These avocado roses may look difficult, but it is only a few simple steps. I like to use them when I need a simple but impressive salad. Sometimes, I thinly slice fennel or cucumber, add a few small bitter leaves from the garden, a few cubes of feta and place a few of these avocado roses on top with a squeeze of lemon to keep it nice and bright, a few rounds of salt, pepper, a sprinkle of za’atar, lemon zest and toasted seeds and you have a glorious salad to accompany your other dishes.
note
Use an avocado that is not too ripe; otherwise, it will be soft and squishy but must be firm enough that the skin peels away easily.
Sprinkle lemon juice to keep the avocado from changing colour.
1. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the pit by using the knife to pierce the seed with a good amount of force. The seed should easily lift out with a wiggle or two.
2. Remove the skin. If the avocado is a good balance of not too ripe and not too firm, the skin should lift up easily.
3. Slice across. Lay the avocado halves flat side down, and make thin slices across the avocado, repeating down the entire fruit from end to end. Aim for each piece to be between 2-3 mm thick.
4. Fan the slices out. Keeping the pieces touching each other, gently move the slices diagonally until the slices form a thin line.
5. Roll into a spiral. Start curling the fruit inwards on itself at one end. Continue rolling the slices until your avocado flower begins to take shape. Ensure it is neatly twisted around itself in a compact circle.
6. Douse the avocado rose in lemon or lime juice. As the avocado sits in the open air, it oxidizes and develops brown spots. The acid in the lemon juice will prevent this from happening until you are ready to eat it.
This Orange Saffron Cake is slightly adapted from Aran Goyoaga’s new book Cannelle et Vanille BAKES SIMPLE. I baked it for a special treat to serve at our end-of-year Sadvidya meeting, and it was a true treat! It is incredibly moist, with a deeply fragrant orange flavour, and the saffron gives it a hint of earthiness. I made it vegan by replacing the two eggs with a flaxseed mixture and increasing baking powder.
NOTES
The flaxseeds must be ground as finely as possible to absorb water well.
Use superfine brown rice flour; I use this brand of flour for all my baking.
Orange-flower water, or agua de azahar, as it is called in Spanish, can be found in speciality and middle eastern markets. I did not use it in this recipe, as I didn’t have it in my pantry. Even without it, it was incredibly fragrant.
This cake is very delicate, so handle it gently and allow the cake to cool completely and for the crumb to set.
The vegan cream can be replaced with regular cream – folding in the icing sugar and vanilla after whipping.
orange saffron cake (Aran Goyoaga)
Preparation 15 minutes
Baking 40-45 minutes
Assembling 2-3 hours for the cream to thicken and the cake to cool completely.
Makes one 8-inch layer cake
ingredients
3 Tbsp/18g ground flaxseed + 6 Tbsp/60g hot water (allow to sit for 10 mins as below)
½ cup/110g warm oat milk
⅛ tsp saffron threads
¾ cup/150g blond sugar
2 Tbsp finely grated orange zest (zest from 2 oranges), plus more for garnishing
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp orange-flower water (optional)
½ cup/110g extra virgin olive oil
1 cup/140g brown rice flour
1 cup/100g almond flour
¾ tsp fine rock salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ cup/35g sliced almonds
powdered sugar for dusting
cream
⅓ cup/60g vegan/regular butter (softened to room temperature)
2 tsp vanilla extract or scrape 1 vanilla bean (halved lengthways and seeds scraped out)
preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. Generously oil the inside of an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.
2. Into a large bowl, add the flaxseed with water and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Combine the milk and saffron in a small pan and warm over low heat for 2 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes, then add to the flaxseed mixture.
4. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and orange zest. Rub the mixture between your fingers so the zest releases its natural oils and becomes fragrant. Whisk into the flaxseed mixture along with the orange juice, orange-flower water (if using), and olive oil – whisk until smooth.
5. In a small bowl, combine the brown rice flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to the wet ingredients and whisk until well incorporated. Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle over the sliced almonds.
6. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan; 3 – 4 hours is ideal.
