Keto NEW
QUICK & EASY RECIPES
• Nutritious puddings
• Impress your guests
- CARB,
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LOW
SUGAR-FREE TREATS
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IGH FAT
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RECIPE
• Delicious sweet treats
• Simple step-by-step recipes inside Foreword written by
Andrew Justice
FIRST EDITION
Digital Edition
Professional Keto Chef
CAKES • PIES • MERINGUES • COBBLERS • TARTS • TRAYBAKES • AND MORE
Lots of foods contain carbohydrates; even fruits and vegetables
Understanding net carbs Not all carbohydrates are the same, and this affects how we calculate our intake on the keto diet
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maltose and sucrose, for example. Things like honey or syrup are also basic sugars that are often added to products. These foods have a high glycemic load (GL), which means they cause a sharp rise in blood sugar levels as they are digested so quickly.
hen it comes to counting carbohydrates on the keto diet, it’s not quite as simple as it may at first seem. However, it is straightforward once you understand what the different types of carbs are and how they impact your body. You will see us refer to ‘net carbs’ throughout this book, which is the value that you need to consider when it comes to staying in a ketogenic state. There are three main types of carbohydrates: sugar, starch and fibre. Many foods will contain more than one type of carbohydrate, and very often all three. The most simple carbs are made up of basic sugars, and these are very easily digested in the body. Simple sugars are those that are often added to processed foods, in chocolate, sweets and cake, in flavoured yogurts, in soft drinks, and so on. There are other simple carbohydrates too, such as the sugars found naturally occurring in fruit or milk, for example. This is the most important one to keep a tab on, as there are a number of different names that added sugar can come under, so you have to get vigilant at reading ingredients labels. Anything that ends in ‘-ose’ should trigger warnings: glucose, fructose,
Complex carbs
Starches are more complex carbs, with a lower GL, as they take longer to release their energy and be digested. These are the kinds of carbs that you find in things like potatoes and pasta, legumes and wholegrains. Starchy carbohydrates are made up of longer chains of sugar, so they take longer to get broken down in the body. These kinds of carbs aren’t sweet like simple sugars, so it’s easy to forget that they are still chains of sugar. Once these are broken down in the body, they still raise blood sugar levels. At the end of the day, sugar is sugar and your body will still need to raise blood sugar levels and trigger the production of insulin to process these carbohydrates. Both of these types of carbohydrate are counted within your carb ratio for a day on the keto diet, which is why they are mostly avoided.
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Image source: iStock / marilyna
Keto basics
Understanding Introducing thenet keto carbs diet
Image source: iStock / Ksenia Omalchenko
Image source: iStock / Tijana87
Make sure you know whether your food label shows total or net carbs
Fibre is needed for healthy digestion, so is included on a keto diet
Fibre
Food labelling around the world
Net carbs
The term ‘net carbs’ mainly comes from the USA, where food package labelling includes all types of carbohydrates, including dietary fibre, under Total Carbohydrates. To get the net carbs, you do need to deduct the fibre value. However, if you’re in the UK, it’s actually a little simpler. Fibre is listed on the food packaging as a separate value, and the carbohydrate amount already has this deducted, so you are given the net carb value as standard. This form of food labelling is also used throughout Europe, and in Commonwealth countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. It’s worth knowing, or you might find that when you are trying to deduct fibre from the carbohydrate value in these countries, you actually end up with a negative amount!
The third type of carbohydrate to consider is fibre, and this is where things get a little more complicated. Fibre is a component in the cell walls of plants, and is found in many natural foods such as fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and pulses. Fibre isn’t digested in the same way as sugar carbohydrates; in fact, it’s not digested at all, and passes straight into our intestine. Here it can absorb water and bulk out our foods as they pass through the digestive system. Fibre is essential for a productive digestive system, and therefore is still required on a keto diet. As it doesn’t get digested, it doesn’t raise the blood sugar levels and trigger the production of insulin. Therefore, it isn’t counted towards our overall carbohydrate value that we are monitoring on the keto diet.
This brings us back to net carbs. Net carbs are calculated by taking the total number of carbohydrates and deducting the amount of fibre. This is the value we need to add up to give us our carb intake for the day. Everything you eat might contain both sugar/starchy carbs, as well as fibre. So even something as simple as fruits and vegetables will need to be tracked and calculated. Something like cauliflower or broccoli, for example, will have an amount of total carbs, of which a lot come from fibre, making the overall net carbs quite low. Most good tracking apps will work out your net carbs, or at least break a food down into total carbs and fibre so you can simply track the right values.
