Switch Your Whole Grains Up a Notch with Teff

Teff grains are minute-1/150th the size of wheat kernels. Teff has twice the iron as other grains and three times the calcium. It is the principle source of nutrition for the majority of Ethiopians.

In Ethiopia, teff is usually ground into flour and fermented to make the spongy, sourdough bread known as Injera. In Kansas, the Black Farmers Association is experimenting with teff. Today it is getting more attention for its sweet, molasses-like flavor and its versatility. It can be cooked as porridge.

 

Teff flour is a very fine speckled flour. Pairing teff with cocoa seems natural. This German Chocolate genoise cake is a whole egg sponge cake, baked in a springform pan as one layer, then sliced horizontally and iced. It tends to have a crumbly, dry texture.

 

Teff and Brown Rice Muffins

In this muffin recipe, I substituted a chia seed paste for the nutrient void starch and brown rice flour for the white rice flour.

 

For porridge, toast 3 minutes before cooking.

 

Sesame Shrimp Grain Bowl

To cook on stove top, mix 1 part teff with 3 part water and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Teff and Cocoa Sponge Cake

(10 servings)

Sift cocoa in bowl.  Mix with flour.
5 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (not the Dutch processed kind)
1/2 cup teff flour

Combine eggs, sugar and salt in bowl of electric mixer with whisk attachment.  Beat on high speed 5 minutes.  
4 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Heat buttery sticks, melt and pour into deep reserved bowl.
3 tablespoon vegan buttery sticks

Remove mixer bowl with whipped egg-sugar-salt mix.  Fold in 1/3 of the flour-cocoa mix.  Repeat with half the remaining flour, then the rest of the flour.  

Scrape 1/4 of the batter into the hot butter.  Fold until butter is completely blended.  Scrape batter over the remaining butter and fold just until blended. 

Pour into 8 inch springform pan with parchment lined bottom.

Bake at 335 F for 30 minutes.  While the cake is hot, run a spatula around the inside of the pan, pressing against the sides of the pan.  

Invert pan onto rack to remove the paper.  Turn the cake right up to frost.

The above cake was sliced in half and iced with a slightly sweetened whipped cream. (1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla)  Topped with pomegranate seeds and juice, this made a delightful Christmas dessert.