pear cake

Serves 12

Poppy bakes…

1. Preheat oven to 180º and prepare a cake tin.
   
   
2. In a mixing bowl combine
   250g gluten-free plain flour,
   1/2 teaspoon baking powder and
   pinch of celtic sea salt.
   
   
3. Place
   250g coconut sugar into Thermomix and mill 20 seconds / speed 10.
   
4. Insert butterfly whisk; then add
   250g nuttelex and mix 3 minutes / speed 3.
   
   
5. Add
   4 eggs,
   1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and
   zest of 1/4 lemon on speed 3 until combined.
   
   
6. Pour the wet mixture into the dry, and combine using a spatula.
   
   
7. Gently fold through
   3 packham pears, peeled and diced.
   
   
8. Pour mixture into the cake tin and bake for 50 minutes.

gnocchi + pork ragu

Serves 6

Poppy cooks…

1. Place
   1kg de-boned pork leg,
   2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped,
   400g tin of diced tomatoes,
   2 tablespoons tomato paste,
   2 cups filtered water,
   4 garlic cloves, peeled,
   2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce,
   tablespoon of dried mixed herbs,
   2 teaspoons smoked paprika, (you can use sweet paprika too, depending on the smokiness level you prefer)
   2 tablespoons coconut sugar,
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper into a large pot on medium heat for 4 hours or until the pork is soft and pulls apart easily.
   
   
2. Place
   1kg nadine potatoes and
   1/2 head of garlic (skin left on) on a baking tray in a 180ºC oven for 1 hour or until they are easily pierced by a skewer.
   
   
3. Allow the potatoes to cool slightly, then halve and scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl.
   
   
4. Add the roasted garlic, skin removed, then mash until smooth.
   
   
5. Add
   2 egg yolks and combine.
   
   
6. Add
   1.5 cups gluten-free plain flour, half a cup at a time to the potato mixture, mixing together to form a dough, but be careful to not overwork the dough.
   
   
7. Prepare a lightly floured surface, then roll handfuls of the dough into long strips. Cut strips into gnocchi pieces and place on a floured tray. Using a fork, make indents in the gnocchi to absorb the ragu sauce later.
   
   
8. When the pork is soft, remove from the sauce, shred the meat and place back into the sauce.
   
   
9. Bring a separate pot of
   filtered water with
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt to the boil, add gnocchi and remove as soon as they rise to the surface - approximately 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into the pork ragu. Then serve!

The pulled pork can also be cooked in a slow cooker...I cook it on medium for 5 hours, then remove the lid and cook on high for half an hour to reduce the sauce while I shred the meat.

As an alternative, the pulled pork is perfect with my apple coleslaw, served in hard tacos!

apple + maple syrup cake

Serves 10

Poppy bakes…

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC and line a cake tin.
   
   
2. In a mixing bowl combine
   5 tablespoons nuttelex, melted,1/2 cup coconut sugar,
   1/2 cup maple syrup,
   1 egg, lightly beaten and
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
   
   
3. Stir through
   1 cup gluten-free plain flour,
   1 teaspoon baking powder,
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1.5 cups granny smith apples, chopped.
   
   
4. Pour mixture into cake tin, bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and allow to cool before serving.

gluten-free apple crumble

Serves 8

Poppy bakes…

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
2. In a mixing bowl place
   6 granny smith apples, cored and diced then squeeze a bit of
   lemon juice over the apples and toss to coat.
   
   
3. Stir through
   2 tablespoons agave syrup then dust with
   2 teaspoons tapioca flour and toss to coat.
   
   
4. Poor the apple mixture into your baking dish or ramekins.
   
   
5. In another mixing bowl combine
   1 cup quinoa flakes,
   3/4 cup gluten-free plain flour,
   1 cup coconut sugar,
   2 teaspoons ground cinnamon,
   1 teaspoon ground ginger and
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt and mix together.
   
   
6. Add
   3/4 cup coconut oil and combine.
   
   
7. Spoon crumble mixture over apple mixture and bake using bottom element only for 15 minutes, and then with both top and bottom elements on for another 20 minutes or until the crumble topping is crisp.