Coconut Lemonade Ice

Amazing Coconut Lemonade Ice

Inspired by:

Coconut ice and lemons

Why?

I had made some lemonade then got this crazy idea of making lemon coconut ice!

Time Taken:

10 minutes+ refrigeration

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Bowl, fork, tray, measuring cups

I used:

250g icing sugar

100ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Grated lemon rind (to taste)

250g desiccated coconut

What I did:

Line a 20cmx10cm tin and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine icing sugar and coconut. 
Add lemon juice and zest and mix well with a fork.
Press mixture firmly into tin and refrigerate until set. 
Cut into squares and enjoy!

Comments after eating Coconut Lemonade Ice:

YUM! Tastes like lemonade but is in a slice. Delicious! Smells amazing too!

What I would do different:

Add a bit more icing sugar to help it set, or cut it into squares half way through setting to help it solidify.

Caramel Custard Slice

Caramel Custard Slice

Inspired by: Jodie’s Nanna, this caramel came out of her hand written recipe book and www.bakingmakesthingsbetter.com for the base.

Why? Caramel is my Achilles heel!

Time Taken: 10 mins+20mins=30 mins

Number of Dirty Dishes: saucepan, tray, spoon, measuring cups, 2 medium sized bowls, wooden spoon, fork, small bowl

I used:

Base:

150g room temperature dairy free margarine

½ cup sugar

1 ½ cups gluten free flour

¼ cup cocoa or ¼ cup dairy free chocolate chips

2-4 tablespoons of rice milk

Caramel Custard:

2 cups rice milk

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbs dairy free margarine

1 Tbs corn flour

Yolks of 3 eggs

Pinch of salt

1 tsp of Vanilla

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C, and line a 30cm x 20cm baking tin. 

For the base: in a medium bowl cream margarine and sugar together until well mixed. 
Sift in flour and cocoa or chocolate chips (I used chocolate chips) and mix well until combined. 
If the mixture is a little dry add 2-4 Tbs of rice milk to the mix (I did not find the rice milk necessary). 
Press mixture evenly into baking tin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until just firm.

For the Caramel Custard: in a medium saucepan heat rice milk on a low heat.
In a medium bowl combine corn flour, brown sugar, dairy free margarine, salt and vanilla. 
Whisk yolks together in a small separate bowl. 
Pour a little heated milk over the egg yolks and stir well. 
Add the heated milk and then the yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. 
Once combined, pour the mixture back into the medium sized saucepan and cook on a low heat, stirring until the Caramel Custard is thick. 
Take off the heat and leave to cool.

Leave base to cool before pouring Caramel Custard on top. 
Cut up and Enjoy!

Comments after eating Caramel Custard slice:

YUM! I wanted more of this. I haven’t eaten dairy filled Caramel for a long time, so I’m not sure if it tastes like real Caramel exactly, but it’s delicious!

What I would do different:

I might try adding more corn flour in the hope the caramel would solidify almost like Vanilla Slice.

Chunky Pineapple Sorbet

Chunky Pineapple Sorbet

Inspired by: Myrecipes.com

Why?

I had bought a pineapple with the knowledge that we were having friends over for dinner. However when their plans changed, it was too much for two of us to eat, and in the light of the fact that we were going away for the weekend, I wanted to use the pineapple so we didn't come home to fruit rotting in the refrigerator. 

Time Taken:

20 minutes preparation+7 hours freezing.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Fork, medium sized bowl/saucepan/container which is suitable for freezing, measuring cup, tablespoon, knife, chopping board.

I used:

1 cup sugar

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 Pineapple

What I did:

In the medium sized bowl (which is suitable for freezing) dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice, and stir until combined. 
Skin and core pineapple and cut the remaining flesh into small pieces 1cm square, and add to the bowl. 
Mix with a fork and mash as much of the pineapple flesh as possible. 
For a smoother finish blend the pineapple, sugar and juice until pureed and then return to bowl. 
Cover bowl and freeze for 3 hours until it is frozen on the outside but still soft in the middle. 
Mash sorbet with a fork to break up the pineapple as much as possible and distribute the ice and then return to the freezer for 4 hours. 
Serve and Enjoy!

Comments after eating Pineapple sorbet:

YUM! This is delicious!

What I would do different:

Adding some fresh mint leaves in here would make a great flavor.

Scones

Scones

Inspired by:

Simon and Alison Holst- Gluten free baking.

Why?

We had just come back from a weekend away, and had no food in the house. I was feeling too unwell to go to the shops, but needed something quick and easy for lunch.

Time Taken:

10 mins preparation+15 mins cooking

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Tray, bowl, spoon, fork, measuring cup, measuring spoon

I used:

2 cups Gluten Free Flour

4tsp baking power

½ tsp salt

75g dairy free margarine- cold

¾ cup dairy free rice milk

3 Tbs sugar

What I did:

Preheat oven to 200C and line 20x 25cm baking tray. 
In a medium sized bowl mix gluten free flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and dairy free margarine and blend with a fork until the margarine is well combined and the mixture looks like small crumbs.
Add rice milk gradually and mix it in with a spoon to form the dough. 
When the dough is mixed, use a tablespoon to create equal spoons of dough on the baking paper, placing them a few centimeters apart (should make 10-12 tablespoons). 
Bake for 10-15 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Comments after eating Scones:

YUM! I have missed the taste of hot scones with melted margerine! Delicious, a little bit sweet and so soft! Perfect with golden syrup, margarine or jam! Reheats well in the microwave.

