Scrumptious Sweets Archives - Feast of Plants

Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:00:04 +0000

I do like a good muffin. They remain one of my few really positive memories from school dinners as my high school sold great bakery style muffins. Massive, the size of my hand with crisp, crunchy tops, they have been my model for all my muffin attempts since. These gluten free muffins are delightfully fully and moist. Perfectly risen with a crunchy top and a delicious lemon curd filling. I promised you in my last post I’d show you my favourite thing to do with my lemon curd and this is it! Bright and zesty with the crunch of poppy seeds. Makes: 12 Muffins Ingredients For the Muffins: 300g Sugar 3 Lemons, zested 210g Butter 90g Ground Almonds 345g Gluten Free Flour* 70g Chickpea Flour 1.5 Tbsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Salt 145g Plant Based Yoghurt 60ml Lemon Juice 240ml Plant Based Milk 3 Tbsp Poppy Seeds For the Topping: Poppy Seeds Demerara Sugar Vegan Lemon Curd Directions Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (180 Fan/ 400 F) and prepare your muffin tin by spraying the top with oil and lining with paper liners. Stir together the milk, yoghurt and lemon juice, put to one side before mixing together the flours. salt, and powder in a separate bowl. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the butter into the sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and mix well. Pour in the wet ingredients and poppy seeds and stir until only just combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners right to the top. Coat each muffin with a generous layer of demerara sugar and a light sprinkle of poppy seeds before placing into the oven and baking for 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place into a cooling rack. Before they can cool, quickly cut a small slit in the top, about halfway down and pipe in a generous serving of lemon curd. Allow to cool for 2 – 3 minutes and enjoy while still warm. Notes If you don’t have any lemon curd then I’d strongly suggest adding 1/2 tsp of lemon oil to the mix. Without the lemon curd these won’t be as flavourful so the lemon oil is needed. *if your gluten free flour mix doesn’t contain xanthan gun then add 1 tsp with the flour mix. Allergy Notes; This recipe is gluten free, vegan and soy free. If nuts are an issue then you can substitute in the same weight of gluten free flour but the muffins won’t be quite as moist.

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Peach Caramel Rice Pudding (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 17:00:22 +0000

It’s the weekend and we all need a little bit of a reward for making it through another week in lockdown. This is the perfect compliment to those few occasions when I want to finish dinner with something a little sweet. I don’t often make dessert so on these days I’ll turn towards rice pudding as a quick solution. Pulled together in the instant pot rather than the oven, this is the modernised version of the rice pudding I grew up on that takes so much less time. I watched my mother throwing rice pudding in the oven in a fairly regular basis, it’s one of those dishes she always had memorised for an easy dessert but it was never quick. Normally baked in the oven, a traditional rice pudding can take up to 2 hours. In the pressure cooked it only take 5 minutes – 25 minutes if you count the time to come up and down to pressure. Topped of a with a quick and tasty peach caramel sauce this a quick and easy dessert you can whip together while clearing up after dinner. Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients For the Rice Pudding: 200g Pudding Rice (risotto rice works well too) 750ml Coconut Milk (tinned) 250ml Water 100g Sugar 1 Cinnamon Stick 1 tsp Vanilla Essence 1 Tbsp Vegan Butter For the Peach Caramel Sauce: 2 Peaches, pitted & sliced 70g Vegan Butter 70g Brown Sugar 1/4 cup Chopped Hazelnuts 2 Tbsp Mint, chopped Directions Seriously, this is one the easiest things you’ll make for a while. Put the butter to one side and place the other rice pudding ingredients into the instant pot and stir well. Seal, and cook on high for 5 minutes. When cooked, wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure. While the rice pudding cooks, whip up the peach caramel. Place the butter and sugar into a small pan and cook on a low heat until the butter melts. Add in the hazelnuts and toast for 2 minutes before adding the peaches. Cook, stirring very rarely, for 10 minutes or until a caramel forms, and the peaches have started to brown. Turn off the heat and stir through the mint. When the rice pudding is cooked and the lid has been removed, add the butter and stir until well combined. Taste and add more sugar as need before serving, topped with a generous heap of the peach and caramel. Enjoy! Notes Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free and soy free. If nuts are an allergen for you then skip the hazelnuts and add a dash of cinnamon instead for an equally delicious sauce.

