Tag: cacao

Hard Chocolate Biscuits – a recipe

Welcome to 2024, it’s already moving fast.

Today I’m sharing a recipe for Hard Chocolate Biscuits.

Recently I needed to make something for a morning tea and these biscuits are easy to make. The recipe comes from a book called ‘The Eat Real Food Cookbook’ by David Gillespie.

For these biscuits, dextrose is the sweetener, which is a healthier option that caster sugar.

Hard Chocolate Biscuits

(Makes 20 to 28 depending on size)

Ingredients

100g butter

1 cup dextrose

175 g plain flour (I used gluten free)

2 tablespoons cacao powder

¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

* Preheat the oven to 180*C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

* Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

* Then add the dextrose, stirring until dissolved, taking care not to let the mix boil.

* Remove the pan from the heat, add in the flour, cacao and bicarb, mixing well.

* Roll spoonful’s of mixture into small balls, place then on the prepared tray and squash with your fingers.

* Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until coloured but not dark – the biscuits will harden as they cool.

* Cool on the tray until the biscuits harden, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

My notes – I used a tablespoon to scoop my mixture and when the biscuits cooked, they spread quite a bit. This also resulted in only 18 biscuits being made.

I also found that my batch were not a ‘hard’ biscuit. This is fine by us as we like a softer biscuit. If the biscuits aren’t as hard as you like, once they are cool, put them into the oven again for another 5 minutes, then allow to cool completely again.

I hope you enjoy making these biscuits and find them to be a tasty treat.

There is another biscuit recipe in the book I’m going to try and I will let you know how that works out.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.

Sharing a Chocolate Brownie recipe

Today I am sharing a gluten free, Chocolate Brownie recipe.

Whenever I need to bring something for a morning tea, this is my ‘go to’ recipe. It’s a recipe from David Gillespie’s ‘Eat Real Food’ cookbook with a few small alterations.

These are low sugar, gluten free brownies which can be stored in the fridge to be enjoyed at a later date (if there are any left).

I have also been known to use the brownie recipe for making the occasional cake. Making 2 batches using 20cm round cake tins gives the 2 layers for a decadent chocolate cake.

So for those people who have asked for the recipe, here it is.

Brownie recipe

Makes approx. 16 pieces

Ingredients

125g butter

25g cacao butter

1 cup dextrose

¼ cup coconut sugar

1 1/2  tbsp organic coconut flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

50 g organic cacao powder

pinch of salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp Vanilla paste

Method
  • Preheat the oven to 165`C and prepare your tin (I use baking paper).
  • Using a heatproof bowl to sit on top of a saucepan that has some water in it. Bring the water to the boil, then turn down the heat so its just simmering.
  • Put both butters into the bowl to melt.
  • Once melted, add the dextrose and sugar and mixing well. I use my stick blender.
  • Then add the flour, baking powder, cacao, salt and vanilla continuing to mix will well combined.
  • Remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the eggs, keep mixing here until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour into your pan and bake for 30 minutes or till a skewer inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
  • Cut into squares while warm.
  • Cool to room temperature, then they can be store in an airtight container in the fridge.

 

When using the brownie recipe for a layer cake, it makes the cake a bit dense, a little like mud cake. This means that a small cake goes a long way.

So, with this recipe you can make a batch of brownies or a delicious cake.

Until the next post,

 Live Clean n Prosper

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Today I am sharing a Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes recipe, which is Dairy free and Gluten free. Yes, you read that correctly, chocolate and zucchini.

I came across this recipe on the Internet and I was curious. It is from a site called Paleo grubs. They have some great recipes and this one is awesome.

This is a really sneaky way to get the kids to eat vegetables. Bake them into chocolate cupcakes!

The recipe was shared as bread, however I ladled my mix into cupcake papers instead. I was happy with the result and they are very tasty.

**An update on this – I have made this recipe again as a slice. Using a 20cm square pan. Very successful**

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

(Makes 12)

Ingredients

2 large eggs

¼ cup maple syrup or honey (I used Maple syrup)

1 cup almond butter

2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

¼ cup cacao powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup grated zucchini

2 tbsp dairy free dark chocolate chips (optional)

Method

* Preheat oven to 170’ C – 160’ C for fan forced.

* Prepare your tray with cupcake papers (or choice of pan with parchment paper) and set aside.

* In a small bowl combine the cacao powder and baking powder. Set aside.

* In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and syrup (or honey) and beat until pale and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.

* Add the almond butter, almond milk and apple cider vinegar and beat to combine.

* Add the cacao powder mixture and mix until well combined.

* Fold in the grated zucchini.

* Pour the batter into the cupcake paper (or prepared pan).

* Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

* Bake for 30 – 35 mins for cupcakes (35-45 minutes for a slice or loaf tin) *       Test with a toothpick, when inserted into the centre comes out clean.

* Remove from the oven and let cool before eating.

We hope you enjoy this recipe.

 

Till the next time,

Live clean n Prospe