Chocolate Chip Walnut Oat Cookies

In case you guys haven't already caught on, my fam(ily), me included, is really into cookies. I mean, what's not to love? Portable, long-lasting, delicious, small, easy to sneak from the cookie jar... what did I miss? I already have a pretty long list of chocolate chip cookies I've made, but really, can you ever have enough? I definitely can't. And so I got thinking - I've done coconut, banana, almond/oat, almond/coconut, and peanut butter (all varieties of chocolate chip cookies!). I've also mentioned, on multiple occasions, that my sister isn't a big fan of nuts, and especially not in baked goods. So why did I go with walnuts? Well, here's the secret: I was actually baking a big batch of cookies to bring with me on my trip to India as a gift for my grandparents. They never stop talking about my baking! My grandpa is a massive walnut person, and toasted walnut chunks in chocolate chip cookies sounded fantastic!

My grandpa doesn't eat things that are overly sweet, so these walnut choc chip cookies were perfect. First off, they aren't too sweet to begin with. Second, the walnuts add a really wonderful, slightly bitter nuttiness (and lots of healthy fats!). And I decided (no surprise here) to use dark chocolate chips to limit the extra sweetness (dark is always the way to go anyway!).

I'm in India now, the weather is amazing, and my grandparents LOVED the cookies. It's always nice to put a smile on someone's face :) Shh... Don't tell them, but I may have snuck a cookie or few for myself as well!

Ingredients
Makes approximately 25 cookies
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup baby oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

7/8 cup unrefined sugar

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tbsp honey

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted 

Instructions 
Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line a cookie tray with baking paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and oats.

In a separate medium bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar. Whisk in the egg. Add the honey and vanilla and whisk again.

Create a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined (the dough will be relatively dry and crumbly.

Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts.

Roll the dough into loose balls, place on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly. 

Bake for 12-17 minutes or until beautifully golden brown and slightly crisp to the touch (they will harden more as they cool). Enjoy!

Chocolate Vanilla Pinwheels

If you've been following me for a while, you'll be used to this. I'm back from term at uni, and what does that mean? All the baking pangs that have been bottled up inside have the chance to bake break free. Sometimes I wonder why I don't bake all that often when I'm actually at university, given my obsession (I think it's the right word?)... then all the reasons come flooding in. To name a few: 1) I enjoy spending at least half an hour cooking a wholesome (or so I like to think) dinner EVERY evening and I just can't seem to justify spending over an hour in the kitchen (as much as I'd love to!), 2) there's SO much to do and SO little time, and 3) I'd eat it all the goodies myself (*insert cheeky monkey emoji here*).

Anyways, I came back to find that we actually had a random assortment of goodies lying around: a bit of marble cake, a few chocolate chip cookies, some Christmas fruit cake, essentially my job had been done and no more baked goods were needed. That, however, didn't mean we couldn't use some more, nor did it mean it would deter me from baking. And so I got thinking... Cookies definitely seemed like the way to go, because they last far longer than muffins, cakes or scones. Also, it's the holiday season, and cookies and festivity just go together, do they not?

My family is chocolate-obsessed and I was definitely feeling the chocolate, but it occurred to me that I've made so many different types of chocolate chip cookies that I needed to try something new. I started scrolling through Foodgawker and came across some pinwheel cookies - the ones I saw actually had dates and walnuts in them, but I knew that traditional pinwheels had a chocolate swirl. And so I set on a mission. To make a slightly healthier version of pinwheel cookies that taste as good, if not better, than the original...

I'll also let you in on a secret... I was SO worried that the swirl wouldn't turn out well at all. But it did!! Just look at the pictures.

These cookies aren't very chocolate-y, but have just a hint of dual flavor with the chocolate and vanilla. To be honest, if you were to close your eyes and take a bite, you may not even realize they're chocolate at all. What they are is good... VERY good!

