Category Archives: Home Baking

Turtle Brownies

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Yields 24

Ingredients

Brownies

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, cubed
  • 6oz semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 3 eggs + 1 yolk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup plain flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 Tablespoon milk powder
  • 1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)

To Finish

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 4oz semi-sweet chocolate
  • ½ teaspoon expresso powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup pecan pieces, toasted
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 1 teaspoon sea-salt flakes

Method

  1. Set your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9” x 9” baking tray with oil/baking parchment leaving an overhang each side
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or bain-marie), stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from the heat, and allow to cool
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolk and sugar until the mixture is thickened and fluffy, then, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, milk powder and whisk to combine
  4. Add the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg/sugar mixture. Fold together until uniform in color
  5. Fold in the pecan pieces and chocolate chips
  6. Pour your mixture into the prepared tray and gently spread to level the surface. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, then remove from the oven when baked
  7. Leave to cool on a wire rack for 10 mins, then after this time use a chopstick, or cake dowel, to poke holes over the surface of the brownie, taking care NOT to poke the full way through the brownie layer
  8. Once the surface of the brownie has been poked with holes, pour the caramel sauce over the surface of the brownies and spread with a spatula to ensure the caramel gets to all of the holes
  9. Place in your refrigerator for between 1 hour to allow the caramel to soak the brownie layer and firm up
  10. After this time prepare the frosting. Remove the brownie pan form the fridge and set on a counter ready to be frosted – you’ll need to move quickly
  11. In a wide pan combine the sugar, butter and milk. Heat over a medium heat until melted, stirring to combine, then increase heat to bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly
  12. After the minute, remove the pan from the heat, then quickly but carefully add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly. When then chocolate appears to be nearly fully combined, add in the salt and espresso powder and stir for a few seconds more until fully combined and uniform in color.
  13. Pour the frosting over the caramel surface of the brownie layer.
  14. AA If needed tilt to brownies to ensure full surface coverage
  15. Whilst the frosting is still setting, sprinkle the surface with the pecan pieces and chocolate chips, gently pressing if needed to ensure they stick. Return the brownies to the fridge for at least another hour to allow the frosting to set
  16. After this time, remove from the fridge and give one last drizzle of caramel over the surface and sprinkle with some sea salt flakes to finish
  17. These brownies are exceptionally rich and decadent so keep than in mind when slicing. I usually divide into 12, and then cut in half again to give 24 brownie “bars” in total
  18. Serve and enjoy!

Caramel stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Yields 12

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup cookie butter spread
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla paste, or extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1Tablesppn milk powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or chocolate chips
  • 12 caramel candies

Method

  1. Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment and set aside until needed
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until creamy
  3. Mix in the egg, followed by the cookie butter spread and continue mixing until fully combined. Add in the vanilla paste (or extract) and again mix to combine fully
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, milk powder, salt and whisk to combine
  5. Gradually add the combined dry ingredients into the sugar/butter mixture. Mix on medium/low speed until fully incorporated
  6. Fold in the chocolate chunks, or chips. Mix until well mixed through the dough (I find here it easier to fold by hand rather than using a spatula or spoon. It just depends on what you’re more comfortable with)
  7. Cover the dough with cling wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour
  8. Near the end of the cookie chilling time, preheat your oven to 325°F
  9. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tbspn apx) shape the dough into 1 inch balls- you should have at least 24 in total
  10. Place a caramel candy between two cookie dough balls and squash the dough together to reshape into a larger cookie dough ball. Place the balls of dough about 3 inches apart on the pre-lined cookie sheet
  11. Bake at 325°F for 18-20minutes. The cookies will spread slightly spread and be domed where the caramel candy is. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on their baking sheets for 5 minutes. Stud with additional chocolate chips if wanted. After that, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely*
  12. Serve and enjoy! Cookies will keep in an air-tight container for up to one week

*The caramel centres will become firmer as they cool. If you want a softer, gooier centre, microwave the cookie for about 15 seconds,

Rose & Orange Olive Oil Cakes

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Makes 16

Ingredients

Cakes

  • 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 3 large eggs 

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons rosewater

To decorate

  • Dried rose petals

Method

Cakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease mini loaf pan* with baking spray
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
  3. In a separate medium bowl, combine the sugar, and orange zest. Rub together for a few minutes to release the orange natural oils. Add the orange juice and whisk together until the sugar is fully dissolved. Whisk in the yogurt, then the eggs and finally the olive oi
  4. Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients
  5. Pipe or spoon the batter into the prepared mini loaf pans, taking care to fill them no more than halfway full. Bake until the cakes are golden, spring back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 22-25 minutes
  6. Let cool for 30 minutes, then remove the cakes from the pans to a cooling rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes more

Glaze/ To Finish

  1. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, rosewater in a bowl and mix until a smooth paste forms
  2. Dip the tops of each loaf into the glaze, allowing any excess to run off. Place on a rack set over some parchment paper. Sprinkle tops with dried rose petals and allow to fully dry and set
  3. Serve and enjoy

