Desserts/Biscuits/Cakes/Breakfasts (21)

Fruit Pudding Cake from Stevie Bee
vegan, serves 8

■ 2kg fresh fruit (apples, peaches, plums, apricots: any, some or all)
■ 500g mixed dried fruit (sultanas, figs, apricots, Medjool dates)
■ 1 cup flour (any, though buckwheat or oat flour are very good binders)
■ 1 tablet palm sugar
■ 1 tsp salt

1 Soak dried fruit 8 hours. Stew fresh fruit with salt and palm sugar in a little water till soft. Pour into mixing bowl, add soaked, chopped dried fruit and flour. Can add other sweeteners such as maple syrup, agave or rice malt if desired, although is usually sweet enough for most palates.
2 Stir flour thoroughly through mixture. Set aside until cool.
3 Pour into lightly oiled pie dish. Dust with cinnamon. Bake in moderate oven (120°-150°C) for 90 minutes.
4 Cool. Refrigerate. Best eaten cold and after at least a day.
(November 2006)

Raw Cacao Brownies from Jann French
vegan, gluten-free, serves . . . well, that depends

• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 cup Medjool dates
• cup raw cacao nibs
• 1/2 cup Mesquite pod meal
• 1/2 cup of raw nuts of your choice
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

1 Process nibs in blender or coffee grinder (and set aside)
2 Using blender or food processor chop cashews with salt and vanilla bean until very fine
3 Add other nuts and chop not quite so finely
4 Add dates and blend
5 Add cacao and mesquite meal, blend until smooth
6 Pat into squares or roll into balls or a shape of your fancy
7 Eat before everyone else does

OPTION: Leave out the Mesquite meal for an equally delightful treat that’s less like a brownie and more like a chocolate fruit nut slice. Bonus two recipes in one!
(March-April 2007)

Sago surprise from Dominika Grossy
vegan, gluten-free, serves 4

• 180g sago
• 85g rapadura sugar
• pinch salt
• 1 vanilla bean, sliced in half
• 1/2 pack coconut cream block
• 1L water, extra needed
• juice of 3 citrus (try 2 limes, 1 lemonade)

1 Place first five ingredients in a pot of boiling water. Stir through until absorbed, add a little water and keep stirring. Turn heat to lowest setting. If it starts to bubble, remove from heat until excess heat disperses; too much heat melts the sago balls into a single gluggy mess. Add citrus juice towards end.
2 Serve warm or cold (sets a little firmer) with fruit salad
3 Also try lime on its own or 2 oranges, 1 lemon

Note: if using "raw" sugar, the sago will remain white – add slices of lime. If using tinned coconut cream, leave water out. Just add a little water if mixture gets too thick to stir but balls are not yet clear.
(June 2007)

Orange cake from Veronika Judge
vegan, gluten-free

• 3 cups grated carrot
• 3 tbsp ground linseeds
• 1 1/2 cups rapadura or sugar
• 2 whole oranges cooked, cooled, blended
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 125ml sunflower oil
• 2 cups brown rice flour or 50/50 polenta/brown rice flour
• 3 tsp baking powder

1 Pre-heat the oven to 170°C or 150°C (fan-forced)
2 Mix almonds, flour, sugar and baking powder in large bowl.
3 In another bowl mix other ingredients and let sit until mixture is a wee bit gooey fold wet mixture into the dry; combine, then pour into a greased or lined round 20cm cake tin.
4 Bake 1 hour or until golden on top and springy to touch. (A skewer should be coated in sticky, not wet cake.)

This cake is very moist and will keep in an airtight container for more than a week. It’s very good straight from the oven but it will fall apart; if left to cool it will slice easily. Reduce water from oranges with some rapadura and pour over the cake.

Sprinkle with slivered almonds.

OPTIONS:
• Vary with poppy seeds, pepitas, lemon, sultanas etc.
• Omit sugar and douse cake in maple syrup or similar but note that liquids in the mix will take the cake longer to bake so turn the oven down and cook for longer.
(July 2007)

Rye+date delight from Stevie Bee
A quick and simple brekkie alternative.
vegan, wheat-free, serves 1

• 2 slices (5mm each) Pure Life Sprouted Rye+Date/Rye+Sultana loaf
• 2 tbsp carob powder
• 2 tbsp linseeds, ground or 1 tbsp flaxseed oil
• 1 apple (or other seasonal fruit), chopped
• 250ml (1 large cup) rice milk

1 Steam slices in a vegetable steamer till soft (about 7 mins), cube and place in dessert bowl.
2 Sprinkle ground linseeds and carob powder over top.
3 Add chopped apple.
4 Pour on the milk.