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Tropical Carrot Cake (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:25:00 +0000

Just before the first lockdown was announced last year, we decided to try a free trail of a veg box. We had no idea the lockdown was coming but it turned out to be one of the better decisions we’ve made. I’ve loved the seasonal veg, plus the security of knowing that we don’t have to fight through a busy supermarket to get fresh food at the moment is always welcome. BUT the side effect at winter can be a lot of the same vegetables (I might be running out of ideas for beetroot at this stage…). We had a pile up of carrots this week and I just knew carrot cake would be the perfect solution. While standard carrot cake is good, I like to take mine up a notch with a little tropical twist. Using crushed pineapple, a touch of coconut, along with grapefruit zest brings a totally fresh take to this old fashioned classic. I’ve topped this off with it’s favourite partner – cream cheese icing. This is a vegan icing but lets be honest, the recipe isn’t that different from the standard cream cheese icing – just use your favourite vegan cream cheese. So if you have a favourite cream cheese icing that you prefer, use it! The steps are exactly the same. Hope this brightens your weekend, let me know if you enjoy this recipe as much as we did! Makes: Two 8inch round cakes with icing Ingredients For the Carrot Cake: 225g Gluten Free Flour* 230g Brown Sugar 70g Chickpea Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Bicarbonate Soda 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Ginger 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Zest from 1/2 a Grapefruit 80g Crushed Pineapple** 180ml Almond Milk 290g Carrots, grated 75g Walnuts, roughly chopped 50g Desiccated Coconut For the Vegan Cream Cheese Icing: 215g Vegan Cream Cheese 60g Vegan Block butter, room temperature) 60g Vegetable Shortening 550g Icing Sugar, sifted 3 tsp Lemon Juice 2 tsp Vanilla essence Plant Based milk, as needed Directions Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (160 Fan/350 F). Grease two 8 inch, loose-bottomed round cake tins and line the bases with baking paper. Toss the walnuts with a tablespoon or so of the flour before mixing the cake. Shift the flours, raising agents, and spices into a large bowl. Add in the sugar and grapefruit zest and stir, making sure there are no lumps in the sugar. Add in the milk, oil, and pineapple and beat until fully combined. Finally, fold in the carrot, walnuts, and coconut until everything is evenly mixed. Pour into the prepares tins and smooth over. Bake for between 45 minute to an hour, or skewer comes out clean and the cake has pulled away from the sides. Move to a cooling rack and allow the cakes to cool completely before icing. While the cake cools, mix together the icing. Beat together the cream cheese, shortening, butter, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the icing sugar gradually, until fluffy and no longer gritty. If the icing is a little thick for your plans then add a little almond milk, nor more than a tablespoon at a time, until your preferred texture is reached. Store in the fridge till needed. Spread half the icing in between cake layers and top with the extra icing. I also like to decorate my cake with toasted coconut chips and chopped walnuts but it works equally well with just the icing. Cut into slices, serve and enjoy! Notes * Check your gluten free flour blend – if xanthan gum has not been included then add 1/4 tsp. ** If you can’t find crushed pineapple, or would rather make your own, then simply put an equal amount of chopped pineapple into a food processor and blend – easy! Allergy Notes; This cake is vegan, gluten free, and soy free. If nuts are an allergen for you then just skip the walnuts – it’ll work just as well!