Sugar alcohols
Finally, just a quick note on sugar alcohols, which despite the name don’t fall into the same category as basic white sugars. In fact, sugar alcohols are often used in keto desserts as sugar substitutes (such as xylitol and erythritol), and naturally occur in fruits and vegetables. These sugar alcohols are not absorbed in the same way as other sugars, and don’t raise the blood sugar levels as much (although they can a little) – they have a much lower glycemic load.
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Keto basics
Keto sweeteners explained
Desserts need a bit of sweetness, even on the keto diet! Luckily there are plenty of sugar substitutes available
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gastrointestinal discomfort or are not suitable for diabetics, so be sure to do your research if you have any health concerns. You may need to experiment a little to find the sweeteners that work for you in the kinds of recipes that you want to create.
A low-carb sweetener can be derived from the monk fruit
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Image source: iStock / carl99
s low-carb diets have become more popular, so too have replacements to traditional sugar. There are lots of different products out there claiming to offer a healthier alternative to sugar that enable you to enjoy sweet drinks and baked goods without the blood sugar spike or the calories. Not all sweeteners are made equal, however. In terms of what works for a keto diet, there are broadly two main types: sugar alcohol and plant-based. Most of these are very low in calories and net carbs, but they vary quite a lot in terms of sweetness. There are a couple of newer products that are blends of sweeteners that have been designed to replace sugar like-for-like, but most of them in their pure forms need to be adapted for different recipes. It’s not very often a simple 1:1 swap with regular sugar, but luckily there are some great resources online that let you input your sweetener and the amount your recipe calls for in terms of regular sugar, then it will calculate the correct conversion for you. You also need to consider that different sweeteners might behave differently to sugar – some absorb moisture, so you need to add liquid, while others don’t dissolve well and can lend bakes a grittier texture. They also don’t all react with our bodies in the same way – some might cause
Keto Introducing sweeteners theexplained keto diet
Xylitol About the same sweetness as sugar This sugar alcohol is quite commonly used in sugarfree products, so you have probably consumed it without realising. It has about 3 calories per gram and 4g of carbs per teaspoon, but it has 0 net carbs as it doesn’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels. It’s often used by keto dieters to sweeten drinks or smoothies, but it can also be used in baking. You just need to bear in mind that it can absorb moisture, so you may need a little extra liquid in your recipes.
Erythritol
About 70-80% as sweet as sugar
Monk fruit sweetener
Erythritol is one of the most commonly used sugar substitutes in keto baking, as it can be used as a direct replacement in many recipes – it doesn’t dissolve quite as well and can’t be used for caramelising, but it is great for baking. It’s not as sweet as sugar, so you could add a little more than you would regular sugar (about a 1:3 ratio), but as your tastebuds adapt to less sugar, you can probably get away with 1:1. It is a sugar alcohol with a slight cooling effect, like you get from mint, and is usually made from fermenting corn or birch as a byproduct of the process.
(Siraitia grosvenorii) 100-250 times sweeter than sugar You’ll be forgiven for having never heard of this one before keto. It’s a natural sweetener that is derived from the monk fruit plant, which is native to parts of China. In its pure form, it has no calories and no carbs, but it is often found as part of a sweetener blend, so you will need to read the ingredients first. The brand and blend you buy will change how much you use in replacement for sugar, and the sweetness can also vary a lot.
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
Swerve
250-300 times sweeter than sugar
About the same sweetness as sugar
This natural sweetener is often the one that most people have heard of. It is derived from a plant and has been shown to actually lower blood sugar levels, rather than raise them. It has no nutritional value, which means it doesn’t add calories or net carbs. It is possible to get it in both powdered and liquid form, but you don’t need to use a lot. You can replace 200g sugar with just 1 teaspoon of powdered stevia. It’s good for sweetening drinks, but recipes have to be adapted for baking, as you use so little of it.