It's been two days since I made these and they're already over halfway gone. And this recipe made around 30 good-sized cookies... #noshame

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3 tbsp coconut oil, at room temperature 
1/2 cup unrefined sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp whole milk
25 g dark chocolate
1 tsp coconut oil

Instructions
In a cup or small microwaveable bowl, microwave the dark chocolate and 1 tsp coconut oil in bursts of 15 seconds until melted. Stir in between each burst to ensure the chocolate doesn't burn. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the three flours, salt and baking powder.

In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the 3 tbsp coconut oil and sugar. Add in the egg and whisk again. Finally add the honey, vanilla extract and milk and whisk again.

Pour the wet ingredients (not including chocolate mixture) into the dry and stir until just combined. The dough will be thick.

Separate the dough into two. In one half, pour in the cooled chocolate mixture. This dough is likely to be slightly more wet than the vanilla half, so add a tablespoon or two of flour until it is thick again.

Roll out the vanilla half in a large rectangle on a sheet of cling film until it is around 0.5 cm thick. On a separate platform do the same with the chocolate half. Carefully lift the chocolate sheet off its platform and place on the rolled out vanilla dough. Like a jelly roll or cinnamon buns, gently, but tightly roll the cookies into a log. It is best to roll along the long edge so you are left with a long log. If you end up doing it the other way around, the log will be short and extremely large (in diameter!).

Use the cling film that was under the vanilla dough to wrap the log tightly. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or refrigerator for 2 hours.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven the 180 C.

Take the cookie dough log out of the fridge/freezer and slice the log into discs about 3/4 cm thick. I sliced them slightly at an angle to yield oval-shaped cookies, but round is great too!

Place the sliced cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until slightly crisp and a beautiful golden brown.

Let the cookies cool on a wire rack. Grab a few, a nice hot drink, your favorite book and snuggle up on the couch. It is winter, after all. Enjoy!

Blueberry Coconut Muffins

Last weekend, my parents and I hit up the London cafe scene for a quick brekkie on Sunday morning. I had a thick slice of banana bread toasted to perfection with a healthy slab of salted butter, my dad had a classic butter croissant and my mom had a super rustic blackberry coconut muffin, which was the inspiration for these muffins. Oh and don't worry, coffee was involved too. Iced coffee for me (currently obsessed), a flat white for the mom and two flat whites for dad. We need something to get us going on Sunday mornings, right?

So back to that blackberry coconut muffin. It was a muffin like no other. It barely even resembled a muffin. It didn't come wrapped in a muffin wrapper, it didn't have a straight body nor a high, crispy muffin top. In fact. the base of the muffin was all of two to three centimeters tall, and the muffin top was strangely flat. But boy, oh boy, the muffin knocked our socks off! It was dense, yet light. It felt whole-wheat-y, but not in the "healthy" sense. It was perfect sweet. It had fresh blackberries baked right into the batter. And it had lots of COCONUT. If you haven't noticed yet, I've been on a major coconut kick lately. Coconut everything - oatmeal, muffins, cookies, body lotion, shampoo, body wash, lip balm. EVERYTHING.

Anyways, I was greatly inspired by this great muffin and while mine does not in any way physically resemble the muffin we ate, the flavors most definitely do. I used blueberries instead of blackberries as they are much nicer right now. One thing I did definitely do was stick with the coconut!

I tried baking these in a muffin pan which I "buttered" with some coconut oil instead of using my usual muffins liners, as recently I've found my muffins sticking to the liners (no good).

Ingredients
Makes 6 muffins
2/3 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup desiccated coconut, toasted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unrefined sugar
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 egg
1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
3/4 cup fresh blueberries, tossed in 1 tbsp flour

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170 C. Grab a muffin tray and brush 6 of the muffin cups with coconut oil. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the self raising flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt.

In a separate larger bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar. Then add the egg, vanilla extract and milk and beat again.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined.

Add in the toasted coconut and blueberries and fold gently.

Scoop the batter into prepared muffin tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Coconut Almond Chocolate Thumbprints

It's cold, grey and rainy outside. It's the middle of September. I'm sitting at home feeling blue and looking outside wondering what to do (I rhymed!). Actually this is not true at all but I felt like it fit with my complaining about the weather.

