Showing Tag: " almonds" (Show all posts)

Coconut caramel slice

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, November 26, 2022, In : slices 


This is one of Donna Hay's better-for-you recipes from One Pan Perfect (Fourth Estate, 2022). She swaps out refined sugars and grains for unrefined sweeteners and nut flours. Coconut caramel is easy to make and versatile to use in slices or tarts or a sauce over ice cream.


Coconut caramel:

1 400 g coconut cream

1 1/2 c coconut sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract


Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir over high heat until sugar is dissolved and sauce is bubbling. Turn down to medium heat and contin...


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Butterscotch tart

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, February 3, 2022, In : desserts 

Another better-for-you treat by Jerrelle Guy that uses more wholesome ingredients than your standard caramel tart. I finally learnt that caramel is traditionally made with white sugar and a small proportion of butter and butterscotch with brown sugar and a higher proportion of butter. There is a difference in flavour, however, I now often make such syrups with coconut cream, coconut oil and coconut sugar so you can have vegan/dairy free versions too. It's adapted from Black Girl Baking (Page ...


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Raw cheesecake with berry coulis

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, December 18, 2021, In : desserts 

A fresh and zingy dessert with no refined sugars or processed ingredients.


Base:

1 c almonds

1/4 c dates

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch sea salt

1/2 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, if desired


Filling:

2 c cashews, soaked for at least an hour

1/2 c filtered water

1/2 c honey or rice syrup

2-3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c + 2 Tbsp coconut oil, softened

1/2 tsp xanthan gum or 1 Tbsp lecithin powder or 1 tsp psyllium powder

fresh strawberries, if desired


Coulis:

2 c fresh or frozen berries of choice...


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Raw chocolate thumbprint cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, In : cookies 

My oven broke down a week before Xmas! So I've turned to my trusty dehydrator to whip up some raw treats (not quickly though). This is a basic recipe for a raw cookies. You can substitute any nuts or dried fruit if you wish, add spices or essences such as peppermint or orange.

Makes 25-30 small cookies
1 1/2 c cashews
1 c almonds
1 c dates
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp coconut oil 
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 c cocoa powder
Pinch sea salt
1/2 c jam (I used berry chia jam)

Blitz the nuts in a food processor u...

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Apple filo pies

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, November 14, 2021, In : desserts 

I got this idea from Nadiya Hussain. She uses some good 'cheats' to make her recipes quicker. She used 2 cans of chunky apple sauce for her filling, but I haven't seen these in Auckland shops so I just made my own stewed apple.


700 g apples, preferably Granny Smith

Splash of water and lemon juice

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 c raisins

1/2 chopped nuts (I used toasted hazelnuts)

cooking oil spray

12 sheets filo pastry

demerara sugar, optional
icing sugar, optional


Peel and chop the apples into small cubes and ...


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Snickerdoodles

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, October 29, 2021, In : cookies 

A snickerdoodle is a crisp and chewy cookie originating from New England. It's basically a plain cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar but the inclusion of cream of tartar gives it a sourness that is quite endearing. 

Most recipes use butter and refined sugar and flour but this one is gluten- and dairy-free. You can also use an egg replacer if you are vegan. It makes a lot of dough so you can freeze some for later use. The dough needs to chill in the fridge for a few hours so prepare ahead!


3 1/2 c f...


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Chickpea shortbread

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, August 26, 2021, In : cookies 

Usually used in pakora and savoury pancakes, you can bake with chickpea flour but it needs a bit of work as there is no gluten to hold it together.


1 c icing sugar

160ml neutral oil

2 c chickpea/besan/gram flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum, optional

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

pinch salt

1 tsp rose water

1 egg yolk

2/3 c chopped nuts (eg pistachios, almonds)


Line a brownie tin with baking paper.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until a dough forms. You can also just mix by hand. If the mixture ...


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Cherry choc cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, March 11, 2021, In : cookies 

I made up this recipe to use some glacē cherries that had been at the back of the fridge for too long. Almonds match well with cherries, as does chocolate.


Makes 12 big cookies

1tbsp ground flaxseed

2 1/2 tbsp water

150g butter, at room temperature

3/4 c coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 c flour (I used spelt)

1 tsp baking powder.

1/2 c glace cherries

1/2 c chopped almonds

1/2 c dark chocolate chunks/melts/buttons


Mix flaxseed and water together in a cup.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar un...


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Healthy caramel slice

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, In : slices 

Here's a lockdown baking experiment - i wanted to make a healthy caramel slice. This recipe fits a loaf tin but you could double it to fit a 20 x 20 cm square tin.


Makes about 10 slices

Base:

1 c almond meal or flour

2 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar

2-3 tbsp coconut oil, melted or softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch sea salt


Caramel:

1 c dates, soaked overnight then drained

1 tbsp cashew butter (or any smooth nut butter)

pinch sea salt


Topping:

1/2 c cacao butter

2-3 tbsp maple syrup (or honey or rice syrup)

1/2 c...


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Passionfruit coconut slice

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, February 18, 2021, In : slices 

Is it a cake or is it a slice? It reminds me of a Louise cake/slice with a meringue-esque topping, but with a passionfruit tang.


Base:

120 g desiccated coconut 

100 g ground almonds

80 g flour of choice

4 Tbsp caster sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

½ cup passionfruit pulp (about 5 or 6 fruit), plus extra to drizzle 

1/3 c milk of choice

1 tsp vanilla extract


Topping:

2 egg whites

1/4 cup caster sugar

80 g desiccated coconut

50 g ground almonds

juice of 2 or 3 passionfruit (...


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Milk chocolate truffles

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, January 31, 2021, In : sweets 


These take a bit of faffing about but they're worth it for a posh little treat.

Makes 30-40
300g milk chocolate, broken into pieces
1/2 c cream (I used coconut cream)
2 tsp honey
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
170g flaked almonds (or use half almonds, half desiccated coconut)
300g milk chocolate, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 160C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place chocolate into a bowl. In a small saucepan heat the cream, honey and vanilla bean seeds until just boiling. Pour over the ch...

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Fruit and nut chocolate rocks

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, January 15, 2021, In : sweets 


Aren't these cute?! These edible rocks will be a hit in your household or next party. Super easy to make with kids too. It's from Bakeland: Nordic Treats Inspired by Nature by Marit Hovland (Greystone Books. 2016).


