Chocolate and Hazelnut Ginger Cake

Another great excuse to make a cake..and this time for a fairy and her fairy party!

I've been quite fond of the ol' ginger lately..and chocolate..so thought I would pair them together in a wholesome cake.

To make the cake I followed the same recipe I used to make the pirate buns (http://www.wutherswebofcakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/treats-for-pirates.html ) except  I used spelt flour and a little wholemeal flour and I didn't put cocoa powder in the mix, instead I used it for the topping..

Ingredients

2 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp boiling water

1-2 tbsp fruit sugar

1 tsp maple syrup

1 tbsp ground ginger

and a handful of hazelnuts

Firstly ground the hazelnuts in a small blender until fine. 

In a small pan bring water to a boil, then gently heat the coconut oil on a heat proof bowl over the hot water, making sure the bowl is just skimming the surface of the water.

In a small bowl pop in the cocoa powder, fruit sugar and ginger and most of the ground hazelnut mix (save a little aside for topping the cake).

Then add the melted coconut oil and the boiling water and mix well until all combined.

Top your cake with the mix and then top the chocolate with the rest of the ground hazelnuts..then enjoy licking the bowl..yum!

The Fairy Party was a lovely cosy evening and I hope my fairy friend enjoyed her chocolate ginger fairy cake :)

crumbly date squares

This was my first attempt at a no bake, raw recipe..and it was quite simple and fun to do..

Ingredients for base

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup almonds and hazelnuts

1/4 cup dates

1 cup oats

1 tbsp coconut oil

Ground the nuts in a blender, then mix them together with the coconut and oats in a bowl. Soak the dates for 5 mins in warm water, then add to the mix. Melt the coconut oil in a pan on low heat, and when melted add to the mix and stir well. Transfer to a blender and blend for a minute or two until a dough forms..then transfer to a square tin and press down firmly. Set aside.

Ingredients for filling

1 cup dates

1cup water

Boil the dates for a couple of minutes, then strain and mash until nice and sticky. I added 1 small jar of hazelnut and chocolate spread to the mix as I had it in the fridge and it needed using, and it went really well with this mix! You can try adding other things though..like chunks of chocolate..or raisins..or banana! (ooh..i may try that one next..or maybe to the topping!!)

Smooth this in top of the nutty base.

Ingredients for topping

1 cup shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups oats

sprinkle of nutmeg

2 tbsp water

Mix everything together until nice crumbly mix forms then sprinkle over the date filling. I roasted the topping in the oven for a couple of minutes to give it a crispier texture too..then popped in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting.

The topping came out a tad too crumbly, I think it would have been better if I'd have made it the same way as I did the base so it was all nice and combined..it still tastes delish though and the base and the filling set very nicely..think maybe next time I'll try adding bananas to the topping mix :)

The date filling is sweet and satisfying and goes really well with the nutty base and the crumbly topping..would make a nice breakfast treat too!

x

x

Treats for Pirates!

I decided to make these special treats for my special pirate friends, and made them especially for a piratey occasion..a gig at Barnsley Folk Club with Harry Bird and the Rubberwellies! http://www.hotdroprecords.com/index.php/harry-bird-general

I had a think about what kind of bun recipe to do, and I came up with this one..

Ingredients

3 cups wholemeal self raising flour

2 tbsp cacao powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup dark muscavado sugar

1 cup cold brewed barley cup

 ( http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/310146_Barleycup_Powder_200g.html )

(or coffee if you prefer)

1 cup soya marg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Preheat oven to 180oC. In a small pan melt together the soya marg and muscavado sugar. In a seperate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, then add the melted marg mix, barley, vanilla and ginger. Mix well until all combined, being careful not to over mix. 

Then transfer the mix into bun cases (pirate bun cases!) and bake for 15mins.

Allow to cool on a wire rack and then, if you like, top with a topping of your choice, or leave buns plain if desired.

I topped mine with a chocolate and hazelnut spread which I'd made a couple of days ago, I found it a little too sickly just spread on toast, so I thought it would be a great topping for these little fellows!

Here's how I made the topping..

Ingredients

200g hazelnuts

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tbsp tahini

3/4 cup almond milk

3 tbsp agaive syrup

3 tbsp fruit sugar

3/4 cup cacao powder

Pop the hazelnuts into a cake/oven tin and pour over the sunflower oil, roast in the oven for 8minutes, stirring them half way to prevent from burning.

Pop them into a blender and wizz for 3 minutes, then add rest of the ingredients and blend until you have a smooth paste. Mine was still a little chunky which was fine, but think it would be much nice spread on toast if you can get a smoother consistency.

It was quite fun topping them with the mix, very relaxing for a Sunday afty in the house. I also popped a little cranberry on each one then plunged the tiny pirate stick into the top of them..which funnily enough looked like they were bleeding!

I was quite pleased with how these little fellows turned out..and I reckon they look quite pleased too..

All ready and packed up to head off to a fun and folky night in Barnsley!

With the lovely Harry Bird and his lovely wellies..