I got back from the gym this morning feeling energized and ready to face the day. I usually feel this way, but there are always those one-off days where the gym just drains all my energy and all I feel like doing is sitting on the couch, turning on the TV and eating my heart out... Everyone has these days, right? Please say yes.
No matter what, we all need a little pick-me-up sometimes. For me, a sweet treat does the trick. So do sunshine, friends and family, but let's be real here, food is always invited to the party.

Especially food that can be eaten in two bites, so you can eat it again in two bites more. No control, no problem. Don't take this out of context but it's true. As long as most of the time we eat foods that are good for us (this does not mean low calorie or low fat!), we are allowed to treat ourselves, and often. What's most important is that we feel healthy and happy! One summer you may pack on a bit of weight, but so what? Life goes on, live a little.

These cookies actually fit both bills - they're relatively good for you (chocolate included), and they feel like a real treat (and they can be eaten in two bites or less!).

Thumbprints are originally filled with jam and sometimes drizzled with a simple glaze, but I've taken the original idea and filled a delicious coconut almond base with a mixture of chocolate and almond butter. Chocolate is life, am I right?

Ingredients
Makes 10-12 cookies
For base cookies:
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup plain flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 cup desiccated coconut, unsweetened1/4 cup coconut oil, softened
1 egg
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

For filling:
1/3 cup chocolate chips (dark, milk or white - I used dark)
1 tbsp white almond butter
desiccated coconut, for decorating

Instructions
Preheat oven to 170 C and line a cookie sheet with baking paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, plain flour, salt, baking soda, sugar and desiccated coconut.

In a small bowl or mug, use a fork to beat together the wet ingredients - coconut oil, egg, maple syrup and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix. The dough should be form enough to roll into balls.

For the dough into little balls and place on the cookie sheet. Press thumbs into each ball to form the thumbprint cookie shape.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until slightly browned and crispy to the touch. Make sure they aren't too hard otherwise they'll turn out like biscotti!

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

When cookies are almost cool, prepare the filling. In a microwaveable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips and almond butter for 45 seconds. Stir together to form a thick glossy filling mixture. If some of the chips haven't melted yet, microwave further in bursts of 5-10 seconds until the mixture is smooth.

Once the cookies have cooled completely, spoon filling into each thumbprint. Sprinkle on some coconut.

Let the cookies set for a while (or not - who doesn't love melting chocolate centers...) and as always, enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Bread

Now before we even begin to talk about the food, I have to say that am I not the least bit pleased with the changing London weather. I can't hide from the (abysmal) fact that I preempted the arrival of autumn when I posted this apple cranberry spice loaf... but really? WHY.

In case I haven't made it clear already, I am a warm weather, summer, lots of sun and blue skies kind of girl. For those of you out there exactly like me, you must be wondering if there even is another "type". Let me assure you, there is. Case in point: my beloved sister. She yearns for cold weather, snow and days she can wear thick coats and knee-high boots. I on the other hand, dread them. Thankfully, my ability to cope with the cold weather is pretty good, but it doesn't mean I like it!

Getting back to what you're all really here for.

Chocolate here, chocolate there, chocolate chocolate everywhere. Chocolate is an obsession, an addiction, a weak point of mine. When I see three (incredibly) over-ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl, banana bread or muffins immediately come to mind. But not one of them has been a completely chocolate recipe. Bananas and chocolate are a pairing that was meant to be. I don't know why it took me so long to actually get down and fully combine the two.

This good-for-you (for the most part) banana chocolate bread tastes like a slice of decadent chocolate cake with the most wonderful fruity undertones and perfume. You are most definitely allowed to talk yourself into eating this for breakfast, and then permitted to eat it again as an afternoon snack and then, if you're really feeling it, with a scoop of rich chocolate ice cream for a post-dinner dessert.

As I'm writing this, there is a small sliver of this bread still left, and well, we know who's getting to eat it (Read: ME)!

So ripen those bananas, pull out your loaf tin, turn on your oven and get baking!

Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2/3 cup unrefined sugar
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and coconut oil. Add the eggs, mashed banana, yogurt and vanilla and beat again until light and fluffly.

In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet and fold gently until just combined.

Pour the prepared batter in the loaf tin and optionally, place a few banana slices on top for decoration.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are the new favorite thing in my household. But there are only so many varieties you can make, or so I thought. Part cake, part cookie, these banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are soft on the inside and ever-so-slightly-crispy on the outside. I wouldn't go so far as to say they are chewy, because, well, they're not.

I ended up making mine far too big, so they were slightly softer than I'd hoped. But make them slightly smaller, and I'm sure they will be just perfect. That's not to say I didn't love them as is, but I think I've realized that I prefer crunchier cookies.

These are perfect dunk-in-milk cookies and will definitely satisfy cravings for a (slightly) sweet afternoon pick-me-up.

Ingredients
Makes 12 medium-sized cookies
1 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp coconut oil, softened
1/2 cup whole rolled oats
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 egg
vanilla
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat oven to 170 C. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt.

In a separate, larger bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugars until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again until pale and fluffy.

Stir in the mashed banana. Pour in the flour mixture and mix again. Finally, add in the oats and chocolate chips and fold to incorporate.

The dough may be slightly sticky, but do not worry. Spoon the batter onto the cookie sheet, leaving some space in between the cookies. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!

Apple Cranberry Spice Loaf

Cinnamon sugar goodness. I just realized how autumn-y this loaf is, and I'm really really sorry because trust me, I'm the last person who wants to say goodbye to summer. But you'll thank me, once you make this, because it will blow. your. socks. off.

On that note, it's been raining quite a bit here in London and that does not make me happy. I've even had to whip out a coat once in a while and that is nooo good.
I have just about a month until I head back to university and that means crunch time. I need to get in all the baking I can because I know it will go on hiatus during the two months of university term time. Maybe not completely MIA, but pretty much there.

I told my best friend that I had made an apple cranberry spice loaf and without having seen a picture or tasted a bite, he told me just how amazing it sounded. And well, what can I say? It is! So - get baking!

Ingredients
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 cup soft brown sugar
1/3 cup unrefined sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 heaped tbsp coconut oil
2 eggs
2 apples, roughly chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped into smaller pieces
1 tbsp raw sugar + 1/4 tsp cinnamon, for sprinkling

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

In a separate bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugars. Add the eggs and beat again until light and fluffy. Finally, add in the buttermilk and beat again.

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined.

Fold in the chopped apples and cranberries. Feel free to toss in some chopped nuts here as well!

Pour the batter into the loaf tin and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve - warm can't be beat. Enjoy!

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm (coco)nuts for chocolate. I wouldn't say I'm new to this whole coconut chocolate combination, but I am definitely new to toasted coconut in chocolate chip cookies. MIND. BLOWN.I've seriously been hooked on coconut lately -  I've been adding it to oatmeal, granola, cookies, cakes and even dhal (an Indian lentil stew/curry)! But toasting it and adding to cookies, that was a stroke of genius, I must admit. And trust me, even when I was stirring it in, I was not convinced, not in the slightest bit.

But the coconut, when toasted, gets all fragrant, crunchy, golden brown and straight-up delicious! It lends the most nutty, aromatic and wonderfully-textured feel to these cookies. Cookies are secretly my favorite typed of baked good as they're the easiest to sneak a bite of, are completely no-mess (crumbs don't count!) and don't need any bowl or spoon to eat from. 
I'm a die hard dark chocolate fan, so all my cookies tend to use dark chocolate chips. However, I think white chocolate chips, maybe with the addition of chopped macadamia nuts, would be an outstanding substitution. Milk chocolate works too!

Ingredients
Makes 14 medium-sized cookies
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup unrefined sugar

1 egg
3 tbsp coconut oil, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4-1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper.

