Chocolate Torte-like Cake

Having been on a bit of a health kick for a while now, I've been looking into gluten-free recipes to see if it makes me feel even better!  Loving chocolate and knowing how well it works with beetroot, I decided to play and came across this wonderful idea for something that is gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free!

--- Yes, you read that correctly - chocolate and beetroot in the same sentence, and in this case, the same recipe! ---

Chocolate Torte-like Cake

Ingredients

300g pitted dates

200g cooked beetroot

1/2 tsp Shoyu sauce (Soy sauce)

125g raw cacao - grated, or use cocoa powder

4 eggs - beaten

130ml Hemp oil, or you could use olive oil, or vegetable oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.  Grease and line a deep 20cm round cake tin (preferably one with a loose bottom) with baking parchment.

2.  Place the dates in a small saucepan, cover with water and boil for 15 minutes.  Drain, discarding the liquid.  Puree the dates in a food processor until smooth.

3.  Add the beetroot, soy sauce and cacao to the date mixture and puree together.  Blitz until really smooth.

4.  Add the beaten eggs, oil, vanilla and baking powder and blitz again until thoroughly mixed.

5.  Tip the mixture into the prepared cake tin.  Place in the oven and immediately turn down the temperature to 170 degrees C.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes - it should have a smooth texture.  Allow to cool completely in the tin before cutting.

I found this to taste best when served cold, so store in the fridge until you're ready to eat it!

It's delicious on it's own and especially with plain vanilla ice-cream, but that takes away the non-dairy attribute!

Enjoy!

Caryl  ♥

Chia Chocolate Pudding - Updated

I have just put together this, very delicious, Chia Chocolate Pudding and decided to update it here, so you can try it too.  There isn't a huge difference from the original version, but if you hadn't thought of the variation yourself, now you can try it too! :)


Ingredients

4 tbs (1/3 cup) chia seeds
400ml Almond milk
2 tbs cocoa powder
2 tbs honey


Please note:

1. If you are using sweetened almond milk, you may wish to reduce the amount of honey.
2. Try using soy milk or even regular cow's milk.
3. Use melted chocolate or instead of the cocoa powder and omit the honey.
4. Use grated raw cacao instead of the cocoa powder.
5. As in the original recipe, use 400ml coconut milk, instead of almond milk; and replace the honey with agave syrup.

Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl.  Refrigerate for an hour or so.

Enjoy!

Caryl ❤

Chocolate dipped Coconut Almond Macaroons

These are something I make every Christmas.  They are extremely moreish, which is why I make so many of them! :)

Chocolate dipped Coconut Almond Macaroons

Ingredients - (makes approx. 50 macaroons)

3 egg whites

2/3 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups ground almonds

1-1/2 cups dessicated coconut

150g block good dark chocolate (you could also use milk or white chocolate)

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (approx. 325 degrees F).

Beat egg whites in a small bowl, until soft peaks form.

Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy.

Transfer to medium bowl.

Gently fold in almonds and coconut, with a metal spoon.

Spoon small teaspoons of mixture onto lined baking trays, approx. 2" apart.

Bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until firm and slightly golden brown.

Cool on trays.

When the macaroons are cooled, melt the chocolate in a double saucepan, over a low heat.  Stir until completely melted and smooth.  Take off the heat.

Dip the bases of the macaroons into the chocolate.  Place upside down, on foil lined trays, until chocolate has firmed up again.

These store quite well in an airtight container.  Not sure for how long though, as they get eaten pretty quickly! :)

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥

Banana Chocolate Cake

This must be the most delicious Banana Chocolate Cake I've tasted!

Banana Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

120g butter - melted
75g brown sugar
75g honey - (this is approx. 50ml)
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups white self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 over-ripe bananas - mashed
3/4 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)
100g dark chocolate - cut into 1cm pieces
50g pecans - roughly chopped


In a large bowl, mix melted butter with sugar, then add the honey and stir well.

Next, add the eggs and beat thoroughly.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate and cinnamon over the top, and mix well until combined.

Stir in the bananas and creme fraiche.

Fold in the chocolate and nuts.

Pour mixture into prepared loaf tin. 

Bake in oven at 180 degrees C for approx. 70mins, or until browned and there is no mixture sticking to the tester.

Leave in tin for approx. 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.  Leave to cool, if others in the household let you.  Otherwise, slice and serve immediately to keep them quiet! ;)

Enjoy!

Caryl ♥