2 Oreo cookies

200g white chocolate

90ml sweetened condensed milk

pinch salt

1/8 tsp cocoa powder


Filling:

1/2 c any salted nuts (I used brazils, almonds and cashews)

1/4 c any dried fruit (I used cranberries and apricots)


Remove the white filling from the Oreo cookies then place them in a ...


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Healthy florentines

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, September 7, 2020, In : sweets 

A refined-sugar-free treat for any time of the day. I think the thinness of a florentine is the secret to its success, so use flaked or slivered almonds. Pepitas and oats add extra nutrition.


Makes about 25

1/2 c rolled oats

1/3 c almonds

1/3 c finely chopped walnuts

1/3 c pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1/3 c finely chopped apple-sweetened cranberries (I didn't have any so used sulphur-free apricots. Other tangy dried fruit would work well too, such as cherries or blueberries)

1 tsp mixed spice (or a mix o...


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Choconutty popcorn cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, August 29, 2020, In : cookies 

Heidi Swanson calls these carnival cookies, not the sickly sweet artificial-coloured kind, but wholesome sugar-free bites packed with nutrients. The popcorn and chocolate chips bring to mind amusement park snacks.


Makes 22-24

1 1/2 c rolled oats

1/2 c almond meal or ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 c mashed bananas (about 3 or 4)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c coconut oil, softened or just melted

1 1/2 c popcorn

1 c chocolate of choice (chopped, chips, buttons or b...


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Cornflake haystacks

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, August 6, 2020, In : cookies 

A very satisfying caramely crunch that uses up cornflakes that have been sitting around for too long. It's from a 517-page tome called Dorie's Cookies by Dorie Greenspan (Houghton MIfflin Harcourt, 2016).

Makes about 36
2 eggs
1/2 c natural liquid sweetener, eg brown rice syrup, maple syrup, honey
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 c desiccated or shredded coconut
1 c chopped nuts (I used almonds)
1 c raisins (I plumped mine up by placing them in a small bowl and soaking in boiled water for 5 min, then drain)
170g m...
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Chocolate goji bars

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, July 27, 2020, In : sweets 

For a quick healthy chocolatey snack, just blitz all these ingredients in a food processor and chill!

Line a loaf tin with cling film, making sure it hangs over the sides.

1 c almonds (you can use other nuts or pumpkin/sunflower seeds)
1 c dates
3 tbsp goji berries (you can use other dried berries)
3 tbsp cacao powder (or cocoa)
3 tbsp coconut oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz until sticky. Press evenly into your loaf tin, cover and chill in fridge until firm enough to cut into...
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Flourless chocolate orange cake

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, June 21, 2020, In : big cakes 



This is a light yet fudgy chocolate cake that would work well in a brownie tin too. Ground almonds provide a lovely texture. I thought the orange flavour didn't come through strongly, so if you want more of an orangey jaffa vibe I'd add orange zest and some orange extract too.

1/3 c cocoa powder

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice (blood oranges if you have them)

3 eggs

1 c coconut sugar

2/3 c olive oil

1 1/2 c almond flour (you can also grind raw almonds in a coffee grinder t...


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Dried fruit cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, May 18, 2020, In : cookies 

This batch makes so many cookies! You can freeze some of the dough for later use.


Makes about 50

185g butter, softened

1/2 c granulated sugar (I used organic golden but coconut sugar would work well)

1/2 c brown sugar

2 eggs

2 or 3 mashed bananas

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp all spice (or a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger)

1 1/2 c oats

1 c mixed dried fruit, chopped

3/4 c desiccated or shredded coconut

3/4 c chopped nuts (I used walnuts and almonds)


Prehe...


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Brioche scrolls

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, April 26, 2020, In : bread 

This recipe is adapted from Magnolia Kitchen (Allen & Unwin, 2019) by Bernadette Gee. She first started a bakery stall at Kumeu and Hobsonville Point farmers market in Auckland around 8 years ago and by 2016 had her own cafe in Silverdale. She swears like a trooper throughout her book - what a hoot.


Makes 8 large brioche


2 eggs

50 caster sugar

1/2 tbsp salt

240ml milk

10g dry yeast

170g butter

560g flour


almond filling:

75g almond meal

75g melted butter

2 tsp cinnamon

150g brown sugar


Mix all ingredients i...


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Orange polenta cake with chocolate ganache

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, In : big cakes 

I fell asleep last night thinking of an orange polenta cake with chocolate ganache. I woke up this morning thinking of the same cake. Here is the physical manifestation of my craving! 

3 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 1/2 c water
1/2 c rice syrup (or maple or honey)
3/4 c olive oil
2 c ground almonds
1 c polenta
3 tsp baking powder
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
2 tsp orange extract or essence

Chocolate ganache:
1 can coconut cream or milk
250g dark chocolate (I use Whittaker’s 72%)

Orange jam or ma...

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Oat lace cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, April 3, 2020, In : cookies 

These are very fragile cookies! But lovely for a dainty afternoon tea. Drizzling with chocolate is completely optional; I think they are tasty without.

Makes about 20 cookies

1/2 c rolled oats

1/4 c almonds

90g butter or non-dairy spread

1/3 c crystallised sugar

1/3 c brown sugar

1 tbsp rice flour/tapioca/cornflour/arrowroot

2 tsp orange zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch sea salt


100g melted chocolate, if desired


Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

In a food processor or coffee gri...


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Chocolate almond biscotti

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, March 15, 2020, In : cookies 

These chocolate biscotti have a coffee-tinged flavour - perfect with coffee!

1 1/2 c ground almonds

2 tbsp arrowroot or cornflour

3 tbsp cacao powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 c brown rice syrup or maple syrup


Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir in vanilla and rice syrup until a firm dough forms.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Shape each one into a log about 10cm long, 5cm high and 4cm wid...


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Honey maca ice cream

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, December 5, 2019, In : desserts 

I decided to make a dairy-free ice cream from scratch, and that included the almond milk. The xanthan gum really helps to make the ice cream smooth and creamy. When you make almond milk you have almond pulp left over, so I'll also post two recipes to use up the almond pulp.

