What is Alegria I hear you ask. It's a no-bake, GF Mexican creation using puffed amaranth, puffed millet, shredded coconut, cocoa nibs, honey, zest of lime (I used lemon) and salt flakes. The biscuits can be eaten on their own or you can serve them as an ice-cream sandwich.
As Valentine's Day is approaching, I decided to make some heart shaped and some round ones using a 5 cm cutter. I made 34 x 1cm thick shapes - the recipe said it makes 10 x 1cm shapes so they must have used a very big cutter
I knew nothing about these ingredients, let alone having tasted any of them before but when HO sent me this book for Christmas, they also sent a few not so normal ingredients to make 4 of the recipes in the book. This was one of them and the first 4 ingredients listed above were in a specially packed bag. I've never tasted cocoa nibs before, picked one out and didn't like the bitter taste but once everything is mixed together in the TMX, that taste gets lost. The first 3 ingredients are toasted in the TMX, removed then the honey is caramelised and everything else is then added to the honey.
It's all a bit fiddly but not too bad. It's the cutting of the ice-cream that becomes difficult. The recipe makes a banana ice-cream but I just used a raspberry one I had on hand and I found myself continually putting these back in the freezer just to get a photo. Not being able to wait any longer, this photo had to do and I have since eaten the 2 biscuits. Certainly different but enjoyable at the same time and I guess they're healthy too.