Swerve has been branded as ‘the ultimate sugar replacement’, which is a big title to live up to! It’s easy to see why it’s attractive: it can be used cupfor-cup just like regular sugar, but has no calories and doesn’t raise the blood sugar levels. It can even caramelise like sugar and is perfect for baking with. It’s actually a blend of three ingredients: erythritol, oligosaccharides (prebiotic fibres) and natural flavours from citrus.
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Recipes
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Chocolate cake Coffee and walnut cake Lemon and coconut cake Carrot cake Almond cake Cinnamon and nutmeg cake Red velvet cake Chocolate and peanut butter cake Raspberry Swiss roll Black Forest mug cake Fudge brownies Rocky road Pistachio and walnut baklava Skillet cookie Waffles Pecan pie Lemon meringue pie Key lime pie Coconut cream pie No-bake pumpkin pie Berry cobbler Rhubarb and ginger crumble Mini berry galettes Vanilla latte tart Raspberry tart Bounty tart Lime curd tart Bakewell tart Strawberry tarts Custard tarts Lime tartlets Pumpkin pudding cups Peanut butter cheesecake Baked cheesecake Cheesecake brownie Berry trifle Tiramisu Peanut butter pudding Chocolate and cream pudding Berry pavlova Eton mess Chocolate mousse Rosewater and vanilla panna cottas Coconut puddings Rice puddings Crème caramel Sticky toffee pudding Ice cream Chocolate fondue Cheese board
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Recipe tips • Unless otherwise stated, all recipes use: • Erythritol sweeteners • Unsalted, grass-fed butter • Large, free-range eggs
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• For recipes that ask for dark chocolate, use the highest percentage cocoa variety you can find – some supermarkets and online stores sell 100% cocoa bars, but most will have 80-90%. Alternatively, look for a sugar-free option that’s made with stevia or another ketofriendly sweetener. • You can use cacao powder in place of cocoa powder. It has a more intense flavour so you may need to reduce quantities to taste.
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•If you can’t find almond flour, ground almonds (which are often more coarsely ground) will work, but the resulting texture of the dessert may vary. • Use pure vanilla extract and make sure there are no added sugars. You can alternatively use vanilla pods (the seeds from 1 pod can replace 1 tsp extract) or vanilla bean paste. • All ingredients (such as cocoa powder, almond milk, shredded coconut etc) should be unsweetened, and use full-fat varieties where applicable. • For US readers, a few UK-US equivalents used throughout the book are: double cream (heavy cream), bicarbonate soda (baking soda) and cornflour (cornstarch). • Some recipes contain small amounts of ingredients that may be seen as ‘not keto’, but it is a matter of quantity. A sprinkling of cornflour used to thicken a sauce, or a small amount of carrot in a cake aren’t going to kick you out of ketosis – provided you stay on top of your macros and stick to the suggested portion sizes!
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Cinnamon and nutmeg cake The irresistible aroma of sweet spices will draw everyone in for a slice Ingredients
Method
For the sponge
For the sponge: Preheat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan) | 350°F | gas 4. Grease and line a 25cm | 10" round cake tin (a springform tin is ideal) and set aside.
140 g | 5 oz | /3 cup butter, softened 2
140 g | 5 oz cream cheese, softened 155 g | 5 1/2 oz | 3/4 cup granulated xylitol 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon /2 tsp ground ginger
1
/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1
/4 tsp ground cloves
Mix the softened butter and cream cheese together in a stand mixer at a medium speed until smooth and even. Alternatively you can mix by hand in a large bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the sweetener, vanilla, spices, salt and baking powder. Add the coconut flour, almond flour and eggs and continue to mix at a low speed for a couple of minutes until everything is fully combined. You may have to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula a couple of times to ensure everything gets mixed in.
1
/4 tsp salt
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1 tsp baking powder 2 tbsp coconut flour 150 g | 5 1/4 oz | 1 1/2 cups almond flour 3 eggs
For the frosting 115 g | 4 oz cream cheese, softened
Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in the middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes. After this time, cover with foil and return to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes. When it’s done, a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean, and the surface should spring back if pressed. Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. For the frosting: Using a stand mixer (or an electric hand mixer) with a clean bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter until they are well combined and smooth.
115 g | 4 oz | 1 stick butter, softened
Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sweetener a spoonful at a time – you may not need the whole amount. Stop the mixer and taste to see if you want to adjust the sweetness.
