Yesterday,
I caught up with an old friend who, with the enthusiastic help of her gorgeous five-year old daughter, was telling me about the cake they were going to bake for said daughter’s ‘wobbly tooth party’, in celebration of just-about-losing her first baby tooth. It got me thinking about the many happy times I shared with my Mum baking in the kitchen when I was growing up.
I want to share with you a recipe Mum and I used to bake fairly often, as it was on the healthier-side of baking and not too sweet. My job was usually to peel and cut the apples, which usually resulting in me eating them and then re-peeling and cutting more. Cut up apple is just so delicious – and this recipe makes good use of them. (Interestingly, I had the same disappearing apple problem today when I baked this recipe). Also, I have adapted the recipe a little to be gluten-free and have added a few new ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 300g butter (or dairy-free alternative)
- 3/4 cup xylitol (if unavailable you can substitute for 1 1/2 cups sugar)
- 3 teaspoons molasses
- 3 eggs
- 2 3/4 cups brown rice flour
- 1 cup almond meal
- 5 teaspoons baking powder (gluten-free)
- 1/2 cup quinoa flakes
- 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 3/4 cup water
- 4 green apples (peeled and cut into 5mm slices)
- cinnamon
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Grease and line a lamington tin.
- Cream butter, xylitol and molasses until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and beat.
- Mix in dry ingredients until well combined.
- Divide the mixture in half and press one half of the mixture into the base of the tin.
- Cover mixture in the tin with the sliced apples. Sprinkle cinnamon over apples.
- Add water to remaining mixture until in forms a spreadable consistency.
- Spread mixture over apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Decorate with blanched almonds if desired.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden on top.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
For further information on Chinese Medicine contact Dr Sarah George (Acupuncture). Sarah is a practitioner of acupuncture (AHPRA registered), massage therapy and natural health at her Broadbeach clinic and is the Chinese Medicine Senior Lecturer at the Endeavour College of Natural Health Gold Coast campus.
