Flour less fruit and nut cake

This time last year, I was on a strict elimination diet which meant I could not eat gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts etc. However, even though I am back to a normal diet now, a few habits I developed during the elimination diet have stayed with me and I often make gluten free cakes. Plus, I also wanted to create a festive recipe that people with food intolerances could also enjoy. The result is my flour less fruit and nut cake. It is #gluten free and #dairy free, uses minimal sugar and can easily be converted into a #vegan version. And as far as fruit and nut cakes go, this one is pretty extravagant, which is fitting for this time of the year.

Ingredients:

Fruit mix
1 cup of mixed dried fruit (I used sultans, currants, cranberries, figs, prunes and dates)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 heaped teaspoon of ground ginger
1 heaped teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of cognac (brandy, sherry or rum can also be used, alternatively replace with orange juice for an alcohol free version)

Nut mix
1 cup of  chopped nuts (I used almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans and pistachios)

Cake batter
1 cup of almond meal
2 eggs (or two heaped teaspoons of egg replacer powder mixed in water for a vegan version)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup of soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons of rice bran oil (or any other light cooking oil)
1 teaspoon of baking powder

Glaze and topping
3 heaped tablespoons of apricot jam
1 tablespoon of water
Handful of nuts and cranberries to decorate

Method

I prefer to make the fruit mixture in advance so that the spices and alcohol can infuse into the fruit. Simply place all the ingredients (dried, fruit, spices, cognac, zest and juice) together in a mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Cover with cling wrap and set aside for at least 20 minutes or overnight of time permits.

To make the cake batter combine the almond meal, brown sugar and baking powder and mix well with a spatula to ensure there are no lumps. Add the chopped nuts and mix. In a separate mixing bowl, lightly beat two eggs, add the oil and juice and zest of an orange followed by the dry fruit mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine. Pour the cake batter into a lined loaf or small cake tin. Bake in a 180 C fan forced oven for 55-60 minutes.

Remove from in the oven, cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

To make the glaze, place the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan and heat over a low flame for 2-3 minutes or until tiny bubbles appear around the edges. Brush on the warm glaze on to the cool cake. Decorate with nuts and dried fruit of your choice and place some of the remaining glaze on to the nuts and fruit to give them a beautiful sheen.

The cake is delicious on its own, but any left over cake can be served with custard or ice cream.

I hope you enjoy this moist and rich cake with your family and friends or give it as a beautiful edible christmas present. You do not have to be on a gluten free diet to enjoy this lovely cake, but if by any chance you have someone with a food intolerance in your circle of family and friends, they will feel completely spoilt when you make this for them.

Vegan, no cook halwa balls

This is the simplest halwa recipe ever. Whenever, I am craving a sweet treat but do not have the time or energy to make anything, I whip this up. These halwa balls are middle eastern inspired as the base ingredient is tahini -  sesame seed paste (which can be found in the health food section of most supermarkets as well as middle eastern grocery stores).

You will need the following

Tahini
Honey
Almond meal (optional)
Chopped nuts (optional)

Essentially, you are mixing equal quantities of honey and tahini together. You might think that this may not work as the tahini is a bit runny, but as soon as you start mixing in the honey it seizes. At this point I also add in equal quantity of almond meal, but you can leave it out if you want this to be nut free. Mix well, shape into little balls and roll them in chopped nuts or sesame seeds. For the quantity shown in the photograph, I used three tablespoons of honey, tahini and almond meal and rolled them in different nuts - pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, mixed nuts and sesame seeds. If you prefer, you can completely leave out this step and serve them plain or rolled in toasted sesame seeds or shredded coconut. Refrigerate if possible, as this helps to set the halwa, but they can be eaten straight away as well.

Enjoy these easy and healthy (sesame seeds are full of calcium and great for individuals who are on a non dairy diet) sweet treats any time of the day.

Mung dal halwa

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of mung dal
1/2 cup of oil
2 green cardamom
Pinch of saffron
7 tablespoons of sugar
Nuts of your choice to garnish

Mung dal halwa is an Indian sweet dish made out of mung beans, which have been hulled and split.

Halwa can be made out of various ingredients like carrot, flour, potato, pumpkin etc. the most common one is made out of semolina and is often used in temples and gurudwaras as prasad (offering to god which is then distributed to the devotees). In fact, growing up my grand mother and mother made semolina halwa for our birthdays (the cake cutting was saved for the evening). It was made in the morning and offered with morning prayers and then distributed to the entire family. So, I grew up eating and loving halwa and since I am no longer eating gluten, I have been trying my hand at making halwa with other ingredients.

Mung dal halwa was not made very often at my place, in fact, I mostly remember eating it at weddings and other such organised events, but it is pretty simple to make. Traditionally, ghee (clarified butter) would be used in copious amounts, but I make mine with rice bran oil.

To serve 4-5 people, you will need 1 and 1/2 cups of mung dal (which can be found in all Indian grocers). Wash the dal well and soak it for at least two hours, preferably over night. At this point, you can use a wet grinder to grind the dal. But I prefer to steam it instead. I use a non stick pan and cook the dal in it covered,  adding a little water at a time. Essentially you are steaming the dal, and the water keeps the dal from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the dal begins to soften (about 20 minutes) use the back of a wooden spoon to smash the lentils. You are after a smooth paste. Keep adding a little water and cooking the lentils until they are almost broken down. Now add about 1/2 cup of oil and roast the lentils, stirring continuously to avoid them from sticking. If the lentils appear too dry, you can add some extra oil. I also add the powdered seeds of two green cardamom pods and a good pinch of saffron along with about seven tablespoons of sugar. Mix well, add chopped nuts or seeds of your choice. Serve warm. The halwa keeps well in the fridge and can be reheated before serving.