90-105 g | 3–3 3/4 oz | 2/3 – 3/4 cup powdered sweetener
Add the cinnamon and cream and mix again for another 1-2 minutes.
1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus extra to sprinkle
To assemble: Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the frosting over the top in a thick layer, and sprinkle with some extra cinnamon before slicing to serve.
2 tbsp double cream
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Cinnamon and nutmeg cake
Information Prep time 15-20 minutes Baking time 45-50 minutes Servings 14 slices Net carbs per serving 3g
Instead of the individual spices, you could also use 1-2 tsp mixed spice (to taste) to save time
Fudge brownies Get irresistible gooey-in-the-middle brownies with just six ingredients! Ingredients For the brownies 130 g | 4 1/2 oz | 1 stick + 1 tbsp butter 140-160 g | 5-5 2/3 oz | 2/3 - 3/4 cup xylitol (to taste) 80 g | 2 3/4 oz | scant 2/3 cup cocoa powder /2 tsp salt
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2 eggs, at room temperature 70 g | 2 1/2 oz | scant 3/4 cup almond flour
To serve Flaked salt, to sprinkle (optional) Double cream, whipped (to serve, optional)
Method For the brownies: Place a shelf in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 180°C (160°C fan) | 350°F | gas 4. Line a 20x20cm | 8x8" baking tin with baking parchment and set aside. Add the butter, xylitol, cocoa powder and salt to a large heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water. Stir constantly until the butter has melted and the xylitol has mostly dissolved. You could alternatively do this step in a microwave, heating in short intervals and stirring after each one. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. The batter should be smooth and all the xylitol dissolved. Stir in the almond flour and stir vigorously for about 1 minute, until everything is blended. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and place on the shelf for about 23 minutes, but check regularly after 15 minutes as cooking times can vary from oven to oven. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out slightly moist. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Garnish with a sprinkling of sea salt flakes, if using. To serve warm: These brownies will be delicate while still warm, so to enjoy right away you will have to sacrifice neatness! To serve warm: slice in the tray and gently scoop portions out with a spatula. Serve with a scoop of keto-friendly ice cream or a big dollop of freshly whipped double cream. To serve cool: For neat slices, leave the brownies to cool completely. Lift them out of the tray using the baking parchment, and slice into 8 equal portions. For really clean slices, put in the freezer for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Information Prep time 15 minutes Baking time 23 minutes Servings 8 Net carbs per serving 2g
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Fudge brownies
Xylitol gets the best results in this recipe. You can use powdered erythritol instead, but this may result in more cakelike brownies
Pistachio and walnut baklava A slice of this deliciously sticky Middle Eastern classic will satisfy any sweet tooth Ingredients
Method
For the pastry
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) | 400°F | gas 6, and line a large baking tray (or 2-3 of medium ones) with baking parchment.
6 egg whites 5 tbsp powdered sweetener 70 g | 2 /2 oz | /2 cup chia seeds 1
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1 tbsp psyllium husks
For the filling 70 g | 21/2 oz pistachios, finely chopped (plus extra to decorate) 70 g | 21/2 oz walnuts, finely chopped (plus extra to decorate) /2 tsp cinnamon
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6 egg yolks 4 tbsp full-fat coconut milk 115 g | 4 oz | 1 stick butter, melted 2 tbsp powdered sweetener
For the syrup 6 tbsp water 4 tbsp low-carb syrup (such as IMO*) 1 tbsp lemon or orange zest 6 tbsp granulated sweetener
For the pastry: With an electric mixer, or in a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until light and fluffy. Add the sweetener a spoonful at a time, and keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add the chia seeds and psyllium husks, then whisk gently by hand to mix them through evenly. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray(s) and spread it with a spatula into one even layer, as thin as you can get it. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned, then remove and set aside to cool. Keep the oven on as you will need it again later. For the filling: While the pastry cools, mix together the chopped pistachios, walnuts and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, coconut milk, melted butter and sweetener until everything is evenly combined. To assemble: Find a rectangular baking tin that’s about 1/3 the size of the tray you made the pastry on. Grease and line it with baking parchment. Once the pastry has cooled, remove it from the baking tray, turn over, and carefully peel the baking parchment off. Slice it into three equal rectangles to fit into the new tin. Place one of the pastry sheets at the bottom of the prepared tin. Spoon over about 1/3 of the egg yolk mixture and spread it evenly with a pastry brush. Sprinkle on 1/2 of the nut mixture so it’s evenly covered. Place another layer of pastry on top, and repeat with another 1/3 of egg yolk and the remaining nut mixture. Top with the final pastry layer and brush with the last of the egg yolk. Carefully slice the unbaked baklava with a sharp knife, cutting first lengthways, then diagonally to create about 20 parallelograms. Return to the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until deep golden and crisp on top. For the syrup: While the baklava bakes, combine all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low-medium, and cook for about 4-5 minutes until the sweetener dissolves. Remove from the heat but cover to keep warm, stirring occasionally. Once the baklava is baked, remove from the oven. Pour the syrup all over while the baklava is still hot, and sprinkle with the extra chopped nuts to garnish. Leave to cool slightly before serving warm, or leave to cool completely in the tin until required.
