Chocolate & Apricot Fudgy Refrigerator Cake

I added this easy chocolate refrigerator cake, from the Deliciously Dairy-free Cookbook to my holiday baking list and you may want to add them to. There may be a similar dairy recipes out there however this is a great alternative that deserves a try. 

Chocolate & Apricot Refrigerator Cake 

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Makes 16 squares

10 tablespoons dairy-free spread 

5 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons dairy-free unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1 1/4 cups dried apricots, finely chopped

2 nuggets of stem ginger, finely chopped

3 1/4oz dairy-free semi sweet chocolate, broken into chunks

7oz dairy-free Graham crackers

Line a 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

Place the spread, corn syrup, and cocoa powder in a deep saucepan over medium heat and mix well. Gently bring to a boil and let bubble gently for 2 minutes.

Stir in the apricots and ginger, return to a boil and mix well.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chocolate.

Place half the Graham crackers in a plastic bag and beat with a rolling pin until fine crumbs, then stir into the mixture.

Place the remaining crackers in a plastic bag and bash until gently broken into chunks, then stir into the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and level out. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

Run a fork over the top to make it less smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours (or overnight, if possible) to set before cutting into squares.

Notes: I used a mixture of chopped dried fruit which consisted of apricots, dates, and cranberries. 

Hope everyone is having a good week. - JD  

Deliciously Dairy Free

The author of this cookbook became involved in dairy-free cooking when her mum was diagnosed with colitis and needed to change her diet. This book puts forward a more lighter... cleaner way of eating which combines great ingredients with a simple dairy free approach. This cookbook is great for those who have a lactose intolerance and those who want to minimize dairy or ditch dairy all together. There are plenty of inspiring recipes for any occasion. Mexican Corn Cakes with Avocado Crush, Spiced Sweet Potato Chowder, Creamy Lemon Potatoes with Herby Salmon, Fiery Fish Pie, Spaghetti Carbonara, Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Mornay with Chorizo Crumb, and Plummy Chocolate Mousse with Pistachios... to just name a few of the tempting recipes. 

Deliciously Dairy Free is a smorgasbord that allows you to have fun and flavourable outcomes with dairy free cooking and baking to ensure you are not missing out. The recipes are arranged within 7 chapters: Breakfast & Brunch, Big Salads & Super Soups, Weekday Favourites, Weekend Delights, The Clean Bake, Desserts, and Basics; and at the front of the cookbook is a helpful 2 page Recipe Finder that breaks down each chapter's recipes into a quick glance chart of: Contains no eggs, Contains no nuts, Gluten/Wheat free, Vegetarian, and Vegan. Beautiful mouthwatering photographs and recipes most often are on one page, which I consider a plus. 

I decided to share, what I would say would be the most "milk/dairy laden recipe" transformed... Macaroni and cheese. As you know, macaroni and cheese or Mac'n'Cheese is  notoriously known for it's creamy gooey cheesy comfort goodness that is why I was quite interested with such a dairy-free option.


Double Baked Mac & Cheese with Roasted Vine Tomatoes
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1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon  Dijon mustard
3 3/4 cups soy milk
1 1/2 cups finely grated dairy-free sharp cheddar cheese
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
10 oz dried macaroni, cooked according to the package instructions
3 tablespoons dairy-free fresh white bread crumbs
13 oz baby vine tomatoes, kept on the vine
chili or olive oil, for drizzling (optional)
6 rindless smoked bacon slices
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF

Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan, add the flour and mustard and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add all the soy milk. Beat well until all the lumps have gone, then return to heat and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer for 4 - 5 minutes, until thickish and smooth.

Add three-quarters of the dairy-free cheese, remove from the heat and stir until melted. Season to taste with nutmeg and salt and pepper.

Stir the cooked macaroni into the sauce and transfer to a large or 2 medium-sized, shallow ovenproof dishes. Mix together the remaining cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the dish. 

Bake for about 15 minutes, until golden and bubbling hot and a good crust has formed.

Remove the mac and cheese from the oven, lay the tomato vine over the top and drizzle with chili or olive oil, if using, then return to the oven for another 8 - 10 minutes.

Meanwhile broil or fry the bacon until crisp.

Crumble the bacon over the mac and cheese and serve at once.


Hope everyone is having a good week. - JD