Yeast free Flatbread

Ingredients
• ¾ cup water, luke warm
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsps baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• Pinch - ½ tsp salt

Method

sift in the flour and baking powder & soda to a large bowl. Add salt and combine.
Add the water.
Combine until the mixture comes together and comes away from the sides of the bowl leaving it 'clean'.
Cut the dough into quarters.
Cover a board/surface with flour and and roll each quarter out to the size of your face. =)
‘Bake’ dry on a medium hot griddle or pan.

THE Best Chocolate Brownie Cake!

WARNING! contains eggs!


Last weekend, I made the best chocolate brownie cake in the history of the world!!!
As it was for my daughter's birthday, I used an old recipe I got from a friend (years ago, when I could eat whatever I wanted) and then tweaked it a bit, (because I can't help myself!). This was the result!

Ingredients
To make a 26x40cm cake.
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
400g butter, melted & cooled
400mls freshly brewed coffee, cooled
750mls/3cups flour
8 Tbsp cocoa, unsweetened
6 tsps vanilla sugar
6 tsps baking powder

For the glaze:
200g chocolate, dark/bitter
100g butter
2-4 Tbsp cocoa
2-4 Tbsp icing sugar

Method

Beat the sugar and eggs together
Sift all dry ingredients together.
Combine the cooled coffee, melted butter and egg/sugar mix.
Gradually add the wet to the dry.
Mix well to combine.
Grease the sides and line the bottom of a baking tray - mine is 26cms x 40cms.
Pour in the mixture and spread out evenly.

Bake at 175^oC for 35 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before adding glaze.

For the glaze:

Gently melt the butter and chocolate together.
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl and slowly stir in the chocolate butter.
Top the cake with the glaze and spread evenly before it sets. If you're using decorative sprinkles, get them on as soon as possible, as the glaze sets quite quickly (depending on the temperate of the room).

It's big!

Recipe Respite

I'm taking a break from baking as I've been ill* for a couple of weeks. It's also baking hot here in Norway at the moment and the last thing I want to do is fire up the oven!

As careful eating plays a crucial part in my well-being (and baking a crucial part in my happiness!) I will continue to research and share delicious recipes in the near future. In the meantime, I'm sure there are enough recipes already posted here to keep you happy for while.

Happy eating! :)

(*The illness I have has been diagnosed as ME - a.k.a, ME/CFS/PVFS [Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome]).

Brownie Bites

For Brownie Bites, follow the recipe for the Brownies, then cut each brownie into 4.

Brownies

Delicious vegan brownies! These are a bit more complicated, but don't let that put you off - it sounds worse than it actually is. And of course they're not strictly vegan - the butter can be substituted for a non-dairy alternative.

Ingredients
2 1/3 cups white flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
½ cup butter, melted
2 ½ tsps baking powder
2 tsps vanilla sugar OR 1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
For the glaze:
50g butter
100g chocolate, dark/bitter
2 Tbsp icing sugar

Method
Grease or line a 25cm square tin*.
Into a small saucepan add the water (1 cup). Over a medium heat, gradually sift in 1/3 cup of flour, whisking continually, until it becomes a thick paste.
Transfer to a large glass or metal mixing bowl and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, put the melted butter/fat into a small bowl and sift in the cocoa. Add this mixture to the cooled flour & water paste. Stir in the sugar and vanilla.
Stir well to comine then sift in the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
Mix well to combine.
Spread into the prepare tin and bake at 175oC for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin, then turn out.
For the glaze:

Gently melt the butter and chocolate together.
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and slowly stir in the chocolate butter (to avoid lumps!).
Top the brownies with the chocolate glaze and spread evenly before it sets.

Allow the glaze to set completely before cutting into squares. To cut, wet a sharp, long blade knife (I use a bread knife) with hot water and press down and drag out, don't saw!


Makes 16.

*I've spent a small fortune, in terms of time, looking for a brownie baking tin. In the meantime, I've been using my iron grill pan with the handle removed!

Banana Cake

Ingredients
Dry:
2 cups flour
1 cup oats
1/3 cup sugar
3tsps vanilla sugar
2tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
Pinch salt (optional)
'Wet':
2 overripe bananas, mashed to a paste or pureéd*
1 overripe banana, mashed roughly*
100g butter, melted
½ cup water
1Tbsp cider vinegar

Method
Heat the oven to 200oC.
Combine all dry ingredients.
Add all 'wet' ingredients.
Mix well to combine.
Bake in a greased, 18-20cm round cake tin (or loaf tin) for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
If the top starts to get too dark before the middle is set, cover with a sheet of baking paper.

The picture shows mine dusted with icing sugar, but it's really not necessary - it's quite sweet enough!

*This is really a matter of choice. You can mash them all to a medium consistency, but don't be tempted to pureé all 3, or the dough will be too wet.

All Butter Thins

Thin, crisp, buttery biscuits.

Ingredients
1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
125g butter, softened
½ tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp syrup

Method
Heat the oven to 180oC.
Cream together the sugar and butter.
Add the remaining ingredients and work into a firm dough.
Either roll into a sausage and cut off rounds, or roll out flat to 5mm and cut into squares or with cookie cutters.
Place onto a baking sheet 2cms apart.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling tray.

For biscuits with less ‘crisp’ and a bit of ‘chew’, remove from the oven as soon as the surface starts to bubble (after 10-12 minutes).