Mini Blackberry & Apple Loaf {GF, DF, Refined Sugar Free }
Aren't these Mini Blackberry & Apple Loaves just the cutest. I have a thing about miniature baked items. While these are cute they also taste pretty out of this world. Who wouldn't want to see these little loaves peeking out of a platter on a dessert table, in a picnic basket, in a lunch basket or as part of a high tea? The list of possibilities of where you could make them is endless.
When I was shopping for ingredients I wanted to make something that wasn't the run of the mill such as blueberry or raspberry. While all good choices, I wanted something a little bit different. I spotted a frozen bag of blueberries on my pass down the frozen aisle at Woolworths. The possibility of combinations that I could make using the blackberries had my mind working so I popped them into the trolley. The kids love picking up anything freezing cold in the trolley when I go shopping. They are normally piled high in the trolley squished tight and one up the front screaming demands at me as I try and shop. Food is tucked in around two squished up bodies and I pray it doesn't get trampled on as they muck about.
They always take interest in what I am putting in the trolley especially if it's something yummy. They picked up the frozen blackberries with great interest because my kids are berry fiends. They love any type of berry or any type of fruit really. I call them my little fruit bats. J.D would go for a piece of fruit on a platter with cakes and biscuits before picking anything else. He was my A+ eater and with each succession of children, they have got worse. I would say Miss H is now a B+ Little Miss A is about a C+ at the moment. She was a D- for a while there as she was super picky about anything I put in front of her.
I'm surprised I don't have bald patches on my head as she stressed me out something fierce with her eating habits or lack of thereof. The only thing she would happily eat was anything sweet like cookies and cakes and such. I had to be careful that I didn't rely on giving her things like this just to fill her up. These little Mini Blackberry & Apple Loaves would have been something I would have given her because of the ingredient list. Filled with good fruits such as blackberries and grated apple which gives the loaves most of its sweetness. I have added a touch of honey along with some stevia to round out the sweetness and a punch of cinnamon because anything with apple in it needs cinnamon. It's a given. I have used a combination of gluten free flour and almond meal in these loaves for a beautiful fluffy and moist crumb. I opted with no icing because I think they are good just as they are. I fed a couple of these to the kids after they came out of the oven and boy did they love them. Little Miss A smashed hers down with glee. I know I can rely on her sweet tooth to tell me if they hit the spot on not. These certainly did which I am really happy about.
They freeze really well and just need to be stored in an airtight container. I have mine frozen at the moment and simply pull them out and pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds or so until just defrosted enough and slightly warmed through. Heaven. The smell of these cooking is divine and when they defrost a slight waft of cinnamon comes out of the microwave when I open the door. I use to work at a bakery and the smell of baking bread is one of my all time favourite cooking smells follwed by sauteing garlic and wafts of cinnamon and spices cooking in a cake. Make these and fill your house with the beautiful smell of Mini Blackberry & Apple Loaves.
