Just a quick reminder that we’re participating in Saturday’s Halloween blog party organised by Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist. The Mad Tea Party back in June was brilliant fun, and since Halloween is my favourite festival of the year by far, I’ve been whipping up some weird and positively unsightly raw dessert creations like a woman possessed!
Feeling in need of a little atmospheric music, I stumbled across this haunting Darklily video on YouTube last night – hope you enjoy it too, the magician sequences are pretty cool…
Anyhow, check back on Saturday for some party pics :-)
Showing posts with label raw desserts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label raw desserts. Show all posts
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Monday, 30 August 2010
Apricot Almond Cookies
I seem to have developed a strange obsession with apricots of late, sneaking them into everything when no one’s looking! Here are a couple of my fave recipes for luscious apricot sweet eats…
Apricot Almond Cookies
1 cup raw almonds
Two-thirds cup dried apricots
¼ cup desiccated coconut
2 heaped dessertspoons raw almond butter
2 teaspoons raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Small pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Using a food processor or coffee grinder, process raw almonds into small pieces and transfer to a bowl. Add dried apricots to food processor and process until well broken down. Return the ground almonds, add coconut and salt, then blend until evenly mixed. Add remaining ingredients and process again until mixture begins sticking together. Press into a silicone mould and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up before serving. Will keep for a week or longer in the fridge.
This is such a versatile recipe and I’ve used it in several raw desserts over the past few weeks as both a tart crust and crumble mix. It’s lovely served as an apricot cobbler with fresh, sliced apricots (toss them in a bowl with a little honey and vanilla extract before adding to the crumble). If you have more time available then you really can’t beat a raw Apricot Almond Tart.
Firmly press the above cookie mixture into a cake tin or pie tray, ensuring the crust reaches about an inch up the sides. Leave in the fridge to firm up while you make the filling.
Apricot Almond Tart Filling:
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup fresh apricots (about 7 or 8 with stones removed)
½ cup coconut milk
2 heaped dessertspoons lecithin
20ml coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 dessertspoons raw agave
Add the coconut and pitted apricots to the food processor and process until creamy. Then add remaining ingredients and process again until mixture starts to thicken. Scoop filling onto the crust and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up. Sprinkle with sliced almonds before serving if desired. The assembled tart will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Apricot Almond Cookies
1 cup raw almonds
Two-thirds cup dried apricots
¼ cup desiccated coconut
2 heaped dessertspoons raw almond butter
2 teaspoons raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Small pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Using a food processor or coffee grinder, process raw almonds into small pieces and transfer to a bowl. Add dried apricots to food processor and process until well broken down. Return the ground almonds, add coconut and salt, then blend until evenly mixed. Add remaining ingredients and process again until mixture begins sticking together. Press into a silicone mould and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up before serving. Will keep for a week or longer in the fridge.
This is such a versatile recipe and I’ve used it in several raw desserts over the past few weeks as both a tart crust and crumble mix. It’s lovely served as an apricot cobbler with fresh, sliced apricots (toss them in a bowl with a little honey and vanilla extract before adding to the crumble). If you have more time available then you really can’t beat a raw Apricot Almond Tart.
Firmly press the above cookie mixture into a cake tin or pie tray, ensuring the crust reaches about an inch up the sides. Leave in the fridge to firm up while you make the filling.
Apricot Almond Tart Filling:
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup fresh apricots (about 7 or 8 with stones removed)
½ cup coconut milk
2 heaped dessertspoons lecithin
20ml coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 dessertspoons raw agave
Add the coconut and pitted apricots to the food processor and process until creamy. Then add remaining ingredients and process again until mixture starts to thicken. Scoop filling onto the crust and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up. Sprinkle with sliced almonds before serving if desired. The assembled tart will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Coconut Lime Cuptarts
Lime and coconut are one of those great combinations that just scream ‘summer’! I had a couple of limes needing using and a carton of organic coconut milk made from the pulp and juice of green coconuts, which I thought would complement the zing of the lime. It was a bit of an experiment, which luckily turned out perfectly first time. The result is basically a hybrid cupcake / tart – so cuptarts sums them up nicely. Love that word!
Base:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup stoned dates
Tiny pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Filling:
1 cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
½ cup coconut milk
2 dessertspoons lecithin
5 dessertspoons liquid coconut oil
2 dessertspoons raw agave
2 tsp vanilla extract
Add the ingredients for the base to the food processor and process until crumbly (be careful not to overprocess the walnuts). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. Then add all the filling ingredients to the food processor and blend until evenly mixed. Transfer to a separate bowl and place in fridge for a couple of hours to thicken. To assemble the cuptarts, firmly press the base mixture into the bottom of each silicone muffin mould and around the edges, creating a well in the centre. Spoon a generous amount of lime and coconut filling into each cuptart and decorate with shredded coconut.