Once the oven has heated, spread the desiccated coconut on the cookie sheet and place in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant. Stir once or twice while toasting to ensure even cooking. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a separate, larger bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar until creamy. Add in the egg and beat again until light and fluffy. Then add in the vanilla and beat one last time. Into the same mixture, stir in the cooled toasted coconut.

Add in the dry ingredients into the wet and beat gently. If the dough is too thick to beat at this point, just use a spoon to combine.

Finally, add the chocolate chips and stir one last time.

Time permitting, refrigerate the dough for about an hour. I didn't have the time to do so, so I baked the cookies directly and they still turned out great! Before baking, reduce the oven temperature to 160 C, or turn it on again and preheat to 160 C.

Using a cookie scoop or your hands (I prefer this!) roll the dough into balls of your preferred size and flatten slightly before setting to bake on the cookie sheet. Leave some, not too much, space between the dough to allow for spreading. 

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then increase the oven temperature to 200 C and bake for another 2-3 minutes or until the cookies look a gorgeous golden brown. 

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

When you take classic (sorta) chocolate chip cookies and replace the traditional butter aspect with peanut butter, what do you get? Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies! Surprising, right?

In all seriousness, these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are your traditional chocolate chip cookie kicked up a notch (or couple) and made slightly healthier with the addition of whole wheat flour and oats, reduced sugar, and just a small amount of coconut oil in addition to the peanut butter.

I had to convince my family that these were worth baking. We had a few other baked goods lying around (hey - there's only so much four of us can eat!), and we're going on vacation this weekend, so baking really wasn't the most practical idea. But the baking pangs hit, and they hit hard, so there was no stopping me! My family wasn't too disappointed either. These cookies were an absolute hit!

They're ultra crunchy on the outside, but almost soft and crumbly on the inside. The chocolate chips get all melty and delicious, and the oats just add that wonderful extra bite. They're mucho perfecto dunked in a chilled glass of milk, steaming cup of coffee or sneakily pulled out of the cookie jar as a mid-morning (or anytime) treat!

The best thing about cookies is that they last long - not that this should really ever be a problem. These cookies, especially, lend the most amazing aroma when they're baking: warming, sweet and peanut butter-y. Yum.

Ingredients
Makes 12 medium cookies
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup baby oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup coconut oil, softened but not melted
1/2 cup unrefined sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp milk
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 C and line a cookie sheet with baking paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the plain flour, whole wheat flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in the baby oats.

In a separate, larger bowl, beat together the peanut butter, coconut oil, sugar and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet. The mixture is likely to be extremely thick and dry at this point. Add milk tablespoons at a time until the dough reaches a typical cookie dough consistency (i.e. you could make a ball and roll it up without it falling apart).

Finally, gently stir in the chocolate chips.

Form balls out of the dough, flatten slightly and place on the cookie sheet. Use a fork to create the peanut butter criss cross patter on top (I tried, but pretty much failed at this).

Bake for 15 minutes at 180 C, then increase the temperature to 200 C and bake for another 2-3 minutes, or until a deep golden brown.

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Classic Scones

What in the world has taken me so long? That is a question I'll never have the answer to. I finally got around to making classic, British style scones. I mean, I've made scones before (see here and here), but never these true classic scones.

For some reason, I always thought they require much more effort - yeast, rising time, chilling time. But nope, none of the above is true. Dare I may say it, these were actually the simplest and quickest scones I've made. And they turned out just perfect. Rich and buttery with just the right level of denseness and crumb (not flaky like a croissant nor overly dense like a cake), these scones are best served warm, sliced in half, with hearty lashings of cream and jam (strawberry is my favorite here). 

I made these one morning for a great breakfast accompanied by lots and lots of summer fruit, and cups of tea/chilled glasses of milk! I used cranberries instead of the classic black raisins for a couple of reasons: 1) I wanted to switch it up a bit, 2) I'm not the biggest raisin fan and 3) We didn't actually have any black raisins on hand. I personally loved this change, but feel free to use raisins, or nothing at all.

On another note, I'm going on a dinner date with my sister tonight and I can't wait. I love spending quality time with her, and what better than over oodles of good food?

