Exploring baking flavours ……
As part of my ‘alternative’ January I’m trying to bake with different ingredients and find out more about life without eggs, refined white sugar, cream and butter! It’s quite a challenge removing these familiar friends…. And I haven’t been brave enough yet to bake a cake!
I did however try a recipe called ‘peanut butter bloodies’ from one of my new books : 15 minute Vegan. It’s basically a flapjack bonded with peanut butter and I’ve added dark chocolate drizzle to finish it off – and the result is delicious. Like an oaty snickers bar….. a treat to have with a cup of tea (I’m drinking mine black at the moment as I can’t quite manage the soya/almond/coconut milk taste) and these little flapjack cousins will have you reaching for another…. The sprinkling of salt on the top really does set them up.
Peanut butter Snicker-Jacks
100g brown sugar
2 tbsp vegan butter/plant-based flora
6 tbsp crunchy peanut butter (no palm-oil etc)
3 tbsp golden syrup
300g oats
100g dark chocolate
Pinch of sea salt flakes
Preheat oven to 180oc/160oc fan/350oF/Gas 4
Melt the sugar, vegan butter, peanut butter & golden syrup slowly in a pan until melted and combined.
Tip in the oats and coat in the buttery mixtyure.
Press into a lined tray (approx 3m in depth) using the back of a spoon to pack tightly. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 10 minutes until golden.
Remove from oven and cut into square. Leave in tin to cool completely.
Melt chocolate and then coat the base of each square, leave to set (I pop mine in the fridge) and then artistically drizzle remaining dark chocolate over the top and leave to set.
Keep in air tight tin for up to 5 days.
For more ideas and recipes – come and join me at my regular cooking demos. Informal groups of up to 8 people, around my kitchen table, tasting and chatting. A 2 course lunch/supper is included along with welcome coffee & homemade cakes, recipes to take home and lots of inspiration! 2020 dates will be available in early Jan!
Testimonials
What People are Saying
“Beautiful”
".... my bouquet was so beautiful and looked that you had picked every flower from your own garden. My bridesmaids loved their posies and the button holes were perfect and you could really smell the sage - as you said we would! Thank you for all your fantastic help. "
Claire, a country-style summer wedding
“Fabulous service”
".... thank you so much for being in my kitchen last night and giving us such a fantastic dinner. You really allowed me to spend time with my guests and enjoy the night before my son’s wedding. All the family were so relaxed and we all particularly loved your puddings! "
Louise & John,
a pre-wedding supper
“Delicious food”
".... a quick note to say thank you for an excellent meal on Tuesday – delicious food, efficiently delivered and enjoyed by all of us. It was lovely to enjoy good food at home, rather than in a noisy pub or restaurant – and we couldn’t have danced to 1960s Italian pop songs outside the house either!”
Nicky, family dinner party
"So pretty"
".... OMG the birthday cake you made for me was amazing. My friends and colleagues ate it all! The raspberry and passion fruit filling was delicious and the little petals and flower heads were so pretty. Please can I order 2 more for when my family come to stay next weekend?."
Jo, a decadent birthday cake