Category: Gluten Free

Gluten-free Lime Pound Cake

Breakfast, Cake, Gluten Free, gluten-free lemon desserts, Uncategorized

In these winter months when citrus fruits are at their best, I love to use them in cakes, muffins, tarts, salads and more. This recipe was adapted from the NY Times Key Lime Pound Cake by Kim Severson.

I used a gluten-free flour blend adapted from Dana at the minimalist baker: http://minimalistbaker.com/diy-gluten-free-flour-blend/.

Gluten-free Flour Blend

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

Blend together in a large bowl and store in a jar or zip lock bag

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (I used cultured butter for an extra tang)

2 cups gluten-free flour (see above)

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

4 oz. soy cream cheese

1 1/4 cups cane sugar

4 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten

2 tbs. lime zest

1 tbs. lime juice

Glaze:

3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

2-3 tbs. lime juice

Method of Preparation:

1. Grease and flour (using rice flour) a 9×5 loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and soy cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the beaten eggs, slowly and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the lime zest and mix for 30 seconds.

3. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the lime juice. Be sure to begin and end with the dry ingredients. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix  until thoroughly incorporated.

4. Pour batter into the pan being careful not to overfill. You want 3/4-inch of space between the batter and top of the pan.

5. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45-60 minutes. Check the cake after 20 minutes and if it’s browning too quickly, cover the top loosely with foil. When the cake is done, a toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean.

6. Cool for 30 minutes and then turn the cake out onto a rack. Prepare the glaze by whisking the confectioner’s sugar and lime juice until you have thick glaze. Pour it over the warm cake. Garnish with some lime zest. 8-10 servings

 

 

Gluten-Free Maple Pecan Biscotti

Gluten Free

For the most part, I have cleaned up my diet since the holidays, but it was a snowy day on Saturday and I just had to have some biscotti to go with my espresso. I used pecans in this recipe, but walnuts work just as well. This recipe is adapted from NY Times recipe by Martha Rose Shulman.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup millet flour

1/4 cup white rice flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 1/4 cups almond flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 oz. unsalted butter, room temp.

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (or walnuts)

 

Method of Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place the millet flour, white rice flour, cornstarch, almond flour, sea salt, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium size mixing bowl. Whisk these ingredients to lighten.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts.
  5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients and beat on low for approximately 1 minute.
  6. Stir in the nuts.
  7. Divide the dough equally into 2 logs, about 8 inches long by 4 inches wide. If you find the dough is sticking to your hands, lightly wet them before smoothing the dough. Place the logs on the prepared pan leaving space between the two logs.
  8.  Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden and beginning to crack.
  9. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20-30  minutes, being careful not too let the logs get too cool and not pliable enough to slice.
  10.  Place logs on a cutting board and cut into 1/2-inch think diagonal slices. Carefully place the slices on two parchment lined baking sheets. Keep the oven at 300 degrees F.
  11. Bake each sheet on the middle rack in the oven. After 10 minutes, turn over the slices and bake for another 10 minutes. The slices should be dry and lightly brown.
  12. Cool biscotti on a rack.

Optional: melt some chocolate (dark, milk or white), dip a fork into the melted chocolate and drizzle over the biscotti.

 

Coconut Milk Mocha Mousse

Chocolate, Gluten Free

Ingredients:

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 11 oz. container of coconut milk (I used the Soy Delicious one in the cardboard container), refrigerated over night

1 tsp. (or more depending on taste) espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tbs. of hot water (optional)

6 tbs. cocoa powder, sifted

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Method of Preparation:

Place the coconut milk and maple syrup in the bowl of a standing mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk on high until it starts to become fluffy. Add the cocoa powder, espresso powder dissolved in water, and vanilla. Whip for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Place in individual bowls and refrigerate. Makes 4 servings

Gluten-free Molasses Orange Rolls

Gluten Free

I admit that making good gluten-free bread is still a work in progress for me. I find baking gluten-free quick breads or muffins to be much more forgiving than a yeasted bread with a good texture. This recipe is a cross between the two with a wet batter that uses yeast to rise. These rolls remind me of Irish brown bread and they are best with rich salted butter or some jam.

Ingredients:

Quick Whole grain Gluten-free Flour Mix:

1  1/4 teff, sorghum, or millet flour (or a mix of all three)

1 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup sweet rice flour

1/3 cup potato starch

1/3 cup tapioca starch

1 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together in a medium size bowl.

 

1 cup oats (gluten-free if you are sensitive)

1 cup milk (almond or coconut is fine)

1/2 oz. yeast (or 2 1/4 oz. packages)

6 Tbs. warm water

3 2/3 cups of the gluten-free mix from above

4 tbs. melted unsalted butter, non-hydrogenated shortening or coconut oil

1/3 cup molasses

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp.sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 heaping teaspoons of orange zest

oil for pan and tops of rolls

Method of Preparation:

Place the oats in milk in a saucepan and cook over low until most of the milk is absorbed. Let stand off the heat for 10 minutes to cool.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, dissolve the yeast in some warm water. Add the sugar and stir. Let stand 5-10 minutes, or until foamy.

