chocolate + date brownies

Serves 20

Poppy bakes...

1. Preheat oven to 190ºC.
   
   
2. Line slice tray with baking paper.
   
   
3. Break
   160g 70% dark chocolate (I use Loving Earth) into mixing bowl and mill 10seconds / speed 9.
   
   
4. Add
   150g dates (approximately 9-10), pitted and diced into mixing bowl and chop 15 seconds / speed 10. (I find that if I don't dice them, depending on the brand of date, that my thermomix struggles to chop them and ends up heating up the chocolate which makes it very hard to mix together.)
   
   
5. Add
   180g coconut oil and cook 5 minutes / 60ºC / speed 2.
   
   
6. Add
   30g coconut flour,
   4 eggs,
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract,
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt and mix 20 seconds / speed 8.
   
   
7. Scrape down sides and mix for another 10 seconds / speed 6.
   
   
8. Scrape mixture into slice tray and bake for 15 minutes or until just firm before it burns.
   
   
9. Remove from oven, cool, cut into squares and keep in the fridge.

flourless chocolate cake

Poppy bakes...

My best critic is my husband; so the fact he likes this cake makes it a winner! It is a variation of the popular Thermomix Magic Bean Cake, but if you don't have a Thermomix, you can do the exact same process with a blender and mixer or food processor. I love how it contains red kidney beans as a flour replacement, but you can't taste them. You can make this cake vegan too by using a flax egg or egg replacer.

Serves 10


CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 180º and line a cake tin.
   
   
2. Puree
   400g red kidney beans or butter beans, drained and rinsed,
   1 tablespoon water,
   1 egg and
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth on speed 7; then set aside.
   
   
3. Without washing the mixing bowl, beat
   125g butter and
   140g coconut sugar for 30 seconds on speed 5.
   
   
4. Add
   4 eggs and beat for 20 seconds on speed 4.
   
   
5. Add bean mixture back in and combine for 5 seconds on speed 4.
   
   
6. Add
   65g cacao powder,
   1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder,
   1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and
   1/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt and blend for 10 seconds on speed 4.
   
   
7. Pour batter into cake tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
   
   
8. Allow the cake to cool, then remove from tin. You can simply decorate it with
   raspberries and
   desiccated coconut; and/or serve with a generous dollop of
   coconut ice cream.

JAM

To take this cake to the next level, you can add some raspberry jam to cut through the dark chocolate taste.

1. To make the jam filling, in a small sauce pan heat
   1/2 lemon, juiced,
   1 tablespoon coconut sugar and
   2 teaspoon rice malt syrup.
   
   
2. Once the coconut sugar has dissolved, add
   1 cup raspberries,
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and
   2 tablespoon white chia seeds; gently mashing the raspberries with a fork.
   
   
3. Remove from the heat and cool in the fridge until the chia seeds have absorbed most of the liquid to form a jam.
   
   
4. Slice cooled cake in half and spread the jam between the two layers.
   

CHOCOLATE ICING

This is the best healthy chocolate icing! I don't have any pictures yet but I will be making this for my daughter's next birthday cake, so I'll share some pictures soon.

1. Pour
   150g dark chocolate buttons into a stainless steel mixing bowl over a boiling pot of water and slowly stir with a whisk until melted.
   
   
2. Add
   1 cup coconut cream and slowly whisk together until combined.
   
   
3. Cool in the fridge until the right consistency to spread onto the cooled cake.

CHOCOLATE SHELL 

This is another icing option which creates a thinner and harder layer of chocolate around the cake which I use when I make this cake in my Wilton 5 Layer Cake Tin Set.

1. Melt
   150g dark chocolate and
   3 tablespoons coconut oil in a double boiler, refrigerate for about 20 minutes just before it sets then whisk until fluffy. Pipe or spread over cake - voila!

In this picture I have spread the raspberry jam between the 5 layers and encased the cake in the chocolate shell and topped with freeze dried raspberries.

ITALIAN MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

For icing that you want to be able to colour, that isn't sickly sweet...