Base:
1 cup walnuts
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup stoned dates
Tiny pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Filling:
1 cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup lime juice (2 limes)
½ cup coconut milk
2 dessertspoons lecithin
5 dessertspoons liquid coconut oil
2 dessertspoons raw agave
2 tsp vanilla extract
Add the ingredients for the base to the food processor and process until crumbly (be careful not to overprocess the walnuts). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate. Then add all the filling ingredients to the food processor and blend until evenly mixed. Transfer to a separate bowl and place in fridge for a couple of hours to thicken. To assemble the cuptarts, firmly press the base mixture into the bottom of each silicone muffin mould and around the edges, creating a well in the centre. Spoon a generous amount of lime and coconut filling into each cuptart and decorate with shredded coconut.
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Mulberry Musings
I absolutely adore sun-dried white mulberries to the point that I’d happily sell my soul for a huge bag of them! They’re expensive little honey-flavoured berries, but packed full of nutrients and so delicious they’re worth every darn penny. I treated myself to a packet recently and concocted the cookies below on a wet afternoon last week when I really should have been doing something more useful… like work!
Here’s my recipe for Magical Mulberry Cookies, which taste like a gloriously sweet, chewy trail bar:
¼ cup cashews
½ cup pecans
1 cup dried white mulberries
¼ cup desiccated coconut
3 tbsp goji berries
2 dessertspoons raw agave nectar
Tiny pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Process the cashews and pecans into small pieces in the food processor. Then add remaining ingredients and process until the mixture begins sticking together. Press into a silicone mould and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up.
The Chocolate Orange Mulberry Cookies were the result of a little further experimentation. They’re insanely good, in a chocolate orange kinda way!
1 cup dried white mulberries
2 generously heaped dessertspoons raw almond butter
¼ cup cacao nibs
1 dessertspoon raw cacao powder
1 tsp orange extract (or a few drops orange essential oil)
Tiny pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Process the cacao nibs and mulberries into small pieces in the food processor. Then add remaining ingredients and process until the mixture begins sticking together. Press into a silicone mould and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up.
Here’s my recipe for Magical Mulberry Cookies, which taste like a gloriously sweet, chewy trail bar:
¼ cup cashews
½ cup pecans
1 cup dried white mulberries
¼ cup desiccated coconut
3 tbsp goji berries
2 dessertspoons raw agave nectar
Tiny pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Process the cashews and pecans into small pieces in the food processor. Then add remaining ingredients and process until the mixture begins sticking together. Press into a silicone mould and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up.
The Chocolate Orange Mulberry Cookies were the result of a little further experimentation. They’re insanely good, in a chocolate orange kinda way!
1 cup dried white mulberries
2 generously heaped dessertspoons raw almond butter
¼ cup cacao nibs
1 dessertspoon raw cacao powder
1 tsp orange extract (or a few drops orange essential oil)
Tiny pinch Celtic sea salt or Himalayan crystal salt
Process the cacao nibs and mulberries into small pieces in the food processor. Then add remaining ingredients and process until the mixture begins sticking together. Press into a silicone mould and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up.
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Simple Pleasures
Time for a few more raw dessert pics! Both of these sweet treats are from Ani Phyo’s fantastic book: ‘Ani’s Raw Food Desserts’. I know I recommend it a lot, but I’ve yet to discover a duff recipe and unlike some of the raw food books in my collection, pretty much all the ingredients are easily obtainable.
If you like the flavour of carob then you’ll love these easy to make Carob Walnut Cookies (click here for the recipe). They’re delicious with a little dollop of walnut butter on top.
And these little beauties (Sesame Snap Cookies) are my new favourites! Funnily enough, I’ve never been a huge fan of dried apricots on their own, but add pistachios and sesame seeds to the mix and I’m seeing them in a rather different light...
Dive in!
Most of the moulds I use when making raw desserts and chocolates are from a great selection at SiliconeMoulds.com. I’ve been really impressed with all their moulds I’ve tried so far - they’re excellent quality and release very easily. Take a look at Sarah-Jane’s foodie blog as well, for some gorgeous culinary eye candy and recipes.
If you like the flavour of carob then you’ll love these easy to make Carob Walnut Cookies (click here for the recipe). They’re delicious with a little dollop of walnut butter on top.
And these little beauties (Sesame Snap Cookies) are my new favourites! Funnily enough, I’ve never been a huge fan of dried apricots on their own, but add pistachios and sesame seeds to the mix and I’m seeing them in a rather different light...
Dive in!
Most of the moulds I use when making raw desserts and chocolates are from a great selection at SiliconeMoulds.com. I’ve been really impressed with all their moulds I’ve tried so far - they’re excellent quality and release very easily. Take a look at Sarah-Jane’s foodie blog as well, for some gorgeous culinary eye candy and recipes.
Saturday, 26 June 2010
We’re All Mad Here!
