Coconut Chocolate Balls

I just discovered these yummy little balls the other day & they are quite brilliant.
Very coconutty & extremely delicious.
I am finding that coconut oil is a fabulous food with a huge number of uses & health benefits.
It is the basis of this recipe along with coconut itself.
As often happens..after making them according to this recipe I made a few adjustments of my own & here is what I arrived at...just so I don't forget.

Melt 1/2 cup of organic coconut oil
 with 1 tbsp of butter & 1/2 cup of honey over a gentle heat.
Cook stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes glossy & thick.

Stir in 2 tbsp really good quality cocoa like Valhrona & continue to stir & cook for another couple of minutes. Just be careful not to burn it, so don't wander off about now.

Cool a little, then add:
2 tsps (true) vanilla essence & 1/8th tsp of good salt.
Mix in 2 to 2 1/2 cups of fine desiccated coconut & stir to combine all the ingredients.
The mixture will set as it cools & then you can make it in to balls.
Roll in coconut if you like.
Doesn't need to go in the fridge..unless you need to hide them.
I also placed some mounds on slices of banana & froze for an hour or so.
Such a yummy flavour combination & a quick dessert that kids will love & "other" people will wonder what on earth they are!
You might prefer the other version over at free coconut recipes.com
either way I'm sure they taste much the same.

Amazing Spicy Apple

I love apples.

I love them...all of them, any way at all.

 But this has to be one of my favourite apple recipes ever.

Apple & cinnamon speaks pie, crumble, family, warm memories & winter.

 This version elevates apple to just plain special.

The original concept came from my dear friend Sue, an innovative & grand cook.

She makes the most delicious strudel using filo pastry. I have borrowed the flavours & now I cook the apple with ginger & lemon just on it's own.

I guess it's a bit audacious to call this a "recipe" but truly, it is divine & different & so worth making.

Whatever apples you chose to use will give a slightly different result according to variety but that really doesn't matter. The flavours will still be the same.

Below I have given a proposed a few quantities but really just make it up according to your own taste & what you have available.

Peel & dice 1/2 a dozen apples,

add the zest or finely grated rind of a lemon (lisbon type are best)

2 tbsps drained ginger,

1 tsp ground ginger,

1/4 raw sugar or honey

1/2 cup of your favourite raisins or sultanas

Pop all the ingredients in to a pot together, put on the lid & turn on to low & let the apple begin to cook & release it's own juices.

Keep an eye on it & stir from time to time.

Cook until it's all fragrant & delicious.

This gorgeous mixture is now magical served warm, cold or used in crumble or strudel.

Golden raisins give a lovely glow to the cooked mixture.

Jumbo raisins are a lovely mix of colours & flavours & work well too.

I love it best with thick, creamy Greek yoghurt.

Apple Dessert Cake

This is one of those recipes that's been passed on & on through the years.
 Useful, easy & made in no time at all.
And it certainly doesn't need to stay trapped in the dessert department.
It's always popular & can be easily adjusted to suit whatever you have on hand.
Here is the original version that I wrote out by hand when I was about 15:

2 cups diced apple } mix in 125 grams melted butter &
1 cup brown sugar    1 egg
Add 1 cup (total) of sultanas, raisins or dates or a mixture of whatever you have on hand.
1 tsp of cinnamon & 1/2 tsp of ginger, mixed spice & some nutmeg (or just cinnamon if you prefer)
Mix in 1 1/2 cups of wholemeal flour (or plain flour is fine) & 1 tsp baking soda mixed in a little milk.
Combine altogether.
Cook 45- 50mins in a moderate oven.
Cool in the tin before turning out.
Serve with whipped cream or Greek yoghurt if you have made it for dessert.
Dusted with icing sugar looks nice.

The cake I made today is a little different but equally delicious.
I like to keep sugar to a minimum in our diet & make everything I cook as nutrient dense as possible so here's the version from today:

125 gms butter, gently melted
1/2 cup honey & 1/4 cup organic panela (evaporated sugar cane juice)
mix in one egg & spices..at least 1 dsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger & I really like to add some freshly grated nutmeg,
add 2 apples & 1/2 a dozen plums, diced
1 cup of dried fruit: sticky raisins, sultanas, raisins, dates or any combo that you love.
Mix in 1/2 cup of ground almonds,
1 cup of wholemeal flour (I used a 7 grain flour)
& 1 tsp baking soda mixed in to a little milk.
Stir to combine & cook for around 50 mins in a moderate oven.

If you have never tried freshly ground nutmeg do look out for some..it's so worth doing & the nutmegs will keep for years stored nicely.

The plums I used are called Luisa & have such a delicious flavour. They work really well with the apple. 

Of course you can make your cake any shape you like!