Berry sloe gin sorbet

It's no secret that I'm partial to the odd gin or two. I blame living in India, as of course it's medicinal there (!), although I'm not sure what my excuse is now I'm back in the UK!

Gin!

Gin is undergoing a renaissance, and the choice of brands and flavours has expanded enormously in the last few years. Suddenly, it's trendy. Many pubs now have extensive gin menus with up to 30 different flavours on offer. At the weekend I was reading an article about how many distilleries in Scotland known for their quality whiskies have diversified into gin with great returns. Even this year's Apprentice had a foray into blending and creating a new gin - disastrously for one team who didn't follow the 'rules'!

Amongst all the varieties available, one of my most favourite is still homemade sloe gin. I love the deep, warming berry flavour, deliciously comforting with a hint of decadence! And there's always something so satisfying about knowing exactly what's in your glass.

So it only seemed natural progression that I should think about combining a gorgeous tipple with another passion - dessert! It may be cold and frosty outside, but this sorbet is still perfect for this time of year. The deep red colour of sloe gin combined with vibrant red berry fruits creates the perfect seasonal hue. And the gorgeous deep flavours feel festively decadent without straining the waistline! Sorbet is so simple to make and stores well, perfect for the dairy free diner who still wants their treats. It's easier if you have an ice cream maker. I use one made by Andrew James - inexpensive but reliable (follow the link under 'favourite things' to check it out), but you can still make it by hand, but it takes a little more time.

So why not get a batch of this ready for the freezer now to enjoy over the Christmas period - be warned, it's rather moreish!

Berry sloe gin sorbet

Sloe gin and berry sorbet

3 cups mixed red berries
375mls water

175g caster sugar

5 tablespoons sloe gin

First, place the mixed berries (I used frozen ones) into a large saucepan with the water and heat through until the berries have defrosted (you don't have to bring them to a simmer to do this). Cool slightly then place in a blender and blitz for a few seconds. Place a sieve over your saucepan and strain the berry mix through it so the seeds and pips are removed and you have a lovely red berry liquid in the pan. Add the sugar and heat gently to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove any white scum that may come to the surface. Turn off the heat, pour into a bowl and stir in the sloe gin. Leave to cool completely and then chill in the fridge for a little while to make sure it's completely cold.

If you have an ice cream maker, pour in the mix and churn according to instructions until the sorbet has formed. Spoon into an ice cream container and freeze until ready to use.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour the sorbet mix into a large plastic container and place in the freezer for an hour. Remove, stir to break up any water crystals and return to the freezer. Repeat this every hour until your sorbet has formed, then transfer to an ice cream container and store in the freezer.

Note - because of the alcohol content, the sorbet is softer than a fruit and water only one, 

Enjoy!

Summer crumble comfort

Some may call us brave, others foolish, but we have just been away on holiday for two weeks, leaving our teens at home to fend for themselves. It's not the first time we've done it, but certainly the longest. And with great relief, they managed just fine - the house was still standing, no difficult to explain holes in the wall or dangling radiators (it's happened before!) and pretty tidy too - how wonderful!

The only thing that needed immediate attention turned out to be the freezer - the door had been left open a bit so it was over-iced and a couple of things had started to defrost. No big problem that's for sure, especially when those two items were a container of cakes and a bag of rhubarb - they just needed to be eaten :).
The biggest issue about being home turned out to be the weather! Not that it had been perfect in the Alps, but I had got used to a large amount of very hot sun, and now suddenly it was grey, dull and definitely wet, enough to put the damper on anyone's holiday spirits. Comfort food was needed and that bag of rhubarb was begging to be made into a crumble. As it is still summer, no matter what the view out the window may say, I wanted to add a suitable seasonal element and the tub of gorgeously sweet strawberries I'd picked up hit the spot. Some may say that rhubarb and strawberry are an odd combination for a crumble, but they go together perfectly as the sweetness of the glorious strawberries means you need less sugar to soften the tart rhubarb, just as long as the strawberries are properly grown and flavoursome. I wouldn't make this with insipid out-of-season watery berries that's for sure.

