Desserts

Superfood Christmas Rocky Road

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© Rocky Road 1Super delicious, fluffy, nutty, chocolatey mess thats so traditional at Christmas time!

Well how about that with a healthy spin on it? One of the things this Rocky Road is enriched with is Maca powder that has vitamins, energy boosting properties, benefits for the skin, helps to increase energy, and helps with womens & mens health & reproductive health. 

Another great superfood is chia seeds. Being high in nutrients, antioxidants, protein and Omega 3 fatty acids, I love to throw them into treats when I can!

Then the Marshmallows are filled with liquid chlorophyll and beetroot! How wonderful! Natural colouring at it’s best! No numbers needed! 

I use Organic (70%) Dark Chocolate in the Rocky Road. You can do it with Cacao Butter, but it will have a low melt temperature.

I toast the coconut chips just in the oven on a baking tray for a few minutes on 180º. It adds a really rich, nutty flavour. 

Once again, my love of freeze-dried berries comes into play! The raspberries help to cut through the sweet of the chocolate and give a nice tart effect!   © Rocky Road 2  Perhaps you could enjoy this delicious treat with a glass of your favourite milk!  

Healthy Christmas Rocky Road
Yields 24
A delicious superfood Rocky Road!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 300g Organic Dark Chocolate (70%), broken into 3-4cm pieces.
  2. 40g Organic Butter
  3. 200g Marshmallows
  4. 100g Mixed Nuts (I used roasted Almonds & Macadamias)
  5. 20g Cranberries (unsweetend)
  6. 1tsp Maca Powder
  7. 10g Chia Seeds
  8. 35g Toasted Coconut Chips
  9. 5g Freeze-dried Raspberries
Instructions
  1. Place the chocolate into the Thermomix and mill 10 Sec/Speed 9.
  2. Add the butter then mix and melt 4 Mins/50º/Speed 3.
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix gently 1-3 Sec/Speed 2/Reverse.
  4. Place into a baking paper lined rectangle slice tray and place into the fridge to set. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
  1. Here is my healthy Marshmallows recipe.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Healthy Honey Marshmallows

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Just LOOK at this colour!!!! It’s NATURAL!!!! Amazing right!!!?????

Using the gorgeous Unicorn Superfoods powders makes it SO easy to create these super fun colours with no nasties attached but rather adding health benefits!! Blue SPIRULINA helps to increase energy and metabolism, boosts immunity and may even improve digestion. Pink PATAYA or DRAGONFRUIT is high in fiber, rich in antioxidants and promotes a healthy gut whilst nourishing hair and skin! You can use Beetroot powder which I have done in the past, but I find the pink pataya gives a more vibrant colour! I love a treat that also has some nutritional benefit to it! Don’t you?!!

Using sustainably sourced gelatine, and honey over sugar, these marshmallows are a great option for a healthy treat, especially at Christmas! I used to use the Great Lakes Pure Protein Gelatin (from iHerb) but now I use a beautiful Australian Grass Fed Gelatin from Nutra Organics. It’s got a really mild aroma and works perfectly!
Gelatin is very beneficial for digestive issues, joint recovery, and helps to promote healthy skin, hair and nails.

Store bought varieties of marshmallows are full of preservatives, sugars, flavours and who knows what else! With these you can have peace of mind that you know exactly what has gone into them. Using honey is a much better option than sugar, however the benefits of raw honey are non existent once heated, and like any sweet treat, it still turns into sugar in the body. However, as part of a balanced diet, and for a special occasion, these are great! I feel good about my children eating something which is somewhat fortified with health benefiting ingredients at the same time as being a treat!

 

For treats like this, the Thermomix 5 is just brilliant for its accurate temperatures. How fantastic being able to heat it to exactly 120ºC without having to stand there over the stove with a candy thermometer! I get to walk away!

©Marshmallow 2

Play around with your own flavours and colours! How about these pretty Christmas colours! How gorgeous and festive would these look on the table for Christmas!…….And the exciting thing is that I have a delicious Healthy (Superfood enriched) Rocky Road recipe coming to you before Christmas!! Stay tuned!   