OPTIONS:
1 You can steam other breads, especially if they are a bit dry.
2 Add ground pepitas in addition to or instead of linseeds
3 Add a tablespoon of coconut flour with the carob powder
(September 2007)

German plum cake from Monika Baumann

• 120g butter
• 120g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1.5-2kg ripe plums
• milk as required
• pinch of salt
• 300g plain flour
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• Extra flour and butter for the tray, extra sugar and butter for he top

1 Remove stones from plums, cut into sixths, set aside
2 Preheat oven to 200-220°C
3 Beat butter until creamy and starts forming peaks, add some of the sugar and beat until mixed though. Add 1 egg and beat before adding the rest of the sugar and the other egg. Beat until creamy and light. Combine baking powder and flour and gradually add to the mix along with enough milk for the mix to be moist.
4 Grease large 30cm square flat tray with sides and line with flour. Pour cake mix onto tray and spread to form base and sides. Gently place plum pieces onto the cake mix semi-standing up – lean first row against side of tray, then lean the next row onto the first and so on. Make sure they are close together.
5 Bake for 30 mins then remove; plums should be melted. While cake is still hot, sprinkle top with sugar and dot with little specks of butter. Let cool. Serve with whipped cream. The fruit on top tastes tart while the base is sweet.
(December 2007)

Amazake delight from Nat Jurdeczka
wheat-free, serves 1

• 2-3 tbsp amazake
• 8 tbsp Marook lemon myrtle yogurt
• 1/2 dragonfruit

1 Spread yogurt over the bottom of the bowl.
2 Scoop out the whole of the dragonfruit and place upside down in the centre of the bowl.
3 Dollop amazake around the dragonfruit.

Vegan option: try vanilla soygurt mixed with the juice of half a lime
Fruit option: Paw paw
(January 2008)

Melon sorbet from Gareth Elliott
wheat-free, vegan, serves 2

• 50g Rapadura sugar
• 2tbsp honey
• 1tbsp lemon juice
• 4tbsp water
• a medium rockmelon, about a kilo

1 Place honey, lemon, sugar, and water in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil for 1 minute; don’t stir. Should form a syrup. Set aside to cool.
2 Cut rockmelon in half, scoop out flesh, keeping the shells intact. Place shells upside down on a paper towel to drain, then place in the freezer. 
3 Blend flesh in blender/food processor until smooth (no lumps). Place blend in mixing bowl, add sweet syrup. Mix together and chill until very cold.
4 Transfer mixture to a container and freeze for 4 hours, blending mixture at least twice in this time to break up any ice crystals. Will ensure a very smooth texture.
5 Pack the sorbet back into the melon shells and level the surface with a knife. Freeze the melon shells and sorbet overnight until firm.
æServe as is or cut each melon half into 3 wedges and garnish with crushed ice and mint. Enjoy.
Gareth suggests the sorbet goes pretty well with gin, but probably better with vodka!
(February 2008)

Baked bananas from Christine Ackers
wheat-free, vegan, serves 2

• 4 Cavendish bananas
• 1tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup citrus or pomegranate juice

1 Slice bananas in two, length-wise, and place in an oiled baking tray.
2 Drizzle juice over the bananas and sprinkle with spices
3 Bake in a moderate oven (150°C) for 30 minutes.
Warning: when the liquid at the bottom of the baking dish begins to bubble, the whole caboodle can quickly rise up and bubble over into your oven. Burnt fruit is a devil to clean. My advice is to let some of the heat out of the oven before turning the temperature down. Or you could check the tray after 20 minutes.
4 Serve as is or with your favourite yogurt or cream or with a chilled puree of plums and the juice of half a lemon.

* Cavendish are preferred over Lady Fingers, which lack the kind of consistency for baking. Try the cost-price tray!

The original recipe from the 1950s calls for butter, brown sugar, honey and rum. If you’re feeling particularly decadent or have a hideously sweet tooth you could play with these classic ingredients – as if the bananas aren’t sweet enough!
(March 2008)

Quince paste from Dominika Grossy
vegan, gluten-free

• 2 kg quince, washed, peeled, cored and chopped roughly
• 1 vanilla pod, spilt
• the zest of a small lemon (cut into strips, so it can be fished out easily)
• 3 tsps of that lemon’s juice
• sugar, how much depends . . .

