0 Amaretto chocolate torte - Gluten Free

Chocolate cakes are always popular regardless of the time of year and this is a recipe I have been using for quite a while even before I went gluten free, the resultant cake or should I say torte is not a natural beauty but it is light, moist and very chocolately. The addition of amaretto and almond essence make this an adult treat and a cake that can both happily be served with a cup of tea or cream for a dinner party.

Whipped up in a flash this is an easy reliable recipe, which despite having a fragile top (as you can see from the photographs) is happy to sit in a cake for a few days whilst its devoured. Its also currently a favourite as it uses a good quantity of eggs and the battle of the egg mountain continues, 3 hens equals 3 eggs a day most days and as we are a 2 person household that's a lot of eggs. We do give to friends but most of our neighbours keep hens too so the market is limited locally.

What you need

• 200g salted butter - chopped into chunks
• 200g dark chocolate - broken into pieces
• 4 eggs - large and free range
• 200g caster sugar
• 50g plain flour (Gluten free)
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp amaretto
• 1 tsp almond extract

Greased and base lined round cake tin, loose bottomed or springform is best about 22cm diameter

What you do 

• Melt the butter and chocolate in a pan over a very low heat, keep stirring so it melts and is smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
• Whisk the eggs and sugar in a mixer until light frothy and the consistency of custard. This will take about 5 minutes.
• Add the chocolate and butter mix to the egg and sugar mixture and also the flour and almonds, fold in with a large metal spoon retaining as much air as possible.
• Once full mixed pour into your prepared cake tin and bake for 35 minutes until risen slightly and set in the middle. This is more of a torte than a cake.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin

This recipe is being linked to We should Cocoa created by Choclette and hosted this month over on Utterly Scrummy food, the theme this month is Gluten Free, so this cake qualifies.

                                                      

And I am also linking up to  Baking with Spirit , created by Cake of the Week and hosted this month over at The usual saucepans , the theme being a re-invented classic. This chocolate torte is a recipe I have had for a while but I have added the twist of amaretto and almond extract to give it an adult twist, its also gluten free too which is always a bonus.

                                                                 

And my final linky is to Alphabakes, with the letter D this month, so I am using Dark Chocolate as my entry into this challenge hosted by Caroline Bakes and More than the occasional baker.

                                                       

I am also linking up to Bake of the Week over at my fellow cakeclubbing WI member blogging chum Casa Costello 
                                                            

Detail: Amaretto chocolate torte - Gluten Free

0 Date sweetened gluten free brownies

These are amazing, trust me they are, purely fruit sweetened, naturally gluten free and very easy to make ( well as long as you have a decent food processor). I first spotted this recipe when it was shared by Jamie Oliver on Facebook, intrigued I popped over to the website only to find that the recipe originated from Elana Amsterdam  of Elana's pantry, one of my favourite American bloggers.

                   

In the last couple of weeks since discovering this recipe I must have made them at least half a dozen times, whipped up in about 45 minutes start to finish they are great and make a fabulous addition to any lunch box. I have now taken to bulk buying dates so I always have the ingredients in so I can whip up a batch if the mood so takes me, the recipe is rich in fibre, antioxidants and low in fat too.

I also a little bit addicted to using coconut oil in baking and this recipe being paleo in origin uses this ingredient too, you can't taste it but it seems to make your bakes more bouncy, its pricy but well worth the investment. Also please ensure you use a good quality dark chocolate so that you get the best antioxidant boost possible from your bake.