1. Prepare your Thermomix bowl with the butterfly whisk attachment and add
   4 large egg whites then place in the fridge. You can do this up to a day before to produce a stiff meringue.
   
   
2. If you keep your butter in the fridge, take it out now to bring to room temperature. You will need
   300g unsalted butter cut into chunks.
   
   
3. Make sugar syrup by bringing
   120g water and
   200g caster sugar to the boil on high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup is boiling/bubbling at 118ºC.
   
   
4. Whilst the sugar syrup is coming to the boil take the Thermomix bowl out of the fridge and add
   1 teaspoon cream of tartar and
   2 tablespoons caster sugar.
   
   
5. As soon as the sugar syrup is ready, set Thermomix to 20mins/37ºC/speed 3 and after a few seconds, start very slowly drizzling the sugar syrup in.
   
   
6. Bring the bowl to room temperature by placing in the fridge for 1/2-1 hour.
   
   
7. On speed 3, slowly add the chunks of butter until completely smooth. If it is too runny, cool down further in the fridge.
   
   
8. You can add your colour to the Thermomix bowl or colour smaller batches in separate mixing bowls. Use a spatula to put buttercream in a piping bag and place in the fridge for 10 minutes before piping onto cake.

chocolate + avocado mousse cake

Serves 12

Poppy bakes…

1. Line a cake tin with baking paper.
   
   
2. Mix together
   1 cup gluten free self raising flour,
   3 tablespoons cacao powder and
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt.
   
   
3. Beat in
   2 eggs,
   4 tablespoons coconut oil,
   6 tablespoons maple syrup,
   3 tablespoons rice milk and
   teaspoon vanilla extract.
   
   
4. Pour into cake tin and bake at 185ºC for 25 minutes, then allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to chill.
   
   
5. Blend
   2 avocados,
   4 tablespoons cacao powder,
   1.5 tablespoons coconut cream,
   6 tablespoons coconut oil,
   4 tablespoons maple syrup and
   tablespoon vanilla extract.
   
   
6. Pour mousse on top of cold cake and set in the fridge.

sago jelly

Serves 2

Poppy cooks…

1. Add
   4 tablespoons tapioca pearls to a small saucepan of boiling water, stirring continuously so they do not stick to the bottom until the tapioca turns clear (approximately 15 minutes).
   
   
2. Drain tapioca pearls in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water.
   
   
3. Return tapioca pearls to saucepan and mix through
   2 tablespoons coconut cream,
   2 tablespoons filtered water,
   1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract and
   1 tablespoon rice malt syrup.
   
   
4. Pour mixture into serving ramekins or glasses and set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
   
   
5. Serve topped with
   mango cheek, diced and
   toasted desiccated coconut sprinkled on top.

strawberry muffins

Serves 12

Poppy bakes…

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC and prepare 12 muffin cups.
   
   
2. In a large mixing bowl combine
   1/2 cup sunflower seed flour,
   1/2 cup brown rice flour,
   1/2 cup coconut flour,
   1/2 cup millet flour,
   1/2 cup gluten-free plain flour,
   2 tablespoons coconut sugar,
   1 tablespoon tapioca flour,
   2 teaspoons baking powder,
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt and
   1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
   
   
3. Add in
   2 eggs, beaten,
   1/4 cup olive oil,
   1/2 cup maple syrup,
   1 tablespoon vanilla extract and slowly beat to combine.
   
   
4. While beating, slowly add in
   1 cup rice milk.
   
   
5. Fold through
   1 punnet strawberries, diced then spoon mixture into muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes.
   
   
   

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.

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.

mixed berry, carrot + zucchini cupcakes

Makes 12

Poppy bakes…

1. Heat oven to 190ºC.
   
   
2. In a bowl whisk together
   1 cup coconut sugar,
   1 cup olive oil,
   2 eggs and
   1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract.
   
   
3. Add and whisk together
   3/4 cup carrot, finely grated,
   3/4 cup zucchini, finely grated and
   1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries.
   
