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Coconut Green Tea Tart - Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Similar to a bakewell tart but made with desiccated coconut flakes instead of almonds, this easy to make tart is delicious right out of the oven or cold. The wholegrain crust is made with a mix of whole spelt flour, green tea leaves and sesame seeds and has a mild sweet flavour and just the right consistency.

Coconut Oil Crust with Green Tea Leaves	Coconut Cherry Filling, adopted from here
240 g Spelt pastry flour 10 g Green tea leaves 30 g White sesame seeds 1/3 tsp Salt 2 tbsp Erythritol granules 100 g Coconut oil, lightly softened 4-6 tbsp Ice water	2 Eggs, large 100 g Erythritol granules 1 tsp Vanilla essence 50 g Spelt pastry flour Pinch of salt 65 g Desiccated coconut 50 g Dried cherries

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F. In a large mixing bowl, add in the spelt flour, green tea leaves, sesame seeds, salt, and erythritol granules. Whisk to combine. Add in the lightly softened coconut oil and rub the coconut oil into the flour-tea-mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water a couple of tablespoons at a time, and mix just until dough begins to come together.
Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide into two portions. Wrap one portion in a plastic wrap and store in the freezer for later use. Form another portion of dough into a flattened disc. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least an hour or until firm.
Roll the pastry dough between two sheets of baking paper until the dough is about 2mm thick and large enough to fit a 22cm tart pan. Remove the sheet of dough from the baking paper and gently lift and coax the dough into the pan. Lightly press the dough into the bottom and side of the pan. Chill for 30 minutes and line the crust with baking paper and fill with enough dried beans to cover the bottom and side of the crust.
Bake the crust for about 10 minutes or until any visible dough is slightly cooked. Remove the beans and baking paper. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 180C/350F.
To make filling, whisk eggs, erythritol granules, and vanilla essence until combined. Fold in spelt flour, pinch of salt and coconut flakes.
Sprinkle the dried cherries into the tart shell and cover with the coconut filling. Smooth the surface and bake for 30 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Cool to room temperature.

February 16. is the first day of the New Year in Chinese calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year. This year falls on Friday, February 16th 2018, beginning a year of the Dog. Those born in the Year of the Dog (1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006) are said to be very kind and loyal to friends. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you good health, good luck and much happiness throughout the year. - 狗年大吉, 恭祝健康、幸运，新年快乐!

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Blueberry Streusel Tart

Thursday, November 30, 2017

A decadent and dinner party-worthy dessert which combines erythritol-sweetened cookie crust, almond-einkorn streusel, stevia blueberry jam and blueberries. It is easy to whip up for any family gathering.

Streusel	Tart
70 g Butter, cubed 80 g Einkorn flour 50 g Almond, chopped 2 tbsp Coconut sugar	1/2 Nori Black Sesame Seed Cookie Dough 3 tbsp Stevia sweetened blueberry jam 250 g 250 g Blueberries, fresh or frozen (don't need to be defrosted) 1 tsp Powdered stevia sugar, optional

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until pea-size clumps form. Refrigerate while preparing the tart.
Roll out the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface and line a 21cm fluted tart tins with removable bases. Trim the edges. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Line tart shell with baking paper, fill with beans and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove paper and beans, then bake for a further 10 minutes or until pastry is dry and golden. Cool.
Spread the jam onto the tart shell, then fill with blueberries. Sprinkle the streusel over the berries. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Dust with powdered stevia sugar if using.

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Pumpkin Emmer Scones with Dates

Thursday, September 21, 2017

These pumpkin scones, lightly scented with nutmeg, with freshly milled emmer flour and dates are perfect for morning tea. They are not overly sweet and have a nice light and crumbly texture. They also make great lunch-box fillers.
Emmer wheat is one of the three hulled wheats (einkorn, spelt and emmer) known in Italy as farro. Sometimes called “Pharaoh’s Wheat.” Like all the ancient and heirloom wheats, they do contain gluten. However, the structure of this ancient wheat’s gluten is different from that of modern types, so it’s often digestible by people with gluten sensitivity or wheat allergies!

