Triple Chocolate Brownies

Unbelievably quick and easy brownies! And mouth-watering too! I thought nothing can beat the low-fat brownie with beetroot, but this is a serious contender... A bit sticky, but deliciously chocolatey. And no eggs needed.

Ingredients

240 g apple puree (I used baby food from a jar)

60 g cocoa powder

125 g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100 g caster sugar

75 g plain chocolate

75 g white chocolate

50 g pecans

icing sugar, to dust

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C, line a 20x20cm baking tin with baking paper and set aside.

2. Pour apple puree into a mixing bowl then sift in the cocoa, flour and bicarbonate of soda. Add the sugar and 2 tbsp of water, then mix until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped chocolate and pecans. 

3. Transfer the mixture to the tin, then bake for 25-30 min until the centre feels set but a little fudgy.

4. Cool in the tin for 5 min, then turn out on to a wire rack. When completely cool, slice into squares and dust with icing sugar.

Recipe sourced from Healthy Food Guide, November 2012, p. 65

Courgette Bread

 

Yet another episode from the "Courgette" series. Lovely texture: soft and light with an extra crunch thanks to the nuts/seeds. It's more of a cake than bread, tough... Still, amazing with a morning coffee or afternoon tea...

(Recipe found in a book by Michael McCamley Gluten-free Baking. Just as delicious - just as easy) 

Ingredients (2 loaves)

butter, for greasing

380 g gluten-free plain flour (I used buckwheat flour)

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp gluten-free bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp cinnamon

225 g caster sugar

3 eggs

240 ml vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla essence

115 g walnuts, roughly chopped (I used sunflower seeds)

220 g courgettes, finely grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160 C. Grease two loaf tins and line with baking paper.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, bicarbonate of soda and spices together into a large bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla essence until creamy consistency forms. Add the flour mixture, walnuts, and courgettes to the bowl and fold in to make a smooth batter.

4. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes until firm to the touch.

5. Leave to cool in the tins for approximately 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Let the bread rest on the rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Lemony Polenta Cake (Gluten-free)

Incredibly light and very lemony cake, perfect with a cup of tea. Quick and easy, too. Recipe from the book Gluten-free cooking by Lyndel Costain and Joanna Farrow

Ingredients

175 g unsalted butter, softened
250 g golden caster sugar
125 g ground almonds
2 eggs
finely grated rind and juice of 3 lemons
75 g polenta flour
50 g gluten-free plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons flaked almonds


Instructions

1. Grease and line a 15 cm spring-form tin with baking paper. Beat together the butter and 175 g of the sugar until pale and creamy. Mix in the almonds, eggs, and rind and juice of 1 lemon. Mix well.

2. Add the flours and baking powder, and stir in gently until combined. Turn into the tin, level the surface and sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Bake in the preheated oven, 180 C, for about 30 minutes until risen and just firm.

3. Meanwhile, put the remaining lemon rind and juice in a small pan with the remaining sugar and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Spoon over the cake and serve.

Low-fat Carrot and Almond Loaf

Ingredients

100 g low-fat spread
100 g soft brown sugar
2 eggs
125 g wholemeal flour
40 plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground mixed spice (I used a mixture of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves)
2 tbsp low-fat yoghurt
140 g unsweetened apple sauce
75 g carrot, coarsely grated
60 g flaked almonds (or chopped ones)


Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a loaf tin with non-stick baking paper.

2. In a bowl, beat the spread and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add the egg mixture and mix until well combined, then fold in the remaining ingredients.

4. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40-50 minutes until springy to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe from Healthy Food Guide, but modified a little bit.

Low-fat Chocolate Brownie

This is seriously scrumptious little brownie. I never considered myself a big fan of chocolate cakes or brownies (I like them, but they're not on the top of my list of favourites), but this one... I think I'll have to revise the chart... So soft and tender, with this crusty top... And can be frozen for later (if you resist the temptation to finish it off...)

Ingredients

• 100g cooked beetroot, grated

• 175g plain chocolate, roughly chopped

• 4 eggs, beaten

• 300g dark brown sugar (could be a little less, unless you're a sweet tooth)

• 150g plain flour, sieved

• 50g mini marshmallows (optional)

Instructions
 
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Line a 23cm square tin with baking parchment.
3. Melt the chocolate:

• Break chocolate and place into a heatproof bowl.

• Sit over a pan of barely simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally.

• Set aside to cool down slightly.

4. Beat eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes or until foamy.
5. Combine melted chocolate and grated beetroot.
6. Fold in the chocolate mixture and flour with a spoon. Do not overmix. Spoon into tin.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until the brownies are cooked through.
8. Scatter with marshmallows, and cook for 2 minutes. Leave to cool. Cut into 16 squares and serve.

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

The recipe adapted from The nutrition guru and the chef. Nice and moist. To make it gluten-free, I used coconut flour instead of plain white. It also adds extra coco-nutty flavour. I topped with cream cheese mixed with icing sugar and vanilla essence.

Ingredients

• 85 grams Dark Chocolate
• 3 medium Eggs
• 300 grams brown sugar
• 200 ml Olive Oil
• 300 grams Cooked Beetroots (you can buy already cooked, vacuum packed beetroot in any supermarket), puréed
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (or 1tbsp vanilla essence)
• 30 grams Cocoa Powder
• 200 grams coconut flour (or plain flour)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (or gluten free baking powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C

2. Blend or mash the beetroot until slightly smooth but still some ‘chunks’ remaining.

3. Melt the chocolate (85grams) over a double boiler

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil.

4. Slowly add the cooked beet purée, the melted chocolate and vanilla into the egg mixture.

5. Beat just until combined. Don’t overdo it.

6. Sift the cocoa. Add this and the almond meal (or plain flour), baking soda and salt to the beet batter.

7. Fold just until everything is combined. Don’t over mix the batter.

8. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin. 

9. Bake for approximately 50 minutes.  

10. Remove from oven and leave to cool in the pan.