Baked Pumpkin cheesecake

My Family were keen to have a special pudding for Halloween tomorrow, I decided to have a go at a grain free, lower sugar version of this baked Pumpkin treat. Assisted by my American daughter in law we tasted as we went and think we have come up with a delicious version of Pumpkin cheesecake . Hopefully a reminder of her Halloween celebrations back home in the States.

 

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake 

Base-

150g Pecans

150g Almonds

80g Hazelnuts

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

maple syrup to taste

topping-

1 can Pumpkin puree 425g ( I used Libbys )

4 x 200g cream cheese ( I used lactose free )

5 eggs

8 tbsp Maple syrup ( I used Waitrose organic no 1 medium )

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla essence

 

Method-

Pre heat oven 175c fan

Use food processor to grind almonds, hazelnuts and pecans to a coarse crumb

( You could use ground almonds and break up pecans by putting in a plastic bag and using a rolling pin to smash them if you don’t have a food processor )

I did each type of nut separately

add cinnamon

 

melt butter and measure 4 tbsp into bowl

mix together

 

press into a loose bottomed greased 9 inch cake tin

 

press down and push up at the edges to make a rim

bake in pre heated oven  175c for approximately 10-15 mins

 

cool on side

In a clean mixing bowl add pumpkin puree and cream cheese

mix together

add spices Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg

also add the salt mix well

then add  6 table spoons of maple syrup, taste and check this is sweet enough for you

 

beat eggs together with vanilla essence

add gradually, almost one egg at a time

mix together well.

pour into cake tin

 

pop in the oven for between 1 hr to 1.15 mine took 1hr 15 mins

it should be set but have a little wobble and may start to crack on top

 

cool

and then refrigerate for at least 2 hrs. Over night in the fridge to set completely.

If you can wait that long!

 

 

You can play around with the sweetness and spices to make it perfect for you.

 

Happy Baking!

 

 

 

Nominated for Free From Blogger 2014

I’m thrilled to have been nominated for Best Free From Blogger 2014. I have been shortlisted with 7 other bloggers.

 

If you like what you read and enjoy the free from recipes and reviews. Please vote before the end of today  31st October . Many thanks to you all for your continued support.

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Cherry and Almond cake slices

This easy recipe is completely grain free and dairy free too. Lovely sliced into squares and enjoyed with a cup of tea .

 

Cherry and Almond slices

1 1/2 cups ground almonds

2 free range eggs

1 tsp almond essence

1 cup of halved or quartered glaće cherries  ( I use taste the difference morello cherries from Sainsbury ) or you could possibly try fresh pitted cherries

1/4 cup melted raw coconut oil ( or melted unsalted butter )

2 tbsp maple syrup ( I used Waitrose organic )

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

handful of flaked almonds

Method

Pre heat oven 180c

Put the ground almonds and bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl

 

Add the beaten eggs and melted coconut oil , almond essence and maple syrup

mix together

then add the cherries.

If using glaće cherries wash first and dry and sprinkle with a little ground almonds.

Spoon in to a small square cake tin.

Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top and pop in the oven.

I used an 8×8 square cake tin and lined with baking paper.

This makes thin cake slices, you could use a slightly smaller tin for a deeper slice.

baked very quickly

about 15mins check that it is completely cooked before removing from the oven.

 

I am constantly surprised by the amount of things that can be baked without using grains, Using ground nuts of all kinds is a healthy choice. Especially good for those with a gluten or wheat intolerance, Coeliac disease or Inflammatory Bowel disease.

 

There are now many books on the market about removing All grains from our diet.

Wheat Belly and Wheat belly cookbook by William Davis MD make interesting reading.

Happy Baking!

 

Grain free date and nut bread

Wheat belly cook book  by William Davis MD Author of the best selling Wheat Belly makes for a very interesting read. Included are lots of great recipes.

Today I tried a new recipe for date and nut bread using healthy ingredients like ground almonds, ground flax seeds and chopped pecans.

 

Grain free date and nut bread

In a bowl I added ground almonds, ground flax seeds, chopped pecans etc

and in a separate bowl I mixed eggs , almond milk and melted butter

Then I added the wet into the dry ingredients.