7. Meanwhile, make the cream: Beat the butter with a hand mixer until soft. Add the violife cream cheese and beat again until well mixed (don’t overmix.) Sift over icing sugar and add the vanilla extract – beat again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use – 2 hours.
8. Place the cake on a cake stand. Using a serrated knife, cut the cake in half crosswise. I press one hand on the top center of the cake and cut with the other hand as you turn the cake, which helps in even cutting. The cake is delicate, so be gentle.
9. Spread the cream over the bottom cake layer. Place the top layer on the cream, sprinkle with orange zest and dust the cake with powdered sugar.
Preparing tahini in this way brings back memories of Israel. We lived in Israel for 14 years, and my children were born there.
My favourite part of the week was/and is Friday Night, which we call Erev Shabat in Hebrew. Stores would close early, and people would make their way home. Leaving the streets quiet. There would always be good smells coming from the neighbour’s houses. On Friday night, no one would dine alone, and everyone’s house was open to an unexpected guest. In yogic philosophy, our teacher Dr. Shankaranarayana Jois has explained that the unexpected guest is the best of all guests you can serve and honour with food.
It was a special time for family members to come together after a busy working week. Challah would be bought, candles lit and blessed, and usually, a bowl of tahini would be on the table!
½ cup/115g tahini (I prefer the hulled traditional tahini)
2 Tbsp/25g lemon juice
¼ tsp fine rock salt
1 tsp honey – optional
¾ cup/150g water
to garnish
1 large tomato, grated
sweet paprika
olive oil
parsley
preparation
1. In a small bowl combine the tahini, lemon juice, salt and honey. Slowly whisk through the water until you have a pourable consistency, adding extra water if you need it.
2. Taste, add lemon or salt if needed.
3. Cut the tomato in half, and grate each half on a medium grater directly into the tahini. Grate until all the pulp and juices are out, and you’re just left with the peel, which you discard.
4. Garnish with paprika, parsley and drizzle with olive oil.
Serve the tehina with a crunchy rice pilaf or your favourite salad, steamed or roasted vegetables, or as a dip.
I printed this recipe in 2017 when I came across it in theGlobe and Mail, published by Tara O’brady, and I have been making all sorts of variations since. Use fewer tomatoes or none, add bitter green leaves or cut the zucchini into thick slabs and grill until slightly charred, rather than eating raw. The dressing I keep the same as it is a gem! However, keep in mind if the garden is overgrown with dill, coriander, mint or similar soft herbs, they can be added into the dressing as well or instead.
I always like making salads with beautiful seasonal greens, herbs, and edible flowers picked straight from the garden. Different lettuces impart different flavours, and the best salads mix up two or three. Because this dressing is lively, pairing it with hardier and spicy greens, like arugula, rocket, mizuna, endive, or baby kale, is better.
easy basil dressing
serves 2 – 3
for the dressing
¾ cup/30g basil leaves
¼ cup/10g flat-leafed parsley
juice from half a lemon – approx 2 Tbsp
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 – 2 Tbsp honey or sugar
3 Tbsp olive oil
pinch dried chilli flakes
for the salad
2 slices rustic French bread, torn into pieces
2 Tbsp/20g olive oil, plus more as needed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
half lemon, preferably organic, well-scrubbed
3 – 4 handful of washed green leaves – arugula, rocket, little gem, mizuna, etc. (try to combine various leaves while balancing the more bitter ones with crisp and tender leaves.)
1 small/120g zucchini, sliced into thin rounds (the small zucchini have the best flavour)
3 Tbsp toasted, roughly chopped pinenuts and pumpkin seeds
preparation
1. Make the dressing by squeezing the juice of half the lemon into a small blender. Add the basil and parsley, then add a splash of vinegar, sugar and olive oil—season with salt and pepper, then puree. Taste, adjust seasoning and balance with more oil or vinegar as called for, and sweeten with sugar or honey if it’s too sharp. Rerun the machine, then add a pinch of chilli flakes.
for the salad
1.Preheat the oven to 220C/425F.
2. Toss the bread with 2 tablespoons of olive oil—season with salt and pepper. Scatter pieces on a small baking sheet.
3. Slice the half lemon into thin rounds, removing any seeds; if you have a mandoline (or patience), slice about 3 mm thick (1/8-inch.) Coat lightly with olive oil and arrange on another small baking pan.
