Still here, still baking!

Well the Indian Summer is finally over, I have put my paintbrush away and come back indoors to do some baking.  A lot has happened since I last wrote on my blog, including the start of 'big school' for my youngest daughter.  She seems to be coping well and overcoming new challenges such as making new friends and travelling by train.  Meanwhile my grey hairs and worry lines multiply!  Last week saw her cope with her first high school hypos, which probably frightened the teachers more than my daughter.  But it is reassuring to know that she spoke up and told somebody about it.  No doubt a lot of parents are going through similar worries.

Right then back to the cake.  This week I made a variation on Carrot Cake which was popular with all members of the household, especially the guinea pigs as it generated lots of peelings!  I based my recipe on one from a 'Bake Off' book but reduced the sugar by half, then half again.  I replaced some of the sugar with dates for natural sweetness and also substituted ground almonds for some of the flour to lower the carbs.  I generally messed about with the other ingredients too, but was pleased with the outcome and there was enough natural sweetness to make it acceptable to the children and hubby (on a pre-Christmas diet).

"Global stardom at last"

Carrot Cake and peelings (Gluten free and low sugar)

 

Ingredients - makes 20 pieces

• 50g dried dates, snipped into small pieces
• juice and finely grated zest of one medium orange
• 4 eggs
• 100ml sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 75g vanilla or natural yogurt
• 175g gluten free plain flour (I used Doves Farm)
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2.5 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 50g light or dark muscovado sugar
• 375g carrots, coarsely grated
• 75g pecan or walnut pieces, save 20 halves and coarsely chop the rest
• 75g desiccated coconut
• 50g raisins
• 50g eating apple, coarsely grated without peeling
• 2-3 tbsp orange spread or shredless marmalade (preferably low sugar) to glaze - optional

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas 4.  Grease and base line a large baking tin, approximately 30cm by 22cm.
2. Grate the zest from the orange and set aside.
3. Squeeze the juice from the orange then place in a small saucepan with the snipped dates.  Heat until the juice is just at simmering point, then take off the heat and put a lid on the pan.  Set aside to cool.
4. Break the eggs into a small bowl or jug, whisk lightly, then add the oil and yogurt.  Stir to combine.
5. Sieve the flour, spices and baking powder into a large bowl.  Stir in the ground almonds and sugar, breaking up any lumps.
6. Using a hand blender whizz the cooled dates to a puree.
7. Now pour the wet egg mix into the larger bowl of dry ingredients together with the date puree.  Whisk with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until thoroughly combined.
8. Fold in the grated carrots, chopped nuts, desiccated coconut, raisins and eating apple.
9. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level.  Think about how you will cut the cake into squares and place one reserved pecan or walnut half in the centre of each imaginary square.  Place in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. 
10. Remove from the oven.  Heat the orange spread or marmalade in a pan or for a few seconds in a microwave then brush over the cake to glaze.  Allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.   Cut into squares.

I calculated that there are roughly 15g of carbohydrates per square, assuming you have 20 equal portions.

Inspired by the world cup?

 

 

Well I don't know what happened to my aim of at least one blog post a week, I guess the boring stuff just gets in the way sometimes.  I have been doing a lot of packing and unpacking recently as firstly we had a family holiday up in Scotland, then both daughters had residential school trips.  There was a lot of planning and worrying involved with my youngest daughters' 3 day trip to London as she is a carb counting Type 1 Diabetic and Coeliac.  Still she had a fantastic time, her blood sugars were better than usual, and they saw the Queen (twice!).  Each year as the girls get older there seems to be a bit more letting go to cope with and a few more grey hairs to boot! 

Anyway back to the baking and this week I was inspired to make a cake with a bit of a tropical feel with bananas, coconut and mango.  Not sure I can really claim it was inspired by the World Cup in Brazil as I'm not much of a football fan, but it seems appropriate.  This cake went down well despite not being very sweet.  It had a moist texture so could also be eaten without the topping.

Banana, Coconut and Mango Cake (Gluten free and low sugar)

 

 

Ingredients - makes at least 12 portions

• 150g gluten free self raising flour (I used Doves Farm)
• 25g coconut flour (or use extra self raising if you can't get hold of this)
• 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 50g ground almonds
• 50g desiccated coconut, lightly toasted 
• 50g Tate & Lyle Light at Heart, a brown sugar and stevia blend
• 2 medium mashed bananas
• 2 eggs
• 200g mango yogurt (I used Yeo Valley) OR vanilla OR plain greek
• 125ml sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp milk

For the topping (optional):

• 200g quark OR ricotta cheese
• 1 tbsp Splenda granulated or other sweetener to taste
• tinned mango to decorate (those with a sharp eye will notice that I used apricots instead!)

1. Preheat oven to 180C / Gas 4.  Grease and base line a 20.5cm /8in round tin with baking parchment.
2. Sieve together the self raising flour, coconut flour, baking powder and ground almonds into a large bowl.  Stir in the desiccated coconut and Tate & Lyle Light at Heart.
3. In a separate bowl or jug lightly whisk together the eggs, yogurt, milk, oil and mashed banana.  Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and gently whisk to combine.  You should have a mixture with a soft dropping consistency.
4. Scrape mixture into prepared tin, level and bake for about 35-40mins or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
5. To make the topping beat together the quark or ricotta cheese with your sweetener of choice.  Spread over the cooled cake and decorate with mango slices.  Store in the fridge.

