Sweet Treats Using Chlorella – Cake and pudding making is booming in popularity, and it’s not just classic Victoria Sponge or chocolate cake coming out of ovens. If you’ve already tried added chilli, courgette or chia seeds to your cake mix and are wondering ‘what’s next?’, then you might be intrigued by an ingredient called chlorella…
For those not in the know, chlorella is a type of green algae, which can be harvested and turned into a powder. It has become renowned for having a host of health benefits, with studies showing it could help with everything from boosting energy levels to keeping wrinkles at bay.
Whilst adding algae to your food might sound a little odd, it’s a popular ingredient in Japan, where it’s used in a host of dishes. One of the easiest things to use it in is puddings, where it adds a splash of colour and extra nutrition.
Gluten Free Chlorella Cupcakes
Ingredients (serves 6)
3g Sun Chlorella Powder
100g Rice Flour
20g Fine Coconut
5g Roasted Soybean Flour
5g Baking Powder
2g Baking Soda
110ml Soymilk
60ml Canola Oil
35g Beet Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
1tsp Rum
20g Walnut
30g Raisins
20ml Lemon Juice
Method
Add the Sun Chlorella Powder, Rice Flour, Fine Coconut, Roasted Soybean Flour, Baking Powder and Baking Soda to a bowl and mix together.
In another bowl mix the Soymilk, Canola Oil, Beet Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Salt and Rum together until the Beet Sugar has melted.
Add the two mixes together and once combined, add in the Lemon Juice, Raisins and chopped Walnuts.
Split the mix evenly into 6 cupcake cases and bake at 170 degrees centigrade for 10-12 minutes or until cooked.
Once baked allow to cool.
Chlorella Banana Cake
Ingredients (serves 6)
27g Sun Chlorella Powder
200ml Soy (or Coconut milk)
3 bananas
100ml Rapeseed oil
6tbsp Coconut sugar
Pinch of Salt
250g Cake flour
2tsp Baking powder
Method
Mash up the bananas to a paste.
Add Sun Chlorella Powder, Soy (or Coconut milk), banana paste, Rapeseed oil, Coconut sugar and salt to a bowl and mix well.
Combine the Cake flour and Baking powder together and sift in to the mixture and mix together.
Pour the cake mixture into a baking tin and cook for 35 minutes at 170 degrees centigrade.
Once cooked allow to cool on a cake rack.
Chlorella Blancmange
Ingredients
300ml Almond Milk (Soymilk or Milk)
1Tbsp Tepid Water
5g of Powder Gelatine
20g of Sugar
Small drop Vanilla Extract
Chocolate for decoration
3g Sun Chlorella A Powder
Method
Dissolve Sun Chlorella A Powder in tepid water and mix.
Add the powder gelatine to the chlorella mixture.
Add the Almond milk (soymilk or milk) to a pan with the sugar and heat.
When the sugar has melted mix in the chlorella and gelatine mixture.
Once the gelatine has dissolved add in the vanilla extract. Pour the mixture in a cool bowl and mix it whilst allowing it to cool in a iced water bath.
Pour into individual glasses (servings 4) and cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Decorate with crushed chocolate.
Poppy Watt