Ingredients
Makes 6 large(ish) scones
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch of salt
45-50g butter, chilled
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
3-4 tbsp buttermilk, plus a little extra for brushing
1/3 cup chopped dried cranberries

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 C and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt. Add the butter in small pea-sized chunks and use a fork/your fingers/a pastry cutter to mix the butter into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add sugar and cranberries to the dry mixture.

In a cup, beat together the egg with 2 tbsp of the buttermilk and add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix gently.

Add more buttermilk a teaspoon at a time, until the dough starts to come together. Definitely use your hands because it will be ready before you think if you continue using a utensil! The dough should be soft, but not the slightest bit sticky. If it is, add in a dash more flour.

Form the dough into a ball and dump it onto a lightly floured surface. Using your fingers, gently pat it into a circle at least 1 inch thick.

Using a cookie cutter, cut out the scones. Try not to twist the cookie cutter as you pull it out as this will prevent the scones from rising well. Repeat until you are left with the trimmings. Bring these together to form the last scone.

Place the scones on the baking sheet and very lightly brush them with buttermilk. Bake for 13-17 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Serve warm with clotted cream and jam. Enjoy!

Honey Almond Pear Cake

Pears are so underrated. I won't lie and pretend I'm not guilty. I too, often overlook the power and punch that a simple (or not) pear can punch. They're almost always available (like bananas and apples) and are at their peak during fall. Yet, they're one of the last fruits I tend to pick up at the grocery store.

I don't necessarily love eating them as is, but in baked treats, they are so good. Depending on the method, they get all caramelized and crispy, gooey and sweet or tart and crunchy. They're always my fallback if we don't have much fruit at home and unripe bananas off the shelves just won't cut it. MY favorite variety of pears to use is English conference pears, as they're generally ripe straight from the pack and it means I can bake when I want (and need) to!

Moving on to this cake - the first time I made it, it was slightly dry and could have definitely used more sweetness, so I tweaked the recipe and it's definitely much more to my taste now! I wouldn't recommend decreasing the coconut oil, but depending on how sweet or not you like your treats, I would increase or decrease the honey content. Feel free to sub with maple syrup or agave, but remember the flavor will defer slightly depending on which sweetener you choose.

No matter what you do, however, this cake will turn out luscious. Crusty on the bottom, moist inside and best of all, crusty-nutty-gooey on top (where the pears and almond slices are!).

Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 tsp ground cardamom (or cinnamon or nutmeg)
pinch of salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup yogurt
1 1/2 pears, sliced
sliced blanched almonds, for topping

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease and flour a round cake pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the vanilla until pale and frothy. Add the coconut oil, honey, yogurt, vanilla and almond extracts and beat again.

Add the dry mix to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.

Pour the batter into the cake pan, arrange pear slices on top and sprinkle with the sliced almonds.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few tiny crumbs sticking on. It will continue to cook slightly as it cools, and you definitely don't want dry cake!

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve warm, drizzled with some thick honey (if you're feeling indulgent!). Enjoy!

Banana Bread Marble Cake

It seems like you all loved my last banana bread mash up recipe! So I created another one. And this one has CHOCOLATE in it. That's right - chocolate! It's double the trouble, double the fun and double the deliciousness.
Banana bread with swirls of chocolate batter and topped with chocolate chips - what could be better? It's pretty darn hard to beat.

It's moist thanks to the coconut oil, buttermilk and mashed banana. I've always loved when my treats have a bit of a heartiness to them, so I added in some baby rolled oats, but feel free to substitute them for more wholewheat/plain flour if you prefer a smooth, lighter texture. I must admit that I totally forgot the vanilla when making this, and while the effect was almost unnoticeable, it lends a beautiful aroma and subtle sweetness to any baked good, so I left it on the ingredient list and will definitely remember to add it the next time I make this!
Perfect for breakfast, toasted with a pat of butter (or peanut butter? Mmmm!), perfect in large slices served with coffee/tea and even perfect for a post-dinner dessert with some chocolate sauce drizzle and a scoop of ice cream, if you're feeling indulgent!