4. Place both baking pans in the hot oven. Toast the bread until golden and crisp, 15 – 20 minutes, tossing once. Roast the lemon until touched with char and deeply caramelized, 12 – 15 minutes.
5. Arrange the salad, place the leaves and zucchini, then croutons, roasted lemon slices and seeds—top with dressing, offering more at the table.
I posted a similar pilaf recipe a while back; this version is easier, quicker and uses the option of olive oil, or if you prefer, replace it with ghee. I change the vegetables to what I have in the garden, sometimes using thinly sliced potatoes, fennel, zucchini or freshly picked sweet peas. It is easy to swap the vegetables around. If the season or garden is overgrown with parsley, coriander or similar soft herbs, they can be used instead.
Serving suggestions:
Serve with a crisp garden leaf salad and this basil dressing, a plate of vegan feta (drizzled with oil and za’atar), a bowl of tahini. Add steamed corn on the cob when in season – this combination is a perfect marriage of flavours.
There are a few steps in achieving the success of this dish; the crispy golden bottom makes it worth it!
Wash the rice to remove any surface starch, which might make it sticky.
Boil the rice for 8 minutes in boiling water, then drain and allow it to steam dry for a few minutes.
Cover with a cloth, as well as a lid, to protect it from the drops of condensation as it steams.
Achieving “the golden crusty bottom” at the bottom of the pot by cooking it over low heat for an extended period.
It is recommended to use a non-stick pot. For the recipe, I use a cast-iron 10-inch (24cm) pot. Also, try to use a pot with a flat bottom and one large enough to give the rice plenty of room to expand. If your pot is too small, the rice will clump together. If you are using a pan, ensure you have a lid that will tightly fit.
rice pilaf with a crunchy crust
Serves 3
Preparation 20 minutes
Cooking 45 minutes
ingredients
1 cup/200g white basmati rice
1 medium/140g carrot
1 medium/160g medium fennel
2 medium/125g potatoes
1 large bunch/30g each fresh dill and coriander
6 Tbsp/60g olive oil or ghee – divided
1 tsp fine rock salt – divided
1 tsp freshly ground pepper – divided
1 tsp turmeric powder – divided
prepare the rice
1. Wash the rice and drain. Repeat three more times to flush out all the excess starch (this helps the rice be fluffy with nice separate grains when cooked). Drain and set aside.
2. Fill a medium saucepan (with a lid that fits.) Bring the water to a vigorous boil and cook the rice for exactly 8 minutes, starting the timer from when the rice enters the pot. Drain in a colander and let sit for 5 minutes to steam dry.
prepare the vegetables and herbs
3. Finely slice the vegetable into 2mm thick slices and set aside. Finely chop the leaves and tender stems of the herbs, and mix the herbs and set aside.
assemble and cook the pilaf
4. Return the empty pan to the stove and add half of the oil.
5. Split the pile of herbs in two – setting aside a handful of herbs for garnish.
6. Layer half of the vegetables in the bottom of the pan and half of the herbs for use now. Sprinkle over half of the salt, pepper and turmeric. Add one-third of the rice over the top. Do not mix. Repeat with the remaining vegetables, then the next third of the rice and the other half of the herbs. Sprinkle the remaining salt, pepper and turmeric. Finish with the last third of rice. Drizzle the remaining oil over the top.
7. Cover the pot with a tea towel, then place the lid firmly on top, folding the corners of the tea towel over the top so it doesn’t catch fire. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes (#7 setting on an electric stove), then place the pot on the lowest heat you can manage (#2 setting on an electric stove) and continue cooking for another 40-45 minutes.
8. When the rice is ready, gently mix the reserved herbs and pile it all onto a good wide platter or bowl. Scrape up the crisp rice at the bottom of the pot and tuck it into the pile of rice shards – it’s delicious. It is optional to sprinkle with lemon zest and squeeze lemon juice – taste and season with salt and a few rounds of pepper. Serving suggestion above.
