Ice cream, lovely as it is, is not exactly good for you. It’s sugary, fatty, and well, yum.
But, it’s summer, and when my children want ice cream, I’d rather give them something full of vitamin C, iron and B Vitamins: enter Rapadura Ice Cream. Now, sometimes I’ll have a nice, healthy yoghurt ice cream on hand, which is by far my preference for the children, but everyone cheats some times.
The rapadura gives this ice cream a really rich, caramel flavour, which I find delicious.
I use my Thermomix® to mix this up, but you can use any blender or food processor. It’s also preferable to use an ice cream maker, and if you don’t have one – I don’t – use a steel container. I don’t have one of those easier, so I just use any old bowl, and it works a charm.
I make ice cream in the Thermomix®. If you have an ice cream maker, you can use the same ingredients but follow manufacturer instructions. If you have neither, use a regular blender for this recipe.
A few years ago I made the perfect carrot cake. I don’t know what recipe I used and have never found it again, but I suspect if I did I wouldn’t use it anymore anyway – it probably had too much sugar and white flour in it anyway.
I’m still in search of the new ‘perfect’ carrot cake, but these come up a really good alternative, in the meantime.
They last two or so days in a lunch box, and make a great school snack, largely because they’re ‘cake’ without being ‘cake’. We also make them without frosting to make them that little bit healthier, but really, I don’t think it needs anything more anyway.
If you don’t have Rapadura*, you can substitute for brown sugar, but Rapadura is a healthier alternative. I have linked you to the brand we use. Same for the coconut oil.
Possibly one of my favourite things about this carrot cake is that it is so quick and easy to make – no faffing required, and it is really tasty.
I make these in a brownie pan, and don't add any frosting to them at all. You could mix cream cheese and icing sugar to frost, but we like them just like this. They make lovely lunch box snacks. You can add nuts if you wish - just adjust the amount of raisins.
Author: Luschka
Recipe type: Cake, Snack
Serves: 18
Ingredients
2 cups carrots (roughly four or five medium sized carrots)
There are few things in a kitchen that bother me quite as much as waste. And when the item about to be wasted is an expensive one, like hazelnuts, it bothers me even more. So, when you’ve madeHazelnut Syrup and strained the nuts off, rather than binning them: turn them into Crystallised Hazelnuts.
Because they’re made with Rapadura they’re not as bad for you as they would be with normal sugar, but they can also be made with normal sugar. I just prefer it this way.
You can keep these on hand for a light nibbley snack, they are so good, or you can use them as an ice cream topping, which is delicious. Try it with home made ice cream or frozen yogurt.
They add a perfect crunch and are simply delicious.
I must admit I’m not sure about the nutritional value after having been boiled for almost an hour and then dried out, and covered in sweet Rapadura, but it’s great. And a fabulous way to make sure there’s no wastage.
I'm sure you can make these just on their own, but if you've gone to the trouble of boiling them in Rapadura or sugar, you may as well make syrup with the bit you pour off, then make this delicious snack.
Author: Luschka
Recipe type: Sweets, Ice cream topping
Serves: 250g
Ingredients
250g Hazelnuts, lightly crushed, without skin
500g Rapadura
500g Water
Instructions
Prepare as for Hazelnut Syrup.
Once you filter to separate the syrup and nuts, put the syrup aside to cool.
Spread the Hazelnuts over a baking tray
Place in the oven at 90C /194F for 3- 4 hours until they are beautifully crystalised and crunchy and golden in colour.
Use a spatula or spoon to move them around every half hour or so to make sure they don't burn.
I adore hazelnut syrup in my coffee. It’s almost a weakness. It’s definitely a craving. I sometimes crave it. I’ll drive out of my way to pick up a hazelnut coffee at Starbucks. But the problem is, I don’t think they’re very good for you! In fact, whenever I haven’t had one in a while, and then I drink one, I can ‘feel’ the chemicals sticking at the back of my throat.
I’ve recently learned to make my own hazelnut syrup and since then, I’ve not looked back.
Ironically, since I have been drinking my homemade syrup, I’ve twice had occasion to try my old favourite and you know what? I don’t like it anymore! I find it overly sweet, and I find that chemical taste really prominent in the back of my throat now.
This recipe uses Rapadura in place of sugar, so while it’s still quite calorific, it doesn’t have the highs and lows of adding sugar to your coffee.
I made these in my Thermomix®, but the recipe below is very easy to adapt to even basic kitchen equipment, you may just take a little longer.
Fun Fact: This recipe, based on RRP, for organic ingredients, cost me £5.49 for just under 1 litre. My Starbucks favourite used to cost me £3.75 for 375ml.
Roast the hazelnuts until they are just starting to colour, and you can smell their warm aroma.
Remove from oven and turn off.
Place hazelnuts in the Thermomix® bowl on reverse speed 1 for about a minute. The skins should come off pretty easily. (If you don't have a Thermomix®, or you need to remove more skin, agitate the nuts between two dishclothes.
Separate the skins
Place the hazelnuts back in the bowl and whiz for 5 seconds on speed 4. You want them broken up, but NOT powdered or turned to flour. Without a Thermomix®, you can do this with a rolling pin.
Place the Rapadura and water in the bowl/a large pot and bring to the boil. Add the hazelnuts and leave to boil until the mixture has reduced by about 25%
You will need to stir it regularly to make sure it doesn't burn. If you're using a Thermomix®, just keep it on speed 1.
Once it's reduced, strain to remove the nuts, and put them aside for crystallised hazelnuts. Strain again to remove smaller nuts, and pour into the container you'll be keeping it in. Leave to cool before refrigerating.
If you taste it straight away you'll be disappointed by how mild it tastes. Leave for about 24 hours before having your first sip of real hazelnut syrup. You won't be disappointed.