What you need

• 200g Dark chocolate (a good % of cocoa solids), broken up into squares
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g dates (whole stoned or chopped)
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut oil - melted
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

A square cake tin, lined approximately 8" by 8"

What you do 

• Pre heat the oven to 180c
• Blitz the chocolate and bicarbonate of soda in your food processor until its the texture of coarse sand
• Next add the dates and continue to blitz until you are back to the coarse sand texture
• Add the eggs, coconut oil and vanilla to the procesor and pulse until incorporated
• Tip into your preprepared tin and smooth level in the tin
• Bake for 30 -35 minutes until risen and cooked through
• Cool initially in the tin and then on a wire rack
• Store in an airtight tin

I am entering this post in JibberJabberUK Love Cake campaign as this month's theme is "Giving Up" so as this brownie has no flour, no artifical sugar and is low fat its an appropraite entry.

                                               

And also We Should Cocoa created by Choclette and hosted this month by I'd much rather bake than..., the  theme this month being Coconut, well this recipe includes chocolate and coconut oil so I hope it qualifies.

                                                       

Detail: Date sweetened gluten free brownies

0 We should cocoa roundup -New Ingredient challenge January 2014

We have really enjoyed being guest hosts for We should cocoa and have been amazed by how inventive this months participants have been in their combination of ingredients with chocolate. I must thank Chocolette for allowing me to host her lovely bloggers challenge.

                                                     

Our first entry was a gluten free Chocolate gingerbread molasses cake, from none other than yours truly Lancashire Food, I hadn't cooked or baked with molasses previously and was intrigued by the deep spicy, earthy sweetness of the molasses.

                                           

Our next entry was from Veggiedesserts a healthy Beetroot chocolate protein ball, the ideal sweet treat for this time of year, almost guilt free. This is a new combination of chocolate and peanut butter for this blogger. 

                                            

Healthy chilli chocolate butternut brownies was our next contribution and  the resultant brownie is a wonderful combination of a chilli paste and moist butternut squash, an excellent entry from the Hungry Hinny.

                                            

Next up was Holey moley veggie and rice soup from The Taste space, with a lovely warming recipe for winter time. I love its rib sticking qualities, a recipe inspired by the bloggers recent trip to Mexico.

                                           

The more than occasional baker joined in the fun with an inspired combination of olive oil cake with rosemary and chocolate, this is definitely recipe to be bookmarked for later as I am intrigued as to how this one tastes. Careful balancing of flavours required I think.

                                           

Eat your Veg was next to bring us a tasty quick recipe for a Chocolate Avocado mousse, I love combining avocado and chocolate, so I can thoroughly recommend this one, its also a great way to get kiddies to eat avocados.

                                            

Alexandra over at The lass in the apron has created the delectable looking double chocolate pomegranate brownie cookies, combining the superfood pomegranate in a chewy cookie. Another recipe that should prove popular with all the family.

                                            

Another cookie recipe this time from Mainly Baking, Chocolate chip cookies with sour cherries and szechuan peppers, this is another recipe that has needed careful flavour balancing so that the mouth numbing pepper can be tasted but not overpowering the rest of the flavours.

                                            

Our next contributor is Grace over at Life can be simple with a stunning flourless chocolate cake, which is gluten free, diary free,sugar free and  free from soya . This cake was made in celebration of a 5th wedding anniversary and is a beautiful thing to make for the one you love. 

                                           

Law students cookbook brought another cookie recipe to the challenge, the new combination being bacon and chocolate chip in a bacon chocolate chip cookie, this is a combination I have tried and enjoyed but in a muffin.

                                            

Next up is Dom over at Belleau Kitchen with Reese's peanut butter cup blondies, springboarding off a Simon Rimmer blondie recipe combining with those wicked sweet salty peanutty cups. Very pretty and very very naughty.

                                            

Our next contribution comes from Bakenquilt with Nibby kind bars, a healthy cereal bar recipe featuring brown rice syrup, cocoa nibs and lots of other healthy treats, my kind of baking !

                                                   

Honey chocolate madeleines ! what's not to love, combining honey and chocolate Living is a great adventure's recipe has already gone on my bookmarked list, ideal for afternoon tea and so beautiful too.