200 g Emmer berries, milled into flour
50 g Almond meal
2 tbsp Coconut sugar
1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
10 g Baking powder
3 g Baking soda
1/3 tsp Sea salt
70 g Cold butter, cut into small cubes
160 g Homemade pumpkin puree
30 ml Buttermilk plus extra, for brushing
50 g Dates, chopped
Pepita for topping, optional

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. In a bowl, whisk together freshly milled emmer, almond meal, coconut sugar, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Using fingertips, rub butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add in chopped dates and stir to combine.
Make a well in centre of mixture. Add pumpkin and buttermilk. Stir until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until just smooth. Pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick round and cut into 8 wedges.
Place scones on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with buttermilk. Sprinkle each scone with raw pumpkin seeds if you like. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until golden and hollow when tapped on top. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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Lime Passionfruit Tart

Thursday, September 14, 2017

The sweet tangy passionfruit pulp goes perfectly with zesty lime in this delicious dessert. It is packed with fruitiness and so easy to make. Serve on its own or with a dollop of cream on the side.

Rye Spelt Crust	Lime Passionfruit Filling
125 g Butter, softened 2 tbsp Erythritol granules Pinch of salt 1 Egg, room-temperature 100 g Rye berries, milled into flour /Waldstaudenroggen 125 g Refined spelt flour	4 Eggs 180 ml Heavy cream 100 g Erythritol granules 3 tsp Lime rind 60 ml Lime juice 3 Passionfruit

Cream softened butter and erythritol granules until light and fluffy. Add in egg and salt. Mix until combined. Sift in rye and spelt flour. Mix until just incorporated. Transfer pastry to a lightly floured surface and bring together with your hands. Lightly knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Line a 23cm fluted tart tin with removable base with pastry. Trim any excess and if you like, use it to fill a 10-cm tartlet pan.
Line pastry case with baking paper. Fill with uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove rice and baking paper. Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden. Reduce oven temperature to 120C/250F.
Whisk eggs, cream, erythritol granules, 2 teaspoons of lime rind, lime juice, and the pulp of 2 passionfruit in a large bowl until combined. Stand for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a jug.
Pour the mixture into tart shell and bake for 45 minutes or until just set. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with reserved grated lime rind and passionfruit pulp.

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Cherry Tomato Einkorn Tart

Thursday, August 24, 2017

This versatile summer tart is given a sensationally sweet flavour from the homegrown tomatoes teamed with a sundried tomato paste with rosemary, capers and anchovies. This delicious tart can be served warm or cold, perfect for picnics, afternoon tea or brunches.

Einkorn Oregano Pastry	Sundried Tomato Paste
250 g Einkorn berries, ground into flour Pinch of salt 1 tsp Oregano, finely chopped 120 g Butter, diced and chilled 2 tbsp Chilled water 600 g Cherry tomato medley	180 g Sundried tomatoes in olive oil, drained 3 Anchovies in oil, drained 1 tbsp Capers, drained 2 Garlic cloves 1 tbsp Rosemary needles Freshly ground black pepper

To make the pastry, place einkorn flour, pinch of salt, chopped oregano in a mixing bowl. Rub chilled diced butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the chilled water. Mix until the dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
To make the tomato paste, drain sundried tomatoes and reserve 2 tablespoons of olive oil for later use. Place drained sundried tomatoes, anchovies, capers and garlic cloves and rosemary in a blender. Process until well combined. Season with black pepper.
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle, large enough to line a 35cm x 11cm rectangular tart pan. Line tart pan with pastry and trim the excess pastry. Use the trimmings to fill a 12cm tartlet pan. Refrigerate to rest for 30 minutes. Prick the base all over with a fork.
Line tart with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice. Blind bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove weights and spread the prepared tomato paste into the crust. Top with the cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with reserved olive oil. Bake for a further 20 minutes or until base is golden.