200g almonds
500ml water
1/2 c honey
1 tsp maca powder
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
1 tsp xanthan gum

If you have an ice cream make, put the bowl in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
Soak the almonds in a bowl of water for at l...
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Slice and bake cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, June 28, 2019, In : cookies 

This is a great basic recipe from which to make any kind of slice and bake cookie - add your favourite flavours and coatings then freeze the dough until you need it. This is adapted from Bake Me Home by Alice Arndell (HarperCollins, 2015).

Makes 60
250g butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
4 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Flavouring examples
1/2 c each cranberries and pistachios
1/2 c each dark and white chocolate chunks
2/3 c chopped almonds and 1/3 c crystallised gin...
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Rocky road

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, In : sweets 

Quick and easy rocky road to give to the teachers this year, and for random visitors to our house this festive season.
1 c cacao butter
1 c cacao or cocoa powder
1/4 c maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1/2 c cranberries
1/2 c toasted hazelnuts
1/2 c mini marshmallows

Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
Melt the cacao butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with 2-3 cm water. Heat on a low-medium heat until melted.
Take off the heat and stir in the maple syrup, cacao powder, vanilla, sal...
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Lime semolina cake

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, December 15, 2018, In : big cakes 

Eat the pantry! That's my new year resolution. Might as well start today so I used up some semolina and ground almonds and frozen lime zest and juice. Damn nice cake. You can replace the lime with lemon or orange if you have other citrus to use up.

125g butter or non-dairy spread, softened
3/4 c caster or golden sugar
zest of a lime
2 eggs
3/4 c fine semolina
1 1/2 c ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c milk or yoghurt

Syrup:
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c lime juice
1/2 c water
thin slices of lime

Preheat oven to ...


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Orange cake

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, July 1, 2018, In : big cakes 

A tangy, moist cake for no. 15 of 26 alphabetical bakes!


2 oranges or tangelos
1 1/2 c pitted dates, soaked in water while the oranges cook
6 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 15 tbsp water
1 c ground almonds
1/2 c fine polenta
1 tsp baking powder

Icing:
3/4 c cashews, soaked overnight or for 30 min in boiling water
3 tbsp brown rice syrup or maple syrup
1 tbsp orange zest
3 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp melted coconut oil

Put oranges in a small saucepan, cove...


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Nut brittle

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, June 27, 2018, In : sweets 

Buckwheat groats and puffed rice add more goodness to this healthy nut brittle. If nuts aren't your thing you can replace them with sunflower and pumpkin seeds. This is no. 14 of 26 alphabetical bakes!

1/2 c buckwheat groats
1/2 c puffed rice
1/2 c almonds, slivered or roughly chopped (you can use any nuts you like)
1/4 c cashews
pinch sea salt
4 tsp coconut oil
1/2 c maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Warm ...


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Forgotten cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, May 10, 2018, In : cookies 

Forgotten cookies are actually super easy meringues - you just leave in a turned-off oven overnight and they should be crisp by the morning. Mine weren't unfortunately, I think I preheated the oven too low. If this happens you can just bake at 60-70C for an hour or so until meringues are dried or put in a dehydrator. The recipe is adapted from Healthy Food Guide. You can leave plain or flavour with mint and strawberry. It's my no. 6 of 26 alphabetical bakes!

Makes 20-15
2 egg whites, r...


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Quick chocolate hearts

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, April 13, 2018, In : sweets 

There are a few recipes for homemade chocolate on Bake Club. I've experimented and tweaked amounts many times and have found this one works best for me if I want to make hard chocolate as it's easy to remember and measure. You can use any size moulds you like. I wanted generous servings filled with a nut/fruit mix so I used heart-shaped silicon muffin moulds. The servings weigh around 40-50g each. The good thing about chocolate is that if you make any surplus to needs you can just store in an...
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Berry almond tart

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, January 1, 2018, In : desserts 


I followed the Little Flower Bakery recipe for this brisee dough but it just didn't hold, maybe there was too much butter? Maybe Auckland is just too humid at the moment? Anyway, instead of several small tarts I pressed half the dough into a large tin. I still have half the dough in the fridge, maybe I'll make a savoury quiche with it.

Pastry:
4 1/2 c flour (I used spelt)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 (342g) butter, cut into 2cm cubes and chilled
1/3 c ice water

Almond cream:
1/2 c (114g) butter, softened
1/2 c g...
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Easy chocolate mendiants

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, December 15, 2017, In : sweets 

Last year I made my own chocolate for mendiants. This Christmas I'm doing the cheat's version - just melted Whittaker's chocolate with colourful toppings. I've used pistachios, macadamias, toasted flaked almonds, toasted coconut, gojis, cranberries, blueberries, mango and pretzels. Any dried fruit or nut will do. You can spoon circles of chocolate onto trays lined with baking paper or just spoon into mini muffin tins, and top with your extras.
Super easy gifts to make.
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Healthy Shrewsbury biscuits

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, October 19, 2017, In : cookies 

Shrewsburys, also known as Jammie Dodgers in England, are two shortbread-style biscuits with jam in the middle. I found this healthy version from Niomi Smart's Eat Smart (HarperCollins, 2016). The biscuits are not too sweet, however, they don't have a super crunch, as they use a liquid sweetener, not sugar. I would make these again a little thinner and maybe add some coconut sugar for crunch.
Makes 25
1 1/2 c ground almonds
2 c buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinna...
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Coconut almond macaroons

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, October 15, 2017, In : cookies 

Whenever I make hummus with canned chickpeas it's an excuse to make something with the aquafaba as well. It's a perfect vegan alternative to egg whites. I've been experimenting to make macaroons with the least amount of ingredients possible.

Makes about 16
1/2 c aquafaba
1 tsp cream or tartar or 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 c brown rice syrup
1 1/2 c desiccated coconut
1 1/2 c ground almonds
150g dark/bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 170C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Simmer the aquafaba in a...
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Strawberry rose cheesecake

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, May 5, 2017, In : desserts 

Another one from Vanelja - a rawish cake with the right combination of strawberry tang, fragrant rose and rich chocolate.

Base:
1 1/2 c almonds
6 dates
2 tbs cacao powder
pinch salt

Filling:
1 c cashews
1 c strawberries, fresh or frozen
1 banana
1 tbs rosewater or extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
juice of a lemon
1/4 c grated cacao butter, melted
1/4 c coconut oil, melted

Icing:
2/3 c grated cacao butter
3 tbs coconut oil
1/2 c cacao powder
2 tbs honey or rice syrup
pinch sea salt

First, soak the cashews...


