This year, I set a target for myself to be 10% healthier. What I mean by this is making small changes and taking little steps to a healthier me. I have my focus on enjoying lots more vegetables in particular. And this week, I wanted to bring a curved ball to your baking, by adding vegetables into the sweet bakes.
Adding other sweet vegetables is no different than grating carrots into our gorgeously delicious carrot cakes which we have been making for years. Not only does it add moisture but adding the veg can lower the calorie and fat content as well as add some extra fibre, so I can't complain about those extra benefits!
To add to this, I had the pleasure this week of testing a lovely artisanal Irish flour from Irish Organic Mills in the Chocolate Beetroot cake and what a treat it was – almost too good to share!
So, this week, I wish you happy healthy baking!
Catherine
www.ballyknocken.com
Flavour pairings
I thought I’d share with you my favourite flavour pairings to inspire:
- Carrots are very versatile, they are delicious in apple cakes, with flavours like vanilla, lemon, orange and chocolate.
- Courgette works very well with chocolate, coffee and apple
- Pumpkin and squashes – one little tip with them, roast them first and then add with flavours like maple, yoghurt, cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spices.
- Our humble parsnips, when pureed, blend well with vanilla and lemon flavours, with apple, pears and plums as well as chocolate. Their sweetness is enhanced when roasted.
- Cucumber – ensure that all the moisture is squeezed out of it – pairs so well with lime or lemon and gin when baking.
- Pureed spinach is ideal in your brownies.
- Swedes are amazing, roasted and pureed in lemon cakes or even fruit cake with Port or sherry-soaked raisins or dates and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
Artisanal flour to try …… Irish Organic Mills
This flour is milled using traditional grinding stones to preserve essential oils and all the wonderful goodness and sourced from farms in County Monaghan which are certified organic. They have been great for my cakes and other bakes. You’ll find them on https://irishorganicmill.ie/shop/
Chocolate Beetroot Cake
Makes 1x 21cm round
The steamed, pureed beetroot in this single layer cake gives it a gorgeous rich deep colour and a slightly earthy flavour which teams very well with chocolate, semolina and ground almonds.
- 120g beetroot, cooked and peeled
- 2 tbsps water
- 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
- 70g softened butter
- 80g soft brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 170g Irish Organic Mills stoneground organic semolina
- 90g ground almonds
- 1½ tsps baking powder
- 4 tbsps natural yoghurt
For the ganache topping
- 100g chocolate pieces/ drops
- 120ml double cream
- Raspberries, to decorate
- Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
- Line the base of a 21cm spring form tin with baking parchment and brush the sides generously with melted butter.
- Blend the beetroot with 2 tbsps of water in a food processor until smooth.
- To make the cake: melt the chocolate in a bain marie (a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water).
- Place the butter and soft brown sugar into a mixing bowl and whisk until light and fluffy.
- Add all the eggs at once and whisk again.
- Fold the melted chocolate and pureed beetroot in.
- Add in the semolina, ground almonds and baking powder and natural yoghurt and lightly fold in until combined.
- Transfer into the prepared spring form tin.
- Bake for about 28 to 30 minutes until set or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then transfer to cool completely on a rack.
- To prepare the ganache: place the chocolate and cream into a saucepan and heat until melted.
- Take it off the heat, stir well until it thickens and cools down enough to spread over the cold cake.
- To decorate, arrange the raspberries on top.
Courgette Loaf with Orange Icing and Pistachio
Makes 1 loaf
2 different vegetables, 2 different flours, 2 different types of nuts in this loaf cake! The veg keeps it moist and is delicious enjoyed with a cuppa.
- 40g grated carrot
- 100g grated courgette (weigh first then squeeze excess moisture out)
- 80g soft light brown caster sugar
- 2 tbsps treacle
- 100g softened butter
- 3 large eggs
- 150g plain flour
- 120g wholewheat flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- 50g chopped toasted hazelnuts
- 50ml orange juice and the zest of 1 orange
For the topping
- 60g softened butter
- 120g sifted icing sugar
- ½ tsp orange extract
- 1 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsps chopped pistachio, to decorate
- Orange zest, to decorate
- Line a rectangle loaf tin with parchment.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.
- For the cake: place the grated carrot into a large bowl.
- Place the grated courgette into a clean tea towel and squeeze all the excess moisture out and place into a bowl with the carrot and mix well.
- Place the sugar, treacle and butter into a mixer and whisk well until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one by one and whisk well.
- Add the grated carrot and courgettes.
- Add in the plain flour, wholewheat flour, baking powder and hazelnuts and fold in while adding the orange zest and juice. Ensure that the flour is incorporated but do not over mix.
- Transfer the cake batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for about 30 minutes until golden and cooked or insert a skewer and when it is taken out it should be clean.
- Leave to cool on a rack.
- To make the topping: place the butter, icing sugar, milk and orange extract into a bowl, whisk with an electric beater until smooth and light.
- When the loaf is cold, spread the topping over, sprinkle on the pistachios and orange zest.