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Sticky Toffee Pudding (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 15:30:39 +0000

I must admit I don’t bake as much as I used to. Kenny doesn’t quite share my weakness for desserts and a lot of vegan desserts tend to centre around chocolate which I don’t eat. I never was much of a traditional cake person, to the point where we didn’t even have a standard wedding cake and most of my baking used to be done for other people, but I miss proper puddings. For those of you that aren’t British, by pudding I mean a hot, cooked dessert, something that should be smothered in custard and is both entirely comforting and indulgent. The calorie count on these things is off the charts so you feel slightly naughty eating them but they’re so tasty and reassuring, who cares about calories? Honestly, ice cream has nothing on these things when you’re having a bad day. So, in response I made my vegan, gluten free, sticky toffee pudding – without dates because my dad hates them and its hard enough to get him to eat plant based food as it it is. The basic sponge was amazingly tasty, fluffy and probably the easiest recipe I’ve done in some time with friends and family coming back for more but the toffee sauce has taken me much longer. Creating a sauce that tastes the same as a non-vegan version, is just as thick and satisfying, and can still be reheated in case of left overs took a little bit of work but the answer came in the form of a now pantry staple – cashews! (I’m so sorry to anyone with a nut allergy!). This gave the same texture as using double cream but I’ve found it’s much more stable and less vulnerable than dairy to burning. Give it a try and let me know what you think! Serves: 4 hungry people (or 6 with a little restraint) Ingredients For the Pudding: 100g Vegan Butter 175g Brown Sugar 200g Gluten Free Flour* 25g Chickpea Flour 1 Chia Egg** 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda 3 tbsp Black Treacle 340ml Oat Milk For the Toffee Sauce: 160g Cashews 275ml Water 100g Butter 125g Light Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp Black Treacle 1 tsp Vanilla Essence Directions Soak the cashews overnight in the water. When soft, blend to smooth cream. Put to one side till you start to pull together the sauce. Preheat the oven to 180 C (160 C Fan/350 F) and grease your baking dish, I prefer to use a nice square casserole dish that has a good 1.5 litre capacity. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the sugar, butter, treacle and chia egg until well combined, scraping the bowl to ensure no butter is left behind. Whisk together your dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Beating continually, add the milk and dry ingredients to the batter a little at a time, alternating wet for dry, only adding the next spoon full when the last is mixed in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix until well combined. Pour into the prepared dish and bake for about an hour, it should be well risen, springy but still ever so slightly sticky in the middle. While the pudding is baking you can take the time to whip up your sauce. Pour all the sauce ingredients, including the cashew cream, in to a small pan. Place on a low to medium heat and stir continually until the sugar has completely dissolved and the butter has melted. Bring to a boil, stir for a moment or two, allowing the sauce to heat through and the sugar to caramelise slightly before turning off the heat. Take a chopstick and poke a few holes in the freshly baked pudding. Pour over halve the sauce and allow to soak in for 5-10 minutes before serving with extra sauce on the side. This works well served with some vanilla ice cream or just with the toffee sauce, either way its the perfect way to end a meal. Notes * Check your gluten free flour blend – if it doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum then I recommend you add some for this recipe but be careful, you should only need 1/4 tsp here ** Chia Eggs are an egg substitute – 1 chia egg can be made by mixing 1 tbsp of ground chia seeds (measure after grinding) in 3 tbsp of water and leaving to stand for at least 10-15 mins to allow the moisture to be absorbed. You’ll be left with a grey, jelly like substance which works very well in baking Allergy Notes; This is gluten free and vegan – if nuts are an allergen for you then try substituting a soy based cream for the cashew cream.

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Easy Vegan Custard (Vegan, GF, NF)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:00:57 +0000

