Gluten free homemade chocolate bourbon biscuit.

I used to work in a old people's retirement home. For 4 years I cared and looked after the elderly. getting them dressed in their best outfits, feeding and wiping them all up...aside from the toileting... tea time was the big task. Making cups of tea at 1/2 hour intervals and passing the biscuit tin around the excited ladies and gents.

Oh There were many scraps around that biscuit tin,  as to who got the precious chocolate bourbon. inevitably Cesil always won and ran hobbled away with 5, whilst Joan, Ethel, Dora and the others were left in his wake with the crumbs or a pink panther wafer. Brutal I know but that's nature and you gotta be quick if ya wanna survive... in the care home lounge. Its ok though, in half an hour, it would be tea time yet again and i would refill the tin with more, making sure I kept my beady eye on Cesil.

In honour of my golden oldies, I got a choccy biccy recipe for all. Gluten free and enough to go round, so everyone can dunk theirs with their cuppa.

Gluten free Chocolate Bourbon sandwich biscuit.
Ingredients
Makes 10

50 g low fat margarine
50 g soft brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
110 g gf plain flour mix ( I use Dove's)
15 g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
flour for rolling out

for the filling

75 g) icing sugar
40 g margarine
1 tbsp cocoa


Cooking Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C
2. Cream the marg and sugar together very thoroughly with an electric hand whisk. Next beat in the honey.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa, and bicarbonate of soda together. Add this dry mixture into the fat and sugar to create a stiff paste.
4.Bring together and Knead well, and roll out onto a large and spacious flat surface, which has been covered in a dusting of flour. Using a rolling pin make the dough flat and around half a centremetre thick.
5.stamp or cut out biscuity shapes
6. Place on a greased baking sheet covered with greased greaseproof paper.
7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes.
8. Cool on a wire rack.
9. for the filling: Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl making sure you get rid of all the lumps.
10. Beat the fat until soft add in the dry ingredients.
11.Sandwich the cooled fingers with a layer of filling

Happy Valentines Day!

 Don't go breakin' my heart.

 my achy breaky marzipan heart. Just nibble em.

 These candy hearts are so easy to whip up, and make the poiiiifect present for that special person, whether its your fella, friend or you.

 All you need is love and:
a package of marzipan
100g melted chocolate
and sprinkle for decoration!

Directions
Roll marzipan into heart shapes, dip and cover in melted chocolate... allow to set in the fridge on a plastic sheet. too easy but so good!

 

HAPPY VALENTINES!

Selling Like Hot cakes

Bake n Beebz had our first venture into business yesterday.

 It has long been my dream to make a lil dollar from my hobby. Myself and Mr Bake n Beebz often think of how much we'd love to bake and sell and work at creating our own business... so we decided to give it a test run at a local market.

On Friday although still hobbling on crutches and slightly mental and under the influence from prescription druggies....I joined Costco, for business annnnd pleasure. Not only did I wanna get my trolley loaded up with some bulk American import bargains but to scope out and buy industrial sized bags of flour, sugar and butter for biiiig quanties of cupcake making. Harry pushed me around in a wheel chair whilst I grabbed and sipped refils of cola.

muffin mobile number 2

...Also joined mainly to buy 2kg jars of Skippy PB. yeeeeaaah PB Buddy!

I spent all of Saturday baking and icing until 1.30 am in the morning. after several hurdles and 10 split icing bags... I had baked enough cupcakes to feed/supply a nation of sweet tooth people with pocket fulls of money.

-5am- Sunday morning/night- Mr Bake n Beebz fired up the Muffin mobile and we loaded up the wagon!
-by 7am we had eaten a Mc donalds drive through breakfast and were setting up our stall.

 Honestly, Business was slow as first, a mixture of freezing weather and kinda pikey/cheapy vibe to the market, kinda meant people were tight with their purse strings. I felt a bit disheartened but Mr BnB kept me entertained and we made up some cakey chants and soon enough my cupcakes started to disappear from the stall. In the end we sold over 3/4s of our baked goods, had a lot of fun and made a nice little profit. good day. I've learnt a whole lot and certainly looking forward to our next sale!

 The best part of it all? eating the poor left overs that didnt sell. its a win, win job!

Fudgey healthier brownies (Gluten Free)

Chocolate is for sure the best medicine will mend anything, a broken heart, a broken a toe or a sweet tooth in need. At the rate these chocolate brownies are disappearing my recovery rate will be miraculous.