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Goji granola

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, May 4, 2017, In : desserts 

This granola has just the right mix of nuts, fruit, spices and sweetness for me - and a fantastic crunch.

3 c oats
2 c chopped nuts
1 c sunflower seeds, or do a pumpkin seed mix
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 tbs coconut oil
3/4 c rice syrup
2 tbs water
2 tbs vanilla extract
1/2 c chopped apricots
1/2 c goji berries
1/4 c raisins or chopped prunes

Preheat oven to 160C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Melt the coconut oil and rice syrup in a saucepan or double boiler over low heat. Mix the oats, ...


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Cocoa almond granola bars

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, March 24, 2017, In : slices 

These are a chewy choco bite. Don't overcook or they'll be rock hard (as mine were, on the edges). From Sweet & Easy Vegan by Robin Asbell (Chronicle, 2012).

1 1/2 c rolled oats
3/4 c spelt flour
1/4 c cocoa or cacao powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c rice syrup
1/2 c rapadura/coconut or palm sugar
1/4 c almond butter
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp nondairy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 170C and line a 20x20cm cake tin.
Mix all the dry ingredients (except almo...
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Vegan lemon almond cake

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, February 20, 2017, In : big cakes 

A healthy and tasty lemony cake! You could jazz it up with a honey-lemon drizzle or whipped coconut cream icing but really, it's great the way it is - moist, tangy and nutritious.

1 c ground almonds (I use use a coffee grinder and grind as needed)
1/2 c buckwheat flour (you can use any kind of flour or polenta)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
juice and zest of 2 lemons
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tbsp hot water and left to stand for 5 minutes)
1/2 c rice ma...
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Impossible pie (coconut sponge)

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, February 3, 2017, In : big cakes 

I love finding recipes in unexpected places, like at the end of the novel Dead Man's Chest - A Phryne Fisher Mystery by Kerry Greenwood (Poisoned Pen Press, 2010). I've been finding these mystery novels set in Melbourne in the 1930s pleasant easy reading. This recipe is called impossible pie, but it's just really a coconut cake that doesn't need creaming.

1/2 c flour (I use spelt)
3/4 c caster sugar
3/4 c desiccated coconut
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g butter, melted
1/2 c flaked almonds
1...
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Choconut slice

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, November 16, 2016, In : slices 

This is a simple biscuit base slice adapted from Blissful Bites by Christy Morgan (BenBella Books, 2011). For a crunchier base you could add buckinis as I do in my perfect ginger crunch.

1 3/4 c flour (I used spelt)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs vanilla extract
1 Tbs natural sweetener such as coconut sugar, maple syrup
1/2 c coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp salt
250g dark chocolate (at least 70%)
200ml coconut cream or milk
3 Tbs maple syrup or rice syrup
coconut chips or desiccated coconut and slice...


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Oatmeal raisin cookies (vegan, gluten-free)

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, November 3, 2016, In : cookies 

I'm really liking 'Gluten-Free & Vegan for the Whole Family' by Jennifer Katzinger (Sasquatch Books, 2015). Like her chocolate chip cookies, these oatmeal cookies are sugar-free and gluten-free. I've experimented with cashew nuts, buckwheat and spelt flour and they've all come out well. Everything is done in the food processor - you basically blitz the dry ingredients then add the wet. Dates are a great sweetener.
Makes 18 small cookies
1 2/3 rolled oats
1/2 c almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon...

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Life-changing bread

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, October 31, 2016, In : bread 

This appeared in 2013 on My New Roots and I've finally jumped onto the bandwagon! A dense, filling bread made of just nuts and seeds - genius. All mixed in the tin and you can experiment with different nuts and seeds too.
1 c sunflower seeds
1 1/2 c oats
1 c almonds (or hazelnuts)
1/2 c flaxseed
2 Tbs chia seeds
3 Tbs psyllium husk powder (or 4 Tbs psyllium husk)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs natural sweetener (maple syrup, rice malt syrup)
3 Tbs melted coconut oil
1 1/2 c water

Line a loaf tin with parchment/baking...
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Chocolate chip cookies (vegan, gluten-free)

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, October 26, 2016, In : cookies 

A really easy recipe from 'Gluten-Free & Vegan for the Whole Family' by Jennifer Katzinger (Sasquatch Books, 2015). The recipe is also refined sugar-free (I used dark choc chips that weren't sugar-free though as I didn't have 85% dark chocolate on hand). You could do many variations on this recipe - raisins or other dried fruit instead of chocolate, add coconut, use hazelnuts, oats, add cinnamon.
Makes about 20
2 c almonds (I used 1 c almonds and 1 c oats)
1 c dates (or about 10 medjool dates)
2 ...
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Puffed millet bars

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, February 29, 2016, In : slices 

This is based on a cereal bar recipe in The New Enlightened Eating by Caroline Marie Dupont (Books Alive, 2012).

1/2 c almond, cashews or peanut butter
1/4 c tahini
1/2 c rice malt syrup
1 Tbs coconut oil
3 c puffed millet (you can also use puffed rice, cornflakes, rice flakes)
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c flaked or chopped almonds

Line a 20cm square or brownie tin with baking paper,

Mix the dry ingreds in a bowl. Melt all the wet ingreds over medium heat in a saucepan When all combined and melted p...


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Sweet potato brownies with chickpea cookie dough

Posted by Bake Club on Tuesday, December 22, 2015, In : slices 

This is from a great book called Kenko Kitchen by Kate Bradley (Hardie Grant Books, 2015). It’s sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan. She’s based in Melbourne. This brownie recipe caught my eye because it adds in vegetables where our daughter won't notice them.

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 5cm pieces (I used golden kumara)
14 medjool dates, pitted (I like to soak dates in filtered water for an hour before using, then drain)
2/3 c ground almonds
½ c  buckwheat fl...


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Six-layer slice

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, December 13, 2015, In : slices 

What a decadent flop! It didn't look like the one in the book (High Tea, Viking 2014) but it still tasted good - evil good. I rarely use condensed milk (so much sugar!) but I made an exception for this easy slice – just pour in each ingredient on top of the last one.