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Raspberry White Chocolate Tartlets with Mascarpone

Thursday, July 06, 2017

Featuring a refined sugar free hazelnut chocolate spelt crust and filled with a smooth raspberry cream and topped with fresh raspberries and grated white chocolate, this raspberry mascarpone chocolate tart is bound to be a perfect summer favourite. If you are short on time, then skip the crust and just fill the cream in glasses. Feel free to use strawberry or blueberry.

Chocolate Hazelnut Crust	Raspberry Mascarpone Filling
150 g Spelt flour 50 g Hazelnut meal 2 tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder 50 g Erythritol granules 125 g Butter, chilled and chopped Pinch of salt 2 tbsp Iced water	200 g Raspberries, fresh or frozen 180 g Mascarpone 100 g Sour cream 2 tbsp Erythritol granules 50 g White chocolate, melted 5 g Gelatine granules 30 ml Water Fresh berries for garnishing Grated white chocolate for garnishing Mint leaves for garnishing

To make the crust, in a medium bowl, using fingertips, rub spelt flour, hazelnut meal, cocoa powder, erythritol granules, butter and a pinch of salt together until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add in iced water and mix with a knife until dough comes together. Shape dough into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured piece of baking paper to 3mm thick. Use the pastry to line the prepared tart pans. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the dough all over and chill for 30 minutes.
Position the rack in the centre of the oven and preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease four 12-cm loose-bottomed tart pans. Line the tart shells with baking paper and fill with pastry weights or baking beans, bake for 12 minutes then remove paper and weights or beans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
Cook raspberries in a saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes or until beginning to break down. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. You will need 100 ml raspberry puree. Set aside.
Process the Mascarpone, sour cream, raspberry puree and erythritol in a food processor until smooth. Add the white chocolate. Process until combined.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Heat in a microwave for 30-40 seconds and stir until completely dissolved. Cool slightly and add the gelatine mixture to cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Smooth the surface and chill for 4 hours or until set.
Garnish the tartlets with fresh raspberries, grated white chocolate and mint leaves. Serve immediately.

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Dulce de Leche Tart

Thursday, April 27, 2017

This tart has a buttery no bake oatmeal cookie crust filled with a rich creamy dulce de leche mixed with coconut cream and topped off with some sea salt. The tart is surprisingly easy to make, esp. if you use the storebought milk caramel, and the diamond salt and dulce de leche really compliment each other.

150 g Oatmeal cookies, broken
50 g butter, melted
1/3 tsp Vanilla powder
1/3 tsp Cinnamon powder
300 g Dulce de leche, homemade or ready made
2 tbsp Coconut cream
Diamond sea salt, to serve

Place cookies, butter, vanilla and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Process to combine. Divide the mixture into two 12cm loose-bottomed fluted tart pans. Press over bases and sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Combine dulce de leche and coconut cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stirring once, until caramel is smooth and coconut cream is completely incorporated. If you prefer a firmer caramel filling, then use less cream or no cream at all.
Pour dulce de leche into the crust and spread evenly. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes and serve.

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Baked Beef Empanadas

Thursday, March 16, 2017

These empanadas have a hearty beef and lentil filling encased in crisp pastry crust flavoured with smoked paprika that I have adapted from Savoring Time in the Kitchen. Thanks, Susan!
Empanadas are popular throughout South America and traditionally these little meat pies are fried, but I prefer to make them slightly healthy by baking them. Serve these as appetizers at parties or as a simple lunch or dinner.