Assuming you cut the cake into 12 portions, I estimate there are roughly 20g carbs per portion, but this will change if you substitute any of the ingredients.

Coconut nostalgia

I have had a bit of a break from baking as we have been away over the Easter holidays, but the need for lunchbox fillers has spurred me back into action.  So what's with the Gorse photo?  Well I was out running in the sunshine yesterday and came across a beautiful patch of gorse.  The flowers had such a strong small of toasted coconut that I came over all nostalgic.  As a child one of my favourite things to bake was 'Coconut buns', in fact I think it was pretty much the only thing I used to bake.  I still love the taste of coconut and so I devised a recipe containing desiccated coconut, coconut milk and coconut flour!  Dried sour cherries are another favourite and I thought they might make a good combination.

Coconut flour is a new discovery for me.  It recently appeared in the 'free from' section of my local supermarket (Booths) and I have also seen it for sale in a number of health food shops.  It is high fibre, gluten free and low in carbohydrates, only 21.7g per 100g.  The big snag is the price.  I paid nearly six pounds for a 500g bag which is pretty steep.  I bought it out of curiosity and I have been using it sparingly.  If you don't have any coconut flour then just substitute with a little more ground almonds and flour.

The following recipe only makes six largish buns.  I didn't make too many as they are best eaten fresh but you could easily double the ingredients for more.

Coconut and Cherry Buns (Gluten free and low sugar)

Ingredients - makes 6 largish buns

• 25g coconut flour
• 50g gluten free self raising flour (I used Doves farm)
• 1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 25g ground almonds
• 50g butter or lower fat alternative
• 20g Tate & Lyle Light at Heart, a brown sugar and stevia blend
• 50g dried sour cherries (or substitute with 'Berries and Cherries' or sultanas)
• 20g desiccated coconut
• 1 egg, beaten
• 6 tbsp of coconut milk (approximately 1/2 a 165ml can), or substitute with milk
• 3-4 tsp 'no added sugar' cherry jam (I used St Dalfour black cherry)

1. Preheat the oven to 190C / Gas 5.  Grease a baking tray or line with non-stick silicone paper.
2. Sift the coconut flour, self raising flour and baking powder into a bowl, then add the ground almonds, breaking up any lumps.  Add the butter, cutting into small pieces, and rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  
3. Add the 'Light at Heart' sugar substitute, dried fruit and coconut and mix well.
4. Stir in the egg and coconut milk to bind, making a stiff mixture.
5. Place rough heaps of mixture on the baking tray, 5cm apart.  Using your thumb make a 'well' in the middle of each heap and fill this with about half a teaspoon of jam.  If necessary bring up the sides of each heap around the jam so that it doesn't leak out when cooking.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until pale brown.  Allow to cool for a few minutes on the tray, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I estimated each bun had roughly 20g of carbs, but you may need to do your own calculations if you make any substitutions for the ingredients.

Muffins - Take two

 

This week I brought home a couple of limes in my supermarket shop, not knowing quite what I was going to do with them, but tempted by their Spring green colour.  According to my husband limes belong only in cheesecakes, but having seen a number of recipes with the coconut and lime combination I was tempted to try a gluten free, lower sugar version.  The recipe below is my second attempt.  My first batch were a bit of a disaster and I was beginning to think my husband was right, but I reduced the lime flavour of the muffin mix and added a cream cheese topping (almost cheesecake) and got that sought after family 'thumbs-up'.  As with all muffins they are really best eaten fresh.  I have discovered that if you put day old muffins (without toppings) in the microwave for a few seconds, until just warm, they regain some of that just baked softness.  
 

Coconut and lime muffins (Gluten free and low sugar)

 

 

  Ingredients - makes 6 to10 muffins

• 125g gluten free self-raising flour (I used Doves Farm)
• 25g ground almonds
• 1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 16g Truvia sweetener
• 1 egg, beaten
• 100ml coconut milk
• grated zest of 1 lime
• 50ml sunflower oil or rapeseed oil
• 25g desiccated coconut

To decorate (optional but better with than without)

• 75g cream cheese (I used Philadelphia light)
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 dessertspoonful agave nectar (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp deciccated coconut, lightly toasted, for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 200C / Gas 6 and grease or line a muffin tray.
2. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large bowl then add the Truvia and ground almonds, breaking up any lumps.
3. In a separate bowl mix the egg, coconut milk, lime zest, oil and desiccated coconut then pour into the dry ingredients.
4. Stir together until just combined but do not over mix, then spoon into your muffin cases.
5. Bake for around 20 minutes until risen and golden.  Allow to cool in the tray for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.
6. For the topping, beat together the cream cheese, lime juice and agave nectar until smooth and creamy.  Spread over the top of you muffins and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.

The amount of carbohydrates per muffin will depend on how many you make.  I made 8 and roughly estimated my carbohydrates to be 16g per muffin.