125 g butter, melted
1 c sweet biscuit crumbs (I used gluten-free arrowroot biscuits)
1 c desiccated coconut
325g chocolate chips
395g tin condensed milk
1 c nuts, roughly chopped (I used cashews and almonds)

P...


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Vegan muesli bars

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, November 8, 2015, In : slices 

I’ve made a no-bake seed version and a buttery caramelly one but these muesli bars are dairy- and sugar-free – bonus! Oh She Glows calls this a feel-good hearty granola bar – I second that! I added some extra seeds in mine. 

1 ½ c mashed banana (about 3 ripe bananas)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c rolled oats
½ c dried fruit, chopped if necessary (I used sultanas)
½ c walnuts, chopped (I used cashews)
½ c pumpkin seeds
½ c sunflower seeds
½ c sliced almonds
¼ c ground flax see...


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Nutty choc chip cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, August 12, 2015, In : cookies 

I adapted these beauties from I Quit Sugar. I added a bit more quantity of chia seeds and an egg at the end to help bind it all together as the mixture seemed very crumbly. Result: perfectly crunchy and healthy bikkies!

1 1/2 c almond meal
1/2 c walnut meal (I used 1 c almond meal, 1 c spelt flour)
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground chia seeds
1/2 c ground cinnamon
pinch salt
3 1/2 Tbs coconut oil
1 1/2 Tbs rice malt syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa, chips or chopped
1/...
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Orange spice bars

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, July 25, 2015, In : slices 

For some reason I'm not a big fan of oranges and I hardly ever buy them. But when I was given some from a friend's tree I decided to take up an orange challenge. First up, these spicy slice bars from The Cookie Book (Fog City Press, 2001). The flaked almonds didn't really stay on top of the slice. Next time I'd ice the slice after it's cooled down and then put the flakes on. They are warmly spiced orangey biscuit.

1 1/2 c self-rising flour (or use flour and some 1 tsp baking powder)
1/3 c brown...
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Florentines

Posted by Bake Club on Tuesday, July 7, 2015, In : sweets 

This is my first attempt at florentines. A bit fiddly but still yummy - anything coated in chocolate is! Worth the trouble for a special occasion, such as watching the final of the Superubgy where the Highlanders won against the Hurricanes 21-14! This recipe is adapted from the good ol' NZ Women's Weekly.

100g flaked almonds
1/4 cup sultanas
1/4 cup chopped mixed peel
1/4 cup chopped dried peaches (most recipes use glacé cherries but you can use any dried fruit such as cranberries, pears, prunes...


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Pear, ginger and date loaf

Posted by Bake Club on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, In : big cakes 

Mmm, a nice spicy loaf that's sugar and dairy free. It's from the April/May 2015 issue of Little Treasures magazine. Kelly Gibney founded the Bonnie Delicious blog, full of wholesome recipes.

1 1/2 c dates, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes then drained well
1/4 c melted coconut oil or butter
1 1/2 c ground almonds (can be with or without skins)
1/2 c flour (I used wholemeal spelt)
3 tsp ground ginger
tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 heaped tsp baking powder
tsp ...

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Banana and chocolate chip cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Tuesday, June 30, 2015, In : cookies 

An easy gluten-free cookie that especially kids will love! Not too much sweetener and full of good fibre. This is by Nadia Lim from Sunday magazine.
2 eggs
1 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c sweetener (coconut sugar or brown sugar ok, I used rice malt syrup)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c ground almonds
1 c rolled oats
1 c mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
1/2 c dark choc chips

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.
In a large bowl mix eggs, milk and vanilla. Add...
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Spiced biscuits

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, March 4, 2015, In : cookies 

A really nice crunchy biscuit from Good Housekeeping Wheat Free (Anova, 2008). You can add as much or as little spice as you like. This time omitted the cloves but added extra ginger.
2 tbs honey
25g butter
50g muscovado sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
225g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
pinch salt
1 tbs finely chopped candied peel (didn't have)
50g ground almonds
1 egg, beaten
2-3 tbs milk or water

Put honey, butter, sugar and citru...
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Pear, almond and tahini cake

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, February 23, 2015, In : big cakes 

This is a dairy-free, sugar-free recipe in Marian Keyes' Saved By Cake (Penguin, 2012). Serve with yoghurt for some tang.
240g tahini
260g date syrup (I used rice syrup)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
220g flour (I used white spelt)
1 tsp cinnamon
100g almonds, roughly chopped
150g pears, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes (you can also used canned pears, I used apples)
250ml apple juice (I used coconut water and upped the rice syrup)

Grease a cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Preheat oven to 170C...
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Nut crackers

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, February 18, 2015, In : savoury 

Continuing my experiments with crackers, here's a recipe from Ceres.
1/2 c almond meal
1/2 c cashews
2 Tbs flaxseed
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 c sesame seeds
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1 Tbs coconut nectar syrup (I used rice syrup)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs water

Place all ingredients except sesame seeds and rosemary in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add remaining ingreds and pulse for a few more seconds until mixture forms a ball. Wrap dough in plastic film and refrigerate at least an hour.
Preheat oven...
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Kale and fig greenola

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, January 14, 2015, In : sweets 

By Bec
Dehydrate 2 lbs of chopped up fresh kale. 
In a pot combine 3/4 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, 1 tsp cinnamon, 8 chopped dried figs, 2 tbs of agave (or another natural sweetener). Simmer until tacky mix forms and turn off heat. 
Add kale to pot, stir and mix together as it cools.
Spread mix in one layer on to wax paper and cook in oven for 5ish mins on low heat - leave to cool and BOOM!
And it's paleo, gluten free, sugar free, grain free, dairy free
Can be eaten as a sn...

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Easy peasy sugar-free cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, January 3, 2015, In : cookies 

Probably the easiest cookies I've ever made! Found on sugarfreekids.com.