Custard is an essential partner to most English desserts. An ideal companion to an apple pie, treacle pudding, or a tasty crumble Traditionally made with cream and eggs yolks … lots of egg yolks, so its really not vegan. But I have good news! It’s shockingly easy to whip up a vegan custard. In less time than it would take if you were using traditional ingredients and significantly easier. The secret to converting a recipe to plant based ingredients is thinking about why the animal based ingredients have been included. When making custard, egg yolks are used to thicken the mix. They also lend a lovely yellow tone which is key in a good custard. I’ve replaced both with easily found vegan alternatives, I hope you enjoy this as much as we do! Makes: 500ml Custard Ingredients Small Pinch Saffron* 400ml Plant Based Milk (oat milk is my favourite) 200ml Water 3 Tbsp Cornflour 3 Tbsp Golden Caster Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla Extract Directions Place a small pan over a low heat and add the saffron threads. Toast lightly, stirring occasionally until the threads darken. Now add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until well combined. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a very gentle simmer, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the custard thickens to the thickness of single cream and clings to the back of a wooden spoon. If you prefer your custard thicker then feel free to keep cooking until you’re happy with it but remember it will continue to thicken for a few minutes once it’s been removed from the heat so do account for that. Serve with your next dessert, the perfect accompaniment to your next winter feast! Notes *Don’t overdo the saffron, a small pinch should give a delightful golden glow and a indefinable richness to the custard but too much will bring over whelming flavours. I’ve never been good with exact measurements with saffron – the threads wind together and are so light it’s often easier to use your fingers than try to get an exact measurement with a spoon. Allergy Notes; The custard is vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free. Let me know if you have any issues with allergens with this recipe and I’ll suggest some substitutions.

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Toffee Apple Cookies (Vegan, GF)

Feast of Plants — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 14:00:43 +0000

As someone who doesn’t eat chocolate, I’m always on the lookout for sweet snacks that fill a similar hole. So heading into October I felt inspired by autumn weather to make autumn cookies. Stuffed with apples with chunks of toffee, and paired with warming spices. Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, they warm the soul and make for the perfect autumn cookie. Makes: 8-10 Cookies Ingredients For the Cookies: 1/4 cup Dried Apple Pieces* 300ml Strong Tea 225g Gluten Free Flour 1/4 tsp Xanthan Gum (only if your blend doesn’t already include it) 14g Cornstarch 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate Soda 3/4 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Salt 120g Sugar 140g Light Brown Sugar 140g Vegan Butter, room temperature 1 Chia Egg** 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 150g Vegan Chewy Toffees, chopped For the Sugar Coating: 2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar 2 tsp Cinnamon Directions Place your apple pieces in a small bowl with the strong tea to soak until soft, about 15 minutes, before draining well. Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine, making sure to break up any clumps in the brown sugar. Now add in the butter, chia egg, and vanilla, mix well until fully combined into a very thick dough. The dough is very stiff so I tend to use a stand mixer but it will work equally well if mixed by hand. Finally, add in the toffee pieces along with the apple chunks and mix until evenly combined with the dough. Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and place in the fridge for at least 24 hours to allow it to firm. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 160 degrees (325 F), and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the sugar coating and place to one side on a plate. Divide the dough into even balls, between 50g to 60g in size each. Toss each ball of dough in the spiced sugar before placing on the prepared baking sheet. Well space each ball of dough as they will expand. Bake until a deep golden brown, with a tender centre, 30 – 40 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before tasting or until fully set, molten toffee isn’t fun. Enjoy with a tasty hot drink while snuggling up in front of a fire. Notes * I buy dried apple chunks that are already trimmed into small cubes. If your pieces are larger than chop into small pieces before soaking. ** If you’re not familiar with the process to make a chia egg it’s really very simple and makes a great binder. Mix together 1 Tbsp of ground Chia Seeds with 3 Tbsp of water and set to one side for at least 10 minutes. This should make a thick sticky paste, very similar in texture to a beaten egg. Allergy Notes: This recipe is designed to be vegan, gluten free, soy free, and nut free.

