Book Review: Veggie Desserts + Cake By Kate Hackworthy & Recipe: Cauliflower, Lime & Cardamon Cookies

A new book from a fellow-food-blogger is wonderful enough to quickly become an event. Veggies Desserts + Cakes by Kate Hackworthy is no exception. I have been following Kate's blog since she started and interacted a little with her on Twitter. 

Last year, in my January food column for the local newspaper, I mentioned the rise of all things "vegetable and sweet". That was after noticing the number of hits on my Choufleur Cake and then Kate comes along with a whole book which goes far beyond carrot cakes.

There is a method to her madness too. She explains that, "Veggies bring moisture, natural sweetness and, in some desserts, vegetable purée can replace eggs"

So what can you expect from Veggie Desserts + Cakes? 60 recipes never seen anywhere before: cakes, cupcakes, cookies, tray bakes, pies, frozen desserts and a whole section of "More Sweet Things" the Chocolate Beetroot Baked Doughnuts with Blueberry Glaze seen on the cover belong to the later.

It also seems to be a very personal cookbook. Kate tells of her growing up in Canada which has inspired her pumpkin desserts, of her kids who have had the most unusual birthday cakes that a crazy-about-veggies-mummy can make.

By now you'll have noticed that I like this book. I like it for one, no two, reasons; the unusual flavour combinations such as Kale and Chocolate, who would have thought? The cauliflower, Lime and Cardamon Cookies I tried are simply divine. It should have been Romanesco but never the less, the lime and the cardamon compliment ever so well the mild, nutty taste of any Brassicaceae. 

The other reason may look simple but....

The recipes work, there are no hanging ingredients, measurements are precise. The work of a pro.

And now for my effort at replicating what should have been romanesco but was...

Cauliflower, Lime 'n Cardamon Cookies

Ingredients
100g unsalted butter, softened
150g cauliflower
1 Lime, zest and juice

Pasta 'n grains

• 100 g Porridge oats

  Baking 'n spices

  • 8 Cardamom pods crushed
  • 125 g Self-raising flour
  • 100 g Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt

  
  

  Instructions

  
  

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking tray with parchment.
  2. Finely grate the cauliflower or whiz it in a food processor until it resembles fine crumbs. Heat it in the microwave, or in a dry pan on the stove, for 2 minutes to dry it out slightly. Allow to cool.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix well.
  4. Stir in the cauliflower, oats, flour and ground cardamom and combine.
  5. Roll the batter into balls, place on the prepared baking tray and press down lightly with a fork.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly on the tray and then cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe reproduced from Veggie Desserts 

If you'd like to read more reviews click here another clever idea from Kate, A virtual launch