Dairy free shortbread

This is another recipe sent in by Libby Patterson. On this occasion she has adapted a Jamie Oliver recipe to turn it into a dairy free version, with reduced fat. She says the secret is to use a really heavy-based tray.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 250g dairy free margerine
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 250g plain flour
  • 125g cornflour

METHOD:

  • Preheat the oven to 150C.
  • Grease a 22cm baking tray.
  • Cream the butter & sugar together with a whisk or wooden spoon until pale, light & fluffy.
  • Add the plain flour and cornflour. Mix very lightly with a wooden spoon and then your hands until you have a smooth dough.
  • Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and roll out until it’s an even 2cm thick all over.
  • Place the rolled out dough on your tray or tin, poking into the corners with your fingers. Prick the dough all over with a fork then cook for 50 minutes until lightly golden.
  • While it is still warm, sprinkle with a generous dusting of caster sugar. Allow the shortbread to cool slightly then cut into 12 chunky finger sized pieces.

Spicy apple muffins, dairy free

This is Gemma Patterson’s adaptation from the dairy free cookbook

INGREDIENTS:

  • 170g of plain flour or rice flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 140g Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon of Mixed Spice
  • 2 large Free Range eggs
  • 300ml apple juice
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 100g dairy free margarine

METHOD:

  • Sieve and then mix all the dry ingredients together.
  • Beat the eggs, apple juice, vanilla extract and margarine together until frothy.
  • Blend into the flour mixture.
  • Spoon into paper cases and bake at 200 oC for 15-20 minutes until well risen and spongy to touch.

Serve warm or cold.

Chocolate brownies

This recipe uses up the egg-whites left over from making hollandaise sauce. It is really chocolatey. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 170g butter
  • 170g 70% dark chocolate
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 30ml cold coffee
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 100g soft brown sugar
  • 30g unsweetened cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate)
  • 4 egg whites
  • 125g plain flour

METHOD:

  • Preheat the oven to 190C. Prepare a 20cm square cake tin – grease with butter and line with greaseproof paper.
  • Put a bowl over a pan of boiling water, and put in the chocolate and butter. Heat until all the butter and chocolate have melted together. 
  • Add the vanilla, coffee and salt, stir and set aside for 15 minutes to cool. 
  • In a large bowl, mix the caster sugar, soft brown sugar and cocoa powder. Add the egg whites, and use a beater to whisk the mixture together. The volume should increase by more than double and the mixture should go pale. 
  • Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture and the flour. 
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and put it in the oven. Turn the heat down to 175C and bake for 30 minutes. 
  • Set the cooked brownies to cool in their tin. Once the are cold, lift them out and cut into squares.