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Pistachio and walnut baklava
Information Prep time 30 minutes Baking time 50 minutes Servings 10 Net carbs per serving 3.4 g (2 pieces per serving)
*You can find several low-carb syrup alternatives online, such as IMO used here, or you could try making your own (see page 56)
Rhubarb and ginger crumble This ideal winter dessert strikes the perfect balance between tart rhubarb and warming ginger Ingredients
Method
For the filling
For the filling: Peel the skin off the ginger with a teaspoon and finely grate it. A thumb-sized chunk should yield enough for 1 tsp grated ginger.
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger 200 g | 7 oz fresh rhubarb stalks 30 g | 1 oz | 2 tbsp low-carb brown sugar alternative (such as Sukrin Gold) 1-3 tsp water 1 /4 tsp Stevia powder (optional)
For the crumble topping 40 g | 1 1/2 oz | 3 tbsp butter, fridge cold 100 g | 3 1/2 oz | 1 cup almond flour
Wash the rhubarb stalks, top and tail them, then chop into chunks (about 3-4cm | 1-2" each). Add them to a saucepan with the grated ginger, brown sugar alternative and the water. Pop the lid on and bring the mixture to a simmer over a gentle heat. Let it bubble away for about 3 minutes. Taste the rhubarb and add some Stevia if you’d prefer a sweeter crumble. If the stems are quite thick, you may need to cook the rhubarb with the lid off for another 1-2 minutes. Pour the rhubarb into an oven dish (about 20x10x6cm | 8x4x3" in size) and arrange it to cover the base of the dish. Set aside while you prepare the topping. For the crumble topping: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) | 350°F | gas 4.
100 g | 3 1/2 oz | 1 cup desiccated coconut
Cut the butter into small cubes and make sure it is very cold – put it back in the fridge if it starts to soften.
3 tbsp low-carb brown sugar alternative
Add all the ingredients for the crumble topping into a large bowl and rub them together between your fingertips and thumbs until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
/2 tsp ground ginger (optional) 1
Arrange the crumble mixture on top of the rhubarb, then bake in the preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes, by which time the rhubarb should be softened. Serve warm with a generous splash of cream, or some keto-friendly custard or ice cream.
