(no subject)
Posted a health rant and then I had a tiny square of gluten and dairy free chocolate and beetroot brownies with coconut whipped cream and all is good with the world. Omm nom nom seriously. They could serve that at a restaurant on the normal menu. No need to limit it to those that can't have gluten and dairy.
The brownies were a bit fragile before we put them in the fridge but now they're pretty normal. It was the first time I'd made whipped coconut cream. Mum can't have dairy right now and at Christmas we usually have pavlova type things. Either a proper pav or the hard meringues with whipped cream and fruit. I think we can still have them if I do it this way. \o/ Was really sceptical but it tastes really good once you add a bit of sugar and some vanilla essence.
I reckon I could use it to make my chocolate mouse too. Usually I whip cream and add melted chocolate (usually milk) but I think I could do it with dark chocolate and have it come out pretty awesome and dairy free. I wonder what it would be like if I chucked it and fruit in the ice cream maker. Hmmm. Things to try anyway.
Ruth has the brownie recipe up here http://iamshadow.dreamwidth.org/343883.html#cutid1 Orignally a dairy and gluten full version by Mr River Cottage himself
But here is the gluten and dairy free version, or how we did it this time
Ingredients
* 100g good, dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces. I used Green and Black's 70% one
* 150g cocoa
* 1 cup of coconut oil plus more for greasing the pan
* 250g caster sugar
* 3 free-range eggs
* 150g gluten free self-raising flour mix. We use the White Wings mix because the Woolies one tends to fall flat.
* 250g beetroot, steamed until tender then blitzed in the blender or with the immersion blender. If the beetroot has really thick skin then peel it but otherwise just cut off the top and bottom thick bits and scrub it.
METHOD
How to make chocolate and beetroot brownies
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a baking tin of approximately 20 x 30 x 3cm and line the bottom with baking parchment then grease it again inside the paper.
2. Break up the chocolate into pieces and add it and the cocoa to the coconut oil in a thick bottomed saucepan and heat gently until the chocolate is all melted.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until combined, then stir in the melted chocolate and butter until smooth. Gently fold in the flour then the beetroot - be careful not to overmix or it will make the brownies tough.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth over the top with a spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes. A knife or skewer pushed into the middle should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Don't be tempted to overcook them! Remove the tin from the oven and leave in the tin to cool somewhat then tip it out and cut up. If it's falling apart to much just put it in the fridge to cool before cutting it.
Here is a step by step photo tutorial for the coconut cream http://ohsheglows.com/2012/08/30/coconut-whipped-cream-a-step-by-step-photo-tutorial/
Basically you put a can of coconut milk or cream in the fridge (get one that is just coconut kernel extract with or without added water but not full of all the thickeners and other shit)
Put it in the fridge upside down over night
Place mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-20 mins or so
Once everything is really cold you turn the tin up the right way and open it. Then drain the liquid and you're left with thick coconut cream.
Beat this for about 3 minuets and then add some caster sugar and some vanilla essence (or vanilla paste or the seeds of a vanilla bean)
Once I put the vanilla in it did taste really good and similar to the whipped cream I make.
It's not indistinguishable like it says on the link but it's pretty damn good. Nowhere near as coconutty as I was expecting. And will make a lot of things easier when making them dairy free.
The brownies were a bit fragile before we put them in the fridge but now they're pretty normal. It was the first time I'd made whipped coconut cream. Mum can't have dairy right now and at Christmas we usually have pavlova type things. Either a proper pav or the hard meringues with whipped cream and fruit. I think we can still have them if I do it this way. \o/ Was really sceptical but it tastes really good once you add a bit of sugar and some vanilla essence.
I reckon I could use it to make my chocolate mouse too. Usually I whip cream and add melted chocolate (usually milk) but I think I could do it with dark chocolate and have it come out pretty awesome and dairy free. I wonder what it would be like if I chucked it and fruit in the ice cream maker. Hmmm. Things to try anyway.
Ruth has the brownie recipe up here http://iamshadow.dreamwidth.org/343883.html#cutid1 Orignally a dairy and gluten full version by Mr River Cottage himself
But here is the gluten and dairy free version, or how we did it this time
Ingredients
* 100g good, dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces. I used Green and Black's 70% one
* 150g cocoa
* 1 cup of coconut oil plus more for greasing the pan
* 250g caster sugar
* 3 free-range eggs
* 150g gluten free self-raising flour mix. We use the White Wings mix because the Woolies one tends to fall flat.
* 250g beetroot, steamed until tender then blitzed in the blender or with the immersion blender. If the beetroot has really thick skin then peel it but otherwise just cut off the top and bottom thick bits and scrub it.
METHOD
How to make chocolate and beetroot brownies
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a baking tin of approximately 20 x 30 x 3cm and line the bottom with baking parchment then grease it again inside the paper.
2. Break up the chocolate into pieces and add it and the cocoa to the coconut oil in a thick bottomed saucepan and heat gently until the chocolate is all melted.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until combined, then stir in the melted chocolate and butter until smooth. Gently fold in the flour then the beetroot - be careful not to overmix or it will make the brownies tough.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth over the top with a spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes. A knife or skewer pushed into the middle should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Don't be tempted to overcook them! Remove the tin from the oven and leave in the tin to cool somewhat then tip it out and cut up. If it's falling apart to much just put it in the fridge to cool before cutting it.
Here is a step by step photo tutorial for the coconut cream http://ohsheglows.com/2012/08/30/coconut-whipped-cream-a-step-by-step-photo-tutorial/
Basically you put a can of coconut milk or cream in the fridge (get one that is just coconut kernel extract with or without added water but not full of all the thickeners and other shit)
Put it in the fridge upside down over night
Place mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-20 mins or so
Once everything is really cold you turn the tin up the right way and open it. Then drain the liquid and you're left with thick coconut cream.
Beat this for about 3 minuets and then add some caster sugar and some vanilla essence (or vanilla paste or the seeds of a vanilla bean)
Once I put the vanilla in it did taste really good and similar to the whipped cream I make.
It's not indistinguishable like it says on the link but it's pretty damn good. Nowhere near as coconutty as I was expecting. And will make a lot of things easier when making them dairy free.