Healthy Marshmallows
Yields 50
Naturally coloured, fluffy, naturally sweetened marshmallows!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 185ml Warm Water
  2. 260g Honey
  3. 3 Tbsp Gelatin (grass-fed, unflavoured)
  4. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  5. Coconut oil for cutting
Pink Colour
  1. 1 Tbsp Beetroot Juice or 1 tsp Beetroot Powder or 1 Tbsp Pink Dragonfruit Juice or 1 tsp Dragonfruit Powder
Green Colour
  1. 1 Tbsp Liquid Chlorophyll
Instructions
  1. Place 60ml of the water along with the honey into the Thermomix and cook 8-10 Mins/120º/Speed 2, and you may like to place the simmering basket on top of the lid to replace the MC for this step.(If you have a TM31 cook at Varoma temperature).
  2. Whilst that is cooking, combine the other 125ml of warm water with the gelatin in a small bowl. (The easiest way to do this is to rain the gelatine into the water in a steady stream whilst whisking in simultaneously with the other hand. The quicker you get the gelatine incorporated the easier it is.)
  3. When the honey mixture is cooked, let it cool to 70º.
  4. Then add the gelatin mix and stir 1 Min/Speed 2.
  5. Insert the butterfly and whip 10 Mins/Speed 4.
  6. In the last 30 seconds add the vanilla.
  7. Separate 2/3 of the mixture into 2 separate bowls (for colouring) and pour the remaining 1/3 (white colour) into a baking paper lined container to set.
Pink Marshmallows
  1. Powder Method: Stir in the beetroot or dragonfruit powder until well combined and desired colour is achieved. Then pour into a baking paper lined container to set.
  2. Juice Method: Place 1/4 of a small beetroot or dragonfruit into the Thermomix and blend 3 Sec/Speed 7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 2 tsp water. (No need to add water if using the dragonfruit.) Give a quick whiz to combine, then strain the juice into a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp of the juice to the marshmallows and fold through. Then pour into a baking paper lined container to set.
Green Marshmallows
  1. Fold through the liquid chlorophyll and pour into a baking paper lined container to set.
  2. They will need at least 1-2 hours to set. (You can also pop them in the fridge if you need them to set quickly!)
  3. Once set, remove from containers and cut neatly into squares or cut into marshmallow rounds (using a well oiled small round pastry cutter).
  4. Toss in tapioca starch or cornflour for a traditional look. Don't be tempted to roll them in icing sugar. They sweat and become far too wet!
  5. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Healthy White ‘Chocolates’

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 Here are the much anticipated Christmas ‘chocolates’!! So simple and easy to make, yet so pretty and good for you!

 

Healthy White Chocolates

You will need my Coconut Butter recipe to make these. Using part coconut butter and part cacao butter gives them a little more texture and a delicious nutty flavour. Cacao butter is also very strong in flavour, so the coconut butter tames it down a little too.

I found these really cheap silicon chocolate moulds at IKEA. They were about $1 or $2 and work a treat!Chocolate Moulds

You can use rice malt syrup in this recipe, however I try to balance my use of this sweetener due to it being so highly processed. In this instance I go for honey. If you choose raw honey, which I always recommend, it is that one step closer to nature and where it came from! It has been through minimal processing and is still full of antioxidants and cleansing properties for our bodies. Honey has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. However, if you are after a more subtle flavour you could use maple syrup which also gives a lovely flavour. Keep an eye out for my more in depth blog post on sweeteners which I’ll put up in the new year!

Play around with whatever nuts and flavour combos you like. I’ve done them before with freeze-dried Raspberries & Blueberries (as pictured above). It is just delightful and the red & blue colours also look very Christmassy! I love the texture of freeze-dried berries. They are super light, yet the sweetness and vibrant colours are still preserved! Yum! I order my freeze-dried berries (you’ll notice I use them in a few other things too) online at iHerb and they are fairly cheap. My lovely client who came for a cooking lesson the other day loved the berry one just as much, if not more!

White Chocolates - Berry Continue reading →

Berry-Delicious Dairy Free Custard Tart

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I got 1kg of blueberries for $10 last week from my farmer’s market and since we had a large gathering of people in our home, it was the perfect opportunity to make these tarts!

You will need my Almond Milk to make this gorgeous tart. You would barely know this custard is dairy free. It is just delicious! I feel so good eating it, and feeding it to my family, knowing that it is only sweetened with honey, and full of nutty, coconut goodness.

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Traditionally, you glaze the top of the tart with a sugar glaze to give it shine, but I choose to leave that off. I think it still looks pretty beautiful without it.

