Baskets with orange and walnut filling and vanilla cream

Ingredients

For the crust

260 g semi-whole wheat flour
40 g whole rice flour
half a teaspoon whole sea salt
100-120 ml filtered water
120 ml extra virgin olive oil

For the filling (to fill 4-6 baskets)

100 g chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
4 tablespoons apricot jam, with no added refined sugar and naturally sweetened with agave syrup or rice malt syrup or dark brown unrefined sugar such as Muscovado
a pinch of whole sea salt
half a teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

For the vanilla cream

200 ml oat milk
50 ml almond cream
seeds from half a vanilla pod
a pinch of whole sea salt
4 tablespoons rice malt syrup
2 tablespoons whole rice flour, sifted
1 tablespoon corn starch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

Baskets with orange and walnut filling and vanilla cream

Directions

To make the crust, stir the flours and salt together in a large bowl and place them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Refrigerate the water so that it’s perfectly chilled when you start making the dough. Freeze the olive oil in a proper container (the oil should remain in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes, until very creamy). When all the crust ingredients are chilled, add the olive oil to the dry mixture and work with a fork until the oil has been absorbed by the flour. Keep mixing with the fork, as your hands would be too warm, then add the water little by little, just enough to make a good grainy texture. You might not need all the water indicated, but make sure the dough holds together. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and transfer it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 180° C. Remove the dough (or just some of it) from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface, dust your rolling-pin with flour, roll the dough out to the desired thickness (2-4 mm) and cut into squares. Oil some tiny pie pans or muffin tins and sprinkle with a light coating of flour. Arrange the dough squares in the tins, poke a few holes in the dough with a fork to let the steam escape, trim off any excess round the edges and bake for 10-12. Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes then unmold and set aside until they’re ready to be filled.

To prepare the filling, combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

To make the vanilla cream, warm up the milk over low heat, add the cream, vanilla, salt and malt syrup and stir until combined. Slowly add the sifted rice flour and simmer for 2-3 minutes while mixing. Stir in the corn starch and cook for another couple of minutes until the cream thickens. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To assemble, fill the baskets with the orange and walnut filling and top with some vanilla cream. The vanilla cream is equally delicious served warm or cold. Garnish with grated orange zest, if desired.


Posted in: autumn, baking, breakfast and brunch, cakes, desserts, fruits, spring, sweet, tarts and pies, tea time, winter

{ 7 comments }

Cocoa squares with Himalayan salted ganache, candied ginger and chocolate curls

Ingredients

For the cake

200 g semi-whole wheat flour
80 g wholemeal flour
120 g almond flour
40 g unsweetened cacao powder, sifted
50 g muscovado sugar
half a teaspoon vanilla powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
a pinch of whole sea salt
180 g barley malt syrup
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
200 ml almond milk, unsweetened
100 ml almond cream (or other vegetable cream, GMO-free)

For the chocolate sauce

300 ml almond milk, unsweetened
4 tablespoons rice malt syrup
2 teaspoons ginger juice
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dried ginger powder
a pinch of whole sea salt
3 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder, sifted
half a teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon filtered cold water

For the chocolate ganache

150 g dark chocolate (70% cacao), broken into pieces
200 g rice malt syrup
50 ml almond cream (or other vegetable cream, GMO-free)
half a teaspoon fine ground Himalayan salt

To complete

chopped candied ginger (candied with dark brown sugar), to taste
dark chocolate curls (made with a vegetable peeler dragged down one side of the chocolate block from top to bottom), to taste

Makes 16-20 squares. [click to continue…]


Posted in: autumn, baking, breakfast and brunch, cakes, chocolate, desserts, finger food, lunch-box, snacks, spicy, sweet, tea time, winter

{ 12 comments }

Quinoa muffins with dark chocolate, dried cherries and cardamom

Ingredients

100 g quinoa flour
200 g semi-whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
a pinch of whole sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
half a teaspoon cardamom powder
200 ml plain (unflavoured) and unsweetened rice milk
70 ml extra virgin olive oil
80 g rice malt syrup
20 ml maple syrup (grade C)
100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into pieces
3 handfuls of dried sour cherries

Makes 10-12 muffins. [click to continue…]


Posted in: autumn, baking, breakfast and brunch, cakes, chocolate, cupcakes and muffins, desserts, finger food, fruits, lunch-box, snacks, spring, sweet, winter

{ 5 comments }

Creamy celeriac and chestnut soup

by Alice on February 1, 2010

Celeriac and chestnut cream soup

Ingredients

100 g dried and peeled chestnuts, soaked in filtered water for 20 minutes
1 medium celeriac, peeled and cut into pieces
whole sea salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan salt, just enough to taste
400 ml filtered water (you can use all or part of the leftover cooking water you used to steam the celeriac)
400 ml plain and unsweetened oat milk
freshly ground black pepper, just enough to taste
hazelnut oil, to taste
fresh parsley leaves, to taste

Makes 2-4 servings. [click to continue…]


Posted in: autumn, gluten-free, lunch-box, savoury, soups, vegetables, winter

{ 12 comments }

Red cabbage with tempeh cubes

21 January 2010

Ingredients
For the marinated tempeh
400 g tempeh, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons shoyu
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon ginger juice (from 2-3 cm fresh ginger root, peeled, grated and squeezed)
1 garlic clove (sprout removed), cut in quarters
filtered water
To cook the tempeh
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon shoyu
2 tablespoons filtered water
2-3 handfuls of raisins, soaked in [...]

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Puffed barley, almond butter and chocolate treats

19 January 2010

Ingredients
100 g dark chocolate, fair trade
2 tablespoons plain oat milk
1 pinch whole sea salt
100 g barley malt syrup
200 g almond butter
70 g whole puffed barley
Makes 20 treats.

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Hazelnut and thyme cream tarts

13 January 2010

Ingredients
For the crust
The recipe is here. You will need about 80-100 g of dough in order to make 2 tart shells. of about 15 cm. The quantities vary according to the thickness you prefer for the single shells.
For the hazelnut cream

200 ml almond milk
a pinch of whole sea salt
2 tablespoons hazelnut butter
1 teaspoon [...]

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Kale, pear and walnut salad with lemon, ginger and vanilla dressing

23 December 2009

Ingredients
For the dressing
5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon apple vinegar
2 teaspoons agave syrup
1 teaspoon fresh ginger juice
a quarter of a teaspoon dried, powdered ginger
a quarter of a teaspoon powdered vanilla
whole sea salt, just enough to taste
white pepper, just enough to taste
For the salad
1 large bunch of kale, stems and tough ribs [...]

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Apple and chestnut mini loaves with hazelnut sauce

13 December 2009

Ingredients
For the mini loaves

150 g semi-whole wheat flour
50 g chestnut flour
50 g whole rice flour
50 g cornstarch
half a teaspoon powdered cinnamon
a pinch of whole sea salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
70 ml extra virgin olive oil
100 g rice malt syrup
230 ml oat milk
3 small apples (I used Fuji), peeled and pureed using a food processor

For the [...]

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