Crumble is a fantastic dessert - easy to make and (nearly) everyone enjoys it. Traditionally though, it's not the best for those who need to eat dairy or gluten free, or for anyone looking to lose weight due to the large added sugar content. Fortunately, it's easy to give it a make over! I use a mixture of (gluten free if necessary) oats and gluten free flour for the topping with a smidge of coconut sugar to help with the crunch. Cinnamon aids with sugar absorption and so a teaspoon added into the topping not only benefits the body, but tastes amazing too.
Both rhubarb and strawberry are fabulous nutrition wise, packed full of anti-oxidants, phytonutrients and various vitamins. Strawberries are an amazing source of vitamin C in particular.
So why not give this a go - everyone will agree on the flavour, the only debate will be custard, ice cream or cream to top it (dairy free of course!).
Rhubarb and strawberry crumble

4-5 stalks of rhubarb
150g strawberries
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
2 tablespoons water
85g oats (gluten free if needed)
70g plain flour (wholemeal/gluten free)
2 heaped tablespoons dairy free spread (Pure/Vitalite etc)
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. Chop the rhubarb into chunks, slice the strawberries in half (if big) and place in a medium sized oven-proof dish with the coconut sugar and water. Ensure everything is mixed well together.
Mix the oats, flour, coconut sugar and cinnamon together, add the dairy free spread and rub in using your finger tips until it's blended in and small chunks stick together (you can do this in a food processor if you don't want crumble mix up your nails!). Sprinkle over the top of the prepared fruit and pop in the oven for 20 minutes or so until the fruit bubbles up a bit and the top is lightly browned and firm.
Leave to rest for a few minutes then serve with whichever accompaniment you choose. Enjoy!

Chocolate rethink - then try this tart!

Easter has many meanings. There's the religious one, naturally. Or the start of spring and new life. Or - for many - chocolate! It's estimated that 80 million chocolate Easter eggs are sold per year, and that's in the UK alone.

Culturally, it seems that Easter is an excuse to gorge on the brown stuff with impunity. This seems to go hand in hand with Lent, the 40 days leading up to Easter. Chocolate is number one on the list of items that people give up for Lent, in remembrance of the time Jesus spent in the wilderness.  However, many non-religious people also participate in the process too, and I wonder if that is more of a control issue rather than a spiritual one - chocolate can be so moreish and addictive!

It's estimated that it takes 21 days to change a habit; when you exclude a food item from your diet, it takes about this length of time for your tastebuds to change too (see this old blog post for more tastebud info http://foodiesensitive.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/tastebud-tales.html). In this time, your body also changes the way is responds. Most chocolate is packed full of sugar and fat, which is why we love it so much! But if we take time to listen to our bodies and take note to how it reacts to different foods, you'll probably notice a difference to how you feel without a shed load of chocolate every day. When you start eating it again, especially after 40 days, your body will react differently, and often can make you feel quite unwell. The odd thing is, that's probably how you felt before the exclusion period, but hadn't recognised it as a bad feeling, just a normal one. It's amazing what our bodies deal with as 'normal'.

Now don't be aghast and think that I'm declaring you shouldn't eat chocolate - I wouldn't dare! And as recent research suggests, in certain forms and small amounts, cocoa is actually pretty good for us. Not only does it have iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc, minerals that help keeps the body functioning well, but it's also packed full of helpful antioxidants, sterols and flavonoids that can help blood pressure regulation, reduce cholesterol and potentially increase blood flow in the brain and prevent cognitive decline - I'm all for some of that!

To me, the issue is type and amount of chocolate. All the benefits of cocoa come with dark or raw chocolate. Milk chocolate is miles less effective and carries loads of sugar and fats which lead to weight gain, amongst other problems. Cheap chocolate bars only contain about 10% cocoa; the rest is made up of dairy products, sugar and oils, often hydrogenated (this changes the chemical structure and is toxic to us). And that fat and sugar combo is what makes us want to go back for more, as it triggers the pleasure centres in the brain, and boy those centres just love to be satisfied!
I'm really not keen on dark chocolate, so when I went dairy free it meant going without. Fortunately, I've never been that fussed, so it wasn't really an issue. But now there are so many dairy free alternatives on the market, it's easy to have a little chocolate indulgence every now and then. I buy my dairy free chocolate from Plamil (www.plamilfoods.co.uk) - great flavour and minimal additives. And there's something utterly decadent about buying a 7.5kg box of chocolate drops.......not all for me, honest! I use it for desserts at my supper clubs.