1 Place quince in large pot, cover with water
2 Add vanilla pod, lemon zest and bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cover. Cook until quince pieces are tender (test with a fork)
3 Strain water, remove vanilla pod but keep lemon zest with the quince
4 Blend quince and return to large pot, add sugar (one cup for each cup of blended quince, although I would encourage less) and simmer over a medium-low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved completely
5 Add lemon juice
6 Let sit on medium-low heat for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally
7 The paste will turn very thick and a gorgeous orange-pink
8 Preheat oven to 52°C
9 Spread paste evenly across a baking pan lined with greaseproof and a thin coat of butter or solid coconut oil. Bake for an hour.
10 Allow to cool
11 Serve cut into squares or wedges

The Spanish call this paste Membrillo and traditionally eat it atop a type of cheese called Manchengo.
(March 2008)

Poached pears from Genevieve Derwent
What could be better in the cooler months than poached pears? Warm, sweet and spicy, they're the epitome of winter for me. And they're also a wonderful base for many desserts such as tarts, cakes and puddings.

serves 4

• 1 litre of water
• 500g sugar (the raw sugar in the co-op is perfect)
• juice of a lemon
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 stick cinnamon or 1 vanilla bean
• 4 pears

1In a saucepan, bring water and sugar to simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved, continue simmering while adding lemon juice and spices
2 Peel pears, leaving stems on
3 Stand pears upright in saucepan, cover with a round of baking paper, nicked so the stems poke through
4 Cover saucepan with lid. Return to stove, bring to simmer, then lower heat so the fruit poaches rather than boils - very important. Cook until pears are tender; depending on the size of the pear, this can take up to two hours. The longer the pears take to poach, the more delicious they will be.
5 Cool in syrup and serve warm or at room temperature.

OPTION Poach pears in red wine – using half red wine/half water in your syrup.
(July 2008)

Lemon Curd from Jo Rose
Great on toast and a perfect filling for baked pastry shells and sponge cakes.

makes 2 cups

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 125g butter (chopped in cubes)

1 Place eggs and sugar into a heat resistant bowl
2 Put bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and whisk until sugar is dissolved
3 Add juice, zest and butter and whisk until smooth and butter has melted through.
4 Cook until mixture is thick enough to stick to a spoon, approx 20 mins.
5 Do not allow mixture to boil as it will separate.
6 Pour into a sterilised jar and seal immediately.
7 Allow to cool and then store in the fridge.
(August 2008)

Festive Fruit Cake
Adapted by Jo Rose from a recipe by Nigel Slater
If you don't have hordes of guests for Xmas day, this small, rich fruitcake is bound to delight. You can use any dried fruits so let your imagination go wild. Alfalfa House stocks a cornucopia of dried fruits including dates, prunes, currants, raisins, sultanas, apricots, pears, cranberries, nectarines, cherries, apples and peaches. For a more tropical flavour, try figs, bananas, mangoes and pineapples.

• 450g dried fruits, chopped
• 3 tbsp brandy or whisky
• grated zest and juice of small orange
• 125g butter
• 125g brown sugar or rapadura sugar
• 2 eggs
• 70g hazelnuts or macadamia nuts
• 40g ground almonds
• 125g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch each of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
• a tiny pinch of allspice

1 The day before, chop larger fruit and place all fruit in large bowl. Add orange zest, juice, cover with brandy, stir gently. Give fruit another stir in the morning. (Non-alcoholic version: cover with 3 cups dark grape juice, delete sugar.)
2 Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 11cm square cake tin twice with baking paper, which should be at least 5cm above the edge of the tin to help ensure the cake doesn't overcook on the bottom.
3 Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.
4 Break eggs into a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Add eggs a little at a time to butter/sugar mix. If mixture curdles slightly (probably will) mix in 1 tbsp or two of the flour. Add nuts to the mix.
5 Mix flour, baking powder, spices well.
6 Add flour one heaped tablespoon at a time, to the butter/sugar/egg mix.
7 Gently fold in fruit mix.
8 Spoon cake mix into cake tin. Place on bottom shelf of oven. Bake for 60 mins. (Don't open oven door to check!)
9 Reduce temperature to 150°C and cook for 90 minutes. Check occasionally – if browning too quickly place piece of paper or foil over the top.
10 Remove cake and let cool. When cold, wrap it, still in its paper, in foil and leave in a cool place.
(December 2008)