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup wholewheat flour
1/2 cup baby rolled oats
3/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
2/3 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (approx. 3 medium)
2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g dark chocolate, melted
chocolate chips, for decorating

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together all purpose flour, wholewheat flour, oats, baking soda and salt.

In a large bowl, beak sugar and oil until well combined. Add banana, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla and beat again. 

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and mix gently until just combined.

Scoop out 1/3 of the batter into a separate bowl and mix the melted chocolate into this portion of batter.

Spoon batter into the prepared loaf tin, alternating between plain and chocolate banana batters. Use a knife to create the swirly pattern. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips, as many or as few as you like!

Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Delicious served warm or cold. Enjoy!

Chewy Almond Chocolate Chip Blondies

It is with great sadness that I bring to you the last recipe before June. Do keep reading, because this is a GREAT one! Or so I had hoped. I had begun drafting this recipe before I left for my last term of second year of university, but never got around to finishing it (major oops on my part!). Well anyways, that means good luck for you!

Also, exams are done, and the sun is shining, so it's officially SUMMER! Let's get back to the food now, shall we?

These gooey, fudgy, chocolate-y blondies taste nothing but decadent, AND they're good for you and that summer bikini bod, so there's no need to worry! These blondies are actually a spin off Momofuku's Perfect 10 Kookies, but healthier, chewier and in bar form!

I think the picture above did all the talking, but trust me when I say these were fab-u-lous! I mean look at those almond shards and did you see that melty chocolate? I know you did - just trying to rub it in here.


You'll definitely want to have a napkin or two on hand when eating these, as they are quite crumbly and you may need one to dab off the smears of chocolate surrounding your lips one you've scarfed these down!

But the messiness is worth it. What are you waiting for?

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cup oats
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170 C and line a brownie tray with baking paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (not the chocolate chips yet).

Add in the wet ingredients and mix with a large spoon until just combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Press the mixture into the prepared tray and place in the oven for 15-17 minutes or until golden brown on top.

While still warm from the oven, make cuts so that it is easier to break into bars once the blondies have fully set.

Try to let them cool for a bit (yes I know, it's hard to resist!) and enjoy!

Orange Coconut Cake

Temperatures crossed 20 C yesterday. I think that calls for another bright, fruity treat, following this creamy and zingy lemon & grapefruit cake. Orange and coconut is just the right combination. Close your eyes, take a bite of this cake, and get transported to a tropical haven.

I'm sitting here, writing this post, and wondering how five weeks has just flown by. This week I'm back to uni for a hectic and study-filled exam term up ahead. Let's not forget the fact that the weather is amazing, which calls for studying on the grass, picnics with friends and Pimms (once exams are done!). It's going to be a tough month and a half or so, but I know I can make it through!

Anyways, back to what matters - this cake. The shreds of coconut add a subtle sweetness, some really great texture and of course, a punch of tropical flavor. The orange zest brings this cake to life, and the almond flour keeps it utterly moist. No one wants a dry cake now, do they?

I was going back and forth between whether this needed frosting, a light glaze or nothing at all. As you can hopefully tell, I went with the third option and I'm so glad I did. For one, if eating this for breakfast or an afternoon snack, added sugar is completely unnecessary. We're always going for healthy and delicious here, remember? Plus, this way, the wonderful flavors in the cake are left to shine for themselves and could otherwise get hidden under and sugary topping.

This cake ends up baking really nice and high and forms a gorgeous golden brown crust as it does. Not sure why I haven't done this yet, but I bet it would be really nice to take a lovely thick slice, toast it and smear it with just a dab of butter. Oooh, I can just see the butter melting into the cake. Butter or not, this cake has an extremely high yum factor. Get baking!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup dessicated coconut, unsweetened
1 1/2 cup flour plain flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature
3/4 cup unrefined sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated orange zest

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 C and line a loaf baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the milk and coconut and let them sit while you get on with the next few steps.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate, large bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar until sugar is well blended in. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat again until light and fluffy.

