Perfect Eggless Banana & Chocolate Cake

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Chocolate; she is your best mate when you are feeling down, or so you think.  You decide to indulge in a chocolate feast by baking a cake, but to your very dismay you realise that you have run out of dark chocolate.  You are also expecting guests tonight and your plans for producing the perfect indulgent dessert is suddenly tainted and there is absolutely no time to rush out to the shops for dark chocolate...  Where on earth are you going to find a milk, egg, wheat and soy free chocolate cake recipe now I wonder?

Relax, this is an excellent choice requiring only a few ingredients.  This is quite a dense cake and is very rich in flavour.  You will only need to serve a thin slice.  It could be really delicious when accompanied with a dairy free fruity sorbet.  Heaven.


INGREDIENTS
250ml water
200g soft brown sugar
75g dark brown muscovado sugar
125g dairy free margarine
35g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon wheat & gluten free baking powder
225g gluten free self raising flour
3 tablespoons ground almonds 
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon egg replacer + 1 tablespoon nut milk

FOR THE GANACHE
45g dairy free margarine
50g caster sugar
40ml water
80g icing sugar
18g cocoa powder


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 180 ºC.  Grease a round baking tray and set aside.
2. In a saucepan add the water, sugars, cocoa powder and baking powder.  Allow to simmer over a low heat.  This should take only 5 minutes.  Set aside and allow to cool until warm.
3. In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas with the gluten free flour.  Next add the egg replacer mixed with a tablespoon of nut milk.
4. When the chocolate solution is warm to touch, pour into the flour mixture and beat to create a smooth runny texture.
5. Pour into your greased baking tray and bake in the oven for 40 - 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
6. To prepare the ganache, in a separate saucepan place the margarine, caster sugar and water and allow to simmer.  
7. Sift the cocoa powder and icing sugar then add to the saucepan.  Mix well.
8. Allow to cool, cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 20 minutes.  
9. When the glace is firm enough, beat it with a wooden spoon to soften a bit then coat the cake generously.

Serves - 8 - 10 slices

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Death By Chocolate Cake - A Frightful Flourless Gateau

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Happy Halloween my lovely readers!  There is nothing healthy about this cake except that it is deadly delicious.  No flour is required for this cake, making this naturally wheat and gluten free.  It is also milk and soy free but does contain a whopping 5 eggs.

I could have chosen a pumpkin themed baking for you this Halloween season, but I am sure that there are hundreds of gorgeous pumpkin based recipes out there for you to try today.  So I've chosen something a little bit different; a flourless death by chocolate cake.

This is inspired from a French recipe and I had so much fun making and eating this!  Just as well that I have lots of exercise sessions planned for the week.  This cake is incredibly moist on the inside and is quite chocolatey enough, so I skipped the chocolate ganache to save a few calories.  If you really really want to, you could prepare the ganache with dark chocolate and greek yoghurt.  That could work really nicely.  Just remember, you will need to fit in extra exercise sessions to work off this deadly beauty.  

I could calculate the nutrition profile of this cake, but really - why spoil the treat?  If you plan to have a treat such as this, I say, enjoy every mouthful then move on and hit that treadmill.

Let me know if you try this recipe - it really is absolutely delicious.  Remember, it is not egg free.

INGREDIENTS

200g good quality dark chocolate pieces
150g dairy free margarine
5 eggs, separate the yolks and whites
165g sugar
150g ground almonds


METHODS

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.  Grease a round baking tray (measuring 22cm).
2. In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and margarine over a very low heat.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until you have a creamy mixture.  Add the chocolate and margarine mixture and mix in the ground almonds.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until you have soft peaks.  Mix the egg white mixture into the cake batter.
5. Pour into the greased oven tin and bake for approximately 55 minutes.
6. Once baked, allow to cool for at least 15 minutes in the tin, before removing from the tin to cool further.

Enjoy this gorgeous treat with yoghurt and strawberries.

Happy Halloween lovely readers!  What plans have you got planned for the evening?

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Autumn Plum Tart With Cinnamon Sugar

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This is the most beautiful September that I can remember in London.  It's bright and sunny during the day, whilst crisp and chilly during the nights.  As Autumn draws near, a delicious summery dessert is in order to make the most of what's left of our English sun.

You may also find that if you bake this during the day, you'll end up eating a rather large chunk of the tart for lunch.  This will fuel a 9K run quite nicely!  I was surprised at how good it tasted, I simply could not resist digging in.

