre chopped dates and walnuts
Taken from my book Cake Angels by Julia Thomas these muffins really are the business. They are wonderfully light and chocolatey with a crispy top. To enjoy your muffins at their best you really should eat them the day they are baked but these taste just as good several days later if stored in an air tight container.
Makes: 12 Muffin - sized cakes
Preparation: 25 minutes
Baking: 25 minutes
Cooling: 35 minutes
Freeze: You can freeze the muffins before icing them
Ingredients
Cupcakes
175g (6oz) good quality dark dairy free chocolate
175g (6oz) dairy free baking block or spread
175g (6oz) caster sugar
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
175g (6oz) wheat and gluten free self raising flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
Small bar of cold dark dark free chocolate for grating (optional)
Chocolate ganache
115g (4oz) good quality dark dairy free chocolate
125ml (4 fl oz) soya, coconut, oat cream
Equipment
12 hole muffin tin
12 muffin cases
Method
Tip: you will get a much firmer ganache if you use a really good quality chocolate with a minimum content of 60% cocoa content
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As you can imagine this vegan and gluten free version of the American classic is a big hit with my son Charlie and his friends especially at this time of year. I use a very good quality organic and palm oil free peanut butter low in salt and added sugars and then swirl masses of fresh raspberry ripple through it so it looks beautiful as well as tasting delicious
Makes: Approx. 1 litre
Equipment: Ice cream machine
Preparation time: Approx. 30 mins
Cooling time: Thoroughly cooled custard will spend less time churning in the machine and the shorter the churning the smaller the ice crystals and the smoother the ice cream. So cool for approx. 90 minutes and then a minimum 8 hours or overnight chilling
Freeze: Minimum of 5 - 6 hours then transfer to fridge for 20 minutes before serving. Homemade ice cream should be eaten within 1 week
Ingredients
Ice Cream
250ml coconut milk
470ml coconut cream
195g crunchy peanut butter
115g unrefined soft light brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Ripple
400g fresh or frozen raspberries
80g unrefined granulated sugar
45ml water (if using fresh raspberries)
Recipe taken from: Free From Desserts by Julia Thomas published by Quadrille photograph by Andrew Montgomery and available from Amazon
]]>Since discovering financiers years ago on a school trip to Paris I have adored them and when I changed my diet fifteen years ago they became even more important in my small but growing repertoire of go to recipes for afternoon tea with friends. Iced they are best eaten on the day of baking when their edges are slightly chewy but they will still taste wonderful four or five days later if stored in an airtight container
Makes: 10 to 12
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking: 15 to 20 minutes
Cooling: 35 minutes
Equipment: Individual mini loaf cases or 12-hole muffin tin
Freeze: Yes before icing. Defrost in the fridge and warm in a 170/150fan/gas 3 oven for 5 mins
Ingredients
200g (7 oz) dairy free spread
250g (9 oz) icing sugar
50g (2 oz) gluten free plain flour
½ tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp salt
175g ground almonds
225g egg whites (approx. 6 large eggs)
Grated zest of 1 orange
20 blackberries cut in half lengthways
Icing
8 large blackberries plus 30 to 40 small ones to garnish
1 tbsp water
Juice of ½ lemon
165g icing sugar
Method
Tip
If you can’t find blackberries swap them for raspberries or blueberries both will compliment the subtle flavours of cardamom and orange beautifully
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