Whisk the gluten-free flour mixture in a large bowl, set aside.

Place the softened oats, eggs, molasses, brown sugar and melted butter or shortening in the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a handmixer). Turn the mixer on low and mix well, scraping the side of the bowl with a spatula. Add the yeast mixture until combined. Keeping the mixer on low, add the gluten-free flour mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. The dough will be very sticky. Mix the dough on medium speed for 5 minutes and well mixed.

Let the dough stand for a few minutes. Oil a large mixing bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and turn the dough over to cover the top with oil. Place a clean dish towel or plastic wrap (coated in oil) over the bowl. Set in a warm place to rise.  The dough may not double in size, but it should rise up quite a bit.

Oil a 9×13 baking pan. Using well-oiled hands, form the dough into rounds about the size of a small apple. Arrange in rows in the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dish towel and let rise until the rolls have grown in size, about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 F, about 15 minutes before the rolls have done rising. Before baking brush the rolls with melted butter or oil, sprinkle the tops with salt flakes or oats.

Bake 15-20 minutes, or until golden on top. Do not over bake or the rolls become too hard.

Yield: approximately 10-15 rolls.

 

 

Gluten-Free Apple Cake

Apples, Cake, Fall Dessert, Gluten Free

Fall is in full swing in our house with cozy fires, pumpkin pie, and a weekend trip to the local apple orchard. As my family lined up for donuts, I begin filling a huge bag with the every variety of apple I could find. Baldwin, Gingergold, Candycrisp, Macoun, and Jonagold are just a few of the many gorgeous varieties offered. My head was spinning with ideas for my next dessert. I have been making this cake for years, but decided it was time to adapt it to a wheat free recipe. Sometime I serve it with a chocolate sauce and/or an orange flavored whipped cream.

Ingredients:

  • 4 medium apples (variety of you choice) (about 1 1/2 lbs.), peeled and cut into 1/4″ pieces
  • 2 cups plus 4 tbs. sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup oil (melted coconut, grapeseed, light olive oil or canola)
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 tbs. grated orange peel
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 cups gluten-free flour blend (add 1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum if your mix doesn’t contain it)
  • 3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cardamom (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil and flour 6″ pans or line a muffin tin with parchment squares. Mix apple pieces, 4 tbs. sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups of sugar, oil, eggs, orange juice, orange peel and vanilla extract; whisk to blend.

Stir the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, salt and cardamom into the egg mixture.

Pour the 1/3 the batter into the prepared pan or muffin tin, sprinkle apples over the batter. Top with the remaining apples, then the batter.

Bake the 6″ cakes for 30 -40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The individual cakes will take 15-20 mins.

Recipe makes 12 individual cakes (baked in muffin tins) or two 6″ cakes. Can be made a day ahead, but best served the day it’s baked.

 

Quick Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup apple juice
  • 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tbs. brandy (optional)

Heat the apple juice in saucepan until simmering. Add the chocolate and vanilla, stir until smooth. Let cool. Serve warm or room temperature along with the apple cake.

Nut and Dried Fruit Granola

Breakfast, Cereal, Gluten Free

This granola is incredibly easy and can be adapted to include whatever you might have lurking in those kitchen cabinets. Do you have some leftover walnuts from a batch of brownies you made a few weeks ago? How about flax or chia seeds from your smoothie stash? Any and all of these can be used in this recipe. Here’s the basic breakdown, but it is your time to be creative!

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned oats (gluten free)

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pecans)

1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

3 tbs. flax, chia or hemp seeds

2 tbs. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp cinnamon (or a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg)

1/4 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil

1 large egg white

1/2 cup maple syrup, honey or agave syrup

Method of Preparation:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.

Grease a large 9×13″ sheet pan lined with tin foil.

Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Healthy Almond Butter and Chocolate Energy Bars (with Chia and Flax seeds)

Breakfast, Energy bars, Gluten Free, Nut Bars

How of many you need quick healthy snacks that can be tucked in your bag for work or school? My daughter who is a competitive swimmer loves to fill her swim backpack with various healthy granola bars to be devoured after two hours in the pool. She can tear through a box of bars in a just a few days and as my friend told me, she might go bankrupt buying her kids granola bars. My daughter and I set out yesterday to make a healthy bar that was filled with nuts, dried fruit and just a tiny bit of rich dark chocolate (my favorite part).

Ingredients:

1/4 cup almond butter (or peanut butter)

1 cup dates

1/4 chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans

1 tbs. cocoa powder (or all cocoa powder if you don’t have carob)

1 tbs. carob powder

1 tbs. Chia seeds

1 tbs. flax seeds (or all Chai seeds)

2 tbs. chopped dark chocolate

1 tbs. honey

pinch of salt

Method of Preparation:

In a bowl of a food processor, place all the ingredients and process until you have a sticky cohesive mixture.

Line a 8×8″ square pan with parchment or tin foil. Press the mixture into the pan and smooth the top. If you want you bars to be a little thicker, don’t press the mixture all the way to the sides.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes and cut into small rectangles. Store bars in the refrigerator.