I Quit Sugar for Life (38 page)

SERVES

This cake takes a simple sponge recipe and jazzes it up in fun, fructose-free directions that can be rolled out for Easter or a kids’ party. Of
course, feel free to keep things simple and serve the basic sponge cake with whipped cream and my Strawberry Jam or fresh berries.

To make the nest, whisk together the egg whites and syrup, then fold in the coconut, quinoa and salt. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the sponge, preheat the oven to 160°C (gas 3). Grease the sides of a 20-cm spring-form tin, dust with extra flour, then line the base with baking paper. Melt the
butter and syrup in a small saucepan over low heat – do not boil – then set aside to cool slightly. Beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Sift the flour into a large bowl, then add the
stevia and the melted butter and syrup mixture. Mix well. Add the eggs and fold to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 30–35 minutes. Remove
from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Wash each eggshell half thoroughly under warm running water, removing any membrane stuck to the inside. Pat dry, inside and out, with kitchen paper. Return the eggshell halves
to the carton and pour in the chocolate. Refrigerate or freeze until set.

Remove the nest mixture from the fridge and line a baking tray with baking paper. Scoop the mixture onto the sheet and shape into a mound about 15 cm in diameter. Bake in the
oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve the cake.

Slice the cooled sponge in half horizontally and set aside the top half. Spread the jam over the bottom half, then replace the top half. Whip the cream with the stevia until
stiff peaks form, then use to ice the sponge all over. Place the nest on top of the cake and pop some chocolate eggshells in the nest. Decorate with fluffy chicks, to serve.

SERVES

I wanted to create a party-stopping, ultra-indulgence, capable of inciting the most hardened sweet tooth to cry out, ‘I can’t believe
THAT’S not sugar.’ This was the result. Be warned: it is super-rich (albeit dense in nutrients) and sweet (albeit via the coconuttiness). So it should be treated as . . . a treat, OK?
(Take note of the servings.)

Line the bottom and sides of a 23-cm spring-form tin with baking paper, then start by making the crust. Pulse the pecans in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the
remaining ingredients and process until the mixture has a moist, crumbly consistency. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly around the base and 5 cm up the sides. Place in the
fridge or freezer to set.

To make the caramel sauce, melt the butter with the syrup in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium so that the mixture keeps
bubbling – do not stir or the caramel will split. Cook for a further 4 minutes or until the caramel has turned golden and appears gooey when dripping off the back of a spoon. Remove from the
heat and add the coconut cream, stirring gently. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

To make the praline, preheat the grill to high and line a baking tray with baking paper. Warm the syrup gently, then mix with the nuts and transfer to the prepared tray. Grill
for 5 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated and the syrup has turned golden and crystallised around the nuts. Remove from the grill and cool, then smash the praline into small pieces.
Reserve 8 tablespoons for the topping, and keep the rest for the ice-cream filling.

To make the ice-cream filling, pulse the cashews with ⅓ cup (75 ml) of the coconut cream in a food processor until the mixture is smooth and buttery. Transfer to a large
bowl and set aside. Again using the food processor, pulse the avocados with the remaining coconut cream, the cacao, salt and stevia until smooth. Add to the cashew mixture, then add the cinnamon,
peanut butter, cacao nibs and praline. Stir well to combine.

Spoon about half of the ice-cream mixture over the crust in the spring-form tin and spread right to the edges of the crust. Freeze for 5–10 minutes,
then drizzle over half the caramel sauce. Freeze for another 5–10 minutes, then add the remaining ice-cream mixture. Freeze for 5–10 minutes, then add the remaining caramel sauce and
freeze the assembled cake for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

To make the chocolate sauce, throw the coconut oil and syrup into a small saucepan and melt together over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk through the cacao powder and
salt until thoroughly combined, with no lumps. Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then whisk through the coconut cream until smooth. (This sauce will thicken as it cools and can be reheated to make it
runnier.) If the mixture makes more sauce then you need, just pour it into moulds and make some chocolates.

To serve, remove the cake from the freezer and the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the reserved praline around the edge of the plate and drizzle over the chocolate
sauce. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

VEGAN:
Amend the Gooey Caramel Sauce. Place ¼ cup (60 ml) rice malt syrup and ½ cup (125 ml) coconut cream in a
saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to boil for about 6 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and is gooey. It will keep for 5 days in the
fridge.