I had my sights on a go-to celebration carrot cake that is walnut-studded and carrot-flecked, fragrant, moist and lavish with a decadent frosting. So I revisited and reposted a recipe that was created a few years back and made a few adjustments.
Variations can be found at the end of the recipe!
This cake uses walnuts for crunch and flavour, with a lovely warmth in the cardamom and cinnamon. The cake itself is deliciously moist and it is topped with a vegan cream cheese frosting and decorated with edible flowers.
2 tsp vanilla extract or scrape 1 vanilla bean (halved lengthways and seeds scraped out)
prepare the cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Oil a 9-inch springform pan with oil.
2. Toast the walnuts: Place them on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove half of the whole walnuts (approximately 23 pieces) for garnishing on top and roughly chop the remaining (50g) to add to the cake batter—set aside.
3. Make the cake: In a medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices—and whisk to combine.
4. In another medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients – oil, maple syrup, sugar, almond milk and vinegar. Whisk until the wet ingredients are emulsified. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry, whisking together until all the dry ingredients are absorbed. Stir in the walnuts, sultanas, and grated carrot- fold gently with a spatula to combine.
5. Pour the batter into the oiled pan and bake for about 45 – 55 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean. If the top looks like it’s getting dark, but the inside needs more time, cover loosely with aluminium foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
6. Prepare the frosting: Beat the butter with a hand mixer until soft. Add the cream cheese and beat again until well mixed (*don’t overmix.) Sift over icing sugar and add the vanilla extract – beat again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. *If, for some reason, the mixture starts to separate from over beating. Place it in the blender, blend until smooth, then place in the fridge for a few hours.
7. When the cake is completely cool, flip it over so that the top is now the bottom, and spread the frosting evenly over it. Decorate the cake with the remaining walnuts and edible flowers.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Variation
To make a crumble topping, sprinkle the top and sides with 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and add a quarter of the chopped roasted walnuts to the cake dough; with the remaining, make a crumble topping by adding 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 Tbsp maple syrup to the walnuts, stir to combine. Spoon over the top of the dough before baking. (See image below)
Sprinkle the sides and bottom of the greased cake tin with 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds before baking.
This cake is lovely, moist, and tender with a delicate flavour. It is effortless to make, and the combination of yoghurt, blueberries, and coconut perfectly complements each other. The blueberry compote is divine!
Praia de Aguda
Every two weeks for my weekly shop, I drive a little further to a health food store north of where I live. It takes me through the Sintra mountain along narrow windy tree-lined roads; then it opens into a broader, flatter landscape with warmer temperatures. I arrive at a sweet health food store called Ideal in a little village named Janas. I like this place as they offer vegetable seedlings, and the vegetables and fruits are abundant and fresh, newly picked from their garden. After finishing my shop, I continue up the road towards the sea, park my car and walk down the steps towards the beach. This car park and beach are busy on the weekend, but on weekdays there is nobody, especially on cloudy days. Sometimes I go just for the sunset, which is especially magical when the mist rolls off the ocean.
1 x 9-inch springform cake pan (can be made in an 8-inch)
cake
1 cup/120g white spelt flour
¾ cup/100g whole spelt flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp fine rock salt
⅔ cup/130g coconut or vegetable oil
¾ cup/150g light brown sugar
1 cup/220g thick coconut milk (see note below)
2 lemons, zested
3 Tbsp/35g lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
blueberry compote
1 cup/130g blueberries
1 Tbsp/12g lemon juice
1 Tbsp/12g light brown sugar
3 Tbsp/35g + 1½ tsp cold water – divided
1½ tsp cornflour
icing
1 cup/250g thick vegan Greek yoghurt or milk-based Greek yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract or scrap the seeds from a vanilla pod
¼ cup/35g icing sugar
preparation
1. To make the cake: Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease sides and line base of a springform cake tin with baking paper.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk the oil, sugar and coconut milk together, followed by the zest, juice and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, whisking to combine, then pour into the prepared tin and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.
5. To make the blueberry compote: Put the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar and 3 Tbsp water into a saucepan, bring to boil, turn down heat and simmer, stirring now and then, for a few minutes until the blueberries have softened.
