Gingerbread House

Woo-freakin-hoo!!! I did it!

A gluten, dairy, processed sugar free Gingerbread house that tastes amazing!
And not just amazing because I haven't had real Gingerbread in so long but truly fantastic!
I ate so much of this yesterday... and again today!

The Gingerbread will not keep as long as a store bought house, not that you'll be able to stop eating it anyway! Choose whichever healthier decorations you like. I used nuts, glacé cherries, dried apricots that I cut into shapes using cookie cutters, coconut and home made jellies. The choices are endless.

I have used this mold but there are many commercially available. Alternatively I have included links to templates that you can print and cut out.

My secret with this Gingerbread house is the 'glue'. Ordinarily Royal Icing would be the cement that joins the walls, but sadly that is not a healthy option. Instead, in a moment of insanity, I decided to use Gingerbread Cookie Dough Frosting. Yep, cookie dough and Gingerbread. Amazing! The frosting needs to be refrigerated to ensure it stays firm and holds the house together. You can also use honey/golden syrup to adhere some of the lighter decorations.

Make this and enjoy!

GINGER BREAD HOUSE
Makes 1 House using mold.
Alternatively bake in a tray and cut house shapes

INGREDIENTS
300 grams Almond Meal
200 grams Arrowroot flour
Dash Salt
1/2 teaspoon Bicarb
1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
100 grams coconut oil, softened slightly
125 grams dates
65 ml boiling water
300 grams Golden Syrup

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 170C/340F
Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.
Allow to sit for a minimum of 20 minutes (the longer the better).
Place the dates in the blender and process on high until a paste forms.
Add the golden syrup and blend on high for 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl lightly whisk together the dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and blend until combined.
Add the coconut oil in small pieces and blend on high until combined (1-2 minutes).

Press the dough into the Ginger bread house mold.
Alternatively bake in a tray and use these templates to cut house pieces.
Templates for Gingerbread houses can be found here and here.
The dough should be approximately 7-10mm thick (1/3 Inch).

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven, but do not remove pieces from the mold until cooled.

Construct the house using Gingerbread Cookie Dough Frosting (see recipe below) as the glue. Use the frosting on the base of the pieces (to stick to tray) and edges to join walls.
Decorate with dried fruits, nuts, jellies, Marshmallow; using the frosting to adhere the decorations to the walls.
Alternatively, use golden syrup or honey to help stick the decorations to the walls.
Spread golden syrup/honey over the serving tray and sprinkle desiccated coconut to look like snow.
Sprinkle desiccated coconut over the top of the house for the snow.

Place finished house in the fridge to set the frosting.
If you live in a hot or humid environment you may need to keep the house in the fridge so the frosting doesn't become soft.


GINGERBREAD COOKIE DOUGH FROSTING

INGREDIENTS
150 grams Almond Meal
100 grams Arrowroot
90 grams Golden Syrup
65 grams dates
33 ml boiling water
1/2 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
50 grams Coconut oil
1to 2 Tablespoons Whipped Coconut Cream

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with boiling water.
Allow to sit for a minimum of 20 minutes (the longer the better).
Place the dates in the blender and process on high until a paste forms.
Add the golden syrup and blend on high for 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl lightly whisk together the dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and blend until combined.
Add the coconut oil and blend on high until combined (1-2 minutes).

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a kitchen stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add 1 Tablespoon of whipped coconut cream and whisk until fluffy.
If the mixture is too dry add more cream.
Place the frosting in the fridge to firm up, ensuring that it is still spreadable.

Rocky Road Marshmallow

Last week we took the boys to see Santa. We TRIED to create a lasting family moment. I should have known it wasn't going to happen!

One summer I worked as Santa’s helper taking Santa Claus photos. It was my job to capture the joy and excitement of Christmas and provide families with a lasting treasure...
The reality was a bit less rom-com and a lot more horror movie.

It's unrealistic to except a child, who has been schooled all year in stranger danger, to sit on a fat, strange mans knee and smile. Even if they’re not screaming and kicking poor Santa, the likelihood of getting everyone to smile at the same time - and face the camera - is not great. We had screamers, biters and kickers; we had the ones who wouldn't go anywhere near the old man and the ones who wouldn't leave; we had toddlers in tutus and babies with stinky poo!