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Mum’s Meltaway Lemon Cookies (Kitchen Basics)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 12:00:06 +0000

My mother is one of those women who seems to have endless energy. Even with all the demands on her time she still finds time to bake, making sure she always has a few treats in the house for any unexpected visitors. These wonderful cookies started life in mum’s collection as shortbread before she had a bit of a fiddle with it. It’s one of those few recipes that’s designed to work best with gluten free flour – it’s meant to be a little crumbly. If you want to use normal flour you can but to get the same texture will actually be a lot harder, and that’s not what this recipe is about. This recipe is about being able to pull together delicious, allergy safe, cookies in less than 20 minutes. So we’re adding this to our collection of kitchen basics, even if you’re new to cooking you won’t struggle with these. They’re made with gluten free flour so they can’t be over worked. Don’t have patience to rub in the butter? It’s fine, they work equally well in a food processor. My mum has always believed that anyone can cook and these cookies prove it. Makes: 20 Cookies Ingredients 250g Gluten Free Flour* 150g Vegan Block Butter 90g Caster Sugar, plus more for sprinkling 2 Lemons, zest only Pinch of salt Directions Preheat oven to 185 Degrees (175 Fan/365 F). Rub together the flour, butter and zest until well mixed and resembling bread crumbs. Add the salt and sugar and mix before forming into a cylinder. Remember we’re using gluten free flour so you don’t need to worry about over working the dough, just push it together. Cut into 1cm rounds and place onto a baking tray that’s been prepared with grease proof paper. Dredge with extra sugar before baking for 10-15 minutes. Cool well before eating (seriously, these aren’t made to be eaten warm) and enjoy! Notes These should keep well in an air tight container for a week or so. *Oddly enough for gluten free flour, make sure your blend doesn’t contain any xanthan gum. The cookies will come out stodgy if it does. Allergy Notes; This recipe should be naturally vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free.

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Strawberry and Rhubarb Galette Surprise (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 12:00:40 +0000

Strawberries are the classic summer fruit. If you’re not feeling the basic strawberries and cream then I’d humbly suggest this. It’s surprisingly little work and I’d humbly submit that it’s probably one of the tastiest desserts I’ve ever made. Strawberries and rhubarb are a classic combination, sweet and sour but if you’re serving this to an unadventurous eater than I’d suggest not mentioning what else is in here till they start begging for the recipe- they might find it a little odd! You know what pairs even better with strawberries than Rhubarb? Balsamic vinegar, black pepper and basil. Used sparingly, these unexpected ingredients boost a simple bowl of strawberries to the next level. Used in this pie, they make for the surprise element. They won’t shout their presence but what you will get is an unbelievably intense strawberry flavour. Galettes are the perfect choice for gluten free pasty. It’s very delicate and tears easily so I roll it out on the silpat sheet (you can use baking paper if you prefer) it’s going to be baked on. that way it moves very little. What’s more, if you’re not a confidant pie maker it won’t matter here. Galettes are meant to be rustic, not perfect. Every galette, no matter who makes it, will likely leak so don’t worry about it. Just enjoy a really tasty pie that you made from scratch. Makes: Serves 6-8 Ingredients For the Gluten Free Pastry: 112g Gluten Free Flour 1/8 tsp Xanthan Gum (only if your GF Flour mix doesn’t already contain it) 14g Coconut Milk Powder 14g Cornstarch 35g Buckwheat Flour 3 Tbsp Sugar 115g Vegan Butter, cold (you need a hard, block butter for making pastry) 1 tsp Salt Ice Water (up to 60ml) 1 Tbsp Aquafaba (optional but does help avoid a soggy bottom) Plant Based Milk for brushing For the Filling: 300g Strawberries 500g Rhubarb 3 Tbsp Cornstarch 70g Brown Sugar 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper Sugar for sprinkling 3-4 Basil leaves, ripped Directions I make my pastry in the food processor. It’s quicker, easier, and just a whole lot less work than doing it by hand – I know Paul Hollywood would probably tell me off but never mind. In the bowl of the food processor, mix together the dry ingredients to the pastry. Add the butter and mix until it starts to resemble breadcrumbs. Now add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until the pastry starts to come together. Only add enough water to form the dough and no more, you likely won’t need more than a few tablespoons. Turn off the processor and gather the dough into a smooth ball before wrapping in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least a few hours. Dust the silpat or baking paper you’ll be baking on with a little flour, top with the dough and dust with a little more flour. Roll out the dough into a rough circle, about 0.5cm thick. Move the dough frequently and sprinkle with flour if it starts to stick. Lightly beat the aquafaba until foamy then brush all over the top of your pastry and place into the fridge for about 15 minutes or until firm. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (180 Fan/400 F). Hull the strawberries and cut in half if needed, try to make them all about the same size. Top and tail the rhubarb before cutting into small chunks*. In a non metallic bowl mix together all the filling ingredients apart from the basil and sprinkling sugar. Toss gently to make sure the strawberries don’t bruise. Mound the filling in the centre of the chilled pastry dough leaving a wide border around the edges. Folder the border up and over the filling, overlapping as you go. Brush the exposed edges of the pastry with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Place straight into the hot oven and bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until the crust is deeply brown and the filling starts to bubble. As soon as it comes out of the oven, top with the ripped up basil leaves. Th heat will slightly wilt them. Allow to cool ever so slightly before serving. Serve with your favourite vegan ice cream – enjoy! Notes *There are two main types of rhubarb. Forced, which tends to be bright pink and is in season between Christmas and Easter. Maincrop Rhubarb tends to be greener on the inside with a red exterior. It’s in season between April and September. If you’re working with maincrop rhubarb then you may want to peel it as the outside can be stringy. Strip the outside with a small, sharp knife before cutting into chunks. Allergy Notes; This recipe is vegan, gluten free, soy free, and nut free. If you encounter any allergy issues with this recipe then let me know the allergen you have an issue with and I’ll suggest substitutions.