Soaked dried fruit from Stevie Bee
Dried fruit is such a convenient food to snack on simply because it’s so easy to eat straight from the packet or jar and therefore to overdo it and end up in a sugar headspin. When you soak them, you’re less likely to eat as many. Soon after I began soaking, I noticed I didn’t need as much fruit to feel the benefit and to feel full. Soaked mango is almost akin to slurping fresh mango and apricots and figs will have you thinking you’re eating caramel lollies! Then there’s the juice, which has one of the most intense fruit liqueurs, rivalling Lloyd’s grape juice.

vegan, gluten-free, single serve

• 10-12 pieces of any dried fruit (cherries, peaches, nectarines, all types of figs, apricots, incan berries, mango even medjool dates work well). Whole dried bananas don’t work, banana slices do.

Place in a small jar (about 175g), cover with about twice as much water, pop the lid on and leave overnight or for up to 8 hours in the day. If you want to speed up the process, warm the water to 40°C, around lukewarm. Enjoy them for breakfast, either on their own or with your usual cereal or added to cakes, puddings.
(February 2009)

Vanilla Sago Pudding
gluten-free, can be vegan by omiting egg, serves 6

• 2⁄3 cup sago
• 800ml cups coconut milk
• 2⁄3 cup rapadura sugar or half a cup of agave syrup or honey
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split, with seeds scraped
• 1 egg, separated (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrap the seeds from the pod. Use both the pod and the seeds – splitting the bean exposes more of the surface of the bean to release a stronger flavour.
2 Put all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly. Be sure to stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching. When sago pearls are slightly translucent, remove pan from heat. Let cool slightly.
3 Whisk in egg yolk. Cool completely.
4 When cool, beat egg white until stiff and fold in. Remove vanilla bean and spoon tapioca into bowls. Garnish with fresh seasonal tropical fruits and grated or dessicated coconut, if desired.
(April 2009)

Maple syrup Baked Jerusalem Artichokes
from Renata Field
Despite the name, Jerusalem Artichokes have nothing to do with either Jerusalem or artichokes. They’re also called Sunroot, as they are a variety of sunflower, and it is the root that is eaten. Jerusalem Artichokes are similar to potatoes, but crunchier with a nutty flavour. They are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium; a good source of thiamin, phosphorus and potassium; and a very good source of iron.
Note: Jerusalems are often mistaken for ginger (see image), so be wary when shopping. Check labels if unsure.

gluten-free, vegan, serves 6

• 800g Jerusalem Artichokes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 75g pinenuts
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• salt and pepper to taste 

1 Wash artichokes and dice, cutting off any nobs. Drizzle in oil in a baking dish and add maple syrup, pinenuts, caraway seeds and salt and pepper to taste.
2 Cook for 40 mins. at 200°C or until soft.
(June 2009) 

Coconut Balls from Lucy Marinelli
gluten-free, vegan, raw

In a food processor blend
• 1 cup soaked almonds
• 1 1⁄2 cups dates, soaked a few hours or overnight, drain*
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1⁄2 tsp vanilla

1 Roll into small or medium balls then roll in carob powder or coconut. If you like, roll some in each to make a contrast in the presentation on the plate.
2 Decorate the plate with a couple of strawberries, cherries or even flowers and serve.
* use date water to flavour sweet cereals, eg, porridge
(July 2009)

Cacao chocolates from Aidan Calabria
gluten-free, vegan. serves 1

This is a raw dark chocolate base from which you can create your own masterpiece. Why not add some goji berries or almonds to the mix? Or you could replace the cacao butter with coconut butter for a delightful chocolate spread.