Minced Beef Filling	Pastry Dough
1 tbsp Butter 1 Onion, diced 1 clove Garlic, minced 350 g Minced beef 1 tsp Smoked paprika powder 1 tsp Ground cumin 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes 150 g Puree tomato 150 g Cooked lentil leftover 2 tbsp Sultanas A handful of green olives, pitted and chopped Salt and pepper to taste	260 g Spelt bread flour 1 tsp Smoked paprika 1 tsp Sea salt 110 g Butter 1 Large egg, beaten 80 ml Ice water

For the filling: Heat butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Increase heat to high. Add minced beef and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, for 3 minutes or until browned. Stir in the paprika, cumin and chilli. Cook until aromatic. Add tomato puree, lentils and sultanas. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 6 minutes. Stir in chopped olives and season to taste. Cool completely.
For the empanada dough: Combine the spelt flour, smoked paprika, and sea salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter and rub until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. In a separate bowl, whisk the beaten egg, (reserving 1 tablespoon for brushing) and ice water together. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture to bring it together, then wrap in clingfilm and pop in the fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line a large oven sheet with baking paper.
On a floured table top, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Then, cut fourteen 8cm rounds, using a pastry ring mould. Drop 1 tablespoon of beef mixture in the center of each round. Fold in half to enclose the filling, pinching the edges to seal. Crimp the edges using your fingers or the tines of a fork.
Place empanadas on the prepared tray. Brush with the reserved egg and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serve warm.

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Coconut Mincemeat Filo Snails

Wednesday, December 07, 2016

These Christmas filo snails with homemade boozy mincemeat are simple, straight-forward, vegan-friendly, and, best of all, taste amazing!
Mincemeat is a mixture of chopped dried fruit, booze, and spices that is popular in the UK and traditionally served around Christmas. Originally, mincemeat always contained meat ((hence the name) while modern recipes contain beef suet (fat around the kidney of the animal), which I have replaced with coconut oil. This mincemeat can be used straight away, but it improves with age and it will store well for up to 6 months in a cool place.

Coconut Mincemeat Filo Snails

Inspired by this

Mincemeat
adapted from Alchemy in the Kitchen 200 g Apple, grated 250 g Raisins 250 g Sultanas 200 g Dried cranberries 100 g Coconut sugar 100 g Dates, chopped 100 g Walnuts, finely chopped 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon Pinch of ground clove 125 g Coconut oil Grated peel and juice of 1 large orange Grated peel and juice of 1 lemon 6 tbsp Apple Schnapps 2 tbsp Brandy	6 Filo sheets 4 tbsp Coconut oil, melted 1 tbsp Black sesame seeds

Place everything, except brandy, in your slow cooker and cook for 3-4 hours on low. Or mix all the ingredients, except brandy, together in a large oven proof dish with a lid. Cover and place in the preheated oven and cook gently for 3 hours, stirring every half hour or so.
When done, allow it to cool, stirring briefly every half hour until cold. Finally, stir the brandy into the cold mixture before sealing in clean, dry jars. You need half of batch for this filo recipe. Save the rest for other recipes, for example, mincemeat pies.
Lay 1 sheet of filo on the workbench, brush with a little melted coconut oil and place another sheet on top, then brush with coconut oil again. Place 200 grams of the mincemeat along the longest side. Roll pastry to enclose filling, then coil into a snail shape. Place on a baking paper-lined baking tray and brush with a little more coconut oil. Repeat with remaining filo, coconut oil and mincemeat to make 3 snails. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 20 minutes until crisp and golden.

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Chilli con Carne Leftover Rolls with Dukkah

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

These puffy flaky bites would make a perfect pre-dinner nibble or any party appetizer. It's super easy and quick to make and a great way to use up leftover chilli con carne.

1 Egg
1 tsp Olive oil
1 package/360 g Triangular filo pastry
400 g Rich, thick chilli con carne leftover
1 tbsp Dukkah

Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Line 2 large trays with baking paper. Whisk the egg and olive oil in a small bowl with a fork until smooth.
Place 1 sheet filo on a work surface. Place 1 tablespoon of the chilli con carne mixture on the end of each strip, fold a little pastry over the filling, then fold in the edges. Now roll to form a cigar. Place on the baking sheets, a little apart, then finish making the rest.
Brush the egg mixture over the rolls and sprinkle with dukkah. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and crisp. Serve with avocado yoghurt sauce or your favourite sauce.