   
4. Add and whisk together
   3/4 teaspoon celtic sea salt, and
   3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
   
   
5. Add
   2 cups gluten free self raising flour and gently fold into mixture without over mixing.
   
   
6. Divide batter among moulds and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

zucchini + carrot cake

Serves 10

An easy recipe that doesn't require the use of an electric mixer. Also a great way of sneaking in some extra vegetables in the guise of something sweet.

Poppy bakes…

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
   
   
2. In a mixing bowl gently stir together
   250g gluten-free self-raising flour,
   2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and
   1 teaspoon mixed spice.
   
   
3. In a small mixing bowl stir together
   1/2 cup olive oil,
   1 cup coconut sugar,
   1 egg and
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
   
   
4. Grate
   1 small carrot and
   1 small zucchini, around 160g combined.
   
   
5. Add the wet ingredients from step 3 to the dry ingredients from step 2 and mix together using a spatula until well combined. Then add the carrot and zucchini and mix together until well combined.
   
   
6. Place the mixture in a lined cake tin and bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

cacao crackles

Serves 12

A great snack for the adults as well as the kids, that tastes even better than the Kellog's version I remember from my childhood.

Poppy makes…

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil.
   
   
2. Place a mixing bowl on top of the pot with
   6 tablespoons coconut oil,
   3 tablespoons coconut butter,
   1/3 cup coconut sugar,
   3.5 tablespoons cacao powder and
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and stir until melted together.
   
   
3. Remove mixing bowl from the heat and stir through
   1/2 cup fine desiccated coconut and
   2 cups brown rice puffs.
   
   
4. Spoon into paper patty cases or silicone moulds.
   
   
5. Place in the refrigerator to set.
   

For a more chocolatey indulgent version, increase the proportion of coconut oil and cacao to brown rice puffs. Or for a bit of variety, you can try any puffed grain, such as puffed buckwheat, puffed quinoa or puffed amaranth.

blueberry muffin top cookies

Makes approximately 30 cookies

My husband was very accurate in describing these cookies as tasting like muffin tops! They aren't your usual crunchy cookie but soft just like the best part of any blueberry muffin. The brand of coconut yoghurt and gluten free flour you use will impact on the texture of the cookies, but regardless, they are yum.

Poppy bakes...

1. Preheat oven to 190°C and line baking tray with baking paper
   
   
2. Using a spatula, mix together
   1 cup coconut sugar and 
   1.5 cups coconut yoghurt.
   
   
3. Add
   1 egg and
   1 teaspoon vanilla essence and mix together, then set aside.
   
   
4. Stir together
   2 cups gluten free plain flour,
   2 teaspoons baking powder and
   1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt.
   
   
5. Add wet ingredients to dry and fold together.
   
   
6. Gently fold in
   1 punnet / 1 cup blueberries.
   
   
7. Spoon desired sized mounds on to baking paper with adequate space in between and bake for 10-20 minutes or until golden.
   
   
8. Cool cookies on a wire rack before eating.

For an energy boosting snack, team these cookies with a glass of coconut water

Notes
These cookies are beautifully soft with a slightly chewy texture, so be sure to carefully lift them off the baking tray using a flat spatula when placing them on a wire rack to cool.

blueberry, lime + coconut cake

Serves 10

Dry ingredients

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Wet ingredients

4 free-range eggs

3 tablespoons nuttelex, melted

juice + zest of 1 lime

zest of 1/2 lemon

6 tablespoons coconut milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

punnet (1/2 cup) blueberries

Glaze ingredients

1/4 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

30ml coconut cream

Pinch of celtic sea salt

25ml honey

15ml lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. In a bowl combine dry ingredients
3. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients, excluding blueberries
4. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients using a spatula
5. Combine blueberries into mixture
6. Spoon mixture into a cake tin and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean
7. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving
8. On low heat, combine glaze ingredients until smooth
9. Cool glaze in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before spreading over cake

Notes
This is a delightfully light and fluffy cake, due to the use of coconut flour. Like most cake recipes, you can use this same mixture to make muffins - this recipe makes about 6 large muffins.