                                         

Triple coconut chocolate cake is our next recipe from The Kitchenmaid, stunning beautiful and featuring coconut sugar, coconut flour and coconut oil. Another one for my list, packed full of healthy ingredients and gluten free too.

                                                   

Chocolate chilli pie anyone ? brought to us by the talented "I'd much rather bake than" a traditional pie packed with your favourite chilli with the sneaky addition of chocolate.

                                         

Cookies are popular for this challenge, this recipe from Corner Cottage bakery has the addition of Scottish tablet  to a traditional chocolate chip recipe, inspired choice of combination given its been Burns night this last weekend.

                                          

Next is a Jerusalem artichoke cake from creator of We should Cocoa, Chocolette. This cake looks amazing and is a combination I haven't seen before, It would appear that the legendary effects of the artichoke have dissipated in the baking process !

                                         

The Usual Saucepans contributed a beetroot, feta and chocolate couscous salad which is a beautiful colour, ideal to brighten a winters day, another dish carefully balancing sweet, salty earthy flavours. Great work.

                                           

JibberJabberUk contribution this month is a deliciously moist looking Chocolate and coffee bean cake, as a coffee hater this is Jibberjabbers first foray into using coffee beans that she was given in a secret santa at cake club. I love the combination of coffee and chocolate, so send a piece this way please.

                                               

Secret (mayonnaise) brownies from Tales of pigling bland are the next course on our chocolate menu, another ingredient that the blogger isn't a great fan of, but used creatively its been turned into a delectable treat. I've baked with mayonnaise myself and found that its great for adding moisture to cakes, after all classic mayo is just eggs and oil ! 

                                               

Kumquat and white chocolate muffins, surely one of your five a day ! Thanks to Lapin d'Or and more for this zesty tasty recipe using a great seasonal ingredient that's just that bit more interesting than orange.

                                               

Maison cupcake were next up with these charming creations of Hot stuff brownie lovebites with Oaxacan smoked chilli honey. Suitably glammed up with gold leaf no less as the new ingredient combination. Sarah's planning ahead for her valentines celebrations here. They are gluten free too !

                                               

Another bitesized treat next ! Chocolate dipped rose fudge from nuttytart , a myriad of first time combinations in this post and the results look amazing, another recipe that would make a great valentines gift.

                                            

Our penultimate contribution is from Baking in Franglais, who has linked up a fab looking Chocolate and ginger puddle pudding. This twist on the classic chocolate saucing recipe featuring the novel combination of ginger beer (alcoholic in this case) and chocolate. 

                                           

Finally we have from Cake of the Week, Goats Cheese brownies, possible not the first combination you would think of but I can see how this would work, again balancing the sweet salty flavours. 

Thanks to all contributors to this month's We should Cocoa, you are obviously all very creative to come up such novel flavour combination and also thanks for the stunning photography. Next months challenge is back over with Chocolette at Chocolate log blog. So reader if you are inspired why not join in the fun next month !

                               

Detail: We should cocoa roundup -New Ingredient challenge January 2014

0 We should Cocoa - January 2014 - New Ingredient challenge

                                             

Eeek ! I am so excited as this is a first for Lancashire Food, this month we are the lucky guest host of "We should Cocoa", the lovely monthly linky campaign created by Choclette from Chocolate Log Blog.

We should cocoa has been running now for over 3 years and has had many themes, so I had to really get my thinking cap on for this months theme. I didn't want to make it too difficult but I also didn't want to make it too easy either, so here goes. 

As we are at the start of a fresh shiny new year, our theme is New Ingredient , this a new ingredient to you, an ingredient combination that you haven't tried with chocolate in one of its many forms. Your recipe can sweet, savoury and as simple or as complicated as you like but must conform to the theme.

My entry for this challenge can be found here, I have wanted for a long time to cook with molasses so I purchased a jar and decided to bake a gluten free chocolate gingerbread loaf.