This is such a wonderful recipe to get the children involved with too! Have them decorate the berries on top with their own wonderful design!

image

Berry-Delicious Dairy Free Custard Tart
Serves 8
A deliciously healthy, fruity, custardy, crumbly, tart to delight your tastebuds! DF
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SHORTCRUST PASTRY
  1. 100g Rapadura Sugar
  2. 1/2 Lemon, rind
  3. 150g Wholemeal Spelt Flour
  4. 150g Unbleached Spelt Flour
  5. 150g Organic Butter
  6. 1 Egg
  7. 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
CREME PATISSIERE
  1. 250ml Almond Milk
  2. 250ml Coconut Milk
  3. 1 Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped
  4. 4 Egg Yolks
  5. 100g Honey
  6. 50g Cornflour
  7. 25g Organic Butter (optional)
  8. 500g Fresh Strawberries & Blueberries
CREME PATISSIERE
  1. Place all the creme patisserie ingredients into the bowl of the Thermomix and cook 12 minutes/90°Speed 3.
  2. Pour into a bowl and directly cover the mixture with cling wrap to prevent the forming of a skin. Chill for at least 4 hours, or over night.
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
  1. Place the sugar and the lemon rind into the Thermomix bowl. Mill 10 sec/Speed 9. Add the flour and butter and process for 10 sec/speed 6 or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and vanilla and knead 10-20 seconds or until the dough just comes together.
  2. Using the Thermomat or a lightly floured surface bring the dough together to form a ball. Flatten & wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 mins to rest. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  3. Roll pastry, using a rolling pin, on a lightly floured surface, to be 3mm thick. and press into a large round tart shell.
  4. Place back into the fridge for a 30 minutes to chill.
  5. Place a small piece of baking paper over the pastry and fill the case with pie weights. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before taking the pie weights out of the case. Set aside until ready to use.
ASSEMBLY
  1. Take the crème patisserie out of the fridge. It will be quite firm set at this stage, so place it back into the bowl of the Thermomix and process 5 Sec/Speed 6.
  2. Pour into the prepared pastry case and top decoratively with sliced strawberries and blueberries. Serve.
Notes
  1. During assembly, if the custard looks too runny to hold up the fruit on top, place the custard filled tart back in the fridge for 30 mins-1 hr to set up for the fruit.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Almond Milk

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Almond MilkWhat a wonderful alternative to cow’s milk. This almond milk is really easy to make! It is completely raw, the almonds have been activated and with the addition of celtic sea salt which contains many vital trace minerals and the good fat of coconut oil, this is a winner for health benefits.

Activating the almonds is really important. It deactivates the enzyme inhibitors, helping us to be able to digest them much more easily and it brings the nuts to life!Soaking-Almonds-©-265x300

You will notice that I add a small amount of maple syrup. I do this whether I am making it for sweet or savoury use. It brings out the flavour of the almonds and doesn’t taste sweet as it’s such a small amount. You could use honey or rice malt syrup if you preferred. 

The addition of sunflower lecithin is optional. The milk will separate after a few hours in the fridge due to the fat from the nuts not emulsifying with the water. Lecithin is a fat emulsifier so it is the perfect solution. There is much question over soy lecithin, so when I learnt about sunflower lecithin you can imagine my delight. It will keep the milk homogenised and give it even more of a creamy texture!

Straining-Milk-225x300Above I’m straining the milk through a muslin cloth or nutmilk bag.

When I weaned my little boy off breastmilk I used this milk to replace his 1-2 daytime feeds. He just loved it. (As almond milk is not a complete meal replacement of breastmilk or formula for an infant or baby please be aware that my little boy was already eating a substantial well balanced diet by this stage. The almond milk was an addition to his diet.)

And perhaps you should go try my Chocolate Almond Milk too! Perfect for parties or as a yummy treat!

Almond Milk
Makes 1 Litre A wonderful super easy to make nut milk! Perfect as a Dairy Free option! You can then use for cakes, cookies, savouries etc! Or turn into Chocolate Milk or Choc Banana Milk or Raspberry or Strawberry Milk etc.
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Ingredients
  1. 170g (1 Cup) Raw Almonds
  2. 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  3. 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  4. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  5. ½ tsp Celtic Sea Salt
  6. 1 tsp Sunflower Lecithin (optional)
  7. 1 L Filtered Water
Instructions
  1. Place the almonds into a bowl, cover with filtered water and leave to soak overnight (or for at least 12 hours).
  2. Drain the almonds and place into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 7-10 Sec/Speed 9.
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients & blend 1 minute/Speed 9.
  4. Strain the milk through a nut milk bag or muslin cloth.
  5. Refrigerate and serve.
Notes
  1. You can decrease the amount of nuts used. The amount I use here makes for a really rich & creamy milk, however you can reduce this. I would tend to use a minimum of 100g raw nuts(approx. a heaped 1/2 cup) to 1 Litre of water. Remember also that once the raw nuts have been soaked they will weigh less than unsoaked raw nuts. So make sure you weigh your nuts before soaking!
  2. Nut milk will keep for approximately 3 days. It is suitable for the freezer too.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

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Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

Gluten Free! Dairy Free! Refined Sugar Free & ‘almost’ Raw!!! This is such a winner and is just yummo!