So if you overindulged over the weekend and are feeling rather sluggish and sick, have a listen to what your body is trying to tell you, and maybe have a rethink about your chocolate habits. Then when you've recovered, try this gorgeously yummy and healthy chocolate and coconut tart - it not only tastes good, but will make you feel good too!

Chocolate and coconut tart

Base:

1 cup hazelnuts

1 cup of dates, soaked for 10 minutes

50g cocoa powder

Filling:

400g tin coconut milk

1/4 cup (60ml) dairy free milk

1/4 cup cornflour

pinch of salt

1 cup dairy free chocolate 

Topping:

Toasted coconut flakes

First of all, make the base. Drain the dates and place in a food processor with the hazelnuts and cocoa powder. Blitz until everything is chopped up and well combined - add a little of the date water if you need to help it stick together. Spoon out into a loose bottomed round cake tin and press down firmly so the base sticks together, covering the bottom of the tin. Pop in the freezer whilst you make the filling.

Mix the cornflour and dairy free milk together in a small bowl and put to one side. Heat the coconut milk in a small pan. When it is warm but not boiling, add the dairy free chocolate and salt and stir until melted and smooth (a couple of minutes). Slowly pour in the cornflour mix and continue to stir until it thickens, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool a little. 

Remove the base from the freezer and pour in the filling. Place in the fridge to firm up for about 8 hours or leave overnight (if you're short of time, pop in the freezer for a few hours but keep an eye on it). To serve, sprinkle toasted coconut flakes over the top, and enjoy!

Easy and gorgeous dairy free chocolate mousse

As a child, I was never that bothered about chocolate. Not that I didn't like it (there can't be many than don't) but my pocket money would go on sweets and candies rather than chocolate treats.  Fortunately, I've never been plagued by chocolate cravings like many I know, but I do appreciate there are moments when only chocolate will do!

Once I became dairy free, my chocolate intake dropped to almost nil, as I only really like milk chocolate, and the only dairy free alternatives I found were carob bars. I tried it once. And only once!
Fortunately, there are more and more dairy free chocolate alternatives around.  There were so many free samples on offer at last year's Vegefest, I can say I was truly chocolate-stuffed by the end of the day. And many of these are now available in supermarkets, which does make life rather easy.
One chocolate dessert I've always had a passion for, though, is chocolate mousse. Decadently rich yet beautifully light and airy, its a pudding that you can savour teaspoon after teaspoonful. Not good for your hips, but a delight on your tongue and worth the extra workout the next day!! Recently, I had a sudden urge for a chocolate mousse so decided to find a dairy free version - and I have to say this works so much better than I could have hoped.
It's really quick and easy and tastes stunningly chocolaty. As tofu is used to replace the double cream element, it's much healthier too as it's low in saturated fat, although go easy on the agave syrup as this sweetener will rack up the refined sugar content some what. Although marketed as a healthy alternative to refined sugar, agave is just as processed and can even have a higher sugar content than the nasty high-fructose corn syrup that's added to so many processed cakes and pastries. Mind you, this IS a chocolate pudding, so has to have a little devilish nastiness to it!!
Dairy free chocolate mousse

350g silken tofu
170g dairy free chocolate
3/4 tablespoon agave syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
fresh berries/berry coulis to serve
First, melt the chocolate in a clean bowl over a pan of simmering water. Leave to cool slightly. Meanwhile, drain and dry the tofu and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add the melted chocolate, agave syrup, vanilla essence and salt and blend again until smooth and well mixed. Spoon out into four individual ramekin dishes and chill in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours or until set. Serve with whole fresh berries or a berry coulis and enjoy your divine chocolate treat!

Amazing Banoffee Pie - raw and dairy free! Part one.

