Cranberry Slice

Dec 10, 2021

Here’s cheery nod to Christmas – especially if you’re girding your loins for the festive sugar onslaught that’s steamrollering our way. This recipe offers a much calmer, kinder alternative for your body. It’s easy to prepare - and it tastes bloody great. Win win, I’d say.

I’m not that familiar with cranberries and imagined they’d be a bit austere. And indeed they are if you try eating them unadorned. But if you blend them with a little fresh orange juice and a saucy spoonful of vanilla paste they’re absolutely delightful. They have a lovely nuanced flavour that permeates the whole pudding.

I’m quite smitten with the notion of a fruit slice at the moment. It delivers warm Winter comfort in the same way a crumble would – but without the high carb/sugar load of oats or wheat. AND there’s potential for scrummy variations on the same theme. Have a look at the raspberry and pistachio version at the bottom of the post. May it ignite some creative, fruit slicey reveries for you too.

This winter pud wants to be served warm with a generous dollop of crème fraiche on top.

FOR THE CRUST AND TOPPING
170g almond flour
30g coconut flour
3 tbsp erythritol (I used the brown sugar replacement)
75g chilled butter
4 tbsp coconut flakes
1 egg
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp baking powder

FOR THE FILLING
300g frozen cranberries defrosted
Juice of 1 orange
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven Gas Mark 4/ 180C
Line a small baking tin with baking paper (My tin is 8cm x 28cm and 3cm deep)
Measure the almond, coconut flour, baking powder and spices into a bowl.
Cut the chilled butter into small pieces into the bowl and then blend the butter into the flour between your fingertips until the mixture is breadcrumb consistency.
Add the erythritol and stir in well.
Take a third of the mixture out into a separate bowl and add the coconut flakes.  Stir in.
Add the egg to the remaining two thirds of the dry mix and once blended press down evenly into the bottom of the baking dish.

For the fruit filling, mix the cornflour with the juice of one orange until smooth.  Then add and blend in the vanilla essence.
Mix this in a bowl with the defrosted cranberries and then spoon out evenly over the layer in the tin.
Sprinkly the remaining dry mix and coconut shreds over the top evenly.
Cook for 30 - 40 minutes until the top is lightly browned.

Variation #2  Rasberry and pistachio.

Great with defrosted raspberries.  No need to add anything to the fruit, just spread evenly over the bottom layer.  Add bashed pistachios to the top layer instead of coconut flakes.