Salted Caramel Brownies

Makes 16 (2-inch x 2-inch) brownies

For the brownies:

• 6 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 large eggs, preferably organic, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp sugar-free vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp alcohol-free liquid vanilla stevia
• 1/2 cup gf flour blend
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk

For the salted caramel:

• 6 tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 2 tbsp dairy-free margarine, such as Earth Balance Soy-Free Natural Buttery Spread
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp sugar-free vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Make the brownies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. Beat the coconut oil and coconut palm sugar together in a medium bowl until the sugar is the consistency of wet sand. Beat in the eggs, then mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and liquid stevia.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour blend and the baking powder. Add the flour blend to the egg mixture in three additions, alternatively with the dairy-free milk, starting and ending with the flour.
4. Turn the batter into the prepared baking pan, tapping the pan a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the salted caramel:

1. Put the coconut palm sugar in a blender or spice grinder and process until powdered. Set aside.
2. Add the dairy-free margarine and coconut oil to a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Melt over medium heat. Once melted, add the powdered coconut palm sugar and stir until melted. The oil, butter and coconut palm sugar will still be separated at this point.
3. Whisk the coconut milk. The mixture will become cohesive. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Carefully place the caramel in a heat-proof container and let cool completely in the refrigerator. This will take several hours.
5. Remove the caramel from the refrigerator one hour before serving. Just before serving, drizzle the cooled caramel over the brownies, or place in a piping bag with a #2 tip and pipe across the brownies. Sprinkle sea salt over the brownies. Cut into (2-inch x 2-inch) squares and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Basic Flour Blend GF

1 cup sorghum flour
1 cup garbanzo-fava bean flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

Mix well; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Doesn't have a beany taste once baked. Can be used as one-to-one substitute.

Red & White Quinoa Salad with Apricots & Mint

Serves 4

1/2 cup (3 ounces) white quinoa
1/2 cup (3 ounces) red quinoa
1 3/4 cups water
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup (3 ounces) diced dried apricots (soft, ready-to-eat type)
4 tbsp (2 ounces) raisins
6 tbsp (1 ounce) pine nuts or chopped pecans, lightly toasted in a dry skillet
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Dressing:
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp mellow red wine vinegar
pinch sugar
sea salt and black pepper
1/2 lemon

Combine the red and white quinoa in a sieve, rinse and drain (you can skip this step if the quinoa is pre-rinsed). Bring the water to a boil, add the salt and quinoa, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender and the water has been completely absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread out on a plate and let cool.

Combine the apricots, raisins, pine nuts and mint in a large bowl, and stir in the quinoa.

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and sugar together, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the quinoa mixture, and toss gently. Taste for flavour, and adjust if needed. Just before serving, squeeze the lemon juice on top and stir the mixture gently.

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Coffee Cake GF

Tasty as is, and more so when served warm.


1 1/2 c brown rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp guar gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c soft butter
1/3 c granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 c plain yoghurt

Filling:
Mix together 1/2 c brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts.

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Grease bottom of 8-x8-inch pan.
2. In a small bowl blend together rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, guar gum and salt and set aside.
3. In mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until blended. Add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with the yoghurt until mixture is blended, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. 
5. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle filling overtop. Cover evenly with remaining batter.
6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes. Place on rack to cool.

Yield: One 8-x8-inch cake

Source: gems of gluten-free baking, p.129, by wendy turnbull

Angel Food Cake GF, Dairy Free, Fat Free

Small cartons of liquid egg whites are available in the dairy section. Note that angel food cake cannot rise if baked in a pan with a non-stick surface.


1 1/2 c egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp icing sugar
3/4 cup brown rice flour

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Place oven rack on bottom rung. Have an ungreased aluminum 10-inch tube pan ready (not non-stick).
2. Place egg whites in large bowl of stand mixer and beat until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft speaks form.
3. Increase speed to high. Slowly add sugar 2 tbsp at a time, beating until peaks are stiff and shiny, about 10 minutes. Add salt and extracts at the end.
4. Check to make sure the sugar granules have dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between thumb and index finger.
5. Reduce speed to low. Add the tapioca starch/icing sugar mixtures just to blend. Remove beaters.
6. Using a sieve, sprinkle one-third of the brown rice flour over the egg whites, folding it with a rolling motion of a large metal whisk.
7. Spoon batter into pan. With a knife cut through the batter in a circular motion to remove air bubbles.
8. Bake for 20 minutes then lower the temperature to 300F and bake a further 20 to 25 minutes. Invert to cool.