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Spelt Almond Bakewell Slices

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

A classic English shortcrust pastry, adapted from taste, with a hidden layer of raspberry jam, on top of which is a almond-flavoured cake and a topping of flaked almonds. It freezes well and makes a wonderful treat for afternoon tea.

Pastry	Almond Cake
180 g Butter, chilled and diced 2 tbsp Raw brown sugar 1/2 tsp Vanilla powder 1 Large Egg yolk 280 g White spelt flour 1 tbsp Iced water	150 g butter, softened 100 g Raw brown sugar 1/2 tsp Vanilla powder 3 Eggs 150 g Almond meal 50 g White spelt flour 1/2 tsp Baking powder 150 g Raspberry jam 40 g Flaked almonds

Make Sweet Shortcrust Pastry: Place flour, sugar, vanilla powder and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add yolk and iced water. Process until pastry just comes together, adding extra water if necessary. Turn out pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. Shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Grease and line a 28cm square springform pan. Press the pastry into the bottom of the prepared pan. Prick the base with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line pastry case with baking paper. Fill with pie weights or uncooked beans and blind-bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until base is light golden. Set aside to cool slightly. Spread the pastry case with raspberry jam, leaving a 1cm gap around the edge. Reduce oven temperature to 160C/320F.
Cream butter, raw sugar and vanilla powder until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in almond meal, spelt flour and baking powder. Spread the filling over the jam and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Bake for about 40 minutes until nicely golden brown and the filling is just firm to the touch. Stand in pan to cool completely. Cut into slices and serve.

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Blackberry Goat Cheese Mousse Tart

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

This fresh goat cheese mousse tart with blackberries and a buttery wholegrain cookie crust, adapted from 'Pastry' by master chef Michel Roux, is so deliciously light and fruity. The mousse is sweetened with pure stevia syrup, but feel free to swap out and use raw sugar or maple syrup instead.

Crust (adapted from 'Pastry' by Michel Roux)	Blackberry Goat Cheese Mousse
250 g Einkorn berries, ground into flour 125 g Butter, cut into small pieces and slightly softened 1 Medium egg 1 tsp Maple syrup 2 g Salt 30 ml Cold water	12 g sachet Gelatine granules 5 tbsp Cold water 350 g Blackberries, frozen or fresh 2 tbsp Stevia syrup, plain 150 g Fresh goat cheese 1/2 tsp Vanilla powder 150 g Heavy cream

Heap the flour on the counter and make a well. Put the butter, egg, maple syrup and salt in the middle. With your fingertips, mix the ingredients in the well.
Now little by little, draw the flour into the center and work the dough with your fingertips to a grainy texture. Add the cold water and mix it in until the dough begins to hold together.
Using the palm of your hand, push the dough away from you 4 or 5 times until it is smooth. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for an hour.
Roll out the dough to a 3 mm thickness and line a loose-bottomed oblong tart pan, measuring 35x11x2.5 cm and a 12 cm round pan. Chill for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F. Prick the pastry shell bases. Line the shells with baking paper and fill with a layer of dried beans to weigh the dough down and prevent it from rising unevenly.
Bake the shells blind for 18-20 minutes. Lower the oven setting to 170C/340F. Remove the beans and paper and return the shells to the oven for about 8 minutes. Remove and leave in the pans to cool completely before using for the filling.
Soak the gelatine granules in water in a bowl for 5 minutes. Warm up the frozen blackberries and stevia syrup in a saucepan over low heat until the berries are thawed. Don't let the mixture boil. Puree the mixture and pass through a fine sieve. Now add the soaked gelatine in the warm berry mixture and stir until dissolved. Set aside and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Add fresh goat cheese and vanilla powder. Mix until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes, or until starting to set.
Whip the heavy cream lightly to soft peaks, then fold it into the berry mixture. Pour into the crust bases and leave to chill for 4 hours or overnight, until set. Garnish the tart with fresh blackberries,edible flowers and lemon balm leaves.