I have been baking these beany bad boys daily, my favourite way is in the muffin pan for individual bite sized brownies with extra crispy sides and a deep filled fudge like center. Best way Only way is to eat the hot straight outta the pan.

 

Reeeeewind. Im taking us back to my brownie post circa June 2011. Whilst this brownies were good, being a baking perfectionist i wanted to make them better... there now 100% bettererrrr. Still fat free and packed with that good fibre stuff. There now. Decadently fudgey with a proper naughtily should be criminal taste... except they are not reeeeeally a guilty sin they are totes innocent ;) 

 

 IMPROVED HEALTHY GLUTEN FREE FUDGE BROWNIES 

Ingredients

1½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained

3tsp cocoa powder

1 egg 

 low fat 1/4 cup yoghurt

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

8 tablespoons granulated Splenda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

choice of nutty nibbles and chocolate mix ins (I used white chooclate chips and walnuts)

• Pre Heat oven to 180 degrees C and grease a tin or cupcake pan with spray.
  
• With a blender or in a food processor blend black beans with 1/4 cup of water.
• Add egg white, yoghurt, vanilla and oil. continue to blend well until mixture is smooth and lump free.
• stir in Cocoa powder and sweetener and add fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
• pour mixture into pan and bake for 30 mins.

Gingerbread scones with Maple Glaze. (Gluten Free)

 Christmas is my thing, i live for it... I start my count down in January.

 I'm just a creature who loves the extra trips/ excuses to shop, unwrapping the decorations, cozy cinnemony smells,  the copious sweet indulgent treats and of coarse the presents (mostly receiving them).

 Its turned December the 7th and Im far too excited Already, I'm getting giddy, and i need to calm down...

My Festive baking season has definitely officially begun, and there is no stopping me. I have baked mini fruity GF Christmas cakes for a craft sale over the weekend and These... Ohhh these, they just smell like like Santa Claus well at least what I hope he smells like, I recon he bathes in maple syrup and dowses himself in cinnemon colonge. anyway before this gets creepier/ weirder. Th

These Glazed Gingerbread scones just epitomize all things Christmas, and taste, so comforting.
they are a mix between a sweet spiced gingerbread cookie and a soft fluffy warm scone.  buttered up and drizzled with maple glaze.  they just some how disappear... It must be Christmas magic or something... like my tummy.

225g/8oz Plain GF flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon 

50g cold butter, cut into cubes

1 free-range egg 

75ml skimmed milk or soya 

30g stem ginger and dried cranberries.

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 5.
   
2. Sift the flour,  baking powder ground ginger and cinnamon and add sugar in to a large bowl. Add the butter and Rub into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. make a well in the centre.
   
3. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk, reserving a tablespoon of the mixture to use as an egg wash. Add the rest to the flour mixture, along with the sultanas, stirring until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly (don't over work) until the dough is smooth.
   
4. Gently press the dough out to a thickness of about 2.5cm/1in and cut out shapes of your choice using a cutter. Arrange the scones on a baking tray, spaced slightly apart, and brush the tops with the reserved egg wash.
   
5. Bake the scones for 10-12 minutes, or until golden-brown and risen. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.
   Whilst cooling, mix together 3 tbsp icing sugar with 1 tbsp of maple syrup.
   
6. To serve, brush each scone with a maple glaze.

Ginger nut & dark chocolate chip cookies (GF + vegan)

My latest obsession is ginger, i have been throwing candid chunks and ground spice in everything, the firery kick seems to suit all that i know and love, like chocolate and dark chocolate and nuts ermmm and chocolate.oh  Im also reeeeally enjoying slavering peanut butter and ginger preserve all over my toast... its a pretty tight combo...
...Im just filling this post with jibber jabber, My minds gone blank, because i'm eating this very cookie as i type, and its too darn good, its turning my noggin into a chocolatey chewy mush and making it tricky to think/write about things right now. so ill post a picture of bobbin to compensate for lack of reading material...

Aaaaaanyway i digress, whilst i pull myself together, here us my recipe for my healthy chocolate chip cookie but with a ginger edition... There too good to be true a chewy, crisp chocolatey cookie with a delightful warming spice hint..oh and 40 calories per cookie... Enjoy! I most certainly am.

