I am sitting here curled up with a fresh pot of chai, a few squares of dark chocolate, my big wooly socks and lemongrass essential oils burning … winter is deliciously cosy isn’t it?

I hope you all enjoy this weeks recipe, I have created it especially for you this winter. It’s a healthy treat to enjoy when your snuggled up on the lounge with a movie and a cup of tea (of course). I’ve included lots of warming spices combined with the beautiful bosc pear, as they are currently in season. Dates…oh dates, they are so incredibly scrumptious! Nature has created the perfect wholefood, with just the right amount of sweetness and that melt-in-your mouth caramel flavour YUM!!!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup almond meal

1/3 cup brown rice flour (you could also use coconut or buckwheat flour instead.

200 g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped

1.5 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup coconut oil

3 eggs

1/2 – 3/4 cup honey (depending on how sweet you would like the cake)

1.5 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of good quality salt

1 Bosc pear, thinly sliced

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, grease loaf tin (or any cake tin) with coconut oil.

2. Place the dates, 1 1/3 cup boiling water and baking soda in a bowl, stir to combine and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, coconut oil, and honey until well combined.

4. Strain most of the liquid from the dates (I like to keep a few tablespoons for added flavour), and add remaining ingredients to mixture and stir well.

5. Place thinly sliced pears along the base of the baking tin. In the photo I only added 3 slices but it would be even nicer with the entire base covered! Pour mixture over the top and bake for 40 – 50 minutes depending on your oven. Insert skewer into the centre, if it comes out clean your cake is ready 🙂 Leave the cake in the tin on the bench for around 15 minutes, then flip onto wire rack and cool.

Enjoy!

xx