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Banana and Apple Muffins with Crunchy Cinnamon Top (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 12:00:26 +0000

I cannibalised my go to banana bread recipe for these muffins and it was totally worth it. I’ve never had a particularly strong sweet tooth but there are some days when I wake up and want something sweet to start my day. Complicated baking just isn’t an option first thing in the morning for me, I’m not a morning person so complex tasks really aren’t advised. I am however, perfectly capable of throwing a pile of ingredients into the mixer, then into the oven with very little fuss. By the time I’ve finished in my shower and woken up a little, delicious smells will be wafting from the kitchen. I know this isn’t the healthiest breakfast choice but they’ve got oats in them, that means they’ve got to be healthy right? Technically, the crunch topping is entirely optional. The muffins will still be tasty if you decide against it but I’d strongly suggest you don’t skip it. The contrasting texture this adds is really quite tasty and it doesn’t take long to prepare. Believe me, if I can do it first thing in the morning, you can do it anytime! Enjoy it and let me know what you think! Makes: 12 Muffins Ingredients For the Muffin: 300g Mashed Ripe Bananas (roughly 3 bananas) 100ml Rapeseed Oil (Canola Oil for our american visitors) 3 Tbsp Plant Based Milk 250g Brown Sugar 120g Sorghum Flour* 60g Tapioca Starch 1 Tbsp Oat Bran 1 Tbsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Baking Soda 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum 1/2 tsp Salt 2 tsp Vanilla Extract 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon 1/2 tsp Nutmeg 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger 3 Small Apples, Peeled & Diced Flour for dusting For the Cinnamon Crunch Topping: 5 Tbsp Gluten Free Flour 1 Tbsp Rolled Oats 1/2 Tbsp Cinnamon 3 Tbsp Brown Sugar 30g Vegan Butter Directions Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan/400F). Prepare a muffin tin with liners and set to one side – with no eggs and only chemical leaveners in this recipe you need to be ready to get this into the oven as quickly as possible. To make the crumb topping, rub all the ingredients together till well mixed and you have lots of little lumps. Put to one side. Place all the muffin ingredients together in a bowl and beat until only just combined. Liberally toss your diced apples with flour. When completed coated, lightly fold into the muffin mix. Scoop the muffin mix into your prepared tin, making sure each liner is no more than half full. Finally top each muffin with the crunch topping, making sure to distribute evenly between each one. Place into the oven and bake between 45 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with no more than a few crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy! Notes This an incredibly easy recipe. If your bananas are ripe enough you can use the mixer the mash them, just put them in the bowl and allow to beaters to beat the bananas into submission. *This is one of the flours I always have to hand as it’s a key part of the Gluten Free Flour mix I make. If you don’t have any you can substitute brown rice flour. In a pinch you can also try taking out both the sorghum flour and the tapioca starch and substituting 180g of a store bought gluten free flour mix. It won’t give you the same texture but it’ll do in a pinch. Allergy Notes; This recipe is very allergy friendly as it’s gluten free, vegan, nut free, and soy free.

