Pumpkin and Walnut Bread

Pumpkin and Walnut Bread

Inspired by:

Simply recipes website

Why?

I was visiting another friend at her work. Thought it would be nice for afternoon tea.

Time Taken:

10 minutes preparation (+1 hour to cook pumpkin)+45 minutes cooking=1-2 hours.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Medium sized bowl, dessert bowl, fork, measuring cups, measuring spoons

I used:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

¼ cup rice milk

1 cup gluten free self raising flour

½ cup desiccated coconut

1 tsp salt

1 cup raw sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp all spice

½ cup walnuts

(cranberries and coconut to garnish)

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line 30cm x 20cm loaf tin.

In the largest bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and rice milk with a fork .

In the dessert bowl, combine gluten free flour, coconut, salt, sugar, and spices and mix together with a spoon.

In the largest bowl, add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix gently until combined.

Stir in walnuts

Pour into loaf tin, and sprinkle with cranberries and coconut.

Bake for 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Cut into slices and enjoy.

Comments after eating Pumpkin Walnut bread:

It doesn’t taste like I expect, but it has a nice texture and a good flavor.

Great with tea and very moreish.

What I would do different:

I would consider using brown sugar instead of raw sugar.

Coconut, Cranberry and Walnut slice

Coconut, Cranberry and Walnut slice

Inspired by:

Chocolate coconut slice- Australian Women’s Weekly

Why?

Wanted to take something for afternoon tea to my friend’s house.

Time Taken:

10 minutes preparation+20 minutes cooking=30 minutes

Dirty Dishes:

Tray, medium bowl, fork, spoon, measuring cups, measuring spoons

I used:

125g dairy free margarine (melted)

1 cup castor sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup self raising gluten free flour

½ cup desiccated coconut

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup walnuts

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C. 

Line 30cm x 20cm slice tray.

In a medium bowl mix margarine, sugar, egg and vanilla with a fork.

Once combined, add flour, coconut, cranberries and walnuts and mix well.

Pour into slice tray and bake for 20 minutes or until firm.

Let cool before cutting into slices.

Eat and enjoy.

Comments after eating Coconut, Cranberry and Walnut slice:

It’s a great combination of flavours and a tasty non chocolate slice.

My friends kept going back for more.

What I would do different:

I had a little less than ½ cup cranberries. I think adding more cranberries would be nice.

Ginger Biscuits

Ginger Biscuits

Inspired by:

Australian Women’s Weekly Gingernuts

Why?

They were something simple and quick to take to a friend’s house.

Time Taken:

20 minutes preparation, 10 minutes baking=30 minutes

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Tray, medium saucepan, wooden spoon, teaspoon, measuring cups, measuring spoons, fork

I used:

90g dairy free margarine

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup golden syrup

1 1/3 cups gluten free flour

¾ tsp bicarb soda

1 tbs ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

What I did:

Line biscuit tray and preheat oven to 180C.

Melt margarine, sugar and golden syrup in a medium saucepan over low heat.

Once melted, remove from heat (turn off stove top) and add dry ingredients.

Mix until well combined.

Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.

Roll teaspoons of mixture into balls and place on tray 5cm apart.

Flatten slightly with a fork.

Bake 10 minutes.

Take out of oven and leave to cool (they will solidify more).

Eat and Enjoy.

Comments after eating Ginger Biscuits:

They were a new taste for my friends, who went back for more.

I don't have a good record for making pretty looking biscuits, but the taste makes up for it.

I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out, although next time I will aim for more moisture.

What I would do different:

Perhaps add more sugar or golden syrup in the hope they would be more moist.

Practice making biscuits look pretty!

Chocolate Mousse (number 3)

Chocolate Mousse

 (pictured with chocolate chips)

Inspired by:

Urbanposer.blogspot.it

Why?

As usual with these great discoveries, the story begins with failure! I tried to make a soy free slice for a friend, but used olive oil as a margarine substitute and the slice although chocolatey ended up tasting like olive oil! So I thought a mousse slice would mask the flavor nicely. Am always looking for new ways of doing things, and this mousse recipe was quick and easy.

Time Taken:

Overnight refrigeration of coconut milk+ 5 minutes.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Medium sized bowl, beater, measuring spoons/cups.

I used:

1 cup of chilled coconut cream (the solid white part not the watery part)

5 tbs cocoa

2 tsp vanilla

½ cup icing sugar (it’s supposed to be 3tbs honey but the lid was stuck on the jar!)

