Alternative Vegan shortbread (Paleo too)

Time to get baking again! I’m planning a baby reflexology course next term and on the outlook for some new recipes. So when this little gem came into my inbox courtesy of The Minimalist Baker I had to give it a whirl; an alterative to vegan shortbread which is also grain free! While we didn’t do the whole shebang of making s’mores like they did we did indulge in the shortbread recipe and we’re loving it! Even the diary eaters among us are saying it is good and asking for more 🙂

Fresh out of the oven … with a few bits already sampled.

I haven’t bothered to change anything in the recipe; didn’t need to! It is already a one pot wonder and it is already super quick and easy. The only thing I think I would do next time is just cut it into squares and bake like that rather than worrying about cookie cutters. In saying that though it does look pretty in different shapes and it stays together much better than the other vegan shortbread recipe when using a cutter.

Below is the recipe as I created it and the tips I used however if you want to make some s’mores out of them – by adding a caramel and chocolate layer – than check out the original recipe here. I have to confess that the way she spelt her s’mores was what got me to open the link, due to confusion, and explore!

Vegan, Grain Free Shortbread

• 1 1/4 cup of ground almonds (almond meal)
• 2 Tbs coconut oil
• 2Tbs maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/4 tsp salt

-Melt the coconut oil. Once melted add in the maple syrup and vanilla essence.

-Add in the ground almond and salt and combine fully.

-Form the dough into a ball and then place in between two sheets of baking paper.

-Keeping the dough between the baking paper; roll into a rectangle shape a few mm thick depending how crunchy you like your shortbread. If you do this on the baking tray you can save yourself a job of transferring the dough 🙂

-Place in the fridge for at least 15 mins to chill.

-Remove the top sheet of baking paper and cut, gently, into squares

-Bake in a preheated oven, at 160 Celsius, for 7-10 mins or until the edges are golden. I went for 8 mins which was just right.

-Cool and enjoy

Hope this finds you healthy, happy and loving the life you have.

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz

Shortbread -Vegan style

I have posted this one before but though it is such a quick and easy make that it was worth sharing again ….. especially as I have just been baking it for an Infant Massage the other week.

This recipe comes from a great wee book we got when himself (then aged eight) decided that he wanted to become Vegan.  As I tend to feel better without gluten I was trying to find a way to still bake yummy treats without gluten, eggs or butter  being involved and began trawling the library for books.  Thankfully Jennifer Katzinger was a step ahead and had already written her book; Flying Apron’s Gluten Free and Vegan Baking Book.  It is a great ‘go to’ resource as it has a mix of sweet and savoury treats which have all been tested in her bakery.

As close as I get to homemade shortbread 🙂

The end result of the she calls Maple ‘Butter’ Bars is so like shortbread that I have just given it that name 🙂 It is a super quick, easy and very delicious recipe.  The only thing we have altered from her original recipe is to use coconut oil instead of palm oil.  I have noticed though that the quality of the coconut oil does change how it bakes in the oven so wanted to mention here that if you find you have coconut oil bubbling away on top of your shortbread as it bakes then fear not.  We have had this once or twice and simply pour a bit of the excess on top then return to the oven for a little extra baking with the same delicious results.

Scored into bite size pieces while it is still warm in the pan

We have also played around with the flour that we use over the years.  I love a mix of brown rice flour and buckwheat however the non-vegans on the bus prefer it when I use the Edmonds GF flour so I guess it is just personal taste for you and yours.  I have given the full recipe below however I usually just do a half recipe as it is very sweet and moreish.  I also cut them into bite size biscuits so that it goes a bit further. 

Vegan Shortbread

• 2 3/4 Cups GF flour (1 3/8 buckwheat and 1 3/8 rice, all rice or premixed works)
• 1 cup of coconut oil
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

-Heat the coconut oil in a pot until it is just liquid then add the maple syrup in along with the vanilla essence and stir well

-Mix in the flour until it is well blended in.

-Spread the mixture into a baking paper lined tin.  Preferably a tin that you can open and slide the baking paper out of at the end. You want a layer about 1/2 to 1 cm thick.

-Bake at 190C for 30 mins or until the edges are golden and hardening a little.

-Remove from the oven and use a knife to ‘cut’ into small pieces.

-Slide the baking paper with the scored shortbread intact onto a cooling tray.

-Cool and enjoy.

Hope this finds you warm where ever you are 

Arohanui

Y

www.becominghealthy.co.nz