What I would do different:

The proper way to make scones involves using a round to cut the floured dough into circular buns. However this method didn’t work for me and so I found spooning to be just as effective, or better. Next time I will space them out on the tray in an even pattern!

Lemonade

Lemonade

Inspired by:

Simply Recipes

Why?

I bought some lemons to make lemon bars and had some lemons left over. I came across the lemonade recipe as I was searching online for inspiration. I have never tried it before, but have heard so much about it through friends from the US, so I thought I would give it a go.

Time Taken:

15-20 mins preparation, plus 40 mins to chill.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, lemon squeezer, knife, spoon, measuring cups, jug

I used:

1 cup sugar,

1 cup lemon juice- from 6-8 small lemons

1 cup water

5 cups cold water

What I did:

In a medium sized saucepan add lemon juice, water and sugar and mix together. 
Place the saucepan on a medium heat and stir until sugar has completely dissolved. 
Take off the heat and allow to cool.
Add to 5 cups cold water and chill in jugs for 40 minutes, OR chill syrup for 40 minutes and add the cold water before serving.

Comments after drinking Lemonade:

I have made this three times in the last week I love it so much. Everyone that I have served it to, loved its refreshing taste and came back for more.

What I would do different:

Fresh mint would be a great garnish.

Anzac Slice

Anzac Biscuits/Slice

Inspired by:

Family Circle Kids Cookbook Recipe

Why?

I continued the Australia Day celebrations from last week. We had more visitors from Australia come and stay and they had missed out on celebrating Australia Day. What better to cheer them up than some warm Anzac slice!?

Time Taken:

10mins +20 mins cooking

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, wooden spoon, measuring cups, medium bowl, tray

I used:

1 ½ cups rolled oats (or rolled rice if oats isn’t in your gluten free diet)

1 ½ cups gluten free flour

2 tbs golden syrup

125g dairy free margarine or ¼ cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbs hot water

1tsp bicarb soda

*see what I would do different for the recipe with coconut

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line 20cm x30cm baking tray. 
In a medium saucepan, melt dairy free margarine and golden syrup. 
In a cup mix hot water and bicarb soda and then add to the syrup, stirring well. 
Take off the heat (turn off the element). In a medium sized bowl mix together oats, sugar and gluten free flour. 
Pour syrup over the dry ingredients and mix well until combined. 
Pour into tray and flatten into the pan with the back of the spoon making sure the mixture is even. 
Bake for 20 minutes (it will be gooey/bubbling when it comes out of the oven), and then leave to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Comments after eating Anzac biscuits/slice:

This slice is a winner with so many, which I am always surprised by that as I think it looks healthy (in a way that might make the eater think the biscuits are bland) because of the oats, and in general when it comes to dessert I find that friends don’t often choose the healthy looking option they choose the yummie looking option. I think the golden syrup gives them a delicious taste that not everyone, especially here in our international community is used to as It’s very easy, it’s vegan, and very delicious.

Comments/What I would do different:

Normally coconut is added to this recipe, but as I didn’t have it I added extra oats and flour. 
If you add 1 cup of shredded coconut, then only add 1 cup of rolled oats and 1 cup of gluten free flour. 

Normally this recipe is made as a biscuit/cookie not as a slice. I have had no success in getting my mixture to stay separate in the oven (perhaps a side effect of the dairy free part) and so I cut them into biscuit squares after it is cooked instead of despairing every time.

Custard

Custard

Inspired by:

Recipe on the BBC.co.uk by Mary Berry

Why?

My Australian friends and I had tried to make pavlova and so we were left with 4 egg yolks. I have always wanted to make custard from scratch and this was my chance.

Time Taken:

15 minutes.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Measuring cups, spoon, whisk, bowl, saucepan, teaspoon

I used:

2 cups of rice milk

1 tsp vanilla powder

4 egg yolks

2 tsp corn flour (gluten free)

½ cup sugar

What I did:

In a medium sized bowl whisk eggs and sugar together. 
Add corn flour and whisk until well combined. 
In a medium sized saucepan heat rice milk until it simmers, then remove from the heat and pour over the egg mixture. 
Whisk together and then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over a low heat until the mixture thickens. 
Serve immediately.

Comments after eating Custard:

My friend said it tasted very similar to the egg custard her grandmother made (although the rice milk gave it a slightly different flavor), and I was satisfied with the result, even though I have only tasted custard made from custard powder. After eating it our other friend decided she liked it so much that she was inspired to make it at home, which is the best complement anyone can give me!

What I would do different:

I actually put in 4 tsps of corn flour, but 2tsp is enough (and 2tsp was how much was in the original recipe).

It goes well with mixed berries, but not as nice with chocolate.