Sticky Pear and Almond Scrolls

So you don't have coconut flour. Or coconut oil. Or almond meal. Or walnuts.

Righti-o then - time to substitute!

When I read recipes I thoroughly believe substitution is all good. The recipe asks for cows milk and you only have soy, that's cool. The recipe was 2 cups Almond Meal and you only have a cup - sweet just put some coconut flour in there. The recipe asks for apples, you have pears.... you get my drift!

As you probably know by now we don't really have any packaged or store bought treats at home. We have dried dates, almonds, and the only things in packages are normally flours or teas.

James has a massive sweet tooth though and on Saturday night he asked for the Apple and Walnut scrolls I'd made before

The ingredients looked like this:

• 1/2 cup walnuts (crushed up in your hands will do!)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 cups  wholemeal self-raising flour
• 40g butter, chilled, chopped
• 2/3 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 apples diced
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

So I said yeh baby, no problems, I'll make one now. No need to stress! Just make it up as you go along, cooking is meant to be fun!

This is not a 'clean' treat, but it's a nice homemade treat to make - it looks great and I think it's pretty simple!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup roast almonds - lightly crushed in mortar and pestle
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 40g coconut oil
• 2/3 cup soy milk (I had a carton leftover from when I had a friend stay who only drinks soy!)
• 1/4 cup white sugar (small packet leftover for when guests come & have coffee!)
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence
• 3 william pears - peeled and diced
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. I just use a pan a bit like this. Line it with baking powder - It doesn't have to be neat just shove it in! Sprinkle with 1/3 cup almonds. Drizzle with 1/3 cup honey.
2. Heat another saucepan and put the water in, get it boiling and add the apple and about 2 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon, let it boil down and soften - the whole aim is for it so be soft and apple pie like!
3. Put flour into a bowl. Rub in coconut oil until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Using a butter knife, stir in milk to form a sticky dough, adding extra milk if needed. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead gently until smooth, adding extra flour if needed.
4. Roll dough out to a 20cm x 40cm rectangle. Combine sugar and remaining honey in a bowl. Spread over dough as best you can, leaving a 2cm border on all sides. Top with pear and remaining almonds. Carefully roll up dough from 1 long side. Trim ends. Using a serrated knife, cut into 8 slices. Place slices, cut-side up, in pan.
5. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden and scrolls sound hollow when tapped. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack over a tray.