Continue reading “Keto / Low Carb Three-Cornered Leek and Cheese Scones”
{Keto} Basque-Style Blackberry Pie
Almond Keto Cake
Flourless Grain-Free Dairy Free Almond Lemon Drizzle
Since my gall bladder problems started, I’ve been focusing a lot on grain free recipes, but that means I really miss things like cake. Fortunately almond flour is easy to come by – I have a Thermomix®, so I make it from whole almonds – and it’s good for gall bladder health too.
There’s a fair bit of sugar in this one. I want to try it with Rapadura, but my husband doesn’t like Rapadura so I don’t want to try it on a cake he has to eat.
I made these in a brownie pan, which I use for a lot of our snacks because they are then cut into squares and the children recognise them as snacktime treats. You can of course use a round pan or anything you fancy.
Also, I pour the drizzle over the hot cake so it will sink in. If you like it to look drizzled, you can wait till the cake is cool.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom/5 cardamom pods
- 1½ cup (170 g) almonds or almond flour
- 4 room temperature eggs, separated
- ½ cup (100g) white sugar
- 1 lemon's zest
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon white or cider vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- 50g Powdered sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- If you are using cardamom pods, put them in the Thermomix® on reverse/speed 5/ 10 seconds. Remove the husks from the bowl, add the almonds. Speed 8/10 - 20 seconds to make almond flour.
- If you have a second bowl, now's the time to use it. Otherwise pour the flour out and add clean the bowl thoroughly.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks.
- Add the whites to the Thermomix® bowl. Put the butterfly in, and whisk at speed 2 for 15 seconds, then go up to speed 4 and whisk until they start to look firm (around 2 minutes)
- Meanwhile, add half the sugar to the egg yolks along with the lemon zest.
- Returning to the egg whites, when they form peaks, add a pinch of salt, and the vinegar. This will help the egg whites keep their form. Add the other half of the sugar gradually - over about 20 seconds. This whole egg white process shouldn't take more than 3 minutes.
- Now for some manual work. You could do this in the Thermomix®, but I love watching the transformation of the 'flour'.
- Mix the egg yolk mixture into the almond mixture. It'll be quite pasty and hard to work with.
- Add two dollops of the egg white in the mixture, and stir. Then add two more and stir again. As you stir the whole mixture will become amazingly light and fluffy. Keep adding egg white till it's all mixed in.
- Transfer to your baking pan and put in the oven for 35 minutes.
- When there are 5 minutes left on the clock, cut your lemon in half and extract all the juice. Add the icing sugar and make a runny paste. When the lemon cake comes out of the oven, pour the sugary juice over it and leave to cool before tipping out the cake.
- If you are using cardamom pods, crack them open and remove the cardamom seeds. Crush them between two spoons or with a rolling pin (or use the ground cardamom spice!).
- Add to the almond flour.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks.
- Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until they start to look firm.
- Returning to the egg whites, when they form peaks, add a pinch of salt, and the vinegar. This will help the egg whites keep their form. Add half of the sugar gradually - over about 20 seconds.
- Add the other half of the sugar to the egg yolks along with the lemon zest.
- Mix the egg yolk mixture into the almond mixture. It'll be quite pasty and hard to work with.
- Add two dollops of the egg white in the mixture, and stir. Then add two more and stir again. As you stir the whole mixture will become amazingly light and fluffy. Keep adding egg white till it's all mixed in.
- Transfer to your baking pan and put in the oven for 35 minutes.
- When there are 5 minutes left on the clock, cut your lemon in half and extract all the juice. Add the icing sugar and make a runny paste. When the lemon cake comes out of the oven, pour the sugary juice over it and leave to cool before tipping out the cake.
Goji Almond And Sprouted Buckwheat *mostly* Raw Balls
These Goji, Almond and Sprouted Buckwheat balls are mostly raw, other than the choc chips. You can make your own coconut oil chocolate and then it’s completely raw! They can also be made nut free by swapping the almond meal for seeds like sunflower or pepitas. Other wise they are Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Refined sugar free, Yeast free & Corn free. Can’t get much better than that!
They do call for some organization as the buckwheat needs to start the sprouting process a day or 2 before they are ready. But it’s totally worth it! These are so lovely, sweet and the buckwheat makes a nice change than just regular old nuts in the usual bliss balls (ed: the Australian version of these date balls) I make. It’s cheaper too 🙂
- 1 cup medjool dates, pitted [about 14]
- ⅓ cup almond meal
- ½ cup raw buckwheat grouts, sprouted [yield: 1 cup sprouted]
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup goji berries
- ¼ cup carob/chocolate chips, cacao nibs or home made chocolate or even some dried fruit like sultanas
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch Himalayan rock salt
- To sprout buckwheat: place the raw buckwheat grouts in a glass container and fill with water. Place a lid on it and store it in the fridge overnight to soak. In the morning, drain and rinse.
- Drain thoroughly and leave on the counter for 24 hours.
- At the 12 hour [or so] mark, fill with water and drain again and follow the steps above.
- Your buckwheat should be ready at around 24 hours.
- Spread out onto a kitchen towel to make sure most of the moisture is removed.
- To make balls: place dates, almond meal, buckwheat, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor.
- Process until desired consistency is met.
- Drop mixture into a large bowl and mix in goji berries and choc chips.
- Wet hands and roll the mixture into balls.
- If the mixture is too sticky, out it in the freezer for a few mins to harden up
- Store in a container in the fridge or freezer