Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Flapjack

Tidy house, tidy mind. New blog design, new ideas!

November is my favourite month, as pretty much anyone who knows me will know all too well, as from the beginning of October onwards I am constantly talking about Autumn. November is proper Autumn, unlike October which is not dark or cold enough. My favourite night all year is Bonfire night - give me fireworks over easter any day. 

November is also World Vegan month. This summer I became a Vegan for a month, mainly to try and see if I could do it. Not only did I manage (it can be pretty tricky if your used to being able to eat anything you like) but really enjoyed it. I have decided to give it another go - the fact that November is World Vegan month was purely accidental, I had no idea it was until I met up for lunch with my Vegan friend Ali who mentioned it. 

This recipe is for Vegan Chocolate Flapjack. Many people seem to think that Vegans only eat grass and tofu. This recipe can hopefully prove that that is not true. Inspiration was taken from myfussyeater. I substituted the date syrup for golden syrup - but you can use date syrup alternatively. The coconut oil acts like butter making the flapjack soft and chewy. I am definitely going to be making these again.

Vegan Chocolate Flapjack:

100g oats

3 tbsp desiccated coconut

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

2 tbsp nut butter (e.g. peanut, almond, cashew)

3 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp golden syrup

For the topping -

100g vegan dark chocolate

1 tbsp coconut oil

1. Set the oven to 180℃ and line a baking tin or dish.
2. In a large bowl mix together the oats, coconut and flaxseed.
3. In a saucepan heat the nut butter, coconut oil and golden syrup until completely melted and combined. Pour the molten mixture over the oat mixture and mix together well.
4. Pack the mixture into an even layer in the baking tin or dish and put in the oven for 15 mins.
5. After 15 mins the edges should be brown and the middle will be soft. Take out of the oven and leave to cool.
6. Once cool, melt the vegan dark chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan and pour over the flapjack still in the baking tin or dish. Top will extra desiccated coconut, dried berries or nuts and again leave to cool (if you can wait you can put it in the fridge or freezer, or just eat it).

I recommend keeping them in the fridge so as to keep the coconut oil solid. 

L xx

Recipe: Honey and Ginger Fairy Cakes with Lemon Buttercream

I made these for a party and there were very much a success! So here is the recipe:

Makes 24 fairy cakes.

Ingredients:
For the cakes -

• 4 eggs
• 250g Margarine
• 250g Caster sugar
• 250g Self-raising flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 tsp Ground ginger
• 3 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Stem ginger (finely diced)
• Grating of nutmeg

For the buttercream - 

• 175g Butter
• 350g Icing sugar
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tsp Lemon juice

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 deg. and set up a cupcake tin with cases.
2. Cream together the margarine and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Beat the eggs in a separate jug and add them bit-by-bit to the margarine-sugar mixture. Beating all the time. You can add a little of the flour to help prevent curdling.
4. Once all of the egg has been incorporated add the flour and baking powder. Beat this in well then add the ground ginger, nutmeg, stem ginger and honey. The mixture should be thick but will drop into the cupcake cases; if it is a bit thick then add a dash of milk.
5. Half fill each cupcake case then bake for 10-15 mins. They should be a golden brown and when poked with a skewer it should come out clean. When done cool on a wire rack.
6. To make the buttercream, blend together the butter, icing sugar, lemon zest and juice. 
7. Once the cakes have cooled (they must be cool or the buttercream will melt!) cut a circle in the top off each cake. Take the cut out circle and cut it in half. Fill each vod with the butter cream (you can use a piping bag and star nozzle if wanted or just dollop it in) and rearrange semi-circles like butterfly wings. 
8. Finally! Dust with icing sugar! Done! 

L xx

Recipe: Lemon, Lime and Basil biscuits

It took me two tried of this recipe. The first time I followed a basic recipe that I found online - unfortunately they didn't work. They tasted great but were essentially a pile of mush...

1st time fail :(

So the second time I decided to not use a recipe at all and just make it up... and it worked really well! The final result -

Beautiful! 

Ingredients:

• 100g butter
• 60g icing sugar
• 40g brown sugar
• 140g plain flour
• 1/2 zest of a lemon and lime
• 1/2 juice of a lemon and lime
• Handful of fresh basil leaves (chopped)
• Drop of vanilla essence

The making:

Squash ball sized

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together, until smooth and creamy. Then sieve increments of the flour into the mixture, making sure you mix all the time. When fully incorporated the dough should be quite stiff.
3. Add the zests, juices, basil and vanilla. Mix till well distributed. 
4. Squish the dough together with your hands (it should feel like play-dough). Roll it in a mixture of extra plain flour and icing sugar on a clean surface till it feels less squidgy.
5. Tear off sections and roll into balls the size of a squash ball. Place these on a baking sheet (with greaseproof paper) with plenty of space between them. Gently squash them down. 
6. Cook for around 20 mins until golden brown. Then allow to cool on a wire rack (or oven rack as I use).