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Traditional English Scones (Vegan & Gluten Free!)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 12:00:03 +0000

Scones are the centrepiece of the classic English cream tea. Crumbly and just a little sweet, they’re the perfect pairing to jam and even some clotted cream. While the cream is out of the picture for me, these scones are a delight. We last had these as a part of our anniversary celebration. While we couldn’t celebrate outside the house, we made it special by throwing our own afternoon tea. Including some delightful sandwiches, some of my vegan coffee and walnut cake, and starring these scones with jam, it made for wonderful high point to the day. This recipe is so easy, a small child can make this with ease, so perfect for a summer in lockdown to help entertain the kids. But as with all simple recipes the trick to making your perfect scone is to pay attention to the details; Make sure your butter is cold Make sure the plant based milk you use here has a high fat content to produce tender scones. I like to use either coconut milk or a 50:50 blend of coconut milk and almond milk. Handle your dough as little as possible- you don’t even need a rolling pin, just push it into the shape you need. Make sure your dough is nice and thick when you go to cut out the scones. Because this is both gluten free and vegan, the dough needs a thick start to get a good rise. These scones are also incredibly easy to adapt to what you’re craving right now. Want a savoury scone?Just drop the sugar content to about 25g and add in 150g of your favourite vegan cheese and a tablespoon of fresh chives. Want a fruity scone? Simple! Just add a handful of raisins or even frozen fruit, both work so well! I’ve covered additions like this in the recipe notes so you can do what suits you. Makes: 10-12 Scones Ingredients 490g Gluten Free Flour (with extra for dusting) 2 tsp Xantham Gum* 70g Cornflour 4 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Salt 80g Sugar 140g Vegan Butter, cold 360g Plant Based Milk** (with a touch extra for brushing) 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice Directions Mix the milk and lemon juice together and put to one side. Preheat the oven to 200C (180C), if you know your oven runs a little hot then make sure you adjust accordingly. Mix together your dry ingredients, making sure everything is well combined with no lumps. Cut up the butter into small chunks and rub into the dry ingredients until it loosely resembles breadcrumbs. Now mix in the milk until just combined and you get a slightly sticky dough. Lightly dust your kitchen counter with flour and place the dough on top. Handle your dough as little as possible here but you want to lightly press it down with your hands to about an inch thick. Cut out your scones and place on a tray, brush the tops with a little milk, and bake in the oven for about 20 mins or until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Wasn’t that easy? Serve warm with jam and a pot of tea. Notes As mentioned above it’s really very easy to adapt these to suit your mood. If making any additions like fruit or cheese then these should be added just after the butter and lightly tossed through the mix. If you’re adding cheese then reduce the sugar to 25g, add 200g of your favourite, strong vegan cheese with a tablespoon of fresh, chopped chives. If you want to add fruit then add a few handfuls of raisins or frozen berries for something different. Don’t use fresh berries as the water content is too high but frozen berries work really very well as long as they’re still frozen when the scones go in the oven. * Check your gluten free flour – if it automatically contains xantham gum then skip this. ** As mentioned above, you want a high fat plant based milk. If you have it, a 50:50 mix of coconut milk to almond milk works really very well. Allergy Notes; This recipe is another one thats gluten free, vegan, nut free, and soy free (provided you use a soy free milk)!

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