Coconut Creme Caramel

As I mentioned in my previous posting, I'm experimenting with recipes. Hubby doesn't deal well with dairy products, so this one was "kinda" done for him.

I say "kinda" cause it was also done for me ;) hahahaha

Who wouldn't love creme caramel made with coconut milk. Well I suppose all those people that just plain don' t like cream caramel and those that detest coconut. HEATHENS!!!!

2 x 400ml cans of coconut milk

6 large eggs

100gms caster sugar (superfine sugar)

2 tsp vanilla extract (I used homemade)

1 tsp lemon extract (I used homemade)

Caramel
200gms caster sugar

20gms water

Coconut Chocolate Mousse Cake

In the last couple of years, to my dismay and disappointment, I have discovered that wheat is not my friend. I tried to fight it, but I lost.

I have bought a few books on gluten free cooking, as I just love to cook but haven't tried many recipes yet. Wheat based products, cakes, breads, pastas, are just my absolute favourite. Isn't life just cruel??

Anyway I have decided to start experimenting a little more with gluten free cooking.

I am also vegetarian, which makes it even more difficult as a lot of gluten free recipes use gelatine. :(

Anyway here is my first experiment.

Cake base is a modified version of this cake found here. I changed the flour to make it gluten free and modified the process slightly.

http://jeenaskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/08/coconut-sponge-cake-fat-free.html

Cake Base
Ingredients
100gms Plain Gluten Free Flour
4 eggs
50gms white sugar
60 gms brown sugar
60gms dessicated coconut
2tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp bicarb of soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Sift coconut, flour, soda and tartar and set aside.
3. Place sugars, vanilla and eggs in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer for 5 minutes until the mixture is doubled and is light and fluffy.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients and pour batter into a greased 9 inch removable base tin.
5. Bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool in the pan.

Chocolate Mousse
I used this recipe from Jill Harris (Vegan Chocolate Mousse)

Ingredients
510gms silken tofu
420gms dark chocolate (I used 70% Lindt)
100gms maple syrup

Method

1. Blend tofu in a food processor until it is very smooth.
2. Chop chocolate into small pieces and melt in the microwave in 30 second bursts, being careful not to burn it.
3. Once chocolate is fully melted add syrup and mix thoroughly.
4. Add chocolate mix to the tofu in the processor and blend until thoroughly mixed and very smooth.

Raspberry Topping
Ingredients
300gms raspberry puree
80gms sugar
20gms potato flour
40gms water

Method

1. Mix potato flour with the water, and add it to a pan with the raspberry puree and sugar.
2. Cook on slow heat until mixture thickens.
3. Set aside to cool

Assembling Cake

Cut cake in half. Place one layer of cake on the base of a pan, and pour mousse over it. Smooth mousse and place left over layer of cake. Press it down to make sure it sticks together.
Pour raspberry sauce over the top, smooth over and place in the fridge.
Allow it to set overnight.

NOTES: This cake was fully consumed at work the following day. There was mixed feedback. Generally it was good, but the mousse was very rich and firm. I loved the mousse, but indeed it was very rich, i think an extra 100 gms of tofu wouldn't go astray. I also think that making it with milk chocolate instead of the 70% I used would make it a lot less rich.

I personally loved the raspberry topping, as I thought it really cut through the richness of the mousse. Some of the taste testers commented that they preferred to have the mousse with the cake on the base, and the topping with the cake on the top. Each to their own I say :)

Next experiment should be a white chocolate mousse cake :) YUMMY YUMMY!!!