When I saw that The Groovy Food Company had teamed up with quirky and inspirational TV personality, chef and author, Gizzi Erskine, to create an innovative range of modern recipes using the brand’s natural products, I was rather excited. As someone who has looked up to Gizzi for many years, this partnership caught my attention and I was looking forward to seeing what the culinary genius would come up with.
In case you haven’t heard of them, The Groovy Food Company is an award-winning British brand committed to sourcing and producing natural foods that taste delicious and nourish the body’s overall health and wellbeing. I’ve used their coconut flour, sugar and oil for a while now and have always been happy with the quality and accessibility of the ingredients.
One of Gizzi’s creations is a recipe for dairy and wheat free fondants using coconut oil which she says taste even more delicious than baking with butter. I was challenged to re-create the recipe to see what I thought of the end result – so here goes! Over to you, Gizzi…
The best ‘You Won’t Believe It’s Dairy & Wheat-free’ Chocolate Fondant
If I was to tell you that this dairy, wheat and gluten-free fondant was the best I’ve ever tasted you wouldn’t necessarily believe me…Well it’s here, and what-do-ya know – it’s actually really GREAT… better even. So indulgent, same wickedness, but there’s something about the flavour of the coconut that, I don’t know… just really smashes the whole thing to the next level. Give it a go and see!
Makes: 4
Ingredients:
- 120g The Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, melted
- Plus around an extra 20g for greasing
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 100g Great quality 70-80% dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 2 free range eggs
- 2 free range egg yolks
- 120g The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Sugar
- 1 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour
Method:
- Heat oven to 200C and put a baking tray on the middle shelf.
- Brush the inside of 4 small pudding or ‘dariole’ moulds with the melted organic virgin coconut oil. (Grease it in a double layer of oil, then cut out tiny rounds of greaseproof paper a little bit smaller than the base of the mould and fit them to the greased base.)Grease the top of the paper again with more organic virgin coconut oil.
- Then put the cocoa in one of the moulds and turn it to coat the inside with a layer of the powder as to line it, holding it over the second mould to catch any that escapes. Repeat with the other moulds.
- Put the main volume of organic virgin coconut oil, 1 tbsp cocoa powder and chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted.
- Stir in the coconut flour, and then allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
- Using electric beaters, whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, coconut sugar and a pinch of salt until pale and moussey (the mixture should almost double in volume), this will take 3-4 mins.
- Gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture, being careful not to knock out too much air.
- Spoon into the prepared moulds, stopping about 6mm from the top. Chill for at least 1 hour. (The great news is you can make these the day before you want them.)
- Put on a hot baking tray and cook for 15 minutes exactly until the tops are set and coming away from the sides of the moulds and it’s souffled a spot.
- Stand for 30 seconds, then serve in the moulds or turn out onto plates.
The verdict
Straightforward to make without the need to buy loads of ingredients, this recipe is a little more indulgent than I’d usually make but I used no added sugar dark chocolate to try and keep refined sugars to a minimum. Although the puddings didn’t come out with a gooey centre as I expected (I think I left them a little too long after bringing them out the oven!), they were still light, spongey and absolutely delicious. I served mine with some Nush Cashew Vanilla yogurt which made an ideal accompaniment to these rich puddings. Without the need for wheat or dairy-free, I’ll definitely be making these puddings again when I have people round for dinner.