Into the egg mixture, add in half the milk/coconut mixture and half the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Add the remaining of both the mixtures and stir just until batter is smooth. Finally, add the orange zest and stir in gently.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 60 minutes or until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out just about clean (a few crumbs hanging are perfect!).

Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Oat Shortbread Cookies with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Oat flour is magical. No, seriously. I've just had the best luck when using it. I've started incorporating it into my recipes more and more lately, and each one has been such a success!

These cookies are no exception. Let me explain. On Saturday, I made fifteen cookies. On Sunday evening, we had two left. And by we, I just mean the four of us - mom, dad, sister and me! That makes four people, thirteen (large) cookies and two days. 

I can see you thinking, they must be good cookies. Well, you're most definitely on the ball. Does it surprise you that they're good for you too? 

Oh, by the way, if you're drooling by now, I don't blame you!

Full of oats that lend an amazing texture, hints of nutmeg to add that extra kick and most importantly, a generous drizzle of dark chocolate to amplify the richness, these cookies are perfect for dunking, snacking and nibbling!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup plain flour
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup coconut oil, room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp unrefined sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
40 grams dark chocolate, for drizzle

Instructions
In a food processor, spice grinder or blender, pulse to oats till a coarse flour forms. I like leave small bits of oats so that the final product has a bit of a bite to it, but if you're not a big fan of texture, pulse away until a fine flour forms!

In a small bowl, mix together the oat flour, plain flour, salt and nutmeg.

In a larger bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat again.

Gently stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Dump the batter/dough on a clean surface and roll in a log. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for an hour or freeze for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 175 C. Line a large cookie sheet with baking paper.

Remove the cookie dough from the fridge/freezer and slice into 1 cm thick disks. Place on the baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and just about crisp to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate. When cookies are completely cool, drizzle the chocolate over each cookie. Let the chocolate set for about half an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Lemon & Grapefruit Almond Cake

Despite the moody British weather, I'm taking the liberty to claim that spring is in full swing. And what better than citrus to celebrate spring?

I'm bringing you this incredibly moist, zing-y, melt-in-your-mouth lemon and grapefruit almond cake. The almond flour lends a moistness factor of infinity, meaning this cake only needs a little bit of coconut oil to give it that little extra tenderness. The almond extract adds a sweet undertone, one that if asked, you most definitely wouldn't be able to place your finger on. And the citrus flavors? Well, they're what really make this cake shine!

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. The grapefruit happened by accident. I was zesting a lemon, and then panicked when I realized it was my last one. We were out of oranges as well... And then I spotted it: a single grapefruit at the back of my fridge. Grapefruit to the rescue! And now, I wouldn't make this cake any other way. Combining the two zests adds a real depth of flavor and richness that is extraordinary. That said, just lemon would be oh-so-good too!

The final touch, the lemon glaze, is extremely simple, so don't miss it. It adds a final burst of tang, an envelope of sweetness and a sugary crustiness that completes this cake. It's time for you to now enjoy spring with a burst of zing! Make this. Now.

Oh, and Happy Easter!

Ingredients
For the cake:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp grapefruit zest
1/4 cup coconut oil, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

For the glaze and topping:
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp lemon zest
water, to thin
2 tbsp sliced toasted almonds, for topping

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 175 C and line a loaf baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in the almond flour and lemon and grapefruit zests.

In a separate, larger bowl, beat together the coconut oil and sugar. Add in the eggs and beat again. Finally, add the ricotta, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts and beat once again until thickened and fluffy.

Pour in the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes until top is slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Be sure to make sure the cake is completely cool before glazing!

Once cake is completely cool, make the glaze.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze, except water (and sliced almonds, of course!). If the glaze seems too thick, add water until a desired consistency is reach. If it's too thin, add some more powdered sugar. There's no perfect consistency and it's really up to you. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a really thick layer, other times I just want a thin coating.

Ensuring cake is completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over top and sprinkle on the sliced almonds. Let the glaze set for around 20 minutes before serving.

Slice, serve and enjoy!