Ok so here is where I indulge myself in my favourite obsession, food! Cakes mostly. I love to bake and eat cake. It is probably why I run, cycle and swim my way around Dorset, to eat more cake!
However, since having a baby in my 40's I have thought more consciously about how I bake those cakes. I like to explore the possibilities of substituting refined sugar and dairy as well as reducing the use of refined white flour.
I think refined sugar is toxic, did you know, along with wheat it is more addictive than most drugs?
Sugar is everywhere, in the cult film 'Supersize Me' we were informed that the Big Mac burger only just misses being classified a dessert because of the pickle!
So, here I will offer some of my experiments. If you fancy trying some that would be great.
I generally produce cakes that provide energy, offer me useful calories to carry out all the physical demands I make. I want to obtain valuable nutrients, vitamins, minerals and good oils, often eating them for 'breakfast on the go', recovery after exercise or to sustain me through a busy work day.
The ingredients are not always cheap, I use many variations of ground nuts, berries and seeds, raw chocolate or very good quality dark so it has less refined sugar or dairy, coconut and rapeseed oil, fresh fruits, almond and coconut ,milks and lastly Xylitol instead of refined sugar. As my but as I bake for myself mostly, I think I'm worth it!
I am no chef so most of my experiments are variations on recipes from a large number of cook books I enjoy, favourites are Nigel Slater and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
My absolute favourite soda bread, I make this every week in some variation;
375g Spelt Flour, 100g SR Wholemeal Flour. You can use your type of flour, these two give a lovely nutty texture. If using Gluten free flour then you will need a 1/2tsp of binding agent Xanthan Gum.
5 Table Spoons of any combination of ground nuts/flaxseeds/goji berries/pumpkin seeds/chia seeds/sunflower seeds etc, these all usually are found in bags in combinations. I sometimes put in some raw cocao, chop my own walnuts, dried fruit etc. Whatever you like really, your filling if your taste.
1 tsp Bicarb of Soda, 1/2 tsp Table Salt,
450ml Unsweetened Almond Milk (again, your choice in place of mine, sometimes I use Coconut Milk, I avoid dairy but it is your call)
Mix all dried ingredients together then gently mix in the milk. I use a knife, it can go gluey if beaten too hard.
Either tip into a pile onto greaseproof paper on a baking tray or I line a loaf tin and pile in.
Bake for 40 minutes at 200c, it is cooked when it sounds hollow if you knock on it!
This variation is savoury but you could chop mixed dried fruits in any combination, chocolate chips, desiccated or coconut flakes and so on using 3 of the generous table spoons and sugar for the other two, my choice being Xylitol but you could use muscovado/coconut or another sweet alternative, just NOT cane sugar!
Interesting chocolate cake..
This is a recipe of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's that I have made some changes to to suit my sugar needs!
100g Rice flour, 50g Cocoa powder (I use raw Cacao powder, it is expensive but sugar free) 1.5 tsp Baking powder, 125g Xylitol.
3 Eggs, 1tsp Vanilla extract (I have used Almond extract too which is good), 300mls Almond milk (Or whatever milk suits you).
400g Tin kidney/cannelini/butter beans rinsed and drained.
75ml Sunflower oil or 75g Coconut oil melted. (I have only used coconut oil, it can be a pain because it starts to set when you add it to the other ingredients but just be confident, the taste is so good!).
Put everything in a food blender, I put the eggs and milk in first to help with the blending, the coconut will start to set so get blending, stop a few times to scrape down, keep going till it looks like a thick milkshake consistency.
Tip into a greased/lined 20cm tin and cook for 25 mins at 180c/Gas 4.
Test by sliding a sharp knife into the centre, if it comes out clean then you are done. Leave to cool in the tin. I keep it in the fridge once cool, delish!
Yum scrum tiddle um tum...Beetroot Brownies.
100g dark chocolate (the darker the better as less sugar in or buy sugar free), 125g coconut oil (Or butter/margarine if you prefer)
225g wholemeal SR flour, 25g cocoa powder (I use raw Cacao), 1/2 tsp baking powder, !/2 tsp Bicarb of soda, 1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
250g cooked beetroot, grated
Prepare a 23cm round loose bottom tin or a similar sized square, grease and line. Pre heat oven 180c/350f/Gas 4
Melt the coconut and chocolate together in a pan slowly, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Put all the dry ingredients into a bowl along with the eggs, begin to combine, once slightly cooler add the chocolate mix. If you are using coconut it will begin to harden again, don't panic, keep on mixing with a sturdy spatular and add the beetroot. If you feel it is too stiff you can add some milk to loosen (I would use coconut milk or a dairy free alternative) however stay confident, give it a good turn around and blend then tip into tin, smooth down the top.
Bake for 45 minutes, it will be well risen and the sides will be slightly coming away form the tin. Cool for a bit then turn out onto a rack. If you can wait for it to cool completely you are stronger than me!!!
Enjoy.
Delish Valentines day comfort shortbread.
100g Chesnut flour, 100g ground almonds, 100g buckwheat flour, 1tsp baking powder, tbs mixed milled nut/seed/fruit (I buy bags of mixed flax/goji berrie/mixed seeds etc, you find these bags in most supermarkets now), a handful of walnuts roughly chopped, pinch of salt.
100g Xylitol
150ml rapeseed oil (or sunflower)
Grease/line 20cm loose bottom tin. Sift dry ingredients, combine with sugar gentle then with a knife gentle mix in the oil, once everything looks oily then using a 'rubbing in' technique type action get your hands in and combine, tip into tin, press down with the back of your fingers then prick all over with a fork.
Cook for 30 mins, do check after 25, the mix is quite dark coloured but you will know if it looks cooked as it will brown some more.
Remove and with the tip of a sharp knife divide your slices, leave to cool completely in the tin.
Quite crumbly, good with a cuppa, some fruit/yogurt or some ice cream!!
The Carrot Cake.
I made this for my step daughter who, like me, tries to avoid dairy and sugar but she really does not do gluten, I am ok with it and would usually make this cake with wholemeal SR flour, here I have used gluten free SR flour and xantham gum to bind it. I think you have to eat it up quicker with this flour as it dries in just a few days, whereas it could sit in the fridge for up to a week....yeah right, as if..
4 eggs, 150g xylitol (sugar)
Put the eggs and sugar in a bowl and rest a hand mixer on the edge to beat for 10 minutes while you grease and line a 23cm spring tin, I use a square tin because I like to cut cubes, round tin is perfect. Pre heat the oven 180c/Gas 4. Then weigh out 300g flour (as above, your choice, if gluten free then add 1/4 tsp xantham gum) 1/2 tsp mixed spice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda.
Grate 4 large carrots finely.
Add 300ml of oil to eggs and sugar, this can be a mix of your choice, all rapeseed/sunflower/flaxseed or combinations. I used 150ml rapeseed/150ml sunflower. Mix for a few more minutes.
Add the dry ingredients and stir in gently then add the carrots. Tip into tin and bake for 45 minutes, it is done when a sharp knife comes out clean from the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
You can heat 150ml of maple syrup, runny honey, agave syrup or coconut syrup, stab the cake all over then pour the heated sweet stuff all over so that it soaks into the cake, definitely leave in the tin to completely cool so you do not leak the liquid. This also helps to keep the cake moist.
This is so good with a blob of your yogurt/cream choice.