1/2 c dates
1/2 c dessicated coconut
1/2 c oats
1/2 c almonds (I used almond pulp from making almond milk)
3 Tbs butter or coconut oil
orange juice to bind

Process the dates, oats, coconut and almonds in a food processor until a crumb like texture.
Add cold butter and juice of a small orange and process further to combine. The dough will hold its shape when formed together.
Roll into a log, wrap in cling film and place in fridge ...
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Fig, chocolate, chai, almond biscotti

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, December 24, 2014, In : cookies 

By Sophie
  • 100 g chopped almonds
    200 g gluten-free plain flour, plus extra for dusting (I used Doves Farm)
    1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
    ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    200 g brown sugar
    30 g dark chocolate (over 70% cocoa solids), optional

    1 large free-range egg
    1/2 cup chopped dried figs
    1 teaspoon chai spices or 1 chai tea bag (cut open the bag and use loose spices)
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    Almond milk or any other type of milk- optional

Spread out the almonds on a baking tray, then place in the hot oven ...

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Lemon tarts with chocolate crust

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, August 31, 2014, In : small cakes 

By Frances
I cobbled this recipe together as I wanted to use up some lemons and make something sugar-free.

For the lemon curd:
3 eggs
1 tbs lemon zest
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used 4 lemons)
½ cup rice malt syrup
4 tbs of coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs cacao butter (optional)
  1. In a saucepan on low heat – whisk together the eggs, lemon zest and rice syrup.
  2. Add the lemon juice, coconut oil, vanilla and cacao butter and continue to whisk on medium heat until everything is melted a...

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Mandarin cake with cream cheese icing

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, June 5, 2014, In : big cakes 

By Sophie
Another goodie from Julie Le Clerc's Favourite Cakes. It's great the way it uses whole mandarins. I added cream cheese icing and decorated it with almond praline.

6 mandarins (600g) or oranges
6 eggs
1 c sugar (I used rice malt syrup)
1 c dessicated coconut
2 c ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 160C. Grease a 22cm cake tin and lightly dust with flour. Coarsely chop mandarins, including the skin but removing any pips, and place in a saucepan with enough water to cover.
Bring ...
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Super spread cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, May 23, 2014, In : cookies 

By Frances
Wow - some reaaaaaally healthy oat cookies with no sugar, dairy or wheat and very delish. I've discovered wholesome-cook.com. She has a whole bunch of stuff I want to try.
Dry ingredients:
  • 1¼ cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup wholemeal flour (I used spelt)
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar* (I used organic golden sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon flax seeds
  • 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoons dried organic blueberries, optional
Wet ingredients:

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Chocolate bliss bites

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, April 7, 2014, In : sweets 

By Frances

This super easy raw recipe is from Amaze Kitchen. A great sugar-, gluten and dairy-free treat. I made them into mini bites for my toddler, but didn’t roll them in cocoa as I thought it might be too messy for her.

250 grams dates or 12 medjool dates pitted

4 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons coconut oil
extra cocoa for rolling

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor.
2. Wet or oil your hands, and ro...


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Florentine cake

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, March 16, 2014, In : big cakes 

By Frances

A rich nutty cake by Annabel Langbein from the February issue of Life & Leisure magazine.

Base:

¾ c flour

¾ c wholemeal flour

¾ c oats

¾ c brown sugar

180g cold butter, diced

 

Process all ingredients in a food processor until it resembles a fine crumb. Press into a 20cm round cake tin.

 

Cake:

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

¼ c brown sugar

½ c walnuts

½ c flaked almonds

¾ c almonds

¾ c dates

¾ c apricots

¾ c choc melts

¾ c coconut

...
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Almond & lemon cake

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, March 7, 2014, In : big cakes 

By Frances

The neighbours were having a tapas gathering so I dipped into Fresh Spanish (Hachette Livre, 2008) and found this classic gluten-free Spanish almond cake beautifully scented with lemons.

 

4 eggs

175g golden caster sugar

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

400g ground almonds

icing sugar for dusting

 

Grease a 20cm sq cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Preheat oven to 190C.

Beat the eggs with an electric whisk in a large bowl until pale an...


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Coconut oatmeal cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, March 2, 2014, In : cookies 

By Frances

This is from The Coconut Oil Miracle by Bruce Fife (Avery, 2005). It explains all the amazing benefits of coconut oil and includes recipes. I do a lot of raw baking with it and usually put a bit on my porridge. I made these cookies for our 21-month-old mainly, so she can have a sugar-free treat.

 

½ c melted coconut oil

¾ c sweetener (I used honey and agave syrup)

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

1½ c flour

1 c oats

½ c dried coconut (shredded, grated, d...


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Raw vegan tacos

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, December 14, 2013, In : savoury 

By Sophie
Such a healthy summer meal!

Walnut "Mince"
1 cup of raw almonds
2 tbs tamari or soy sauce
1 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch of chilli flakes

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until it has a mincey looking texture. This won't take long, making sure you don't over blend it otherwise it will turn to paste.


Cashew "sour cream"
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for two hours)
pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
J...
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Raw chocolate raspberry slice

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, December 14, 2013, In : slices 

By Frances
Got this one from the Amazing Paleo website. The banana gives it a softer texture than other raw slices I've made. Eat it straight from the freezer.

  • 2 ripe bananas
  •        ¼ cup fresh raspberries
  •        12 medjol dates
  •        ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa (divided)
  •        ½ cup almonds
  •        ½ cup walnuts
  •        5 tablespoons almond butter
  •        5 tablespoons RAW honey

Steps:

  1. Place dates, almonds, walnuts and ½ cup cocoa powder in food processor. Process for about 3-4 minutes, until all i...

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Raw caramel slice

Posted by Bake Club on Tuesday, September 3, 2013, In : slices 

By Frances
I had my first taste of raw caramel at Little Bird in Ponsonby - their caramel pecan bar is outta this world! This is not their caramel slice but it's still pretty good, found on the Triumph of the Lentil blog.

For the base:
1 1/2 cups almonds, walnuts or pecans
a pinch of salt
4 medjool dates, pitted
1/3 cup coconut oil, liquid

For the caramel filling:
18 medjool dates, pitted
2-3 pinches of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquid
1/4 cup nut butter (hazelnut, almond, cashew or brazil nut)...


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Frances's chocolate chip, cranberry & almond cookies

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, July 21, 2013, In : cookies 

The cranberries add a welcome tartness to these cookies. Quite a stiff mixture so flatten the cookies how you like, they won’t change shape much.