6. Remove from heat, in a small cup, mix the cornflour with the remaining 1½ tsp water and stir this paste into the blueberries. Return to heat and stir gently for 30 seconds; the sauce will bubble and thicken. Pour the compote into a bowl to cool. It will set once cold.
7.To make the icing: Mix the yoghurt and vanilla, sieve the icing sugar over the yoghurt and stir to combine.
8.To assemble the cake: Turn the cake over (so the underneath is now on top) onto a plate. Place most of the icing on top of the cake. Spread out and bring a small amount down the sides, evenly scraping so that you can see some of the cake through the icing (sides only.) Decorate with lemon zest, thyme, and blueberries. Dust the blueberries with icing sugar. Slice and spoon with a generous amount of the blueberry compote. If not serving immediately, the cake can be refrigerated until ready to serve.
note
Don’t shake the tin of coconut milk; try to get as much of the thick creamy part as possible and purchase a better quality can of coconut milk to ensure thick milk.
This soup is inspired by a recipe posted many years back, this version uses dal that is lighter and easier to digest – whole moong (green mung bean) and split yellow moong (which is the whole moong that has been skinned and split – see photo below).
It can be served as a soup with chapati, bread or rice and a simple vegetable palya (adding less water for a thicker consistency).
~ late evening walk in S Pedro de Sintra
I live in a village called São Pedro de Sintra, just on the outskirts of the historic city centre of Sintra. It is surrounded by history and character, with many old palaces and castles meandering up and down cobblestone roads and tall trees. I walk out my door and, within 5 minutes, enter a majestic forest and the beauty of the Mountain.
I try to walk daily and find exercise a soothing medicine; my sleep is better, and my mind is calmer with fewer thoughts. There is a deep sense of well-being and wonder when in nature.
Nature brings gratitude and opens the heart.
moong dal with slivers of ginger
Preparation 30 – 40 mins
Serves 3 – as a soup or 2 – as a dal
ingredients
½ cup/100g split moong beans (split yellow dal)
¼ cup/50g whole moong dal (mung beans)
6 – 7 cups water
1-inch thick knob fresh ginger peeled and cut into skinny slivers
1 medium /120g carrot, chopped
¼ tsp turmeric powder
voggarane
2 Tbsp ghee – divided
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
⅛ tsp asafoetida powder
1 small fresh mild green/red chilli, seeded and cut into slivers
8 – 10 curry leaves
¼ cup coriander leaves, chopped
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp fine rock salt
preparation
1. In a large pot, rinse the dal until the water runs clear, drain, add the water, bring to boil, skim off the foam that collects on the surface, then add the carrot, ginger, turmeric and 1 teaspoon ghee.
2. Gently boil, uncovered, until the dal is soft and broken down; approximately 30 mins. Add more water if needed.
voggarane
3. Heat remaining ghee, add mustard seed, and fry until they turn grey and pop; then add the cumin, asafoetida and chilli; fry until fragrant and golden; add curry leaves; fry for a few seconds, then add to the dal.
4. Stir in the salt, lemon juice and coriander. Taste, and add more salt or lemon as needed.
When serving, garnish with fresh coriander and drizzle with ghee.
This soup is easy to make and hearty enough to be served by itself or for a substantial meal with a loaf of freshly baked bread.
The barley expands three times its original size when cooked; as a result, it leaves you full and satisfied. Use fresh herbs as they play an essential role in the flavours of the finished soup.
a few tips
It is important to chop the vegetables into a uniform size to allow everything to cook at the same rate. I like to chop them into tiny uniform cubes.
Finely chop the rosemary as it opens up the flavour.
At the end of the cooking, press down on the vegetables a few times with a potato masher to add more texture to the soup.
vegetable barley soup
Serves 2
Preparation 10 mins
Cook 55 mins
ingredients
3 Tbsp oil or ghee
2 sticks/80g celery
1 fresh bay leaf
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
6 – 8 sprigs/6g fresh thyme
3 Tbsp/45g barley
2 large/240g carrot
1 medium/110g potato
½ cup/80g cabbage or green beans
5 cups water
1 heaped tsp fine rock salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
preparation
1. Peel and finely chop all vegetables into tiny uniform cubes. Set aside.
2. In a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil/ghee, add celery, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme – fry till fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.