If you've never taken part in We Should Cocoa before here is the round up to last month's theme - Alcohol 

If you fancy joining in , just read the list below and have a go :-)

1. Post your recipe on your blog – accompanying photographs would be nice. Do please make sure you have permission to use any photos that are not your own. We love to see your creations
2. Mention “We Should Cocoa” in your post and link back to Chocolate Log Blog and Lancashire Food (as host for this month).
3. Use the linky on the bottom of this post to link your blog post to this post.
4. Entries should be submitted no later than midnight of the 25^th of the month.
5. The round up of entries will be posted on the relevant host’s blog on or before the last day of the month.
6. The new challenge will be posted on the 1^st of the month.
7. Mention " We should Cocoa" in your post and post labels.
8. Use the lovely logo in your post.
9. If you use Twitter, you can use the tag #weshouldcocoa and both @LancashireFood and @Chocolette8 will endeavour to retweet.
10. Please feel free to add your entry to the We Should Cocoa group board on Pinterest. If you are not already a member and would like to join, please ask Choclette.

Detail: We should Cocoa - January 2014 - New Ingredient challenge

0 Chocolate gingerbread molasses cake or Adventures in molasses for We should cocoa

For a while now I have fancied experimenting with Blackstrap molasses, blackstrap is what remains after extracting sugar from raw sugar cane. Rich in vitamin B6 and calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium it is now also regarded as a health food.

Molasses is famously combined in gingerbread or cookies giving a spicy sweet sour tang to the bake. As this months challenge for We should Cocoa is "New ingredient" I am giving this ago as my new ingredient, in baking  a rich dark and foreboding chocolate gingerbread cake.

What you need

1 3/4 cup flour ( I used gluten free)

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp bicarb

1/2 baking powder

2 tsp ginger

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/4cup molasses

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 egg

choc chips if you like

2lb loaf tin, lined 

What you do

This is an all in one recipe and just ensure your coconut oil is liquid before quickly mixing up in your mixer until everything is well combined. Pour into a lined loaf tin and pop in the oven at 180c for 40-45 mins until risen and baked through.

The resultant cake was dense with a beautiful gingerbready tang, ideal with a cup of tea or in your lunch box.

                                                                 

Detail: Chocolate gingerbread molasses cake or Adventures in molasses for We should cocoa

0 Chocolate Courgette Loaf

BBC Radio Lancashire came to visit us yesterday for the Lunchtime Favourites programme and this is the cake I chose to feature when Maria Felix Vas was visiting, its a difficult task to select just 12 tracks that represent your life so far, I enjoyed the making the programme and the bake went do very well. 

I thought I'd refresh the post in honour of the visit, I hope you enjoy the bake!

This recipe was created in celebration of the annual courgette glut , I am revisiting my Prize winning Chocolate courgette loaf, as published in Green and Blacks - Chocolate Recipes - Unwrapped.

Its a really easy recipe if a little fragile when it first comes out of the oven. If you wish to guild the lily you can ice and fill if with jam or cream, it is quite rich already so I prefer it plain.

Ingredients

• 175g Dark chocolate ( at least 60% cocoa solids)
• 225g courgettes
• 200g Plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarb of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste (optional)
• 110g caster sugar
• 175ml sunflower oil
• 2 medium eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 180c / 350f/gas mark 4

Greased and lined 2lb loaf tin

Melt the chocolate, I use the microwave, but be careful don't overheat. Grate the courgettes in your bowl, sift the flour, baking powders and spices into the bowl, add the other ingredients and mix well, lastly add the slightly cooled chocolate. I use my food processor but a bowl is fine too. Pour into your prepared tin and bake for approx 50 mins, test with a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool, before finishing the cooling process on a wire rack.

The loaf stores well in a tin and also freezes well.

I am also going to include this post in We should Cocoa this month hosted by Jibberjabber and created by Chocolate log blog, the theme is vegetables.

                                                       

Detail: Chocolate Courgette Loaf