Category Archives: Baking

Summer Fruit and Chocolate Slice

These healthy bars are a real treat and so pretty.

For those of you are scared off by Tofu, I promise you, you can not taste any of it. It is just a neutral base that carries the flavors of the fruit and chocolate very well and is also loaded with protein rather than carbs. Why not give it a go. Easy and healthy rather than bad, what more could you ask for?

INGREDIENTS Crust:

1/2 C. dates, pitted and soaked for 30 min.
1/2 C. oats, (gluten free)
1/2 C. nuts of choice
1 tbsp. cocoa

INSTRUCTIONS:

Drain the dates and pat them dry, put in a food processor together with the remaining ingredients. Pulse for a few time until the mixture is crumbly.

Press into a square baking tin that has been lined with baking parchment.

Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 400° F.

Remove when done and transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.

Ingredients Pink Filling:

1 C. silk tofu
1 C. Summer fruit mix
2 tsp. Agar Agar
3 to 4 tbsp Stevia, or sweetener of choice
1/2 C. raw Cashew Nuts, that have been soaked for 6 hours

Heat berries in a small saucepan, add the Agar Agar. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool. Add the Stevia/Xylitol granules. Blend the Cashews in a food processor until silky smooth add a little of the tofu to get it going. Now mix with all the remaining ingredients.

INGREDIENTS Chocolate Filling:

1 C. silk tofu
4 oz. dark chocolate 70%, sweetened with coconut sugar
1 – 2 tbsp. raw cocoa powder
3 tbsp Stevia, Xylitol or sweetener of choice
1/2 C. raw Cashew Nuts, that have been soaked for 6 hours. Drained.
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt

Melt the chocolate au bain marie until melted. Remove from heat and let cool. Add the Stevia/Xylitol granules. Blend the Cashews in a food processor until silky smooth add a little of the tofu to get it going. Now mix with all the remaining ingredients.

To assemble:

Take spoonfuls of each mixture and place on crust alternating until you have used it all up. Make sure there are no air holes left. Shake the tin if necessary. Gently flatten to top with a spatula. Now with a knife draw a few “S”shapes in the filling for a rippled effect.

Put in the refrigerator for a few hours until completely set.

Nut rosettes for decorating the top:

1 C. Cashew Nuts, soaked for 6 hours, drained
1/3 C. Coconut cream, maybe a tablespoon more
2 tbsp maple syrup

Mix all the ingredients in a high-speed blender or magic Bullet, blend until smooth. Put the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a rose tip, make little roses on top of the slices.

Tartelettes aux Ganache

8 Replies

Serves 4.

These Tartlets just look so dainty, don’t you think? Once you have the base you can custom make them to your liking. Fill them with lemon curd or cooked Rhubarb or Strawberries and cream. Any thing you fancy really. They are great at a tea Party or for dessert. And they are also so easy to make.

I have made these with a Ganache filling that has a truffle like flavor with a hint of coconut. You could use regular cream if you don’t like coconut cream. But I wanted to make these dairy free.

Base;

1/2 C. dates, pitted and soaked for 30 min.
1/2 C. oats, (gluten free)
1/2 C. nuts

Method:

Drain the dates and pat them dry, put in a food processor together with the remaining ingredients. Pulse for a few time until the mixture is crumbly.

Press into 4 little tartlet tins that have been well buttered or oil sprayed. You may have some leftover crumbs, press them into cookies to bake alongside the tartlets, to have later with some tea. I always have one or two cookies worth left over.

Now bake them for approximately 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 400° F.

Remove them when done and transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.

For the filling:

6 oz. Dark organic Chocolate 70% , (sweetened with coconut sugar)
3/4 C. Coconut cream

Method:

Heat the cream over gentle heat until very hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for about five to ten minutes. Then stir gently to mix the two together. Let it cool to room temperature but before it sets, pour into the prepared tartlet crusts. Put the tartlets in the refrigerator for several hours until they are set. Leave them in their little tins until ready to serve. Serve with strawberries or raspberries or just with some extra cream.

Enjoy!

Myra XO

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel topping

6 Replies

I like to make huge muffins because I mostly eat them for breakfast. Standard sized muffins sort of leave me hanging, craving for more. But you could easily use a smaller sized muffin tin and bake them about 5-7 minutes less.

First make the topping. Preheat the oven to 350° F

Topping;

1/2 C. Spelt flour
1/4 C. stevia/xylitol sugar substitute
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt.
1/4 C. coconut oil, melted but cooled down

Add the first 4 ingredients to a bowl, mix. Add the oil and mix again until you have large crumbs, set aside.

Dry ingredients;

1 1/2 C. Spelt flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Wet ingredients;

1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted and cooled down
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 C. plain yoghurt of your choice, I used soy
1/2 C. milk regular or soy
1/2 C. Agave syrup
1 C. Blueberries, I use frozen.

Method;

Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another bowl.

Add the two together, stirring a little as possible until just mixed. Do not over beat or they will end up tough. Before adding the blueberries, toss them with a little flour so they don’t sink to the bottom as easily. The reason I use frozen blueberries is because they keep their perfect round shape whilst baking.

Now scoop the batter into your muffin tins that have been lined with baking paper. Top each one with the streusel topping. And bake in the oven for about 25 min. Test towards the end with a wooden skewer for doneness.

Looking for more great recipes to try? Be sure to check out these Raspberry & Almond Breakfast Loaf

Hamburger Buns

3 Replies

Makes 8 large buns.

Having worked as a cook and being a recipe developer and food obsessed in general people often ask me, “What’s your favourite food”? They expect some fancy answer like Canard a l’Orange or Boeuf Bourguignon. I can actually see their facial expressions go from inquisitive to complete disappointment when I tell them that it is just Hamburgers. I love them.

Not just any ol’ hamburger. But my own, with home-made hamburger buns, home made sauce, home made pickles, the whole shebang. I would never, ever buy pre-shaped hamburger patties, because I just don’t trust the seasoning, most of the time they have unhealthy ingredients and they’re so much fun to make at home. And you have the freedom to do whatever you want. Also pre shaped burgers tend to be too compact for my liking, and end up being rubbery, Yuck. But it all begins with a good bun so here we go.

Of course you can eat the buns with something else, for breakfast with egg and bacon, or for lunch with a tuna salad for example. They freeze very well.

Ingredients:

1 C. luke warm water about ° F

1/4 C.luke warm milk, soy or regular. (I use Soy)

1 tbsp. instant yeast

2 tbsp Honey

1 egg, at room temperature

2 1/2 tbsp. butter

3 C. Spelt flour

1 1/2 C. Whole grain Spelt flour

1 1/2 tsp. Himalayan salt

1 egg beaten for glaze

1 or 2 tbsp. sesame seeds for sprinkling on top

Method:

Mix the first 4 ingredients in the bowl of your food processor, set with the hook attachment. Let the yeast proof for 5 minutes until frothy.

Add the egg and butter, and mix a few turns. Set the processor on low and slowly add the flours and the salt. Knead for 10 minutes.

Turn out the dough on a floured surface, and give it a few turns and shape into a ball.

Put into a bowl sprayed with oil and cover with oil sprayed cling film. Let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. Until double in size.

Take the dough out of the bowl and put it back on your work surface sprinkled with a little flour. Knead a few times and shape into 8 buns. Put them on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Brush the buns with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover the buns with cling film that has been sprayed with oil. Let rise for 30 min. No longer because they will keep on rising.