But through all the dramas it's Santa who is the real trooper. It would be easy to develop a self-esteem issue when every 2nd person who sees you screams and cries, or 'industrial deafness' from the incessant whining. It is Santa who works so hard to make each child smile and give them a joyous experience. It's not his fault that some kids are just shits!

Santa deserves a reward after he's navigated through the stars and down the blocked chimney. Why not leave him some Rocky Road Marshmallow with his cold beer? (the cold beer might be an Australianism - it can be 40C at Christmas time and the poor obese man isn't in the best shape)

You might call this a deconstructed and reconstructed version of Rocky Road. Feel free to add the options you like, or have handy in the cupboard.

ROCKY ROAD MARSHMALLOW

INGREDIENTS
1 Egg White
3/4 cup Maple Syrup/Honey
200ml water
2 Tablespoons Gelatin
2 Tablespoons Cocoa, unsweetened
3 Tablespoons each Arrowroot and Cocoa

Options;
1-1/2 cups Biscuit pieces
3/4-1 cup Desiccated Coconut
3/4-1 cup dried cranberries/raspberries etc
1/2- 3/4 cup Nuts (macadamias, pecans etc)
1/2 Chocolate Chip Pieces

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the egg white in a clean bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attached.
Pour 100ml of water into a small bowl/cup and sprinkle gelatin over. Allow to sit and thicken for a minimum of 5 minutes.
Pour the Maple Syrup and 100ml of water into a saucepan and bring to a slow boil.
Once boiling, add the gelatin mixture and whisk to combine.
Bring to the boil again and boil for 30 seconds.

Turn the whisk onto medium and pour the hot mixture down the side of the mixing bowl.
Once added turn to high and whisk for 5 minutes.
Turn off and sift Cocoa over Marshmallow mixture.
Return the whisk to high and whisk for 6-8 minutes, or until the Marshmallow fluffs up and becomes thick.

Add the selected options and fold into Chocolate marshmallow mixture.
Pour mixture into a lined tray/casserole dish (the size/depth of the tin will determine the size of your Marshmallows) and leave at room temperature for a minimum of 4 hours.

Cut the Marshmallow into pieces or cut into shapes using cookie cutters.
Combine additional cocoa and arrowroot, and roll each piece of Marshmallow in it (this prevents it from being too sticky).

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

My godlike-idol crush on Martha Stewart always grows at this time of year. Can the woman do no wrong?! (Clearly this is a rhetorical question as her past issues are well documented, however I choose to focus on the Martha who wears knitted reindeer jumpers not prison garb)

I think Martha Stewart must be an alien. She obviously exists in a different universe; one where there are far more than 24 hours in a day and dust does not exist. A parallel time that intersects with ours during this festive season so that alien Martha can bring forward the gifts of inspiration, perfection and creativity. The world of Martha (where surely she is Queen) has clean benches, full vases and everyone smiles. There is a faint odor of baked cookies and fir trees in the air, and no one ever gets angry. Why would you? Queen alien Martha would just bake you a cake if you even looked like getting sad.

Planet Martha was the inspiration for these cookies. A take on the classic Gingerbread, these Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies are a great gift. Why not make a Christmas tree tower with frosting to join?!

NB it's worth noting that Star Trek DS9 was on whilst I was writing this post... this may explain my ramblings!

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES
(adapted from www.marthastewart.com)
Makes approximately 16-18 gingerbread men.

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon Dates
50ml boiling water
Dash of Bicarb
1 egg
1/4 cup Golden Syrup
1/2 Tablespoon fresh, minced Ginger
3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil, softened
2/3 cup Almond Meal
1/3 cup Arrowroot
1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
1/4 cup Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
Dash of Cloves
Dash of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon BiCarb Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder

INSTRUCTIONS
Place dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water, adding the bicarb.
Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, or until softened.

Place softened dates in a blender and process on high until broken down.
Add egg, golden syrup, fresh ginger and coconut oil and blend until well combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining, dry ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet in the blender and process until combined and the dough forms.

Remove dough from blender and form it into a flat disc.
Wrap in glad wrap, and place in the fridge for 1 hour (the dough can be left overnight a this stage).

Preheat the oven to 175C/350F.

Remove the dough and place between 2 sheets of baking powder and roll flat to approximately 5mm (1/4 inch) thickness.
Cut out desired shapes and place on a lined and greased baking tray.

Whilst cutting the shapes, if the dough becomes too soft and the cookies don't hold their shape place the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes and start the process again.