3. Add the barley and stir until well coated in oil, then add the remaining vegetables stirring after each addition—fry for a few minutes, stirring regularly to avoid sticking.
4. Pour in the water, bring to boil and rapidly simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes; turn down the heat and simmer with the lid ajar for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and barley is cooked.
5. Remove the thyme twigs and bay leaf. Using a potato masher, press down a few times to break up some of the vegetables adding texture to the soup.
6. Add salt, pepper and fresh dill. Allow to sit for 10 minutes for the flavours to develop; taste, adding more salt or pepper if needed. Drizzle with ghee when serving.
Another delicious recipe by Aran Goyoaga that was shared in her newsletter. I adapted it slightly by making it vegan, replacing the three eggs with ground flaxseed, adding baking powder, using maple syrup instead of honey and reducing the glaze by half.
I have recently entered the world of sourdough bread, and every Monday, I make a loaf of sourdough to bake the following day, so this recipe was perfect for using any leftover starter and using up the lemons that are hanging heavy from the trees in the garden.
The sourdough starter does add more complexity to the crumb. I use a 1:1 ratio, meaning equal amounts of flour and water.
If you don’t have a sourdough starter to discard, replace it with½ cup/70g rice flour and ⅓ cup/80g of water/buttermilk, and increase the baking powder to 1 ½ teaspoon.
Scroll down for the blueberry variation.
tip
Save time; soak the flaxseed first, grate the zest and prepare the other ingredients, giving the flax the time it needs to thicken.
lemon-pound sourdough cake
Preparation 15 minutes
Baking 45 – 55 minutes
Makes one pound cake (11 x 25cm loaf pan) or 14 cupcakes (baked for 25 minutes, using these cake liners)
*I take my starter (sourdough leaven) from the fridge in the evening, just before bed, measure out 40g, and then feed it – 100g flour + 100g water. Allow it to sit overnight; by the morning, it may be fully active, or even if it has deflated already or hasn’t quite reached its full potential, no matter. With this starter, I make this lemon-pound sourdough cake.
ingredients
3 Tbsp/22g ground flaxseed + ½ cup/100g hot water (allow to sit for 10 mins as below)
¾ cup/150g light brown sugar
2 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest (zest from 3 lemons), plus more for garnishing
2 Tbsp/50g maple syrup (this gives a crisp caramelized exterior)
*½ cup + 2 Tbsp/200g sourdough starter
½ cup/110g extra virgin olive oil or neutral-tasting oil
¼ cup/55g lemon juice (1 very juicy lemon)
1 cup/140g brown rice flour
1 cup/100g almond flour
¼ cup/30g tapioca starch (or arrowroot powder)
¾ tsp fine rock salt
¾ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
glaze
2 Tbsp/25g light brown sugar
2 Tbsp/27g lemon juice (½ of a very juicy lemon)
preparation
1. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. Generously grease your loaf pan.
2. Into a large bowl, add the flax with water and allow to sit for 10 minutes, then add sugar, zest, maple syrup, sourdough starter, oil and lemon juice – whisk until smooth.
3. In a small bowl, measure the brown rice flour, almond flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking soda and powder.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45 – 55 minutes (my oven took 55 minutes.) Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then invert it onto a platter.
5. Meanwhile, make the glaze by gently heating the sugar and lemon juice in a small pan until the sugar dissolves – don’t heat for too long. Immediately brush the top of the cake, allowing it to drip over the sides. Generously garnish the top with lemon zest (I like combining lime, lemon and orange.)
note
Use a metal pan, as suggested and grease it well. Alternately, you can line it with baking paper, making it easier to lift out of the pan, but note that the exterior won’t caramelize, as it won’t be in direct contact with the metal.
Important!Let the cake cool completely. This will allow the crumb to set nicely and not fall apart.
variation with blueberries/blackberries
Fold in 1 cup/125g of blueberries into the batter.
(Always toss the blueberries in cornstarch or tapioca flour before adding them to your batter. This will stop them from sinking to the bottom.)