Yield: One 10-inch tube cake

Source: gems of gluten-free baking, p.125, by wendy turnbull

Sugar Cookies GF

This dough will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.


1/2 c soft butter
2/3 c icing sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 c brown rice flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1/4 tsp guar gum
granulated sugar for sprinkling

1. In mixing bowl cream butter and icing sugar. Add egg and extracts and beat until thoroughly blended. 
2. Add brown rice flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and guar gum to butter mixture and stir to combine.
3. Chill dough until firm enough to roll. Place on waxed paper and roll. Press into squares, rectangular or round log. Chill until firm.
4. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
5. Cut log into 1/8-inch slices and sprinkle each cookie with granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
6. Bake 8 minutes. Let sit on pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Place on rack to cool.

Yield: 2 dozen

Source: gems of gluten-free baking, p.80, by wendy turnbull

Maple Pecan Shortbread GF

This is quickly made up in the food processor.


1 c pecans
1 c gluten-free quick oats
1 c GEM flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp guar gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 c soft butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 c maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Lightly grease 9-x9-inch pan.
2. Place pecans in food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. Set aside 1/4 cup.
3. Add oats to food processor and process until finely ground. Add the GEMS flour, brown sugar, baking powder, guar gum, salt and cinnamon and pulse to mix.
4. Add butter, vanilla and almond extract and pulse to mix. Continuing to pulse slowly, add maple syrup to form a soft ball.
5. Add reserved nuts and work with fingers to combine.
6. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cover if necessary, as the fat content in the nuts may cause over-browning.
7. Cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 24 bars.

Source: gems of gluten-free baking, p.114, by wendy turnbull

Scottish Shortbread GF

This gluten-free version is as delicious as the real thing!


1 1/4 c finely ground brown rice flour
1/4 c corn flour (not cornstarch)
1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Have ungreased 8-x 8-inch pan ready.
2. In food processor combine brown rice flour, corn flour, butter, brown sugar, and salt. Pulse until mixture is crumbly.
3. Press firmly into ungreased pan.
4. There is less chance of breakage when you score the shortbread before it is baked. Score shortbread 1/8 inch deep, six rows across and three rows down.
5. Using the tip of fork tines poke three evenly spaced indentations in each rectangle. Bake 25 minutes.
6. Cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 18 bars

Source: Gems of Gluten-free baking, p.115, Wendy Turnbull

Picture source: Tumblr

Note: Easily swap this recipe to vegan by using a Vegan butter.

Recipe: Gluten Free Pumpkin Mousse Tarts

 

Recipe: Gluten Free Pumpkin Mousse Tarts

Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Cake Doughtnuts

A doughtnut pan is a rectangular pan with six doughnut-shaped depressions.

3/4 c GEMS flour
1/2 c brown rice flour
1/4 c bean flour (preferably white)
1/4 tsp guar gum
1/3 c granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp melted butter
2/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly grease doughnut pan.
2. In mixing bowl combine. GEMS flour, rice flour, bean flour, guar gum, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. 
3. In separate bowl blend butter, milk and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and beat until blended.
4. Fill each doughnut depression with 1/3 c batter. Bake 15 minutes. 
5. To sugar-coat: shake warm doughnuts, one at a time, in a paper bag with 1/4 c granulated sugar and 1/8 tsp cinnamon. Alternatively, sprinkle generously with icing sugar just prior to serving.

Yield: 6 doughnuts
Egg Free

Source: gems of gluten-free baking by Wendy Turnbull

apple-cinnamon breakfast risotto

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
4 medium Granny Smith apples, diced (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 cups apple juice, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
sliced almonds and dried cherries (optional)
milk (optional)

slow cooker directions
1. Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until apples begin to release juices. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Add rice and stir to coat. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over top. Add apple juice and vanilla. Cover; cook on HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until all liquid is absorbed. Top with almonds and dried cherries and drizzle with milk; if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Gluten-Free Info:
It's good to get to know different kinds of rice to add variety to your gluten-free cooking. Arborio rice, a short grain Italian variety, is preferred for risotto. Arborio is a high starch grain. The release of some of this starch into the cooking liquid contributes to risotto's creamy texture.

dairy-free variation:
replace butter with dairy-free margarine

source: The Gluten-Free Bible