Place the trays of cut cookies in the fridge for 20 minutes

Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes (10-11 minutes for gingerbread men, 11-13 for bigger shapes).

Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Banoffee Pie

This morning I listened to the ‘Ghost Busters’ theme song about 10 times. That’s 41 minutes of “who you gonna call” and “nah nah nahh-ing”, accompanied by crazy little boy dancing and ghosts being sucked into the vacuum. Don’t be alarmed… apparently these ghosts were harmless, and once sucked in to the Dyson they turned into baby ghosts who are not nasty at all (or so I was informed by 4yo H).

According to H, these ghosts are “as fast as a stinky shoe” (his latest favourite saying), so to catch them we need to be very sneaky and creep up on them (with the vacuum in tow). Once close enough the vacuum tube (sorry the Ghost catching tube device) can be unleashed and put into action. There is no escape for the ghosts now!

The dilemma became what to do with the ghosts once they were caught. The vacuum is only small, and if you are going to catch the marshmallow man then you’re going to need all the space you can get. I was told that the ghosts shrink into babies, leaving a lot more room, and some of them just disappear. I guess that’s a logical explanation from a 4yo on a not so logical subject!

The imagination of a child is amazing. At Kinder the other day H was telling his kinder teachers all about Italy; how lovely the weather is, how nice the people are. He was a budding travel agent, so much so that they believed that he had been there! (for the record he has not) Their ability to take in new information, conjure up new worlds and people is enviable… their ability to follow simple instruction relating to room tidying and basic hygiene is not.

Thankfully, the ghosts are temporarily gone and we can go back to eating pie.

This pie is AMAZING. Yes, I know I’ve said that before but it turns out this pie is the most amazing of all the amazeings. Until I googled what to do with over ripe bananas recently I had never heard of a Banoffee Pie. This is my interpretation… a slight bent on the classic.

Notes:
There are many steps in this recipe. My advice is to start a minimum of 24hours before you want to serve the dessert.
Make the biscuits/base at the same time as making the banana cream and the caramel and leave them overnight. The next morning, add the whipped cream to the banana cream and pour into the base, and make the caramel whipped cream.
A couple of hours before serving spread the caramel whipped cream on top and allow to sit in the fridge before serving.

BANOFFEE PIE
Serves 16, approximately 330 calories per slice

BUTTERNUT SNAP PIE CRUST
Makes 1 base for a 20cm/8inch tin

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons golden syrup
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1 1/2 cups Almond Meal
1 cup desiccated, unsweetened coconut
3 tablespoons arrowroot (tapioca) flour
1 tablespoon milk (Coconut, almond etc)
1/3 cup melted Coconut Oil

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all the wet ingredients (except the milk) in a blender and mix until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and blend until combined. Add the milk and pulse in.
Place mixture in the fridge for a minimum 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 175C/350F.
Place heaped tablespoons of mixture on the lined tray, at least 3cm (just over 1 inch) apart (this allows for spreading). Gently press with a fork to flatten slightly and create round shapes.
Place tray in fridge for 15 minutes.
Bake in oven for 16-18 minutes. The biscuits will be slightly brown on top.
Cool on tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling
When biscuits are cool place them in a blender.
Process until biscuits are just broken.
Add the coconut oil and process again until fine crumbs are formed and the oil has ‘binded’ the biscuits.
Press crumbs into a lined and greased 20cm/8inch spring form cake tin  (a pie dish can also be used). Make sure the crumbs extend up the sides of the tin.
Place pie crust in fridge to set (at least 5 hours)

BANANA CREAM

INGREDIENTS
2 very very ripe bananas1
/3 cup coconut cream (taken from the top of a can that's been in the fridge overnight)
1/4 cup milk (almond, coconut etc)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons arrowroot
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
2 1/2 teaspoons gelatin
 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup whipped coconut cream- measure after whipping (see recipe below)

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the very, very ripe bananas, coconut cream and milk in a blender and puree until totally smooth.
Add in the maple syrup, arrowroot, salt and egg yolks. Blend until no banana lumps remain.
Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan.
Before heating the banana mixture, evenly sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water. Allow it set for 4 minutes.
Whisk the banana mixture in the saucepan over medium-low heat.
Continue to whisk and stir as the mixture will thicken and has a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a boil and continue to whisk vigorously for 3-4 minutes.
The mixture will be quite thick. Pour the thickened banana mixture in a blender (make sure you have cleaned it from earlier use) and add the gelatin mixture and melted coconut oil.
Blend until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a heatproof container and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Remove the banana cream from the fridge and place in a bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add the whipped coconut cream and whisk on low until combined, and no cream streaks remain.
Pour the whipped coconut cream into the refrigerated pie crust.
Place the pie into the fridge to set for at least 5 hours, but preferably overnight.

CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

INGREDIENTS
1 can Coconut Cream, opened and refrigerated over night (minimum 2 hours) (should be ½ cups)
6 tablespoons Caramel Sauce – add more if tasting requires.  (LINK)

INSTRUCTIONS
Remove thickened cream from the can, discarding watery remains.
Place cream in a mixing bowl and whisk on high until thick.
Make sure the Caramel sauce is runny but not warm (if it has thickened in the fridge you may need to loosen it over low heat. If the caramel is added hot to the cream it will cause the cream to ruin).
Add the caramel and continue to whisk until incorporated.
Place Caramel Cream in fridge to thicken.

Spread thickened caramel cream over the Banana Cream. There may be too much cream… in which case eat it as quickly as you can before anyone gets it!

Top the Banoffee pie with slices of banana.
Keep refrigerated.

Caramel Tarts

Sometimes I try to do nice things for my husband. This is one of them.

Whilst I am not an ogre, I don't allow certain foods or drinks in the house. Its too confusing for the kids if other people are allowed to have things that they are not (eg. soft drinks). Instead, I attempt to create healthier substitutes so no one feels that they are missing out. 

Instead of soft drinks we make fruit flavored soda streams.

Instead of lollies we eat raspberries and blueberries. 

Dessert is still an important part of our day (especially when you have it for breakfast!) and whilst there are few desserts that you could call 'healthy' I like to think we can create a 'healthier version' of the original. Like everything, It's about moderation and balance (that doesn't mean eating cake on 1 leg!).

These Caramel Tarts are an old favourite of my husband... and I will allow him to eat these ones!

In order to ensure the shape I have kept the muffin tray in place through out the process, but it can be done by removing the cups once they are cooled. 

INGREDIENTS

12 Butternut snap biscuit

1 serve caramel

100 grams chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 175C/350F

Grease a muffin tray and place a biscuit on top of each hole

When oven is at temperature, place tray in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the muffin tray.

The biscuits will have softened.

Gently mold each softened biscuit into the muffin hole, forming a cup.

Allow to cool.

When biscuit cups are cool, loosen them in the muffin moulds to ensue that they can be removed easily. It is easier to assemble the tarts if the cups remain in the muffin tray.

Spoon runny caramel (the caramel may need to be gently warmed to loosen it) into each cup.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Melt chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler technique).

Once melted, remove from heat and allow to thicken and cool slightly. The chocolate should still be runny but not hot.

Spoon chocolate on top of the caramel, smoothing and spreading if required.

Refrigerate for At least 30 minutes.

Remove caramel tarts from muffin tray and serve.

Keep refrigerated. 

Butternut Snap Biscuits

There are some things that make you feel your age more than others.

Saying "back in the old days" is a clear sign that you are heading to grandmaville. As is shaking your head at the young'uns and their low hung pants. Listening to talk back radio, indicating in a car park and buying pantyhose (as opposed to to the super cool stockings) also place you in the seniors meal queue.

At the 'not quite middle age' age of 34 I find myself in a much fitter and healthier state than my 20's, a couple of centimeters shorter then when I was in my teens and (sadly) with the same haircut that I had in primary school. Whilst I may sometimes start sentences with "I remember when" or "back in my day" I like to think I have vintage taste and nostalgic stories... rather than dementia and old man waffling. 

Another way to describe things that are from another era is to deem them a classic.

Richard Marx, Jason Donovan, Rick Astley; classic early 90's pop (no... this is not a joke - I own not one but two Jason Donovan CD's) The Brady Bunch, The Wonder Years, Press Gang; classic television drama (again... not a joke). The term 'classic' is much more flattering than 'old'.

The Butternut Snap Biscuit is an Arnott's classic. It's like an Anzac cookie, only a bit different and it's OK to eat them all year round. Whilst I know it's not really obeying the sugar free mantra, the addition of golden syrup is what gives these biscuits the taste and texture that makes them so... classic.

