Salted maple-almond balls
Some people might call these bliss or energy balls – we call them can’t-stop-at-one delicious. These little bites of goodness, with a good whack of salt cutting through the sweetness, make the perfect lunchbox snack or after-dinner treat. We’ve rolled ours in extra coconut, but they could also be dusted in raw cacao to make them look like truffles.
Prep time 15 mins, cook 3 mins
Makes about 25
125 ml ( 1/ cup) maple syrup
2
40 gm coconut oil
250 gm almonds
100 gm moist coconut flakes or shredded coconut, plus extra for rolling
130 gm pitted dates, coarsely chopped 20 gm roasted sesame seeds
20 gm cacao nibs
1 tsp vanilla bean extract
Finely grated rind and juice of ½ orange
1 Simmer maple syrup in a saucepan over medium-high heat until caramelised (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in coconut oil.
2 Process almonds and coconut in a food processor until finely chopped but not so much that they lose their texture. Add dates and process to combine. Transfer to a bowl, add sesame seeds, cacao nibs, vanilla, orange rind and juice, maple mixture and 1½ tsp sea salt flakes, and mix with your hands to combine well. Roll into walnut-sized balls, then roll in extra coconut. They’ll keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a month.
Chocolate-peanut butter popcorn bars
Popcorn, peanut butter and bitter chocolate combine in this no-bake, salty-sweet treat that’s greater than the sum of its parts. It will keep for up to a week in the fridge, but odds are that it won’t last that long.
Prep time 15 mins, cook 5 mins (plus cooling, setting)
Makes about 12 (pictured p106)
60 gm coconut oil
60 gm popping corn
230 gm crunchy peanut butter 130 gm rice malt syrup (see note) 1 tsp vanilla bean extract
Chocolate topping
300 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
30 gm coconut oil
30 gm salted roasted peanuts, finely chopped 20 gm cacao nibs
1 Melt 3 tsp coconut oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add a corn kernel and when it starts to spin in the oil, add remaining popping corn, cover with a lid and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until popping stops (2-3 minutes). Tip into a bowl.
2 Stir peanut butter, rice malt syrup, vanilla and remaining coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat until melted and combined, then add to popcorn and mix well. Press into a 15cm x 32cm cake tin or a 20cm-square cake tin lined with baking paper and refrigerate to set (1-2 hours).
3 For chocolate topping, melt chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth, then stir in coconut oil. Pour evenly over popcorn mixture, scatter with peanuts and cacao nibs, and refrigerate until set (1-2 hours). Popcorn bars will keep refrigerated for up to a week. To serve, cut into fingers with a hot, wet knife.
Note Rice malt syrup is available from health-food shops and select supermarkets.
Labne and pistachio cheesecake
The luscious silky texture of this tangy cheesecake makes it irresistible – the fact it’s free of gluten and refined sugar is a bonus. We’ve topped ours with cherries, but berries would also work well. Start this recipe a day ahead to drain the yoghurt.
Prep time 25 mins, cook 35 mins (plus draining, cooling)
Serves 8-10 (pictured p102)
1.2 kg Greek yoghurt
90 gm honey, plus extra for drizzling Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange 3 eggs
Pitted cherries, halved, to serve
Pistachio crust
265 gm pistachio nuts, plus extra, finely chopped, to serve
20 gm bee pollen (see note)
35 gm butter, melted
1 Tip yoghurt into a muslin-lined sieve over a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours to drain.
2 For pistachio crust, process pistachios, pollen and a pinch of sea salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Add butter and process to combine. Press into the base and up the sides of a 4cm-deep, 21cm-diameter ring tin and bake until starting to darken on the edges (6-8 minutes).
3 Tip drained yoghurt into a bowl, whisk in honey, vanilla seeds, rind and juice until smooth, then whisk in eggs one at a time until combined. Spoon into pistachio crust, smooth top and bake until light golden and set (20-25 minutes). Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled (2-3 hours). This cheesecake can be made a day ahead. Serve scattered with cherries and pistachios, and drizzled with honey to taste.
Note Bee pollen is available from health-food shops. If it’s unavailable omit from the recipe.
Honey and almond-milk blancmange with honey-roasted apricots
Good almond milk makes all the difference in this super-simple dessert. If you fancy making your own, it’s worth the effort; otherwise look for cold-pressed almond milk in the chiller section of health-food shops or delicatessens. If you prefer a slightly richer finish, replace half the almond milk with milk or cream. Start this recipe a day ahead to set the blancmange.
Prep time 15 mins, cook 20 mins (plus setting, cooling)
Makes 6 (pictured p107)
120 gm honey
½ tsp ground cinnamon
600 ml almond milk
3 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
Coarsely chopped roasted almonds, to serve
Honey-roasted apricots
9 apricots, halved 60 gm honey
¼ tsp ground cinnamon Juice of ½ orange 1 Boil honey in a saucepan over high heat until lightly caramelised (1-2 minutes), then remove from heat and stir in cinnamon and half the almond milk. Return to low heat to warm gently, then squeeze excess water from gelatine, add to pan and stir to dissolve. Remove from heat and stir in remaining almond milk, then strain into a jug and divide among six 125ml dariole moulds (we used fluted moulds). Refrigerate overnight to set.
2 For honey-roasted apricots, preheat oven to 220C, place apricots cut-side up on a baking tray, drizzle with honey and scatter with cinnamon. Drizzle with orange juice and roast until apricots are tender and caramelised (8-10 minutes).
3 To serve, dip moulds briefly in hot water to loosen, invert onto serving plates, place roasted apricots on each plate, drizzle with pan juices and scatter with roasted almonds.
Cacao, hazelnut and raspberry cake
What’s not to love about the classic combo of dark chocolate and hazelnuts? In this dairy-free, gluten-free cake, the chocolatey goodness comes in the form of raw cacao, while rich rapadura sugar adds depth of flavour and a handful or two of raspberries cuts through the richness. This cake is delicious served with a dollop of thick plain yoghurt.
Prep time 15 mins, cook 25 mins (plus cooling)
Serves 8-10
250 gm coconut oil, melted
110 gm raw cacao powder, sieved, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
6 eggs, separated
250 gm rapadura sugar (see note)
140 gm hazelnut meal
60 gm coconut flour
½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
80 gm raspberries, plus extra to serve 20 gm cacao nibs, plus extra to serve Freeze-dried raspberries (optional), to serve
1 Preheat oven to 170C. Grease a 22cm-diameter cake tin and line it with baking paper. Whisk coconut oil and cacao powder in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in vanilla paste. Whisk egg yolks and half the sugar in a separate bowl until thick and pale (1-2 minutes), fold into cacao mixture, then fold in hazelnut meal, coconut flour, baking powder and a good pinch of sea salt.
2 Whisk eggwhites and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer to soft peaks (1-2 minutes). Gradually add remaining sugar and whisk to firm peaks
(1-2 minutes). Fold into cacao mixture, then fold in raspberries and cacao nibs. Spoon batter into cake tin, smooth top and bake until set with a slight wobble in the centre (15-20 minutes). Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill (2-3 hours). Serve cacao, hazelnut and raspberry cake dusted with cacao, and scattered with extra raspberries, freeze-dried raspberries and cacao nibs.
Note Rapadura sugar, an unrefined cane sugar, is available from health-food shops and select supermarkets.