 

125g butter
¾ c sugar (I used a mix of demuera and golden)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 ¾ c flour (I used mix of spelt and plain)
½ tsp salt
1 c dark chocolate chips
½ c cranberries
½ c flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 190C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

In a  medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and va...
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Frances makes apple spice granola

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, December 8, 2012, In : sweets 

This recipe is from Chef Rene who is a raw food specialist. I went to a raw chocolate workshop of his once and make his super fudge recipe often. The granola is so crunchy and tasty, goes well with yoghurt or rice milk or apple juice. Sometimes I just eat little handfuls from the jar. I have never used buckwheat groats before so it was a new experience for me. Next time I might add coconut threads or nutmeg. Thanks Chef Rene!

  • 1 c pecans or walnut pieces, soaked 10-12 hours (I used walnuts and ...

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Frances’s amaretti morbidi

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, March 16, 2012, In : cookies 

After I made the chocolate fudge sandwiches I had 2 egg whites to use so I quickly made this batch of amaretti to bake after the chocolate biscuits came out of the oven.

The recipe is from Gino D’Acampo’s book Italian Home Baking (Kyle Books, 2011). Gino says the D’Acampo family always have freshly made amaretti biscuits when having tea or coffee. They’re also good crumbled on top of ice cream.

I used half portions in his recipe:

 

4 egg whites

350g caster sug...


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Frances’s Italian carrot cake

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, March 11, 2012, In : big cakes 

Another one of Nigella’s. Very moist and perfect with yoghurt. Gluten free!

 

150g caster sugar

125ml olive oil

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g ground almonds

1 tsp nutmeg

2 grated carrots

½ c golden sultanas soaked in rum (I just used normal sultanas soaked in brandy)

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

pine nuts

 

Preheat oven to 180C. Whisk sugar and oil until thick. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in rest of ingreds.

Pour into 23cm round lined tin. Sprin...


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Nerida's mohnkuchen (poppy seed cake)

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, February 12, 2012, In : big cakes 

Welcome to Bake Club, Nerida! She explains this German specialty:
I fell in love with this kind of poppy-seed pie on my first visit to Germany. The poppy-seed filling is not adulterated with flour. And the crumble or streusel topping is the delicious finishing touch!

Filling:
375 ml milk
50 g butter
50 g sugar
250 g poppy seed
50 g semolina
50 g almond slivers
1 large egg
3 TB raisins soaked in rum

Heat milk, butter and sugar stirring constantly until butter is ...


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Frances's ajo blanco

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, February 10, 2012, In : savoury 


Okay, this isn't baking but as I have previously posted gazpacho, one of my favourite soups to make in summer  (http://bakeclub.yolasite.com/index/frances-s-favourite-summer-soup-gazpacho-), I had to also include ‘white garlic’ soup from the Spanish, which is equally easy to make and tasty.

 

4 oz (1/2 cup) blanched, peeled almonds*

3-4 slices stale baguette or white bread

3 cloves garlic

4 cups water

5 Tbsp extra virgin Spanish olive oil

3-4 Tbsp Spanish sherry...


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Frances makes Heidi's brown sugar rosemary nuts

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, September 24, 2011, In : sweets 


Mmm. Nice sweet-savoury snack to take down to Party Central tonight to see the All Blacks beat Les Bleus! (Postscript: NZ 37: France 17 woo ha!) See the full post on Heidi Swanson's site, www.101cookbooks.com. She just uses walnuts but I used walnuts, almonds, hazels and brazils.

1 cup / 5 oz / 140 g brown sugar or natural cane sugar
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves
1/4 cup / 1 oz / 30g sesame seeds
2 large egg whites
1 lb / ~4 cups shelled walnut halves
1/...


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Frances’s caramel almond popcorn

Posted by Bake Club on Sunday, July 10, 2011, In : sweets 

This is a wickedly good treat for watching films at home or in the cinema, or watching the Reds beat the Crusaders in the Super 15 final. Boo!


5 cups freshly popped popcorn
1 cup whole almonds
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
50 g butter
2 tbs golden syrup or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda


Preheat oven to 100 C. Grease a baking sheet.
Mix popcorn and almonds in large bowl.
Over low heat, mix sugar, butter and syrup in medium sauce...


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Mama Chan's apple and berry crumble pie

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, February 9, 2011, In : desserts 


Mama Chan used Annabel Langbein's crumble topping from her Free Range Cook book.

Line pie dish with store-bought puff pastry. Blind bake at 170C for 20-30 mins.
Mix tin stewed apples or stew 3 apples yourself. Add a cup or so of fresh or frozen berries, 1/2 c sugar and 2 Tbs cornflour. Pour into pie dish.
Make crumble topping by mixing:

2 c flour
1 c ground almonds
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 c rolled oats
1 c almonds, chopped or slivered
2 tsp mixed spice
together with 250 g melted butter
Put the topping on ...
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Katrina's polenta cake for Nicky

Posted by Bake Club on Tuesday, January 11, 2011, In : big cakes 

Katrina made a real tangy polenta cake for Nicky's birthday. Was delicious with yoghurt.

250g butter, softened
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup lemon juice
150g (1 1/2 cups) ground almonds
1 cup fine polenta

Syrup
1/4 cup each lemon juice and sugar

Preheat oven to 160C. Lightly grease and line a 20cm round cake pan.
Beat the butter, rind and sugar, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg yolks, beating well. Stir in the
juice, ground almonds and polenta.
Whip ...
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Frances makes ugly but good - brutti ma buoni

Posted by Bake Club on Friday, December 24, 2010, In : cookies 

I made these GF cookies for our Bake Club meet. The recipe is from my friend Sarah, via Ray McVinnie in the NZ Herald, thank you, and I used a technique from another recipe re heating up the egg whites. I bought bulk ground almonds from Davis Trading in Mt Wellington - very reasonable price for 1kg. I forgot to dust icing sugar on top. I think that's why they became sticky by the end of the day. But still tasted great.