Butternut snaps can be used as a base for a tart, broken up as a crumble topping or simply dunked into a cup of hot tea. These butternut snaps are gluten and dairy free, and being full of almond meal they are high in protein. 

There's a bit of fridging the mixture and biscuits in this recipe. Whilst it may seem time consuming it will make a huge difference to the shape, size and consistency of the final product. Fridging initally makes the mixture easier to form into the right shape. I found when I did not place the tray in the fridge (with the formed biscuits) they spread too much in the oven and over cooked. The biscuits will need to be cooked in batches as only 6-8 cookies will fit on one tray at a time. 

BUTTERNUT SNAP BISCUITS

Makes 18 biscuits

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons golden syrup

Pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 1/2 cups Almond Meal

1 cup Desicated, unsweetened coconut

3 tablespoons arrowroot (tapioca) flour

1 tablespoon milk (Coconut, almond etc)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the wet ingredients (except the milk) in a blemder and mix until combined.

Add the dry ingredients and blend until combined.

Add the milk and pulse in.

Place mixture in the fridge for a minimum 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 175C/350F.

Place heaped tablespoons of mixture on the lined tray, at least 3cm (just over 1 inch) apart (this allows for spreading).

Gently press with a fork to flatten slightly and create round shapes.

Place tray in fridge for 15 minutes.

Bake in oven for 16-18 minutes. The biscuits will be slightly brown on top.

Cool on tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Biscuits will firm up a they cool.

Sumbitches (Choc-Caramel Cookies)

Last week I stayed up way too late watching a really terrible movie. When I say terrible I don't mean 'good terrible' (as in most Adam Sandler movies) but 'awful terrible'. A predictable, yet oddly twisted storyline, a cringeworthy script, acting to rival a dress store mannequin and bad, bad CGI. So when the movie ended with the most riciculous of endings I was angry; mainly at myself for stayng up so late when I knew I had to get up early the next day, but also at the movie. 

So why didn't I just go to bed? Because I HAD to know the ending. It would have eaten away at me all night. It's the same with books; it's gotten a bit mundane through the middle but you push though hoping for a miracle recovery at the end. Sadly, if something sucks in the middle, chances are the end does too!

TV series' are often the worst culprit of dragging out a story line and hoping their viewers remain with it out of loyalty rather than quality (anyone remember "Lost"?!). The latest offender; How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM). Now into its final series they have managed to draw out a single concept for almost 9 years, and so far this season looks to be painfully tedious. 

COME ON! Get on with it people! We've met the mother now... why can't Ted meet her too? 

What 'the mother' did bring us is the biscuit SUMBITCHES. Peanut butter biscuits with a Choc caramel centre. Straight after the airing of the episode the Internet was flooded with recipes for Sumbitches; unfortunately all contained loads of sugar and butter. I'm not saying these biscuits are healthy (each contains just over 300 calories) but they are a gluten and dairy free alternative with no processed sugars. They are a tasty, chewy cookie. Why not make some extra Choc-Caramel Bites for later... they are delicious. 

SUMBITCHES (CHOC-CARAMEL COOKIES)

Makes 9 cookies. Each cookie approximately 313 calories)

Adapted from Great Ideas

INGREDIENTS

9 Choc-Caramel Bite

1/2 cup dates

1/4 cup boiling water

1/2 cup chickpeas; canned, drained, rinsed and patted dried

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 egg

1/3 cup maples syrup

1/2 cup almond meal

1/4 cup coconut flour

Dash salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the dates and boiling water in a small bowl and allow to sit for 20 minutes. 

Place softenyed dates (and liquid) and chickpeas into a blender and blend on high until the dates have broken down.

Add the peanut butter, egg and maple syrup and blend until smooth.

Add almond meal, coconut flour, salt and baking soda and blend until combined.

Place the cookie dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (I left mine overnight).

Preheat oven to 175C/350F

Line and grease a large baking tray.

Remove the Choc-caramels from the freezer and the cookie dough from the fridge.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and wrap it around a Choc-caramel.

Roll the mixture into a ball using the palms of your hands.

Place balls on the tray and flatten slightly (ensuring that the Choc-caramel is still hidden in the dough).

Bake in oven for 14 minutes.

Let cool on tray for 10-15 minutes then remove onto a cooling rack.

Cookies are best eaten on the day they are made, but can be kept in a container at room temperature.

