Gluten free, Dairy Free and Guilt Free Chocolate, Pomegranate Tarts

This little tarts are absolutely to die for and they have very little sugar, no gluten and absolutely no dairy! 

Ingredients:

Recipe makes 6 tarts

Chocolate Tart Base

1 cup dates

¾ cup almonds

¼ cup desiccated coconut

3 tbsp cocoa powder

 

Chocolate Ganache

½ cup coconut oil (melted)

⅓ cup coconut milk

¼ cup cocoa powder

1½ tbsp maple syrup

 

Topping

½ cup pomegranate seeds to decorate

Edible flowers (optional)

Directions:

1. For the base, add all ingredients into a food processor and process until the mixture sticks together when pressed between the fingers.

2. Line 6 muffin trays with glad wrap.

3. Spoon 2 tbsp of chocolate tart mixture into each muffin tin and carefully press until a tart casing is formed.

4. Put into the freezer to set. Approximately 30 mins.

5. To make the chocolate ganache, add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.

6. Pull the tart casings out of the freezer and fill each tart with the chocolate ganache.

7. Decorate with pomegranate seeds.

8. Keep the tarts in the tin and chill in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.

9. Add edible flowers (optional).

Note: Chocolate tarts can be kept in the freezer for 1 week. Just thaw out for 30 minutes when you have chocolate cravings!

Children's cupcakes

These cupcakes are gluten free and if you use dairy free butter they can also be dairy free! They come from one of my moms cookbooks by Antoinette Savill. 

Ingredients: 

130g plus 1 tablespoon of margarine 

130g plus 1 tablespoon of caster (superfine) sugar

2 large free range eggs

Generous 3/4 cup of gluten free flour

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence 

2 heaped teaspoons of baking powder (make sure it is gluten free) 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius 

Beat the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy. Fold in the eggs and flour half at a time. Gently fold in the vanilla and baking powder. Divide the mixture evenly and place in cupcake cases or in a greased muffin tray. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack. 

Choose to ice if wanted. 

Chocolate Brownies

Today my sisters and I baked some brownies for my mom and dad, my dad is also gluten-free so we found a delicious recipe in my moms gluten free cook book. These brownies are gluten free and wheat free but unfortunately they do have dairy in them although you can substitute the chocolate and margarine with dairy free ones, you can get delicious dairy free chocolate from the wellness center in Palmyra Junction on main road in Claremont, Cape town, South Africa.  

Ingredients

• 70g margarine
• 100g dark chocolate (I used mint dark chocolate and it gave the brownies a lovely minty taste)
• 3/4 cup of castor sugar
• 2 large eggs - beaten 
• 1/2 cup of rice flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of pure Madagascan vanilla essence (I used normal vanilla extract) 
• 70g of chopped pecan nuts (I forgot to chop them and the recipe turned out fine, although it was a little hard to cut the brownies when nuts kept getting in the way.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 oC. 
2. Grease a 28cm/11 inch rectangular non-stick baking tin with spray and cook or sunflower oil.
3. Melt the margarine and chocolate in a saucepan over a very low heat, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and allow to cool slighty. 
5. Mix in the beaten eggs, then sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in the vanilla extract and the chopped nuts. 
6. Pour the mixture in to the baking tin and bake for 30 minutes. 
7. test with an inserted skewer that it is just cooked through (the skewer should come out clean.) 
8. Cool in the tin and cut into squares

*When you take the brownies out do it with care as they can be quite crumbly.

Spinach and feta pies

My mom makes these at home all the time and they are delicious! Its a really easy recipe and its egg free!

Ingredients:

1. phyllo pastry (cut into squares)
2. feta cheese, crumbled (to taste)
3. orgran no egg - instructions on the box (you can buy this from special health shops or if you are not allergic to egg you can replace it with eggs)
4. cooked spinach (we buy a bag and cook it in the microwave)

5. 1 onion (cooked slowly, finely chopped)
6. A clove of crushed garlic
7. pinch of salt and pepper

Method:

1. Cut the phyllo pastry in squares
2. brush the pastry with butter
3. layer the phyllo pastry in a muffin tin
4. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl. 
5. Spoon the mixture into each pastry.
6. Cook in the oven at 160' C for 10 - 15 minutes

 Enjoy!

 

Ice cream

Today I had to do a school project for science we had to make something that could be preserved so my two partners and I decided to make ice-cream. It is really quick to make and really yummy!

Ingredients:

250ml cream
175ml yoghurt (any flavour)
1 tin of condense milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
(Any extra flavoring you want e.g. Cookies, fruit, chocolate e.t.c)

Method:

1. Whip the cream until it is stiff.
2. Add your condense milk and continue whipping until it is just mixed in.
3. Add your yoghurt and mix in with a wooden spoon.
4. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.
5. Mix
7. Pour into container.
8. Freeze!

Yum yum in my tum!

Egg and Wheat free Florentines

I have just finished making these florentines and they look amazing! I have had a little taste tester and they taste amazing too! I would definitely recommend these for anyone who is not allowed egg or wheat (like me!)

Florentines

• Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sultanas
• 2 cups cornflakes
• 100g slivered almonds
• 100g chopped glace cherries
• 2 tbs mixed peel
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 250g good-quality dark chocolate

• Method

1. Step 1
   Preheat the oven to 170°C. Line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Step 2
   Combine the sultanas, cornflakes, almonds, glace cherries, mixed peel and sweetened condensed milk in a bowl. Place spoonfuls of the mixture on baking trays, leaving enough room between each for biscuits to spread. Bake for 10 minutes until light golden brown, then set aside on a wire rack to cool.
3. Step 3
   Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly then spread over the underside of the florentines. Use a fork to make wiggly lines in the chocolate, then place, chocolate-side up, on a wire rack until set.

Breakfast

I hate eating breakfast, mom says it is the most important meal of the day but I can't find anything nice to eat! Mom says that the best breakfast is porridge with honey or sugar on top. On weekends we have cereal, most of the things have wheat, egg or dairy in them so I have to find something else. I love fried breakfasts! Bacon, Bake beans, Banana, mushrooms, onions and sometime a rice cracker on the side. Another thing I love is Greek yoghurt with honey and maybe some nut granola and fruit. 

Bircher Meusli 

Put some gluten free oats (non cooked) in a bowl and just cover with milk. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and put in the fridge overnight. In the morning add some honey, a pinch of salt and a good drizzle of cream, if you have. Delicious with fruit, Greek yoghurt and nuts.