I love pudding. It's no secret. I have a sweet tooth that loves to be satisfied. Unfortunately, most traditional puddings and desserts are packed full of dairy - dollops of butter, lashings of cream and of course bundles of fat and calories to go with it!! It's not a wonder that when I finally banished dairy from my diet, I lost weight without trying!
So  now I am on a continual quest to find puddings that I can eat - dairy free and delicious of course - without falling back onto too many fake alternatives which are often packed full of chemicals and nasties that I really don't want to consume. I want real food in my pudding. I do want to have my cake and to eat it!
One of my favourite puddings of all time is Banoffee Pie. I'm not sure if it's the deep rich caramel flavour or the sumptuous cream and banana mix which makes it so tantalising on the tongue - or maybe all the flavours together is the key. Banoffee Pie is a Sussex creation, first found on the menu of the Hungry Monk back in the 1970s, and being a Sussex girl, it's only right that I should indulge and support our local cuisine. But that combination of caramel made from condensed milk and the thick creamy topping means that, sadly, my banoffee pie days are over.
Or so I thought until my lovely husband, knowing how much I miss my scrumptious puds, found a recipe for, and made me, Raw Banoffee Pie. What a man!! Made from whole foods, no added sugars at all - and it tastes absolutely wonderful.
As a dish, it's not too complicated to make, but has a few component parts, so this recipe is being split into two posts (what a tease!!) but if you can't wait, then check out the whole thing on this wonderful site http://www.gluten-free-vegan-girl.com/2013/04/no-bake-vegan-banoffe-pie.html
So this dish has three component parts - the crust, the caramel and the cream. Each one can be used to  make other yummy dishes, hence why I want to break them down for ease of reference. Today, I'm focusing on the caramel and the cream. Next time the base and bringing the whole recipe together. It doesn't take up loads of time, just needs a little planning ahead.
The raw caramel is amazing, and is one of the things I demonstrated at my first Sensitive Foodie cooking demo the other week. It went down really well, and we have all be devising other uses for it ever since!! The coconut cream is so easy and absolutely gorgeous and can definitely be used as whipped cream for other puddings. It tastes gorgeous and it's hard not to eat it all straight from the bowl.

First, the caramel. Made from whole dates and vanilla, the flavour is influenced by two things - the type of dates used and time. Richer dates, like medjool, produce a deeper caramel flavour. I've used these and Halawi dates and the flavour is lighter with the Halawi. Still gorgeous though! The texture is also slightly smoother with the medjool dates. As for time, the flavours mature over a few days, so if you can, make this caramel and keep it in a pot at the back of the fridge where no-one will find it (otherwise they will eat it!!) for a few days before you want to use it. If you can't, don't worry, your caramel will still be good, just not quite as deep as it might be. Finally, I use vanilla paste rather than vanilla essence, just because I found it produces a better flavour. If you only have essence, then use it, but check your flavour as you may need to add a bit more.
Raw caramel
3 cups pitted dates
1 cup of almond milk (or other non-dairy milk - not soya milk)
1 tsp vanilla paste
a pinch of salt (be careful!)
Place your dates into a food processor and blend until all mushed up. Add 3/4 of the milk, vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt and blend until smooth. Add more milk to get a thick, creamy texture, as needed. It will take about 5 minutes on a medium speed. Taste and add more vanilla or salt to balance the flavour (the salt counterbalances the sweetness. It's needed but its easy to add too much!). Once you're happy with the flavour, stop eating it or you'll have to make more, put in a pot and hide!
Whipped coconut cream

1 tin of full fat coconut cream
vanilla essence
pinch of salt (optional)
This is where you have to plan ahead for sure. To be able to whip your cream, you need cold coconut milk, so pop it in the fridge to chill over night. When you open the tin, most of it will be of a creamy, thick consistency. Carefully scrap out all the thick stuff and put in a bowl. There may be a little thin coconut water left at the bottom - keep separate and use for another recipe. I'd actually had my tin in the fridge for a week (never got around to using it when I'd planned to) and the whole tin was solid. Perfect for whipping. Then all you need to do is add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence to the coconut and whisk until you have a smooth cream. It takes about one minute with an electric hand whisk. Taste and add more vanilla essence if you need to and a tiny pinch of salt if you feel it's required. It really does taste like whipped cream!! The cream needs using pretty quickly, so if you're not ready to use it there and then, pop the bowl in the fridge so it keeps it shape (the fat in coconut changes consistency with temperature).
So there you have it - two components of the pie that can be used elsewhere. Earlier I started discussing banana splits and chocolate sundaes with my daughter…….watch this space! And the rest of the banoffee pie recipe will come next time!

