Almond Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

2 cups almond flour/meal

2 teaspoons GF baking powder

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1 cup dark chocolate chunks

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

6 tablespoons frozen unsalted butter

1 tablespoon cream or milk

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons orange zest

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Add flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt to a food processor, pulse until mixture is crumbly. 

Whisk egg, orange zest and milk until well combined in a separate bowl. Gradually pour in one tablespoon at a time to the dry ingredients until the dough comes together but not wet (you might not need all the liquid). Don't over mix!

Turn out onto a floured surface and divide into 8 equal portions. With floured hands, pat each piece into a 3" round, about 2" thick. Place on a lined cookie sheet leaving space in between. Divide chocolate chunks and strawberries evenly amongst the dough circles and press down firmly. Brush dough with a little milk and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Ganache:

1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks

1/3 cream

Bring heavy cream in a saucepan on medium heat to simmer (don't boil). Pour over chocolate chunks and whisk until chocolate mixture is smooth and shiny. Pour into a small piping bag with a small round opening and pipe chocolate in a back and forth movement to decorate the top of the shortcake (refer to picture).

Serve shortcake warm with fresh whipped cream and extra strawberries on the side.

Gluten Free Almond Chocolate Cookies

1 3/4 cup almond flour/meal

8 tablespoons grass fed  unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup coconut sugar

2 teaspoons pure almond extract 

1 large orange, zest

2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups dark chocolate chips

1 small bowl coconut sugar (to dip dough in)

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add almond extract and orange zest, followed by the dry ingredients.

Drop tablespoons of the cookie dough into a small bowl of sugar and toss to fully coat and add to a cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

Remove from the oven to cool completely before frosting

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups powdered/icing sugar

1 large orange, juice and zest

Whisk ingredients until creamy and smooth. Drizzle a generous amount over the cookies.

Gooey Chocolate Banana Cake (gluten-free)

Cake:

3 cups almond meal/flour

2 cups melted dark chocolate

4 large eggs, room temperature

3 large bananas, chopped

1 cup raw honey

1/2 cup pure vegetable oil

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons espresso powder

Preheat oven to 375 F

Blend all the ingredients in a blender to combine (except bananas). Fold in bananas. Pour into a prepared round 10" Springform cake pan and bake for 1 hour or until a stick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before removing from the pan while you prepare the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache:

1/2 cup chocolate chunks (60%) or similar

1/2 cup heavy cream

Bring heavy cream in a saucepan on medium heat to simmer (don't boil). Pour over chocolate chunks and whisk until chocolate mixture is smooth and shiny. Pour over the top of the cake and spread out to cover the entire cake.

Keep refrigerated until serve.

Espresso Chocolate Almond Cookies

2 1/4 cup almond meal/flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons stevia

2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

2/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

2 cups melted dark chocolate

1/4 cup pure vegetable oil of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 F

Combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl and all the wet in another. Add wet to the dry and stir well to combine.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop small scoops into the cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch in between.

Bake for 15 minutes or until a stick inserted comes out clean.

Leave cookies to cool in a cooling rack.

Gluten and Sugar-Free Almond Strawberry Pancakes

1 cup all purpose GF flour
1 tablespoon stevia
1 teaspoon GF baking powder
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup almond milk
2 large eggs (room temperature)
2 tablespoons orange zest
6 fresh strawberries, chopped
Blend all the ingredients together (except strawberries and sliced almonds) until smooth.

Heat a lightly buttered griddle or frying pan over medium heat. When griddle or pan is hot, pour a 1/4 cup of the batter into the griddle and scatter strawberries and almonds on top. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface (about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes). Flip over and cook a further 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter and strawberries.

Serve with maple syrup (warm).

Almond Lemon Cake

3 cups cake flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon of salt

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup butter, room temperature

4 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup milk, room temperature

1/4 cup lemon zest

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

9 thin slices of fresh lemon (garnish)

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well in between. Add lemon zest and almonds. Using a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt.

Combine milk and lemon juice in a small jug. Fold flour and milk mixture, alternately to the batter, making sure to start with flour end with flour.

Pour into a lined square cake pan (9"). Arrange lemon slices on top of the cake (refer to picture). Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours or until a stick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Please keep the cake at this temperature because it will burn if it's on a higher temperature. It takes time to bake it!

Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely before glazing.

Glaze:

1 cup icing sugar

1 lemon, juiced

Whisk ingredients to form a thick paste. Use a brush to glaze the cake.

Gluten Free Mini Plum Apricot Cakes

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup gluten free all purpose flour blend

1 cup coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

6 egg whites

175g butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure almond essence

1/2 cup fresh apricots, thinly sliced

1/2 cup fresh plums, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Sift flour, xanthan gum, and powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Mix in almond flour and orange zest, make a well in the center of the bowl.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks starts to form. Add almond essence and orange juice. Pour into the well with the melted butter. Fold gently together to combine.

Pour into a prepared 12 cup muffin pan (about 3/4 full) or small ramekins. Arrange fruit on top.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until baked and golden brown. Remove from the oven. Let stand for about 5 minutes before you remove onto a serving plate.

Serve warm with ice cream and fresh whipped cream.