Vegan? Gluten-free? Dairy-free? Satisfy your sweet tooth with our delicious collection of free-from treats
Plant-based lemon curd
MAKES 200ML V Vn GF DF HANDS-ON TIME 10 MINS TOTAL TIME 10 MINS, PLUS COOLING AND CHILLING
62 zest and juice of 4 unwaxed lemons 2 tbsp cornflour 4 tbsp caster sugar 3 tbsp coconut cream 3 tbsp vegan margarine pinch of fine sea salt
1 Mix a little of the lemon juice with the cornflour to make a smooth paste then set aside. Warm the remaining lemon juice and the zest in a small pan on a medium heat.
2 Add the sugar and, once the sugar has dissolved, add in the cornflour paste and whisk continuously on a medium-high heat until the mixture has thickened.
3 Once thickened, remove from the heat and whisk in the coconut cream, margarine and salt. Sieve the mixture for a smoother texture, if you like. Pour the curd into a sterilised jar, leave to cool then chill until ready to use.
■ Per teaspoon: 48cals; 2g fat (1g sat fat); 0g protein; 0g fibre; 7g carbs; 5g total sugars; 0g salt
TO STORE The lemon curd will keep in the fridge for up to 1 month
RECIPES: HELEN GRACE.
Vegan crumpets
MAKES 1O V Vn DF HANDS-ON TIME 50 MINS TOTAL TIME 50 MINS, PLUS RISING
If you’ve never made crumpets before, why not give them a go? Served slathered with plant-based lemon curd (see recipe below left), they’re a treat at any time of day.
250g plain flour 150g tipo ‘00’ flour (pasta flour) 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast 1 tbsp caster sugar ½ tsp fine sea salt 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp lemon juice 1 heaped tsp baking powder
You will need 4 crumpet or egg rings measuring about 8cm diameter
1 Put the flours in a bowl, pour in 500ml warm water, and add the yeast, sugar and salt. Whisk to make a smooth, thick batter. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to prove for 40 minutes in a warm place until fluffy and bubbly.
2 Heat a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat. Brush the crumpet rings with vegetable oil and put in the hot pan. When the metal is hot, brush more oil inside the rings and heat for another 5 minutes, this is to ‘season’ the rings and prevent sticking. When ready to cook, add the lemon juice and baking powder to the batter and whisk well. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the pan. It should be a relatively high heat, but you don’t want the oil to smoke.
3 Ladle the mixture into the rings (it will sizzle when it hits the pan), half-filling the rings. Cook on a high heat for 1 minute, then turn down the heat to low. Cook for a further 8-10 minutes on a low heat, until the batter starts to set around the edges and bubbles form on the surface. If the oil is smoking, reduce the heat.
4 When the top is almost set, run a palette
