Easy-peasy Date cake - no added sugar! Tax on sugar? No worries!

Easy-peasy Date Cake (no added sugar)

Ingredients:

250g self-raising flour

180g chopped dates

50g Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVVO)

60g date syrup (or maple syrup or honey)

1 tsb vanilla extract

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

100ml hot water

1 large egg

Topping: (Optional)

100g cooking chocolate, melted

Method:

1. Soak the chopped dates in hot water for 10 mins and stir to combine. Leave to cool.

2. Add beaten egg, date syrup and oil to soaked dates. Mix well.

3. Add sieved flour and bicarbonate soda to mixture and stir till no flour patches.

4. Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

5. Pour mixture into greased loaf tin and bake for 20-25 mins till brown. Check if fully cooked with a fork in the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Cool aside.

6. For extra sweetness, melt some dark belgian chocolate and drizzle over the cake. ENJOY!

Guiltless Chocolate cookies- sweet heaven with no added sugar really?

Guilt-free Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

130g rolled oats

70g flour (I use spelt here)

40g ground almonds

20g cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

80g chopped dates

4 tbsp date syrup (or maple or honey)

4 tsb vanilla extract

6 tbsp almond milk

40g chocolate chunks/chips

Method:

1. Combine all dry ingredients except the chocolate chunks in a bowl.

2. Whisk all wet ingredients and pour into the bowl and make a non-sticky dough.

3. Shape using your palm and thumb to make a print to receive the chocolate chunk in the centre of cookie. Makes 6-8.

4. Preheat oven to 170-180 deg C.

5. Arrange the cookies on lined tray and bake for 10-12 mins.

6. Cool aside. ENJOY!

Date cinnamon rolls with a difference.....sweet goey deliciousness that's pure heaven!

Cinnamon (Date) Rolls (x9)

Ingredients:

200g Sourdough starter surplus (discard)

280g Bread flour

10g Sugar

70g Milk

1.5 tbsp EVOO/30g unsalted butter

Fillings:

2 tbsp sweet cinnamon powder

1 tbsp mixed spice powder

20g castor sugar

50g butter, softened

100g dates, chopped

Glaze:

Dark belgian chocolate – melted

Toppings:

Crushed pistachio nuts

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together except the oil or butter and knead for 3-5 minutes till a soft pliable dough is obtained. (If too dry, add a little more milk incrementally).

2. Add butter or oil, knead till window pane appears (about 25 minutes with a stand mixer at slow speed).

3. Cover with cloth and rest till it rises to double, from 2-5 hours depending on room temperature.

4. When dough has risen, punch the dough down and on floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle of about 13 inch by 10 inch.

5. Mix the sugar with the cinnamon and butter into a paste.

6. Spread the sweet mixture over the rectangle followed by sprinkling of the dates.

7. Begin to roll the dough from the long edge bottom upwards into a log.

8. For ease of cutting into rolls, wrap the dough with clingfilm and place in the fridge for half an hour. (optional)

9. Cut the dough into 9 equal pieces and arrange them into an 20cm (8”) round tin and proof till nearly doubled in size for about 1-2 hours.

10. Bake at 170-180 deg C oven for 20-25 mins. Cool aside.

11. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1-1.5 mins. Stir it well and drizzle over the rolls.

12. Decorate with chopped pistachios or whatever you desire. ENJOY!