Dairy free panna cotta? Don't mind if I do!!

The last couple of months has been so busy, there's been no time to blog. Luckily I've still managed to find time to potter and experiment in the kitchen, so lots more postings to come soon (if I get more organised!).

When I get talking to friends and acquaintances about my diet choice, I usually get exclamations of horror or sympathy, and the same recurring question - "whatever do you eat?". For me, eating a dairy free, mainly plant based diet is exciting and liberating, one big adventure in the kitchen. It's not limiting, but expanding (my repertoire not my waistline!) and with a little imagination and creativity, it's not too hard to produce delicious, satisfying dishes, that some how become choices rather than alternatives.

Anyone who has read any of my other posts should be able to recognise by now that I have a sweet tooth. I love puddings, but traditionally they do not like me as most are packed full of butter, cream or dairy of some sort. Eating out, puddings are usually off the menu, unless we are in a specialist restaurant like the amazing Terre a Terre in Brighton, when I can gorge until my hearts content. But at home, my kitchen can become like a mad scientists laboratory, with some pretty interesting (and hopefully tasty) results!
A while back, I had a craving for panna cotta, that gorgeously creamy, wobbly Italian dessert that just melts in your mouth. I really didn't think that a pudding packed with cream, sugar and gelatin could be made dairy free, vegetarian and still beautifully tasty - but it can! In fact, it's so delicate and light, that I think it's actually better than the original (or maybe I'm just a bit biased!).  And when it comes to food sensitivities or healthy diets, panna cotta (the alternative) is the ultimate in free-from dessert - dairy, egg, gluten and even sugar free, suitable for vegans too.

Panna cotta is often on restaurant menus, so I’d always believed it was a tricky number – actually it’s really quick and simple. I’ve made this a number of times now, including for a dinner party, and it’s never let me down.

I’ve just included the necessities for a simple vanilla panna cotta. I usually serve this with a raspberry coulis, basically because I love the contrast of sharp, bitty raspberries with the sweet, smooth cream. To make it uber healthy, the sugar can be replaced by a fruit puree, like mango or strawberry, but stir it in at the end before pouring it into the moulds.

Vanilla panna cotta

375mls almond milk *

60g caster sugar

250 mls dairy free cream (I use Oatly)

1 1/2 tablespoons agar**

vanilla essence/paste/seeds

Place the almond milk and sugar in a saucepan and sprinkle the agar over the top. Gently heat the mixture but do not stir until it's boiling (this is hard to resist!!). Reduce the heat, simmer and stir gently until all the agar and sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes but may take longer). Take off the heat, stir in the dairy free cream and vanilla then pour into moulds. This fills 4 good sized round moulds, or small ramekin dishes. Leave to cool slightly for a few minutes, then place in the fridge to set. The panna cotta will be set in a couple of hours, but the longer you leave them, the firmer they will be. Serve as it is, or with a fruit coulis of your choice. 

It really is that easy - give it a go and see what flavours you can create.

* you can use any dairy free milk, but I prefer almond for this as it has a good texture and is already slightly sweet. Soya milk is too pungent for a delicate pud.

** agar is a traditional Japanese gelling agent made from seaweed. It sets really well but operates differently to gelatin. It's really important to follow the instructions very carefully. Of course, if you wish to use gelatin, then do so - sprinkle 2 1/4 teaspoons over the milk and leave it to 'bloom' for a few minutes. Stir in the sugar and warm gently for a minute until the sugar and gelatin has dissolved. Do not boil. Turn off the heat, add the other ingredients and continue as per the main recipe.