This delicious slice is perfect for any morning or afternoon tea. It is almost raw, except for the roasted almonds. You can keep the almonds raw for the filling if desired, however the roasted flavour adds amazing dimension to this slice
A classic style raw but THIN almond date base, a delicious coconut caramel almond cranberry filling and a raw chocolate topping! Delicious! And you get that chocolate fix without the guilt!

One of the tricks I find to raw desserts is to keep the ‘biscuit’ base nice and  THIN or it overpowers the flavour of the whole slice and texture isn’t quite right. It all needs to balance nicely.

The coconut caramel filling is just SO creamy and yum! With roasted almonds and cranberries added it’s just perfect!

The chocolate layer is technically still raw as it isn’t heated over 40 degrees. And it is pure raw chocolate goodness with raw cacao butter and raw cacao powder! My favourite raw cacao butter is Absolute Organics brand. Health food stores or some IGA’s stock it. It’s beautifully creamy and mellow in flavour.

The chocolate layer is free of any nasty additives and sweeteners, and full of loads of antioxidants and good fats! This is a fabulous one for kids. My kids devour it!!

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Choc Cranberry Crunch Slice

A delicious crunchy, nutty chocolate fix without the guilt!

  • Author: Gabrielle Tobin - Kitch'n Thyme

Ingredients

Base

  • 230g Raw Almonds
  • 150g Dates
  • 10g Shredded Coconut
  • 60g Maple Syrup
  • 35g Coconut Oil

Coconut Caramel Nut Filling

  • 240g Coconut Butter
  • 40g Coconut Oil
  • 160g Maple Syrup
  • 150g Roasted Almonds, halved
  • 40g Dried Cranberries
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  • pinch celtic salt

Chocolate Layer

  • 225g Raw Cacao Butter
  • 50g Raw Cacao Powder
  • 50g Maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla Essence
  • pinch celtic salt

Cacao Nibs, for topping (optional)

Dried Cornflowers, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Base Layer

  1. Spray and line a 9×13″ rectangle slice tray with baking paper, allowing for an overhang on the sides to easily remove the slice after setting time. (Try to make the baking paper as neat as possible on the sides, creasing the paper where necessary to make it sit flat. The straighter the baking paper sides, the neater the edges of your slice will be.) Set aside.
  2. Place all the base ingredients into the bowl of the Thermomix and process for 10-15 Seconds/ Speed 7. 
  3. Press the mixture evenly into the lined slice tray and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set (or freeze for 15 minutes).

Coconut Caramel Nut Layer

  1. Place the coconut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla into the bowl of the Thermomix and melt 1-2 Mins/50°/Speed 3.
  2. Add the chopped almonds, cranberries & salt and mix together 5 Seconds/Speed 3/Reverse.
  3. Once combined, pour the mixture evenly over the set base. Return to the fridge for a further 30 minutes to set (or the freezer for 15 minutes.)

Chocolate Layer

  1. Place the cacao butter into the bowl of the Thermomix and mill 10-15 Seconds/Speed 9.
  2. Melt the cacao butter for 10 minutes/37°/Speed 2 scraping down the sides of the bowl and around the blades closer to the finish time.
  3. Add the cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla & salt and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes/37°/Speed 2.
  4. Pour over the slice as the final layer. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with cacao nibs and dried flower petals just as the chocolate is beginning to set (make sure the topping is beginning to set – if you top with the decorations too early, they will all sink into the chocolate filling) then refrigerate a further 20 minutes or until set. Chop into small squares and serve.

 

Choc Peppermint Creams

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These delicious cookies are an absolute winner with my friends! Chocolate, peppermint, and a much healthier alternative to the original – what’s not to love!! You will need my Coconut Butter recipe to make these cookies.