Sunshine Shepard's Pie

I enjoyed a cosy homey Sunday yesterday and decided to spend the day reading, writing and cooking, first I made some buns, then I fancied making something savoury..a proper meal..because having thought about it, I haven't got many savoury meal recipes on here, I mostly blog about cakes and sweet things..and if I'm honest, I mostly think about cakes and sweet things too! 

So, here is my vegan version of the humble Shepard's Pie, I call it Sunshine Shepard's pie because the colour of the topping is like a beautiful sunshine and it brightened up my mood after all these grey, rainy April days we've been having. 

So warm up your mood and your tum with this hearty humble pie..

Ingredients for filling

2 cups red lentils

2 cups water

veg stock

1 tin organic baked beans

half a red pepper

half a yellow pepper

1 clove garlic

1 onion

2 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp sage

1 tbsp tomato purée 

Ingredients for the topping

1 butternut squash (or sweet potato) peeled and chopped

2 - 3 carrots chopped

1 tbsp soya marg

sprinkle of salt

Method

Firstly fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil and herbs for 5mins, then add the red and yellow peppers, add lentils, water and veg stock, bring to boil then simmer, add tomato purée and the baked beans and simmer for 30 mins.

As this is simmering peel and chop the butternut squash (or sweet potato) and carrots and bring to boil in a pan, when soft, add soya marg and salt and mash until thy has..a mash..a beautiful coloured one too!

Then transfer to a pie dish and warm in the oven a little if you wish, or enjoy straight away!

Goes well with some green veggies..like broccoli and spinach..and sprouts..if you like em!

http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/579638_Marigold_Yeast_Flakes_with_Vitamin_B12_125g.html

This is lovely topped with yeast flakes too..giving a great nutty, cheesy flavour. Here's the one I used... 

 Yeast flakes give an amazing flavour to savoury dishes and are a great source of vitamin B12, I got addicted to sprinkling these on almost everything I ate whilst I was in Glastonbury, even once contemplating sprinkling some on my porridge! Still yet to try that though..

soup and sweet slices

Soup for starters...

..with rice cakes topped with orange pepper hummus.

 Soup was made by my lovely house mate and is made up of roasted parsnips, celariac and carrots with spinach, and I added a little vegan sausage and sprouting beans to it too.

And for afters..

cardamom and coconut slices...

Ingredients

2 cups shredded coconut

2 cups oats

1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds

3tbsp sesame seeds

3 tbsp semolina

2tsp cardamom

8tbsp soya marg

3 tbsp fruit sugar

1 tbsp agave syrup

In a small pan melt the marg and the fruit sugar on a low heat.

In a large bowl mix together the coconut, oats, ground sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, semolina and cardamom, then pour the melted marg mix over this and then the agave syrup and mix well until all combined.

Transfer to a well greased baking tray and bake for 20-30mins at 180oC or until golden brown, then leave to cool and enjoy! It'll make your kitchen smell gorgeous too..all coconutty and cardamomy! Yum!

x

Raw Chocolates

Have been quite eager to make these tasty treats since I got back from Glastonbury, there my new favourite foody find since peanut butter..and it takes something special to take over my love for the peanut butter!

I finally managed to get the ingredients together and set to making them yesterday afternoon, although the ingredients are quite expensive, they will last you a while and they're super easy to make, and well worth it. They're good to make for a special treat for every once in a while too..for the little special occasions.

Here are the ingredients...

80g cacao butter

2 tbsp coconut oil

4tbsp cacao powder

3-4tbsp mayple syrup (or agave syrup)

melt the cacao butter and coconut oil in a small glass or heat proof bowl over a pan of boiling water. In a separate bowl, put in the cacao powder, then add the melter cacao butter and add the mayple syrup. I also added some dessicated coconut and 2tsp of hemp seeds, you can try adding dried fruits and nuts to the mix too.

Then transfer the mix into chocolate moulds...

..and I had a little mix left to pop into these tiny silicone bun cases..

The chocolate starts to set quite quickly, I popped the moulds and cases in the fridge for half an hour and they were done and ready to eat, and oh my gosh! They are soooooo good! And very satisfying too, it doesn't leave you feeling with the craving for wanting more, and they give you an amazing natural feel good buzz, releasing those lovely little endorphins!

Mr. Chick enjoyed them too!..

Chocolate nests

A chocolate creation from a lovely creative lady, who's cosy blog you can find here... http://thecosycreative.wordpress.com/

Would have never have thought of the recipe myself, really simple and really fun to do..here it is!...

Ingredients

1 box of shredded wheat

dark chocolate

mayple syrup

chocolate mini eggs

Crush up the shredded wheat in a bowl, is easiest to do with a rolling pin and gives quite a rustic witchy look!

Melt the dark chocolate in a glass bowl resting over a pan of boiling water, we did one batch with vegan choc too. Then pour over the shredded weat, adding a little mayple syrup if needed. Transfer the mix to bun cases and top with mini eggs, then leave to set either in the fridge or in a cool place.

A really fun and satisfying bun making day on a cosy afty at Kanny Kastle...

..joined by little chics as our special guests..

..waiting patiently for their yummy treats!

Then we all enjoyed a chunky veg soup with homemade bread rolls made by the lovely Lady Kann of Kanny Kastle..

x