1 c ground almonds (or hazelnuts. You can also finely chop instead of using...
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Alessandra's cute calissons and fab frittata

Posted by Bake Club on Thursday, December 23, 2010, In : small cakes 


We were very lucky to have pro chef and food writer Alessandra and her family join us at our second Bake Club meet. She made gorgeous calissons (marzipan-like ground almond bites), petit fours (sponge dipped in chocolate, topped with raspberries) and a super soft spongey frittata with homegrown zucchini and zucchini flowers. Step-by-step pics and more info on her blog here. Yep, she definitely deserved her Bake Club badge!
Bake Club is going through a gluten free phase at the moment so we real...
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Nicola vs Nigella - the rhubarb polenta cake bake-off

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, December 22, 2010, In : big cakes 

What a huge and beautiful cake Nicola made for our second Bake Club meet. Extra points for the black and white plate and bourgainvillea decoration. Nic noted that last time she made it she used homegrown rhubarb which infused the cake with a stunning pinky colour. Rhubarb is out of season at the mo so the bought rhubarb didn't produce the rich colour, but the cake was still v soft and delicious.

Rhubarb & Cornmeal Cake from Nigella Lawson's 'How to be a Domestic Goddess'

500g rhubarb
300g caste...

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Ginny does Nigella's lemon polenta cake

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, In : big cakes 

Ginny says: I would recommend NOT doubling the cornmeal, which I did not paying attention to quantities. Made it crunchier than I would have liked.

This cake is a sort of Anglo-Italian amalgam. It is a good marriage: the flavoursome grittiness of the polenta and tender rubble of ground almonds provide so much better a foil for the wholly desirable dampness of the drizzle than does the usual flour. If you were to try to ima...


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Ginny's exotic basil lime macarons

Posted by Bake Club on Monday, December 6, 2010, In : small cakes 
I had the extreme pleasure of tasting Ginny's macarons and they were the BEST I've ever had in NZ.! Bravo! I even thought they were better than the ones I had in Zurich in 2008 (the real deal pictured on my lap below).

They are gluten free too so I'll be making some soon.

Ginny adds some notes to the recipe.

about 20 macarons

110 grams powdered sugar
60 grams ground almonds
2 egg whites ( 60 grams)
40 grams sugar
5 basil leaves, finely chopped
lime zest from 1 lime

Basil Lim...

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Gluten and dairy free orange and almond cake by Jordan Rondel

Posted by Bake Club on Tuesday, October 5, 2010, In : big cakes 

Our humble Bake Club has been visited by professional cake maker Jordan Rondel! Jordan has kindly sent us her recipe for this superb disc of deliciousness. You can order special cakes by Jordan via her website, www.thecaker.co.nz. She is raising funds to learn further baking techniques in France.

Jordan says:
"This cake is perfect for a sophisticated dinner party or dignified morning tea. In fact, it's perfect for any time of day because it's light and not too sweet. It contains whole orang...
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Ruth H's fancy walnut biscotti

Posted by Bake Club on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, In : cookies 

Ruth brought these tasty little numbers into work - what a treat. AND she personally shelled the walnuts herself!

2/3 cup of sugar
½ cup of vegetable oil

1 tablespoon of grated orange peel (I change ingredients depending on what’s available – favourites are dates,
walnuts, almonds, apricots)
1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla
2 medium eggs
2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
4 oz of semisweet chocolate, melted (I use Valrh...


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Mama Chan made this sponge for Davy's 50th

Posted by Bake Club on Saturday, August 7, 2010, In : big cakes 

6 eggs
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c almond meal
1/2 c self-raising flour (or use normal flour and add 1 tsp baking powder)

Line 2 x 25cm sponge tins. Whisk eggs and sugar until fluffy. Fold in dry ingreds. Bake at 180C for 1/2 hour.
We brushed a couple of tablespoons of rum on each sponge and layered it with jam and cream. I think the kiwifruit looks great and yes, there are 50 candles there!

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WELCOME 2 BAKE CLUB -
MAY THE CAKE B WITH U

EST. 2010

Frances C loves to bake. She's also a freelance editor and DJ. She shares some of her adventures, culinary or otherwise, on Instagram.


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"sugar free"` agar agar alessandra alex m alex w alice waters almond almond butter almonds amy andrea anna anzac apple apples apricot apricots aquafaba avocado banana bananas banoffee barbara beans beer beetroot ben berries birg birthday biscotti blueberries bran brandy brazil nuts brazils brown butter brownies buckinis buckwheat buns buttercream butterscotch cacao caper caramel caraway cardamom carly carrot carrots cashews cauliflower chai cheese cheesecake cherries chestnuts chia chia seeds chickpeas chickpeas. chilli chocolate choux christmas christoph cinnamon cloves coconut coconut cream coconut oil coffee corn cornflakes cottage cheese courgette cranberries cream cream cheese cream puffs crepes cronuts croquettes cupcakes curd currants custard dairy free dates eggplant eleni feijoa feijoas fennel fig figs fish flaxseed flaxseeds focaccia frances frittata ganache gertrud ginger ginny gluten fre gluten free goji goji berries gojis goldenberries granola grapefruit grapes guavas halloween hanover hazelnut hazelnuts hollywood honey hong kong huevos rancheros ice ice cream icing jam japanese jelly jenny john jordan kale kara katrina kiwifruit kumara la lavender lemon lemon curd lemons lentils lime limes linseed macadamias macaron mama chan mama maria mandarins mango marmalade marshmallow marshmallows marzipan match melbourne meringue mexican millet mint miso mixed peel molasses muesli muffins mushroom mushrooms myles nectarine nectarines nerida new york nicola nigella nougat novelty nutmeg oats olives onion orange orange. pancakes parmesan parsley passionfruit pastry peaches peanut butter peanuts pear pears pecans penny peppermint peter pie pine nuts pineapple pirzad pistachios pizza plum plums polenta pomegranate popcorn poppy seeds poppyseeds potatoes praline prawns pretzels prunes pumpkin pumpkin seeds quince paste quinoa rachael rainbow raisins raspberries raspberry raw rhubarb rice ricotta rose rosemary rosewater rosie rum ruth b ruth h rye san francisco sarah scones seaweed semolina sesame sesame seeds shortbread singapore slow food sophie souffle soup sour cream sourdough spaghetti spelt spinach sponge spring roll steve & emily stevia strawberries strawberry sugar free sultanas sunflower seeds sunflowers seeds sweet nz tacos tahini tamarillo tamarind tash toffee tofu tomato treacle tricia turmeric vanilla vegan vegemite walnuts wine xmas yoghurt zucchini

CAKE — THE FINAL FRONTIER

Special thanks to Kat Wade of 6twenty.com for our Bake Club cake monster logo.
 

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