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.

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.

Lemon Bread

Lemon Bread

Inspired by: All recipes.com

Why?

Had lemons to use up, and am still baking for the conference.

I used:

½ cup dairy free margarine/115g

1 cup castor sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 Tbs lemon zest

1 ½ cups gluten free self raising flour

1/8 tsp salt

¼ cup dairy free rice milk

What I did:

Preheat oven to 175C and line/grease 20x30cm baking dish.

In a medium bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamed. 
Beat in eggs, then lemon juice, and zest. 
Add flour, salt and milk, and mix well. 
When mixture is combined, pour into pan and bake for 45 mins, or until tester comes out clean.

Comments after eating Lemon Bread!

It reminds me of lemon and poppy seed muffins. I honestly expected it to have more of a lemon flavor, although I do like the taste a lot. Next time I will add more lemon juice and zest! I think the lemon butter would make a great icing for this and would give it a big lemony kick.

 Please excuse my messy kitchen!

Lemon Butter

Lemon Butter

Inspired by: Bestrecipes.com.au

Why? I bought too many lemons for the lemon bars, and I LOVE lemon butter. It is my spread of choice!

I used:

4 eggs

¾ cup sugar

½ cup lemon juice (about 2 squeezed lemons)

2 Tbs grated lemon zest

125g chopped dairy free margerine

What I did:

Place eggs and sugar over a bain-marie that is boiling on a medium heat, and whisk with a fork until sugar has dissolved. 
Add lemon juice, zest and chopped dairy free margarine. 
Continue whisking until mixture is smooth and the margarine has melted, making sure the mixture does not boil. 
When the mixture has thickened enough to coat the fork, take off the heat (turn off the stove) and pour into hot sterilized jars and seal quickly (you can see from the picture I didn't have any jars. . .I just put it in a sterilised container I could seal). 
Keep in the refrigerator.

Comments after eating:

Yum, yum, yum! I want to eat it all the time! It would taste great as an icing, or a sauce over a pudding, as well as on toast or muffins. Delicious!
You can also make this curd with oranges (frozen is below) or other fruits. Just substitute the lemon juice and zest for the juice and zest of the other fruit. It's quite nice frozen too (below).

Lemon Bars

Lemon Bars

Inspired by: Allrecipes.com

Why?
I can’t remember where I first heard of Lemon bars. . .but when baking was needed for a conference I was more than willing to try and make some!

I used:

Base:

225g softened dairy free margarine

½ cup castor sugar

2 cups gluten free flour

1 Tbs lemon zest/lemon zest to taste

Topping:

4 eggs (whisked)

1 ½ cups castor sugar

¼ cup gluten free flour

Juice of 2 lemons

1 Tbs lemon zest/lemon zest to taste

2 Tbs icing sugar (for dusting)

What I did:

Preheat oven to 175C and grease/line 20cmx30cm tray.

Base: Combine the margarine, sugar, gluten free flour and zest in a medium bowl, and mix well. 
Once fully combined, pour the mixture into the tray and press it firmly into the bottom, making sure the base is evenly covered. 
Bake for 15-20 mins or until just golden brown.
While the base is cooling, make the topping.

Topping: Mix together the remaining sugar and gluten free flour in a medium sized bowl.
Add in the whisked eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest, mixing thoroughly. 
Pour the topping over the baked crust (slightly cooled), and bake for another 20 minutes. 
The lemon bars will set as they cool. 
Once firm, dust the top with icing sugar, and cut to desired size.

Comments after eating Lemon Bars!

I only got a nibble of these because they were made to give away. . .but I really want to make them again because they were delicious! Maybe they tasted so good because they involved a lot of butter!? I’m not sure. It was also a great recipe because they were so very easy to make. The hardest part was waiting for it to set!!

Baked Fake Cheesecake

Baked Fake Cheesecake

Inspired by: Mjs vegan cheesecake

Why? Because my non Gluten free Dairy free friend Jodie always asks me to make them for her! I also made it again for my nieces.

I used:

3 tubs Tofutti (non dairy cream cheese substitute) I think its 250g per tub

(or you can use 2 tubs of the Tofutti non dairy cream cheese and 1 tub of the Tofutti sour cream which is 300g?).

1 cup sugar

2 Tbs gluten free flour

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 Tsp vanilla essence/powder

Base

1 packet tea biscuits crushed (Gluten free/Dairy free)

2 Tbs sugar

2 Tbs dairy free margerine

What I did:

Preheat the oven to 160C. Line a 25cm diameter cheesecake tin.

Combine crushed biscuits, 2 Tbs sugar and margarine with a fork until well mixed. 
Press mixture into the lined tin to form the base. Make sure the mixture covers the bottom of the tin and it is pressed in firmly.

Mix remaining ingredients: vanilla, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cream cheese substitute,  in a bowl and stir with a fork until smooth. 
Pour on top of the biscuit base and bake until cheesecake has browned slightly on top/solidified to a jelly consistency. 
Depending on your oven this may take 1 hour or more. 
Take out of the oven (turn oven off), let cheesecake cool, and then refrigerate and enjoy.

Comments after eating Fake cheesecake!

So good I want some more! It tastes so much like cheesecake.