• 1 cup cacao butter, finely chopped
• 3⁄4 cup cacao powder
• 1⁄4 cup agave syrup
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• boiling water
• 2 bowls of equal size
• whisk

1 In one bowl add a little boiling water and place the other bowl on top; be careful not to allow the water to overflow. In the top bowl add the cacao butter and allow to melt (about 10 mins). You may need to add a little more water.
2 Add salt, agave and sift in cacao powder, then whisk for a few minutes. As mixture is prone to separate, check if it will separate by allowing to sit for 1 min.
3 Dust a mould with cacao powder and pour in the mixture. Pat down. If desired, decorate to heart’s content. Allow to set in fridge for 30 mins.
(September 2009)

Pear jam from Tamara Killick
vegan, gluten-free, wheat-free, Free from refined sugar, low chemical (low salicylate only)

• 750g ripe, peeled pears
• 1 unripened pear (pectin) see note 1
• 36ml stevia liquid concentrate see note 2

METHOD
1 Puree pears and place in a saucepan and warm over medium heat
2 Stir in stevia
3 Increase heat and bring to boil, stir occasionally for 5 mins
4 Remove from heat and pour into prepared jars. see note 3

Note 1 Pectin helps jam set. Since unripened fruit is high in pectin, it’s not necessary to use commercial jam-setters, which also contain castor sugar.
Note 2 Stevia liquid concentrate: Mix equal parts water and stevia powder in a container – preferably one with a slow dripping pourer – and stir until dissolved. Make enough to keep for other uses.
3 drops stevia liquid = 1 tsp sugar
7 drops stevia = 1 tbsp sugar
48 drops stevia = 1 cup sugar
Unlike sugar, stevia won’t preserve jam.
Note 3 Sterilising old jars with metal lids: Boil jars and metal lids for 20 mins, remove with tongs, fill with hot jam immediately, screw on lid and invert the jar until cool. Once cool, turn upright and depress the centre pop seal on the lid.
(November 2009)

Gingerbread people from Tamara Killick
free from refined sugar, low chemical (low salicylate only)

• 125g butter
• 1⁄3 cup coconut sugar
• 1⁄3 cup molasses
• 3 tsp sodium bicarbonate
• 1 egg
• 3 1⁄2 cups plain flour

METHOD
1 Pre-heat oven to 180°C
2 Melt butter, sugar, molasses in a saucepan over low heat
3 Allow it to cool until lukewarm, stir in bicarbonate and egg
4 Place flour in bowl, make a well in centre and add liquid mixture
5 Knead to form dough, roll out and into people shapes
6 Bake approx 15 mins
(November 2009)

Lemon shortbread from Emma McQueen
vegan, gluten-free

DRY INGREDIENTS
• 1 1⁄2 cups buckwheat flour
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1⁄2 cup millet flour
• 1⁄2 cup coconut flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups poppy seeds
• rind of 2 lemons
• 1 tsp xanthum gum (not sold at Alfalfa)

WET INGREDIENTS
• 1⁄2 cup sunflower oil (or butter)
• 2 tbps coconut butter
juice of 2 lemons

METHOD
1 Mix the drys together.
2 Rub oil (or butter) and coconut butter thoroughly through the dry mixture.
3 Pour in lemon juice and mix together until very crumbly – may need more lemon juice or water to achieve consistency.
4 Take 2 tbps of mixture at a time and form into biscuit-sized bits, and place on baking trays.
5 Bake 20 mins at 190°C.

TIP Add a lime for a zingy flavour
(May 2010)

Gluten-free Apple-Rhubarb-Chocolate Crumble
from Monika Baumann
vegan, gluten-free, serves 4

Apple-rhubarb mix
• 6 large granny smith apples, cored and diced into 1-2cm cubes
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 bunch rhubarb, thickly sliced
• 2 vanilla beans
• 6 tbsp maple syrup
• cloves, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg to taste

Crumble mix
• 2 1⁄2 cups quinoa flakes
• 1 1⁄2 desiccated coconut
• 2 cups rapadura sugar
• 1⁄2-1 cup cocoa powder
• sunflower oil as required

METHOD
1 Place apples in large saucepan, add lemon juice and maple syrup. Add rhubarb.
2 Slice vanilla beans in half, scrape out and add seed and beans to saucepan along with spices.
3 Add a little water, stir and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat, simmer slowly at low heat and stir regularly until apple rhubarb mixture is tender but not too soft. Take off heat and set aside for 30 mins to allow flavours to infuse.
4 Preheat oven to 180°C.
5 Combine crumble mix (quinoa flakes, sugar, coconut and cocoa) in large bowl and mix well.
6 Slowly add sunflower oil, mixing well until mixture is crumbly.
7 Place apple and rhubarb mix evenly in casserole dish. Spread crumble mix on top.
8 Bake at 180°C about 30-40 mins
(June 2010)