It’s morning tea baking day and I decided to make these little gluten-free granola balls using some of my favourite ingredients but I hadn’t counted on the fact that Adriano had tried to fix the door on our stupid oven that cooks so unevenly. Even though it is completely whacky as an oven, I had kind of sorted how to deal with it. But I didn’t know my husband had tampered with it. Here is the result of of the first batch.
And that was after five minutes because the door wasn’t properly shut and the top and bottom elements stayed on all the time. So I started again. Fortunately I had more of everything and they only take a few minutes to put together. I turned down the oven and watched them obsessively. When they looked all toasty on top, I took them out but they were charcoal on the bottom.
This week we will be eating our morning teas from the top down and have to discard the bottom bit. The top is pretty darned tasty with all the great flavours but I am so over this oven that I want to throw it in the ocean. Speaking of the ocean, this was the view from our house today. It was wild and windy hence all the white caps.
This is not a low Fodmap recipe.
- 1.25 cups almond meal
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- 2 tbsp applesauce
- 4 tbsp honey
- ¼ cup cranberries
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup chopped dried pineapple
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 160°C/350°F.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Combine almond meal, baking soda and cocoa in one bowl with the dried fruit and choc chips.
- Combine the honey and applesauce in another bowl.
- Mix them both together.
- Rolls a heaped teaspoon of batter between oiled hands and place on the tray 2 inches apart.
- Repeat using all the batter.
- Bake 10-15 minutes.
I used to have an oven like that and I found it so stressful not to be able to leave the oven’s side for nearly the whole baking time. I had to rotate pans, change shelf positions – and sometimes we ate top down or bottom up. My new oven is wonderful and it’s great knowing I can set the time and it’s right every time. I feel for you and your oven. 🙂
Nursing an oven is not a good situation. Adriano reckons he has now fixed the door after this last disaster. Otherwise it’s out, whether it’s a Smeg or not.
Suzanne
Gosh, our oven isn’t as bad as that but it’s a real pain. We inherited it when we moved into this house a few years ago. I think for Christmas we’re going to give ourselves a new one – life’s too short to put up with inconvenient appliances, particularly those that you use all the time. Anyway, really nice recipe – thanks.
We also inherited ours with the house and were so pleased it was an expensive Smeg oven with a double oven and all sorts of special burners. I try to use the smaller oven but not everything fits in there.
Suzanne
What great little bites, I love these flavors!
The flavour is good as long as we can avoid the burnt bits.
Suzanne
That certainly is a beautiful view from your home. It must be lovely to wake up to views of the ocean. I’ve had a few dodgy ovens in my time too and it’s very frustrating. Your little balls sound very tasty xx
I always try to buy houses with sea views if possible. It lets one dream of places far away.
Suzanne