~ Welcome to our Mad Tea Party! ~
Follow the winding path through the mystical woods…
to an enchanted garden where a magical tea party awaits.
Pull up a chair amidst the majestic foxgloves and rambling roses.
Join us for tea and a huge slice of the Queen of Hearts’ Strawberry Tart…
and if you’re still feeling peckish there are plenty more goodies!
Nutty Date Cookies
Chocolate Halva
and Pecan Pie Cookies.
Thanks for stopping by our Mad Tea Party 2010! I doubt we’ll need to eat again for the rest of the weekend after all the delectable raw desserts we’ve gorged on this afternoon lol! Please leave a comment so I can visit your blog too.
Finally, a huge thank you to the wonderful Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist for organising today’s event – the entire list of mad-partyers is available there.
Follow the winding path through the mystical woods…
to an enchanted garden where a magical tea party awaits.
Pull up a chair amidst the majestic foxgloves and rambling roses.
Join us for tea and a huge slice of the Queen of Hearts’ Strawberry Tart…
and if you’re still feeling peckish there are plenty more goodies!
Nutty Date Cookies
Chocolate Halva
and Pecan Pie Cookies.
Thanks for stopping by our Mad Tea Party 2010! I doubt we’ll need to eat again for the rest of the weekend after all the delectable raw desserts we’ve gorged on this afternoon lol! Please leave a comment so I can visit your blog too.
Finally, a huge thank you to the wonderful Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist for organising today’s event – the entire list of mad-partyers is available there.
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Chocolate Almond Fudge Cupcakes
The Chocolate Almond Fudge Cupcakes below are based on another wonderful recipe from ‘Ani’s Raw Food Desserts’ (Almond-Goji Cacao Chip Cookies p117). These cookies are delicious just as they are, but I couldn't resist converting them to a cupcake with a chocolate frosting and a sprinkling of raw cacao nibs on top for a little extra crunch.
I tweaked the proportions of Ani’s original recipe to give it a softer, fudge-like consistency and only made enough for 2 cupcakes, which I totally regretted later on as they tasted amazing!
Cupcake mix:
3 heaped dessertspoons almond butter
2-3 dessertspoons raw agave nectar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
½ cup almond meal
Handful of goji berries
1 dessertspoon raw cacao nibs
(Stir together in a mixing bowl).
Chocolate frosting (enough for 2 cupcakes):
¼ cup almond meal
1 tsp raw cacao powder
1 dessertspoon raw agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp water
(Stir together in a mixing bowl).
I tweaked the proportions of Ani’s original recipe to give it a softer, fudge-like consistency and only made enough for 2 cupcakes, which I totally regretted later on as they tasted amazing!
Cupcake mix:
3 heaped dessertspoons almond butter
2-3 dessertspoons raw agave nectar
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
½ cup almond meal
Handful of goji berries
1 dessertspoon raw cacao nibs
(Stir together in a mixing bowl).
Chocolate frosting (enough for 2 cupcakes):
¼ cup almond meal
1 tsp raw cacao powder
1 dessertspoon raw agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp water
(Stir together in a mixing bowl).
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Carrot Cake Cupcakes
I recently bought some silicone moulds on ebay and have been itching to try out the raw cupcake recipes in Ani Phyo’s beautiful book, ‘Ani’s Raw Food Desserts’. I can never refuse a slice of carrot cake (well, cake in general), so I was intrigued by the prospect of how raw carrot cake would compare with the trusty cooked version. Even though I’ve been having fun making raw desserts for a couple of years now, there are still a few cooked recipes I hold sacred lol!
The cupcake base is a mixture of grated carrot (with some of the juice squeezed out), almond meal, ground cinnamon, Medjool dates and shredded coconut… and it really does taste every bit as good as the baked version!
Ani’s dairy-free ‘Kream Cheeze Frosting’ is made with ground cashews, lemon juice, raw agave nectar and a little water. I’ve used this delicious cream cheese alternative before in raw desserts and it’s perfect for topping any carrot cake, raw or not.
(Photos: Pam)
The cupcake base is a mixture of grated carrot (with some of the juice squeezed out), almond meal, ground cinnamon, Medjool dates and shredded coconut… and it really does taste every bit as good as the baked version!
Ani’s dairy-free ‘Kream Cheeze Frosting’ is made with ground cashews, lemon juice, raw agave nectar and a little water. I’ve used this delicious cream cheese alternative before in raw desserts and it’s perfect for topping any carrot cake, raw or not.
(Photos: Pam)Tuesday, 26 January 2010
New Beginnings
A new decade… a fresh start… It certainly feels like an auspicious time to begin a blog on living a more creative and magical life! I’ll be posting photos of my creations (jewellery, artwork, raw desserts, etc.), musings on life and anything inspirational I stumble across. As Tolkien wrote in The Fellowship of the Ring: “Not all those who wander are lost”. You’re very welcome to join me on this journey!
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