Grain, Sugar and Dairy-free Fruit Brack

Grain, Sugar and Dairy-free Fruit Brack

I have been flirting with grain-free eating for a while (to cut down on the phytic acid that grains produce. All the other Paleo advantages are a bonus!) I am not very rigorous in it’s application, but rarely eat pasta, bread or rice anymore, having found delicious and unusual alternatives (courgette pasta, cauliflower rice and wheat-free, soaked-grain, vegetable-laden bread) Grain, Sugar and Dairy-free Fruit Brack(I know, the incredible beautiful antique plate -Mason- really distracts from the cake)

I feel much better for this. My main failing is at breakfast. I don’t want to start frying (eggs etc); I don’t like anything greasy (bacon and eggs for example) and quite like the heaviness that grains impart. My favourite breakfast is porridge, but I don’t like to eat it unless I have soaked the grains from the night before, and I frequently forget this. So a fruit-rich cake makes for a tasty first meal (after a pint of apple cider vinegar and honey in warm water. Sets you up for the day)

This cake is moist and delicious, and lasts for days and days. Excellent toasted, and also with a large slab of butter (although my official taste-testers felt it worked just fine without) (yes, I know. Sacrilege). It is grain, sugar and can be dairy-free (if you use coconut oil rather than butter). Needless to say, it tastes delicious, and, like the grain-, sugar-, nut- and dairy-free brownie, doesn’t taste in the slightest bit “healthy” (thank goodness)Grain, Sugar and Dairy-free Fruit BrackI used raisins or sultanas (can’t remember which) and apricots. You can vary the quantities quite a bit, but I would keep the tea-fruit ratio within 50g: 300g fruit-300mls tea, 350g fruit – 300mls tea, 400g fruit – 350mls tea etc

Grain, Sugar and Dairy-free Fruit Brack

350g dried fruit (raisins or sultanas)

50g dried apricots, chopped into sultana-sized pieces

350mls tea

200g ground almonds

100g desiccated coconut

1\2 teaspoon bread soda

2 eggs

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

60g butter or coconut oil, melted

Pre-heat the oven to 170’C325F/Gas 3

The night (or several hours) before you plan on making this, soak the fruit in the tea.

The following day, mix the dry ingredients together.

Mix the melted butter into the soaked fruit mix (the fruit is now plump and juicy and not much liquid remains), next the maple syrup, then the eggs.

Add in the dry ingredients and mix well together.

You should have enough for 2 x 2lb loaf tins

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer stuck into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Leave for around a half hour to cool before taking out of the tin.

Enjoy πŸ™‚