*I use a 10 x 15 inch, 8 cavity mini-loaf pan

Baking with Ancient Grains

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As seen on CTV’S The Social, February 2024

Cherry Amaranth Bars

Makes 18

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped, or slivered, almonds
  • ½ cup puffed (popped) amaranth
  • ¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1cup dried tart cherries
  • 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F
  2. Coat 9×9” baking pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray, or line with baking parchment, leaving overhang on all sides
  3. Toast almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, for 10–12 minutes. Let cool
  4. Reduce oven temperature to 200°
  5. Process cherries, brown rice syrup, salt, and 2 Tablespoons water in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl add the puffed amaranth and stir in toasted almond mixture.
  6. Press firmly into prepared pan and bake for 20–25 minutes until no longer sticky
  7. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan. Remove from the pan and cut into bars
  8. Bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week

Chocolate Peanut Butter Teff Cookies

Makes 12-15 (dependent on cookie scoop size)

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups teff flour
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 ripe banana (100g peeled), mashed
  • ½ cup smooth peanut butter, or other nut/seed butter
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened oat milk
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a baking tray with baking parchment
  2. Combine the teff flour and salt in a large mixing bowl, whisking together
  3. Add all of the wet ingredients (mashed banana, peanut butter, maple syrup, olive oil, milk, egg, vanilla extract and almond extract) and mix well until fully combined
  4. Fold in the chocolate chips 
  5. Scoop the mixture using a cookie scoop, spacing evenly on the baking tray
  6. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. This will keep the cookies quite soft – leave in for a few more minutes if you like a crunchier cookie
  7. Remove from the oven and place on a colling rack to cool fully

Mocha Black Bean Brownies

Makes 9 (or 12 bite size)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup very strong brewed coffee
  • 1 cup dried dates, pitted
  • 1 ½ cups low sodium Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • ⅔ cup cocoa powder
  • ⅔ cup spelt flour
  • 2 tablespoon ground chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Method

  1. In a bowl combine the brewed coffee and the dates, and allow to soak at least 20 minutes
  2. After this time, pour the coffee and dates into a blender, and blend on high until very smooth. Set aside until needed later
  3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
  4. In the same food processor, add black beans, pumpkin puree, vanilla, coffee/ date mixture and maple syrup. Process on high until the mixture is smooth. This may take a few times, scraping down the side and bottom of the processor bowl. You want to make sure there are no large pieces of black beans or bean skin remaining
  5. Combine the cocoa powder, spelt flour, ground chia seeds and baking powder in a separate large bowl and whisk to combine
  6. Add the wet ingredients from the food processor to the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir well to mix
  7. Transfer the mixture to a 9×9 brownie pan, lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the walnuts over the top
  8. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until cracks begin to form on the top, and the edges are visibly cooked.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack
  10. Allow to cool completely before slicing

Sprouted Buckwheat Baked Donuts

Makes 6

Ingredients

Donuts

  • 1 cup dry buckwheat, sprouted*
  • 2 cups shredded, unsweetened coconut
  • 1 apple, grated
  • 5 medjool dates, soaked and pitted
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cinnamon Date Glaze

  • 1 cup medjool dates, soaked and pitted
  • ¼ cup soaking water, approximately
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

Donuts

  1. Preheat your oven to 150°F
  2. Combine everything in a food processor and process until a sticky dough forms
  3. Wet your hands and then split the dough into 6 equal parts
  4. Using your hands, roll each part into a ball and then use your thumbs to make a hole in the centre of each ball. Continuously use your hands to smooth together the dough as you dig a hole in the centre to make a donut shape
  5. Place on an oven-proof, oiled cooling rack and bake in your preheated oven for 3 hours. After this time look for a hard outside and cakey inside, test with a skewer
  6. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the glaze

Glaze

  1. Place the dates into a food processor and blend to a paste.
    Adding the water depends on how soft and moist the soaked dates are. Add any water until you have a smooth, glaze-like consistency. Scrap down the sides and bottom of the bowl between blending
  2. Add in the cinnamon and process sone last time to combine. Check for taste and add kosher salt if neeed
  3. Once the glaze has been prepared, transfer to a bowl. Dip your dounts to glaze or drip the glaze over your donuts with a spoon or piping bag
  4. Serve and enjoy!

Andes Mint Cookies

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Makes 24

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 2 Tablespoon milk powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon milk
  • 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 24 Andes mint chocolate candies

Method

  1. In stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, or with an electric whisk, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat until combined
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, espresso powder, milk powder and salt together until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add to the creamed butter mixture. Beat on low until combined
  3. Add in the milk, beating to combine on high speed
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour
  5. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This will make it easier to scoop
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  7. Scoop the dough into balls, I use a 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon cookie dough scoop. Arrange on a the preared cookie sheets allowing 2-3 inches between
  8. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3 times
  9. Cool cookies for a minute or two minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully press an Andes mint into the top pf each cookie, securing in the still setting dough. Allow to cool for a further 5 minutes, in which time the chocolate mint will soften, allowing you to spread/ swirl them with a small spatula or spoon creating your mint topping
  10. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely
  11. Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 1 week