Choc Peppermint Creams
Yields 20
Delicious melt-in-the-mouth little morsels!
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
10 min
COOKIE DOUGH
  1. 100g Organic Dark Chocolate
  2. 150g Organic Butter, softened
  3. 120g Rice Malt Syrup
  4. 90g Rapadura Sugar
  5. 230g Unbleached Spelt Flour, sifted
  6. 25g Raw Cacao powder, sifted
  7. 1 tsp Bicarb Soda, sifted
PEPPERMINT CREAM FILLING
  1. 75g Cashews
  2. 75g Macadamias
  3. 160g Coconut Butter
  4. 30g Rice Malt Syrup
  5. 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
  6. 6 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
COOKIE DOUGH
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place the chocolate into the bowl of the Thermomix and chop briefly 2 times/Turbo speed. Set aside.
  2. Place the butter, rice malt syrup & sugar into the bowl of the Thermomix and cream 30 seconds/Speed 5.
  3. Add the flour, cacao powder, and bicarb and mix 10 Seconds/Speed 6.
  4. Add the chopped chocolate and mix 5 Seconds/Speed 5/Reverse.
  5. Place small tablespoons (approx. 15g) sized balls onto a tray lined with baking paper & bake for 8-10 minutes. It will make approximately 40 individual cookies (about 20 sandwiched peppermint creams). Cool on a wire rack.
PEPPERMINT CREAM FILLING
  1. Place the cashews and macadamias into the bowl of the Thermomix and process for approximately 1 minute/Speed 8 or until nut butter consistency is achieved.
  2. Add the coconut butter, rice malt syrup, vanilla and peppermint oil and process for a further 10 Seconds/Speed 5. Place filling in the fridge for 15 or so minutes to chill.
ASSEMBLY
  1. Once chilled, roll tablespoon sized amounts into a ball and press onto the flat underside of a cookie. Top with another cookie to create a sandwich. Serve.
Notes
  1. NB. They will keep in an airtight container for 3 or so days, however I like to keep mine in the fridge. They will go all fudgy once in the fridge.
Kitch'n Thyme https://kitchnthyme.com.au/

Apple & Blueberry Crumble Tarts

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Blueberry Crumble Tarts

INGREDIENTS:

Shortcrust Pastry
100g Raw Sugar or Rapadura Sugar
1/2 Lemon, rind
150g Wholemeal Spelt Flour
150g Unbleached Spelt Flour
150g Butter
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence

Filling
6-8 Large Granny Smith Apples
250g Organic Frozen Blueberries
40g Rapapdura Sugar or Coconut Palm Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
20ml Lime or Lemon Juice
80ml Water
1=2 Tbsp Cornflour (diluted in 2 Tbsp extra water)

Crumble Topping
80g Hazelnuts, roughly chopped
200g Wholemeal Spelt Flour
100g Rapadura Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder (Aluminium Free)
200g Butter
120g Oats
80g Desiccated Coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon

Method:

  • For the pastry, place the sugar and the lemon rind into the Thermomix bowl. Mill 10 sec/Speed 9. Add the flour and butter and process for 10 sec/speed 6 or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
  • Add the egg and vanilla and knead 10-20 sec.
  • Using the Thermomat or a lightly floured surface bring the dough together to form a ball. Flatten & wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 mins to rest.
  • To make the filling peel & quarter the apples and place into the Thermomix bowl. Chop for 3-4 sec/speed 4. Add all remaining ingredients and cook for 5 min/80C/speed 1/Reverse.
  • Add the cornflour and cook for a further 2 min/80C/speed 1/Reverse. Set aside.
  • Roll pastry, using a rolling pin, on a lightly floured surface, to be 3mm thick. Use pastry cutters to cut lining for individual tart cases. A 12 hole muffin tin is the ideal size for these tarts. Once all the muffin holes are lined, refrigerate to rest for 30 mins. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
  • To make the crumble topping, place the nuts into mixing bowl and press briefly 2 times/1 sec/turbo. Set aside. Place the flour, sugar & butter into the bowl and process 10 sec/speed 6 or until the mixture just resembles breadcrumbs. Add the remaining ingredients  and the chopped nuts and process 10 sec/speed 4/Reverse or until it just comes together. Set aside.
  • Blind bake pastry until golden (about 20-25 minutes) then once cool enough to touch take out and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
  • Reduce the oven to 180 degrees. To assemble the tarts, place spoonfuls of the apple mix into the pastry cases, top with the crumble and place back into the oven on a baking tray for another 10-15 minutes or until the crumble topping is nice and golden brown.
  • Cool on a wire rack and serve with Crème Anglaise (optional).