Baking Without

So it's a simple one today. Again, I've turned a classic into a healthy little snack that I can eat. These are free from gluten, dairy, egg and soy. Suitable for vegans too. 

Cacao Crispies

 (makes 12)

Ingredients:

2 cups puffed brown rice

1/2 cup almond butter

1/4 cup brown rice syrup

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 tablespoons cacao powder

1/4 teaspoon ginger

Method:

1. Line a small baking tray with baking paper.

2. Put the puffed brown rice in a large bowl and set to one side.

3. Put the almond butter, brown rice syrup, coconut oil, cacao powder and ginger in a small pan and heat gently until it's smooth. Be careful not to overheat.

4. Pour the mixture over the puffed brown rice and mix until it's all stuck together, adding a little more syrup if needs be. 

5. Press the mixture down into the baking tray and place in the fridge for half an hour. (I drizzled a bit of cashew butter over the top for an extra touch) 

6. Once set, cut into squares and store in the fridge for 5-7 days.

So again I've been experimenting with a classic bake but turned it into a healthy, raw, vegan treat free from gluten, dairy, egg, soy and refined sugar!

Chocolate Caramel Shortbread

Ingredients

For the chocolate layer 

70ml coconut oil (melted)

3 tablespoons cacao powder

1 &1/2 tablespoons brown rice syrup

1 teaspoon dairy free milk 

For the caramel layer

100ml tahini (sesame seed butter) 

35ml coconut oil (melted)

60ml brown rice syrup

1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt

For the shortbread layer

125g ground almonds

50ml coconut oil (melted)

30ml brown rice syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Start with the shortbread layer. Place the ground almonds into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the liquids. (If your coconut oil is solid, microwave it for about 30 seconds until it turns liquid) 

2. Add the liquid mixture into the ground almonds and stir until it all sticks together. 

3. Press the mixture into a baking tray and place in the freezer. (I used a mini sandwich tin, but it's down to your preference.)

4. While the shortbread mixture is setting in the freezer, start with the caramel layer. Add all the ingredients into a blender/food processor and blitz until combined. Careful not to overdo it otherwise the caramel will become lumpy. 

5. Get the baking tray out of the freezer and pour the caramel mixture on top of the shortbread layer. Pop back in the freezer.

6. Next move on to the chocolate layer. Mix together the coconut oil, brown rice syrup and milk until combined. Whisk in the cacao until you have a smooth mixture. 

7. Again, take the baking tray out of the freezer, adding the chocolate mixture on top of the caramel layer. Return to the freezer for 20 minutes until the chocolate is set.

8. Take out the freezer and remove from the tray, cutting into squares if you've used a baking tray or popping them out the cases if you've used a mini sandwich tin. These then need to be kept in the fridge and will keep for 5 days (if they last that long!)

Happy baking!

Move over cows, make way for the nuts and seeds! As you may know already there are a wide range of options out there for those people who are lactose intolerant, suffering from a milk allergy or maybe just want to cut down on dairy. I'm aware you could easily go to the shops and buy a carton of dairy free milk but where's the fun in that? (Plus making your own means no extra ingredients go in, just pure seed/nut and water!)

I'm going to show you how you can make your own plant-based milk.

You will need a muslin cloth which you can easily purchase at Lakeland. 

Plant-based Milk

(makes about 500ml)

Ingredients:

1 cup of your chosen nut/seed

2 cups fresh water

Method:

1. Soak the nuts/seeds overnight in a bowl of water.

2. The next day, drain your nuts/seeds and put in a blender/food processor along with 2 cups of water. Blitz for 1-2 minutes. 

3. Place the muslin cloth over a bowl (I use a funnel but if you don't have one don't worry) 

4. Pour a little of the mixture into the cloth. Gather the cloth up around the mixture and squeeze so the liquid comes out. When no more liquid comes out open up the cloth and pour some more of the mixture in. Keep doing this until you have no mixture left and have a dry cloth full of nut/seed pulp. 

5. Pour the milk into a bottle and place in the fridge. It will keep for about 3 days. (Be sure to give it a good shake before you drink, it may separate but that's normal.)