Information Prep time 15-20 minutes Cook time 5 minutes Baking time 18-20 minutes Servings 4 Net carbs per serving 4.7 g
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Rhubarb and ginger crumble
You can swap the rhubarb for your favourite keto-friendly berries, depending on which fruits are in season at the moment
Mini berry galettes These cute individual pies are the perfect way to use up any leftover fruit Ingredients For the dough 125 g | 41/2 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded 2 tbsp cream cheese, softened 3 egg whites 1 tbsp granulated Swerve sweetener 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 125 g | 41/2 oz | 3/4 cup almond flour 1+ tsp coconut flour (optional, if needed)
For the filling 75 g | 21/2 oz raspberries 85 g | 3 oz blackberries 85 g | 3 oz blueberries 4 tbsp granulated sweetener 1 tsp lemon zest 1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped (optional) 1 tsp xanthan gum
To assemble 1 egg 2-3 tbsp granulated sweetener
To serve Powdered sweetener, to dust Whipped cream (optional) Fresh berries (optional)
Method or the dough: Mix together the shredded mozzarella and cream cheese F in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, or until the cheeses have just melted. Stir well until they have formed a smooth, dough-like mixture. I n another large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then mix in the sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla. Fold in the almond flour. dd the cheese mixture to the almond flour mixture and stir them A together – you may find it easier to do this by using your hands to mix and then gently knead. If the dough is still too sticky, add a teaspoon of coconut flour, mix again, and repeat if required. Once you have an even dough, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. For the filling: While the dough chills, stir together all the ingredients for the filling, then set aside. nce the dough has nearly finished chilling, preheat the oven to 180°C O (160°C fan) | 350°F | gas 4 and line a baking tray with parchment. To assemble: You will need to work quickly with the dough otherwise it will warm up too much. Place a large piece of baking parchment or cling film on a worktop and place the dough in the middle. Put another piece of parchment or cling film on top and roll it out into an even layer about 1 ⁄2 cm | 1⁄5" thick. Using a 12cm | 5" cookie cutter (or by hand with a knife), cut as many circles from the dough as you can. Reshape and reroll any leftover pieces to cut out more discs, until the dough runs out. You should be able to get 6 discs from the mixture. lace about 1-2 tbsp of the berry mixture into the middle of each dough P disc, leaving about 2-3cm | 1" border around the edge. Carefully fold the edges of the dough in so that they cover part of the filling, then fold the overlapping sections over to create a pleated effect (as pictured). ently place each galette onto the prepared baking sheet. Make an egg G wash by briefly whisking the egg with a fork, then brush the liquid over the pastry edges of the galettes (or use the yolks, see tip). Sprinkle each one with the extra sweetener, then bake in the preheated oven for 15-25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling. eave to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes, before transferring to a wire L rack and dusting with powdered sweetener. To serve: Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of cream and extra fresh berries, if desired.
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Mini xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx berry galettes
Information Prep time 30 minutes Chill time 1-2 hours Baking time 15 minutes Servings 6 Net carbs per serving 5.6 g
You can use the leftover egg yolks for an egg wash instead of a whole egg; the yolks will give your pastry a darker glaze when baked
Custard tarts A rich, creamy custard and light, crumbly pastry crust are a match made in heaven Ingredients
Method
For the crust
For the crust: Cut the butter into small cubes, then add to a large mixing bowl with all the other pastry ingredients.
40 g | 1 /2 oz | 3 tbsp butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 1
100 g | 31/2 oz | 1 cup almond flour 30g | 1 oz | 1/3 cup lupin flour (or extra almond flour) 1 medium egg 30 g | 1 oz | scant 4 tbsp granulated sweetener /4 tsp stevia powder
1
/4 tsp of salt
1
Zest of 1/2 lemon
For the custard 1 medium egg /2 tbsp granulated sweetener
1
/4 tsp stevia powder
1
150 ml | 5 fl oz | scant 2/3 cup double cream /2 tsp vanilla extract
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1 /4 - 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, plus extra to dust
Mix the ingredients by hand, squeezing them through your fingers and lightly kneading until a dough forms. Shape the dough into a long sausage, wrap it in cling film, and place it in the freezer to chill. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) | 320°F | gas 3. Grease four 10cm | 4" tart moulds (ideally with removable bases) and set aside. Remove the dough from the freezer, slice it into halves, then quarters, so you have 4 equal pieces. Roll one of the dough quarter into a ball, flatten it with the palms of your hand, then press it into one of the tart moulds and shape it evenly around the base and sides. Repeat with the other pieces of dough, working quickly so they don’t warm up too much. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, then set aside to cool. You can turn off the oven at this stage. For the custard: In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg, granulated sweetener and stevia until frothy. Pour the cream, vanilla and nutmeg into a small saucepan, and heat until small bubbles start to appear at the edges of the pan (don’t let the mixture boil), then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly for a minute or two. While whisking the egg whites constantly, add 1 spoonful of the hot cream at a time. Add the cream gradually, and keep whisking to prevent the egg getting scrambled. To assemble: Reheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) | 320°F | gas 3. Take the cooled tart cases and fill each one with the custard – being careful not to overfill. Sprinkle the tops of each tart with a little more grated nutmeg and bake for about 18 minutes. Leave the tarts to cool in their tins, then refrigerate for 3-4 hours to set. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Information Prep time 20 minutes Chill time 3-4 hours Baking time 30 minutes Servings 4 Net carbs per serving 3.4 g
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Custard tarts