Grain-Free Gluten-Free Paleo Almond Cookies Recipe

Almond Flour Sugar Cookies Recipe

Biscuits are something that can be enjoyed any time of day. Breakfast biscuits, snacks, with tea, as a treat, a dessert, they're perfect for any occasion. I have always been a fond cookie and biscuit lover, but not so much the sugars and added artifical ingredients that come loaded inside them! Although they're great for a treat in moderation, it is incredibly easy to make biscuits that not only you are aware of the ingredients inside them, but also know that they are healthy for you!

The ultimate guilt-free treat!

  These sugar cookies are a great and healthier variation, that taste just as, if not better, than your average sugar laden cookie. Sweet and crunchy and packed full of flavour, you'd never realise that they're actually healthy! (Of course, if you're going to use glaze icing for decoration this makes them less healthy, though in comparison you can still enjoy these guilt-free!). These are great for those who have to watch their sugar intake (such as myself), as they are very low in sugar and net carbs per serving. Also, a great substituion for anyone who is gluten-free!

The amount this makes will entirely depend on the size of your chosen cookie cutters. For me, this made 14 small (bite-sized) heart shaped biscuits. For larger biscuits, you may want to double the recipe.

This recipe was adapted from the lovely chocolatecoveredkatie blog.


Ingredients

50g Ground Almonds (aka Almond Flour / Meal)
1/2 Tbsp Butter or Oil (e.g Coconut Oil)
1 Tsp Almond Extract
2 Tsp Agave Nectar (or liquid Sweetener of choice, e.g Maple Syrup)

Optional;
Icing Sugar and Water for a glaze icing.

Directions

•  In a bowl, melt the butter (or oil) for a few seconds in a microwave.

• Add in the almond extract and agave and combine.

• Mix in the almond flour until the mixture forms a wet dough.

• The dough should be wet but able to form into a ball.

• Place the dough onto some baking parchment and fold the parchment over the dough (this keeps the wet dough from sticking to your rolling pin) and roll until it is at your desired cookie depth (approx. 5mm).

• You may cut out the cookies at this stage, or after it has set in a freezer (I find that cutting them out after the dough has set tends to be easier).

• Place the dough into a freezer for a minimum of 30min - 1hr for best results.

• When the dough is set, it is now easier to cut out the biscuits.

• Place on a greased piece of baking parchment and bake for approx. 5-10min (or until slightly golden).

• Allow to cool for approx. 10 - 15 min before peeling off of the baking parchment.

• Decorate with glaze icing if you wish!

Tips & Serving Ideas

• Experiment with different flavours that compliment almonds, such as cherry, strawberry or vanilla.

• Add in or sprinkle on some cinnamon.

• Serve with ice cream, healthy frozen banana ice cream and agave or maple syrup.

• For a true bakewell experience, decorate with almond flavoured glaze or fondant icing, with jam or cherry coulis. 

Cara X

Simple Winnie the Pooh Honey Cake Recipe

Winnie the Pooh Honey Cake Recipe

I like cake moulds. In fact, I love them. I have a growing collection that is filling up my baking cupboard faster than I can remember what I even have anymore. Upon such realization, I decided to take a look and remind myself of all the different moulds that had not seen the light of the oven in some time, and discovered many wonders that have now been queued for use. One such mould was my Disney Winnie the Pooh face cake mould that I received from the Disney's Cakes & Sweets magazine collection (a collection, I might add, that has provided me endless hours of entertainment, providing adorable recipes and even more adorable and good quality baking gifts!).

Look how happy he is to see you!

 I used to love Winnie the Pooh when I was growing up, and still own a vast collection of books and soft toys that I have kept in his honour (and could not bring myself to throw away!). I always loved his unfathomable happiness in his oh-so-simple life, and the endless curiosity and kindness he had for the most everyday things. Childish I know, but I believe there is something that adults especially can learn from such a basic lesson. One such thing he loved most of course, was honey!And so in honour of Winnie's love, I decided to make his cake a honey cake!

I may have filled it a little too much.. !

I did a bit of research into honey cake recipes as I had only attempted honey cupcakes before and although I could have easily adapted this for a bigger cake, I preferred to research into simple but delicious looking honey cake recipes that seemed appropriate for the mould. Another lesson I learned too however, was to not be lazy and overfill the mould.. because it will overflow drastically! (This did however provide a delicious little deformed splodge of a cake that served as a taste test!).

If you've never felt the excitment of pulling away a mould.. I highly suggest you change this.

An overflow of cake is normal and is actually better than not rising enough so don't worry if yours seems to be double the cake that you intended. With the additional cake, use a sharp knife to cut across the top of the mould, following the moulds edge, until you're left with a mould which is filled with cake but does not have any overflowing the edges.

And voila!

This recipe was adapted from NetMums' honey cake recipe, using only 8 everyday ingredients this produces a moist but dense cake packed full of sweet honey and cinnamon flavours!