I wanted to create the pastry myself with oats and polenta flour, as I have a rather large bag of the latter in the cupboard.  I love Scottish oats so this was the perfect choice for the base.  I used soured cream, thus this tart is not milk free.  I am so sorry about that, but you'll be happy to know that it is egg, wheat, gluten and soy free.  If you need to avoid milk, but not soy, then try substituting the soured cream with soy yoghurt.  It may just do the trick.

The best news? - It's low in fat at 4.8% fat.  It's a great way of incorporating fruit too.  I know that you'll love it, as the Frenchman described it as 'excellent'.  Now that is a compliment as he's very very honest with me!

INGREDIENTS                                                               

Pastry:
100g polenta flour
75g large oats
Pinch of salt
40g butter


Binder:
1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
3 tablespoons semi-skimmed milk
2 tablespoons cold water


Filling:
600g dessert plums
275ml soured cream
60g mashed banana
30g dark brown muscovado sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice


Cinnamon sugar:
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons golden caster sugar


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
2. Add polenta flour, oats and salt into a large mixing bowl.  Cut the butter into small cubes and using your finger tips, gently rub the pieces of fat into the flour.
3. Next prepare your binder by dissolving the xanthum gum in milk and water.  It's quite difficult to dissolve so give it a good stir, then pour into the pastry mixture.
4. You may have a crumbly mixture but as you knead the milky mixture into the dough, using your hands you will be able to create a lovely smooth ball of dough.  If there are still bits in the bowl, then add a little bit more milk.
5. Wrap the ball in cling film and pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6.Whilst the dough is resting, prepare your filling.  Remove the stones from the plums and slice them in half.  Mix the soured cream with the mashed banana, muscovado sugar and the spices.  
Note - I froze my banana overnight and then defrosted before using.  This is not an essential step.
7. Now press the pastry into a flan tin.  It may crumble but don't panic, be very gentle and press it so that it covers the entire tin.
8. Pour the filling into the flan tin and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Arrange the plums over the tart, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar and bake for a further 20 minutes.  When the plum tart appears to be almost done, cook for a further 5 - 10 minutes at 230ºC.  
10. Allow to cool completely before serving.  If you have any remaining cinnamon sugar, sprinkle this on top before serving.  This would be lovely with yoghurt.

Yield = 8 slices

Nutrition Profile: Each slice provides 231kcal, 30g carbohydrates, 11g fat, 4g protein.  This recipe has also been loaded on My Fitness Pal - Autumn Plum Tart With Cinnamon Sugar By A Light Perspective.

What do you think lovely readers?  Hope you enjoy this gorgeous fruity autumn dessert.  Do comment below, I absolutely love hearing from you.


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Day 3 - Do You Dare To Indulge In Monaco?

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You may laugh but I am not referring to the gorgeous black clutch featured with lion heads in Montecarlo's Gucci store.  Monaco oozes wealth and a high standard of living.  I have no doubt in my mind that some of the world's most sophisticated dining takes place along this part of the Riviera.  

If you prefer to skip the fancy meals and make your own, then select gammon off the bone from a délicatesse counter.  Pair this with marinated tomato slices and salads, and you may end up in the highest clouds of heaven.  These really are the perfect fillings for a sandwich.  Even the simplest food bursts with flavour in this part of the world.  

But be warned, you will be surrounded by treat foods in every corner.  Gorgeous pâtisseries will call out to your belly and taste buds.  You are on holiday, so why not try something.  I certainly could not resist the charm of this strawberry fraisier.  It's essentially a little cake that is filled with cream.    

This take-away pizza stand is a good example of ridiculous portion sizes.  Keep walking!  You will want to save your calories for pretty treats.

Here's more of those mouth watering, calorie loaded desserts.  The key is to look and admire and select only one that can be shared. 

 With the hefty price tags attached, you may be satisfied just by looking alone!

Walk off treats along the coast and take in the mind blowing views.  This particular walk started in the Monaco / French border and finished not far from Cap d'Ail.

At the end of the walk you'll be greeted with a beach where you can enjoy a lovely swim.  Another excellent calorie burner.  You could also enjoy a picnic here.  There are plenty of restaurants that you'll walk past on the way if you prefer to dine indoors.

Lovely readers, how do you spend your day in Monaco?  Do comment below, I love hearing from you.