7 Layer Citrus Trifle

When I was at University I worked at a retail store in a shopping centre. It was a great job; discount clothes, working with my best mates, cute customers! Thursday nights were my favourite. It was army payday and it was corporate policy to give servicemen a percent discount (or at least it was my own personal policy!). The crushes I had! 

One of our jobs was to 'dress the windows'. We had mannequins, props and signage and often a theme to follow. This was a challenge for me as I like symmetry. Sounds weird I know, but I like things even, centered and balanced... In life and windows displays! This made my merchandising efforts quite boring (but hopefully not my life!).

I do like symmetry and balance in my cooking as well, especially in plating and decorating. Sometimes going off centre can make a dish look messy and less appealing. How do you challenge an anally symmetrical food blogger? A 7 layer trifle!

This concept comes from Raspberri Cupcakes. I had made it twice in my sugar eating days and it was a hit a parties. With so many different textures and flavours it's a different dessert with each spoonful. It is a lot of work with so many different elements and cooking methods but it is well worth it! Ensure you plan ahead. Some elements can be made a couple of days ahead (curd, mousse, biscuits, cream) and then constructed before serving. If you put it together a few hours before serving it will help the and textures settle into each other. 

7 LAYER CITRUS TRIFLE
(based on this recipe from Raspberri Cupcakes)

LAYER 1: Lemon Mousse
(adapted from Empowered Sustenance)

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup Lemon Curd (from recipe below)
1 cup coconut cream, tin opened and placed in fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight
1 Tablespoon Gelatin
Maple Syrup to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
In a small saucepan whisk together coconut cream and gelatin. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Place saucepan over a medium heat and whisk until gelatin dissolves.
Pour into a bowl and allow to set for 4 hours.
In a food processer, place curd and set gelatin cream and blend on high until creamy. This may take up to 5 minutes. Add maple syrup to taste if required.
Once smooth place on bottom of trifle dish. Store in fridge.
If storing in fridge before assembly the Mousee may need to be blended again before using.

LAYER 2: Lemon Cake
This is a 1/2 recipe of the lemon flavored versatile cake.

INGREDIENTS
3 eggs
1/4 cup Maple syrup
2 teaspoons Vanilla essence
1/4 plus 1/8 Coconut flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 175C.
Place egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and whisk on medium/high until soft peaks form.
Slowly add the maple syrup; 1 spoonful at a time.
Mixture will triple in size and form peaks.
Add vanilla and whisk on medium/high until combined.
Turn whisk to medium and add egg yolks, 1 at a time. Add next yolk only once the previous one has been combined.
In a separate bowl, sift the coconut flour and baking powder together 3 times.
Gently fold the sifted dry mix into the egg mixture in 3 lots.
Add  the juice/rind and gently fold.
Pour into a greased and lined 20cm/8 inch cake tin.
Bake for 20 min, or until skewer comes out clean.
Cool on rack. If the cake is too big to fit easily into the trifle dish cut in half and trim until it fits. Pledge on top of mousse layer.

LAYER 3: Lemon Curd
See Lemon Curd recipe

Part of this curd can be used in the Lemon Mousse recipe. When cooled, the remainder can be spread over the cake.

LAYER 4: Orange Jelly
Set in a flat dish so it can be cut into small pieces, or into a springform cake tin the same size as trifle dish.

INGREDIENTS
120ml boiling water
10 gram Gelatine
350ml orange juice, strained

INSTRUCTIONS
Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
Add orange juice and stir until combined.
Pour into a lined baking tray and set in fridge for at least 4 hours
Once set cut into small pieces and place on top of curd.

LAYER 5: Almond Orange Biscotti with Choc Chips
See recipe from Tasty Yummies

Once cooled, cut biscuits into small pieces to resemble a chunky crumble. Scatter evenly over the jelly.

LAYER 6: Lemon Cream

INGREDIENTS
1 can coconut cream, opened and refrigerated overnight (or at least 2 hours)
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS
Remove thickened cream from the can, discard watery component.
Place cream into mixing bowl and whisk on high until thickened.
Add vanilla, maple syrup, lemon juce and zest and whisk until combined and thick.
Store in fridge and let thicken.
Dollop evenly over biscuit layer.