Healthy Ginger nut & choc chip cookie!

 makes 10-12 cookies

• 1/2 cup oat flour (ground rolled oats!)
• 1/4 cup chestnut flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp bicarb of soda (not baking powder)
• 1 tsp ground ginger spice
• 2T to 1/3 cup chocolate chips, depending on your preference
• 2 tsp candid ginger pieces
• 2T brown sugar
• 2tsp sweetner or more depending on your sweet tooth.
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1T coconut oil or pre-melted margarine
• 1T plus 2tsp nondairy milk (feel free to switch proportions of milk and oil) (25g)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix your dry ingredients, then add in wet. Form cookies into discs using your palms on a baking sheet, and bake 6-8 minutes. Take out when still underdone–they’ll continue to cook while cooling, taking them out early this way, means they remain chewy!

SPICED GINGER AND CARROT CAKE BARS. (gluten free + vegan)

  Autumns has most definitely arrived, the airs crisp and its getting crunchy under foot, its time to put away my denim cut off shorts ( That certainly haven't seen much of a summer) to the back of my wardrobe once more, pull on a bit of knitwear and cosy up with cinnamon, blankets and hot cocoas.... and this ridiculously delicious and unbelievable healthy spiced carrot cake.

These healthified carrot cake bars are taste indulgent and are perfectly moist. They have a  lovely combination of flavours with kick of ginger, yummy aromatic cinnamon and a perfect hint of warming autumnal spices. Its guilt free low and everything but flavour! oh and i've made it vegan and gluten free so nobody gets left out...

Nothing goes better with carrot cake than rich creamy frosting, I lightened it all up and I used Alpro soya yohurt in stead of  full fat cream cheese and it worked incrediably well. I was sent some coupons by the people Alpro to try out some of there products. oh my, from my first spoonful of this soya yoghurt I was hooked! I absolutely adore it, its thick and creamy and revolutionized my breakfast!
Ingrediants makes 8 bars
3 medium carrots grated
1/2 cup applesauce (I  used homemade)
3 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup chestnut flour
1 egg white or 1tsp of flaxseed
1/4 cup granulated sweetener
1/4 cup plain GF flour mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp groound ginger
1tsp pumpkin spice or all spice
1tsp xanthum gum1tsp gluten free baking powder.
(plus your choice of add ins...candied ginger
rasins
chopped walnuts)
Icing
1/4 cup Alpro soya yogurt
2 tsp cup icing sugar or 1tsp honey
1 tsp xanthum gum.

 Directions
Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C

• In a large mixing bowl  add sugars, egg and applesauce, mix and thoroughly whisk up a until light an fluffy.

• stir in grated carrot, ginger pieces, raisins and walnuts.

• sift flour, gum, baking powder and spices and cinnamon.

• carefully fold batter until combined

• spoon mixture in to a baking tin and smooth down. Bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes.

For the icing
Add gum and choice of sweetener to soya yogurt and thoroughly mix it together until it thickens, spread on to one bar and top with another slice of cake. for a finishing touch, drizzle with icing.

GLUTEN FREE Apple and Blackberry healthy muffinz

 ohhhh what to do with my bumper crop of berries!!?! There were so many recipes these juicy sweet berries would've made special, but recently I have been finding myself needing a portable yummy snack for my break times in the school staff room.

Whilst All my colleages dunk their biscuits in the tea and coffees after a testing morning of educating little'uns, I sit there nibbling my fruit ( not that fruits bad! fruits good for you kids, eat it!) ... but treats just satisfy that 11o'clock sweet tooth snack attack sooo much more. And in any case this is a muffin that healthy and jam packed full to the brim with goodness.

Made from soya yoghurt instead of any fat these muffins are moist and packed full of a deliously sweet berry flavour, whole blackberries and chunks of cooking apple add texture and an extra tart hit in every bite.

BLACKBERRY AND APPLE MUFFINS
MAKES 6 (large)
86 CALORIES
Ingrediants
1 pot of Alpro Blackberry soya yogurt
1/4 cup Splenda/ granulated sweetener
1 cup blackberries
1 egg white/ 1 tsp flax seed
1 medium cooking apples cooked and pureed
1 medium apple finely chopped
1 tsp vanilla flavouring
1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup gluten-free flour mix
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg)
3/4 tsp salt


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
2. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients...  flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Set aside.
4. In another bowl, combine the following ingredients... pureed apple, Alpro yogurt pot, sweetener, vanilla extract, and egg.  

5. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold the mixture.  DO NOT OVERMIX. 
6. Add the berries and chuncks of apple and fold gently.
7. Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners.
8. Place the muffins in the oven for 16-18 minutes.