Google “hemp hearts” and you’ll quickly discover the multiple potential health benefits they offer. I had my first chance to enjoy them just over a week ago, my immediate thought was ‘mmm…nutty’. Being able to create nut-free recipes with characteristics of an original recipe is incredible. As soon as I recognised that taste, I realised I could use it wherever I would have used nuts in the past.
Carrot cake with lemon drizzle and hemp heart praline is my first recipe using this product, it won’t be the last. I chose to make these carrot cakes as individual serves for the quicker cooking time and I love the presentation. Bundt tins help to reduce bake time, so there is less time to dry out and no soggy centre.
Carrot Cake with Lemon Drizzle and Hemp Heart Praline
Pre-heat oven to 180ºC fan-forced and grease the baking tins. Place an oven rack just below the centre of the oven.
Hemp Heart Praline
- 25g hemp seeds toasted
- 50g of caster sugar
- 1 tbsp of water
Toast hemp seeds in the oven or a frying pan until lightly toasted, then set aside. Use a small pan to heat the water and sugar, swirl don’t stir. Once the sugar and water have caramelised stir through the toasted hemp hearts and pour onto a silpat mat or tray lined with baking paper to cool. Finely chop or blitz into a powder to use.
Carrot Cake with Lemon Drizzle
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup canola
- 150ml oat or other plant milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 100g (1/2 packed cup) soft brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
Whisk the ingredients above together in a small jug or bowl and set aside.
- 220g plain white flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp group ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp hemp hearts
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup grated apple
Sieve the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl, whisk in the hemp hearts. Add the grated carrot and apple to the mixing bowl, toss in the flour mixture making sure the carrot and apple pieces are coated and separate (not clumped together).
- 1 tsp baking soda
Whisk baking soda into the liquids until frothy, pour into the mixing bowl and stir until combined.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn out onto a cake rack to cool. While baking make lemon drizzle.
Lemon Drizzle
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- lemon juice
- vanilla essence – optional
Sieve icing sugar, into small bowl, add enough lemon juice to make it pourable. You can add a few drops of vanilla essence if you choose, but this will make the drizzle more caramel in colour.
To Serve
To turn these little cakes in to even more of a dessert, serve with homemade yoghurt or custard and caramel for an extra sweet treat.
More ways to use Hemp Hearts – I have only just discovered hemp hearts are the ideal nut alternative, and I’m still exploring how to use them, but I’ve already found that they are perfect for a nut-free plant-based parmesan. There will be more recipes to come – subscribe to be notified as they are published!