What I did:

Scoop the cold coconut cream into a medium sized bowl.

Add cocoa, vanilla and icing sugar and beat for 2-5 minutes until combined and fluffy.

Eat, or chill and eat later.

Comments after eating Chocolate mousse:

Yum and wow. So easy!

My husband likes the other mousse recipes better than this though.

What I would do different:

When I can get the lid off my honey, I will try it with that instead of icing sugar!

I want to try this method to make different flavours of mousse!

GF Pizza base/flat bread

GF Pizza base/flat bread

(after cooking and before cooking)

Inspired by:

Schar bread mix. . .the recipe on the back of the packet.

Why?

I’ve been making this for a while, but a friend and recent GF convert wanted to know about Pizza bases. 

I make it without yeast.

Time Taken:

20-30 minutes

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Measuring cups, bowl, measuring spoons, mixing spoon, knife, tray

I used:

1 cup gluten free all purpose flour

¾ cup warm water

2 tbs olive oil 

1 tsp salt

What I did:

Preheat oven to 200C.

Line tray and prepare desired toppings.

In a medium bowl combine gluten free flour, water, 1tbs oil and salt, and mix well (add more water if your flour is quite dry and absorbent, the dough should be well mixed, and spreadable-see picture).

Scrape the dough onto the tray and pour remaining olive oil over it.

Using a knife, spread dough on the tray as thinly as you desire.

Add toppings and bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes (until it is your preferred crispiness), or until your toppings are cooked to your satisfaction.

Take out of the oven and enjoy!

Comments after eating GF pizza base:

I love the thin crispy Roman pizza bases so this is perfect for me. 

It's a quick and delicious snack with some cheese or herbs scattered across it.

Different flour blends produce different results and it’s best to start with a bread/pizza flour blend.

It’s a little different, but all my guests have enjoyed it.

What I would do different:

I want to try out my own flour blend! I will get there eventually.

Virgin Mojitos

Virgin Mojitos

Inspired by:

I can’t find the recipe anymore! I didn’t even write it down!

Apologies if my directions are rough.

Why?

I felt like having a Mojito but am off alcohol at the moment.

Time Taken:

5 minutes

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Spoon, knife, chopping board, 2 drinking glasses

I used: (2 skinny glasses)

4-6 tbs Lemon cordial chilled

(equal parts lemon juice, castor sugar and water, boiled until sugar has dissolved)

2 limes

10 mint leaves

2 tbs raw sugar

Cold water (still or sparkling)

What I did:

Cut limes into quarters and squeeze half a lime into the bottom of each glass.

Add 1tbs of raw sugar and 5 mint leaves to each glass.

With the spoon mix thoroughly, making sure the flavours muddle.

Then add the squeezed half lime and 2tbs of lemon cordial.

Mix again and add the other half of the limes and fill glass with cold water.

Serve!

Comments after drinking the Virgin Mojito:

YUM! I want to make another one! (and I did!)

What I would do different:

Muddle more, and maybe add some more lemon cordial.

Un-fallen chocolate cake

Un-fallen chocolate cake

Inspired by: 

A recipe in Marie Claire magazine

Why? 

A friend shared this recipe with me.

The first time I made this cake we had to do a lot of tweaking with the cooking time as it was raw so I wanted another try to see how it would work.

Time Taken: 

20 mins prep+45mins-1hr bake= 1 hour 20 mins

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Pie dish, small bowl, fork, large saucepan, spoon, whisk, medium sized bowl

I used:

255g dairy free chocolate

255g softened dairy free margarine

6 separated eggs

1 ½ cups castor sugar

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 30cm round pie dish. 

In a small bowl beat egg yolks and sugar, with a fork, until pale.

In a large saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate and margarine, stirring to make sure it does not burn. Once melted take saucepan off heat (turn off stove top) and mix yolk and sugar into the chocolate.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk whites until stiff peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture. 

Once combined, pour cake mixture into pie dish and bake for 45 minutes or until crust solidifies.

Take out of the oven, let cool and cut into slices.

Eat and Enjoy!

Comments after eating un-fallen chocolate cake:

To me it tastes like a very naughty fudgy brownie. 

It was a hit with the 12 people we shared it with, who all went back for more!

The recipe describes that the cake will rise and fall but in both my attempts at this I didn't witness any rising and falling. 

What I would do different:

I don't think this recipe needs that much margarine. Next time I will try and reduce the amount to 200g.