Tag Archives: gluten free

Plum and Cherry Clafoutis

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Fresh Plum and Whole Cherry Clafoutis One Perfect Mess recipe easy almond almonds gluten free French Christmas baking pudding dessert 9

This traditional French pudding is delicate and exotic and full of class, but it is entirely simple to whip up! It would work beautifully with any sort of stone fruit, but I opted for fresh plums and cherries to create an vibrant and festive dessert. Clafoutis is essentially the delightful marriage of sponge cake and baked custard. Soft, juicy fruits lay nestled in almond meal, eggs and cream, which bake to form a soft, velvety and surprisingly light pudding that is wonderfully offset by crispy flaked almonds and plenty of icing sugar.

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Almond, Chocolate and Date Protein Bliss Balls

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Almond, Coconut, Chocolate and Date Protein Bliss Balls recipe One Perfect Mess 3

Public service announcement; I have made a dessert that is purely, honestly, authentically healthy! I had my first ‘bliss ball’ last week after my last exam, and it was an awe-inspiring, eye-opening, life-altering experience. Ok perhaps that’s a slight overstatement, but it was pretty darn delicious! And as much as I love baking with butter and sugar and cream etc., in reality we can’t all stuff ourselves with cake everyday of the week (tragic, I know). But, the beautiful thing about these little treats is that although they are vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and 100 % natural, they are entirely decadent and addictive. Packed with almonds, dates, coconut, seeds, cacao and some protein powder, just a single ball of bliss is satisfying and delicious enough to boost you through a slow afternoon, or accompany a cup of tea before bed.

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Blueberry and Almond Chocolate Meringue Torte with Coffee Cream

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One Perfect Mess Blueberry and almond chocolate meringue torte with coffee cream 1Welcome to the recipe for one of my favourite desserts, ever. I pinky promise that it legitimately is super easy to make, and whilst you need to prepare it the day before serving (often a blessing in my opinion), the actual method is simple and quick. Your main weapon of choice must be a strong electric whisker, preferably one in a mix master, and armed with that you’re on your way to chewy, crispy, creamy, nutty goodness…with the added benefit of antioxidant-packed dark chocolate and blueberries? Any excuse to help yourself to a second slice, or a sixth. Actually, this torte is quite rich, so you should be feeling jovial and satisfied after one hefty helping!

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Coconut and Tapioca Pudding with Caramelised Bananas

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I’m currently staying with family friends in their beautiful house, nestled amongst the imposing indigo mountains of the Tasmanian wilderness. The dark, dense forests filter the long awaited sunshine of this warm summer, giving our little world a wonderfully romantic sense of mystery and anticipation. I’m whiling away the days with a good book, lots of cooking, and runs along dirt tracks that wind through the infinite woods calling from our doorstep. I was given the task of cooking a dessert that would compliment last night’s dinner of Thai green chicken curry with lots of steamed green veggies. I had this deliciously creamy pudding cooked for me at the end of a recent Vietnamese Banquet cooking class; us pupils were a bit slow for the chef, so she took matters into her own hands and finished off the dessert while the rest of us ate a spread of tantalising main courses. Without the recipe from home, I did a bit of research and experimenting and came up with this version. It was a winner with the entire 9-53 year old dinner crowd! Continue reading →

Chocolate, Cherry and Coconut Ice Cream Wreath

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Chocolate, Cherry and Coconut Ice Cream Wreath recipe One Perfect Mess 3

For those of you who can’t be bothered spending longer than 45 minutes in the kitchen, I give you this Cherry Ripe inspired ice cream cake creation. We shared this with family and special friends to end a beautiful Christmas Day of eating, laughing, talking and dancing…it was bliss.

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Lemon, Ricotta and Almond Flourless Cake

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Lemon, Ricotta and Almond Flourless Cake recipe One Perfect Mess 5

Light, creamy, and delightfully lemony, this lovely cake is perfect for a lazy summer afternoon tea. With only a handful of ingredients, it is straightforward to whip up and perfect for days when you need an indulgence that’s not ridiculously unhealthy. Because almond meal acts as a flour substitute, the cake is crumbly, moreish and completely gluten free! The stiffly beaten egg whites give the cake its height, and the ricotta ensures each bite is incredibly moist and smooth.

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White Chocolate, Almond and Coconut Meringue Kisses

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White Chocolate Almond and Coconut Meringue Kisses recipe One Perfect Mess 4

After mastering the creation of a meringue kiss that tasted just like a Ferrero Rocher (see here), my next challenge was to devise a recipe for the Ferrero Rocher’s devilishly dainty little sister, the Raffaello. Fine almond meal is folded through these crisp, light meringues, before they are dipped in silky white chocolate and delicious dessicated coconut. As you bit into the kiss, the chocolate cracks away to reveal the airy, crunchy merinuge nestled inside. The whole blissful bite quickly dissolves on your tongue, leaving the texture of the coconut and almond to be discovered.

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Chocolate and Hazelnut Meringue Kisses

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These chocolate hazelnut meringues are deceptively light. I fooled myself into thinking I’d be fine after eating about 15 over the course of one fateful hour as I dipped the crisp, nutty kisses into silky, melted chocolate, and later suffered the wrath of the subsequent sugar rush. But hey, they were pretty irresistible! They are relatively easy to whip up, and are a great dessert for feeding the masses on a small list of ingredients. I think they taste very much like Ferrero Rochers, so in my books they are pretty close to perfect. Continue reading →