I mixed carefully and spooned the batter into a greased loaf tin.

I baked the loaf for 40 mins.

 

It was tough waiting for it to cool down. It was well worth the wait, it was delicious. Really hard to believe it doesn’t contain any grains or yeast.

more recipes  click  here

follow on Twitter here

and Facebook here

 

 

isabel’s gluten free sponge mix

Recently I purchased a new savarin cake tin obviously the only thing on my mind was to bake myself a cherry cake as soon as possible in the style of Mary Berry on Bake Off.

 

I thought this was a perfect opportunity to try out @isabelsfreefrom sponge cake mix. I bought the mix at the Allergy and Free From show in London  All I needed to add was cherries, butter and sugar ( I used a small amount of dextrose ) You can use a dairy free spread if you have a dairy intolerance.

 

The instructions were simple and the sponge and added cherries were soon in the savarin tin ready for the oven.

 

The mix had a strong vanilla smell when I opened the packet and I did wonder whether the family would like this in the cake. It definitely was a love, hate thing. Some really liked the vanilla flavour while others only tried a small slice commenting on the taste.

I thought the cake had a nice light texture and was very delicious. A real treat ,I found this cherry cake quite sweet as I never normally have icing sugar.

I was pleased with the results of the icing, I think I will make a similar cake at Christmas at it was a lovely centre piece.

 

You can buy isabel’s sponge cake mix from Simply free  <click here sponge mix is currently for £1.99

check out the website here isabelsfreefrom.co.uk

Isabel’s sponge cake mix

 

Lots more mixes available from isabel’s free from including dough balls, pizza mix and baking fix etc from Amazon, Ocado, Simply free

Gluten free Florentines

Inspired by the wonderful Mary Berry I have been trying to perfect a yummy gluten free version of Florentines using just honey to sweeten. The end result is delicious, maybe not quite a traditional Florentine but now probably my favourite biscuit.

 

Florentines

50g butter

100g raw honey

50g gluten free plain flour

50g mixed peel

25g flaked almonds

25g chopped walnuts

25g glace cherries

70% or 85% dark chocolate ( I used Green and Blacks )

Method

prepare 3 baking trays with baking paper

pre heat oven 160c fan

melt together the honey and unsalted butter in a saucepan gently

 

add flour, nuts, cherries and mixed peel

stir thoroughly

 

teaspoon the mixture onto the trays

6 to a tray

 

make sure they are flattened down

bake for 8-10 mins until starting to go golden at the edges

cool on trays

then carefully move to a wire rack using a palette knife

 

gently melt 70% or 85% gluten free dark chocolate

 

using a pastry brush, paint the underside of the florentines with the chocolate

make zig zag patterns on the chocolate using a fork

 

Fabulous anytime, particularly nice at Christmas

Happy Baking!

 

 

 

 

 

Grain free chocolate and cherry cookies

As its #Chocolateweek I made some very yummy chocolate and cherry cookies and thought I would share the recipe, these scrummy cookies are grain and gluten free.

 

Chocolate and Cherry cookies

1/4 cup of raw cacao powder ( I use Bon Pom )

2  3/4 cups of ground almonds

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup melted coconut oil ( I always use lucybeecoconut )

1/2 cup raw honey or maple syrup

1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate , gluten free ( I use green & blacks )

1/2 cup glace cherries, chopped ( you can use up to 1 cup of glace cherries but I am trying to keep low sugar )

Method

pre heat oven 180c

line a couple  baking sheets

Put ground almonds, salt, bicarb, and cacao powder in a bowl

add melted coconut oil and honey

mix well

fold in the chocolate pieces and chopped up cherries

use a tablespoon to spoon mixture on to the baking trays

Bake for 10-15 mins. they start to look dry on top and crack slightly.

watch carefully, mine caught in the final moments!

The second time I made these cookies they took 13 mins with fan oven

still tasted great

leave to cool on the baking trays for 20 mins. they firm up as they cool.

try not to eat them all in one sitting

Happy Baking

 

 

Chocolate Profiteroles for the Great British Bake Off Final tonight

I dont think its possible to watch Bake off without some kind of homemade baked treat!