Ingredients



For the Cake:
120g Butter
2 Tbsp Caster Sugar
3 - 4 Tbsp Honey (I used Spanish Forest)
2 Eggs (Beaten)
200g Self-Raising flour
1 to 1 and 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 to 2 Tbsp Water

For the Icing:
 60g Icing Sugar
1/2 Tbsp Honey
Water (as needed, approx. 1 to 2 Tsp)


Directions

•  Preheat an oven to 180C.
• Grease a Winnie the Pooh cake mould or your chosen cake tin. 
• In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and honey.
• Beat in the eggs.
• Fold in the flour and cinnamon and mix, adding water as necessary until the mixture is smooth but not too liquid.
• Bake for approx. 30 to 40 mins (until golden and springy to the touch).
• To make the icing, place the icing sugar in a mug or small bowl and add water until it is slightly more liquid than a glaze icing.
• Mix in the honey until it is well combined and drizzle over the cake.

Tips & Serving Ideas

• Serve with cream or honeycomb ice cream. 
• Fold in some raisins or sultanas into the sponge, or place decoratively on top.
• Decorate with chopped honeycomb pieces, nuts, flaked almonds or try your hand at making some fondant bees!
• Sprinkle over some gold edible glitter.
• Alternatively, you could cover the cake in marzipan and/or fondant (be sure to add in his eyes and nose!).
  
  
   

Cara X 

Easy Homemade Triple Chocolate Fudge Nut Bark Recipe

Easy Homemade Triple Chocolate Fudge Nut Bark

You love chocolate don't you? You love Fudge right? And aren't nuts just the best thing..like, ever?? Well feast your hungry eyes and try this simple, easy to do recipe that will not only stun your fellow friends and family but will only take you 10 minutes at the most to do! (depending on your nut crushing and throwing-everything-in-a-tin-and-mixing skills). 

You won't believe you made it yourself..go you!

  I've made this bark a thousand times in a countless variety of ways for an easy and quick homemade gift, giving notice to whatever the recipient is especially fond of (do they prefer white or dark chocolate? peppermint or orange? walnuts or hazelnuts?). And I have to say that it has always gone down a treat! What makes this recipe great is that you can literally substitute any of the ingredients for other versions, and add as many things into it as you like! For example, a few I've made in the past are White chocolate and Candy Cane Peppermint bark, Milk Chocolate Toffee and Hazelnut bark and Dark Chocolate Orange bark with candied orange peel and Walnuts... heaven! Why not try different alterations using whatever you may have in the cupboard? You may find a new favourite combination of flavours..

A melted pot of heaven.

Ingredients

(The amounts needed will entirely depend on how much bark you need, for me this filled two jam jars of bark bars)

Cooking Spray or Butter

250g Milk Chocolate Chopped

275g White Chocolate Chopped

200g Dark Chocolate Chopped

40g Raisins

20g Sultanas

8 Individually Wrapped Fudge Sweets

60g of Mixed Nuts (I used a mixture of cashew, peanut, almonds and walnuts)

Directions

• In a glass bowl, place the chopped milk chocolate. 
• Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering hot water on a medium heated hob and wait for the chocolate to melt (keep stirring to ensure all of the chocolate melts evenly).
• Pour approximately 3/4 of the chocolate into a greased baking tin (preferably use a square tin), and spread evenly using a knife or spatula.
• Place the mixed nuts onto one half of a clean tea towel and cover them with the other half. Firmly crush the nuts using a rolling pin. (Check on them to see if they're evenly broken!)
• Unwrap and slice the fudge into three small pieces each.
• Sprinkle approximately half of the crushed nuts, dried fruit and fudge pieces on top of the melted milk chocolate.
• Melt the dark chocolate in the same way, and pour over the nuts, fudge and dried fruits, coating as many of them as you can but don't worry about covering them all, barks are meant to be messy!
• Sprinkle over the remaining nuts, dried fruit and fudge and melt the white chocolate.
• Pour the white chocolate over the whole mixture and allow to cool.
• Place the tin into a refrigerator to chill and set (approximately 20 - 30 min).
• When chilled and set, place onto a chopping board and cut into pieces (the chocolate will likely be more shard-like than bars, this makes them look more authentic!)

Tips & Serving ideas

• The amount of different sweets and flavours you can add are endless! Try these; mini marshmallows, crushed biscuits, chocolate chips, chocolate bar pieces, crushed or chopped sweets, candied peel, toffee and cereal!
• You could also add extracts and flavourings, such as orange, vanilla, mint and coffee!
• Before chilling, add some smarties, sprinkles, small edible cake decorations or edible glitters to decorate!
• To present as gifts, try putting the chocolate into a jam or mason jar, with a homemade decorative lid and tied with a ribbon. Alternatively, place in small plastic bags tied with a ribbon or tag.

A little ribbon and voila!

Cara X