LAYER 7: Mini Meringues

INGREDIENTS
2 egg whites
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cream of tartar
Optional; lemon or orange zest

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 95C/200 F.
Combine egg whites and maple syrup in the bowl of a stand mxer  Add vanilla extract.
Set bowl over a pot of simmering water, and stir until combined and mixture is warm, about 3 minutes.
Add salt and cream of tartar.
Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue is mostly cooled, about 7 minutes. Beat in zest if using
Fill bag fitted with piping nozzle with meringue, and pipe circular shapes (they don't need to be perfect rounds) on lined baking trays. Alternative,y dollop spoonfuls on baking tray.
Bake meringues until crisp on the outside but still soft inside, between 1 hour- 1 hour 15 minutes.
Let cool completely on wire rack.

TRIFLE CONSTRUCTION
The trifle can be constructed the day before, but place the meringues on top just before serving. Trifle needs to be stored in the fridge. The meringues may go soft if left for too long.

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Caramel Slice

I love watching cooking shows on TV. My favourite a the moment is Masterchef - and even better, it's Heston week!

The dishes they create always seem so exotic and a bit extravagant for our 5:30pm early bird special (mothers, you understand; early to eat, early to bed!), but it's the drama of the cooking that makes it so interesting. Watching someone make a mess in the kitchen might not be so intersting if it wasnt for daunting music, back stabbing and meltdowns. It's a tasty, voyeuristic pleasure!

Whilst the use of caviar, 100 day eggs and pig snouts does sound interesting... it's not always achievable in the home kitchen (and preferby not in the same dish!). The classics are what we always return to; the dishes you grew up eating, the quick and easy throw togethers, the Sunday roast.

For many Aussies these classics came from a 'Womens Weekly' cooking book. 

There was a cook book for any occasion; birthday cakes, family food, baking, Chinese. This is where the classics come from, and a true vintage is Caramel Slice.

Gooey caramel on a biscuit base, smothered in melted Choclate. Mmmmmmm... the 'Womens Weekly' version contains butter, sugar, cans of condensed milk, bought biscuits and many other unhealthy ingredients.

This version doesn't - and it still tastes great! The caramel is thickened by gelatine instead of butter, and the sweetened condensed milk is made dairy free. It looks and tastes like the classic version; no one will be able to tell the difference.

Notes;

The photos were taken before I made some alterations to the recipe. At the request of caramel lovers everywhere I have since doubled the caramel component of the slice, but kept the biscuit base as it was. This creates a sturdy base for the caramel goodness.

You can also read about making your own sweetened condensed milk here (hint; please read first before attempting!)

CARAMEL SLICE
INGREDIENTS

BISCUIT BASE (adapted from Against all Grain)
2/3 cup Coconut Flour
1/2 cup Almond Meal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
2 eggs
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

CARAMEL LAYER (Sweetened condensed milk and Caramel sauce)
Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 cans Coconut Cream
1/2 cup Maple Syrup

Caramel Sauce
See 'The Great Caramel Sauce Off'

Additional for Caramel layer
3 teaspoons gelatine

TOPPING

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tablespoon maple syrup
(100 grams of Chocolate can be substituted for the above 3 ingredients)
1 tablespoon coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS 

BISCUIT BASE
Preheat oven to 170C/350F
Line and grease a 20cm (8 inch) square cake tin. Ensure baking paper is high on 2 edges to assist in removing the slice.
Place all the ingredients into a kitchen processor and blend for 30 seconds.
Scrape down sides and pulse til dough forms.
Place dough into cake tin and press to form an even layer (I used a shot glass as a mini rolling pin)
Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

CARAMEL LAYER (Make the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce seperatley first)
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Bring coconut cream to the boil in a heavy based saucepan.
Lower heat to a simmer and whisk in sweetener of choice.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30-40 minutes.
The mixture will reduce by half, thicken and become a pale beige colour.
Place in fridge to cool and firm.

Caramel
See 'The Great Caramel Sauce Off'
Pour 1&1/3 cup of Sweetened Condensed Milk and 1/2 cup of Caramel into a heavy based sauce pan over medium heat and stir to combine.
Add gelatine and stir until dissolved
Continue to stir for 5 minutes.
Pour over cooled biscuit base and place in fridge for at least 2 hours.

TOPPING
Melt all ingredients in a saucepan;
Or if using chocolate, melt with coconut oil in a double boiler.
Pour over slice and spread evenly.
Place in fridge until chocolate sets before cutting into slices.
Store in fridge.