Tonight I think calls for a tower of gluten free chocolate profiteroles with some sugar shards. Filled with some extra thick double cream and delicious gluten free dark chocolate. I hope Mary and Paul would approve.

 

Recipe

120g unsalted butter

300 ml water

150g gluten free plain flour

4 large free range eggs

gluten free chocolate 70%

extra thick double cream

 

Method

pre heat oven 220c

To make the choux pastry

Put water and butter in a saucepan

Melt butter into the water and allow to start to boil

tip in flour and lower heat, stir / beat pastry vigorously

turn off heat after dough has formed into a ball and contains no visible flour

COOL well !

 

Put in your food processor or mix by hand ( hard work ! )

mix in machine or beat and gradually add the egg

once blended completely together

put in piping bag or use a tablespoon to make profiteroles

use greased baking tray, I used baking paper too

 

I managed to make 17 but wasted a little in the piping bag.

cook at 220c very hot oven for 1o mins

then reduce temperature to 190c for a further 20 mins

 

cool on wire rack

cut through the centre when cold

melt chocolate and dip the tops in to the melted chocolate

 

once the chocolate has cooled and set you can fill the profiteroles

 

I used extra thick double cream

using a pretty plate stack the profiteroles

to make a tower

then I added some sugar shards

All ready for this evenings Great British Bake Off final

Have a great evening! My money is on Richard @RichardPBurr

Good luck to Richard, Nancy and Luis all great bakers

 

 

Review of UGG foods Fruit and seed loaf mix

Today has been chilly and very wet, perfect baking weather! What could be more comforting than a fruit loaf with the added benefit of being gluten free and grain free. Also free from dairy and refined sugar.

 

I found this mix in my local health food shop Food for thought in Guildford . Where they were having a special offer on UGG Food mixes.

 

The loaf is very easy to make UGG FOODS Fruit and Seed loaf

just beat the eggs together and add the 2 tbsp oil. I used melted coconut oil ( I used lucy bee )

 

Then I added to chopped apple and add the mix

 

stirred well and spooned into a prepared large loaf tin

 

 

The hardest bit is having to wait 1hr 20 mins for the loaf to bake.

 

But well worth it! It looks very rustic and topped with low sugar or homemade no refined sugar jam tastes very good. I’ve just devoured three slices.

 

 

I love finding new things to eat grain free. Going to be making this again soon.

click here to find out more > UGG Foods

follow on Twitter @uggfoods

 

My review of Chocolate chia muffins from UGG foods > Click here

 

 

Harvest apple pudding

Last weekend was Apple day at Drove Orchard, a great opportunity to taste and buy lots of varieties of apples grown in Norfolk. It was a beautiful warm day in Thornham . Perfect apple and plum picking weather.

 

I was interested to see the Russian musical theatre Apple ladies of Kolomna’s apple road who were performing during the day in the orchards.

 

 

I thought I would make a quick and easy no bake pudding using local Norfolk apples at their best.

Makes about 4  puddings

Harvest Apple pudding

recipe

crumble-

5 dates, remove stones

200g nuts I used a mix of almonds, hazelnuts and pecans

–

About 5 eating apples ( I used a variety of eating apples from Drove Orchard )

 

Method

Pop the three types of nuts in the food processor. blitz down the nuts then add the dates.

process again until all mixed together

slowly cook down the peeled and chopped apples add a good sprinkle of cinnamon.

once the apple is cooked down, cool in fridge.

Assemble the pudding in small glass tumblers

Firstly a layer of the nut crumble mixture, press down with the back of a teaspoon

then a layer of the apple ( taste to make sure it is sweet enough for you. if not add a little honey)  It should be sweet enough if you used eating apples.

then a second layer of nut crumble

finishing with a apple layer.

chill

I served mine with clotted cream but would also be delicious with coconut yoghurt. I like Co Yo coconut yoghurt Natural flavour. just like cream Mmm.

this would make a lovely breakfast too

click here is a recipe for a gluten free Apple pie using eating apples from Drove orchard

 

Drove Orchard has some lovely little shops on site, well worth visiting Click here to find out more