GF Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
1cup almond meal
1 1/2 cups rice flour
1 1/4 cups GF plain four
2tsp mixed spice
1 egg
275ml warm milk
50g butter melted
1 sachet of dried yeast
craisins and chocolate melts or drops to taste. I used approximately 100g of each.
3 tablespoons of honey+
Cross
1/4 cup GF plain flour
water
Sugar Glaze
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup water
Method
Mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the egg, melted butter, honey, gradually add the milk. Mix until the dough is smooth. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes. On a floured surface, knead the dough until elastic like. Roll the dough into round balls (about the size of a palm), I made 10. Place on a greased baking tray (spray tray with oil), cover with a damp tea towel and let stand for 40-45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Combine flour for the crosses, add water until you make a smooth paste (icing like consistency). Place paste in a piping bag and pipe a cross onto the top of each bun.
Remove tea towel and place buns in the oven for 20 minutes.
Place sugar in water in a small saucepan, mix together. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes.
Remove buns from the oven, using a pastry brush, cover the buns in the sugar glaze. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes.
Now these delicious GF Hot Cross Buns are ready to eat!
Note: The recipe I worked from for ingredients used xantham gum, I couldn't find any but the buns turned out great just the same.
The buns are best zapped in the microwave, as with most gluten free breads, they are hard and crumble if not heated.
GF Cowboy Cupcakes
Recipe is based on a patty cake recipe from the 'Gluten Free Bible'
Makes 12
Ingredients
125g butter (I softened and melted slightly in microwave)
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup gf self raising flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup gf cornflour
11/2 teaspoons gf baking powder
2 tablespoons lukewarm milk
1 tablespoon Butterscotch Schnapps
Icing
1 cup GF icing sugar
125g softened butter
2 teaspoons of milk
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Baileys
2 teaspoons Cocoa
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celiscus. With a electric mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth and light. Add eggs one at a time, beat well.
Sift the flours into the butter mixture and mix, add milk and Butterscotch Schnapps to make a smooth, moist batter.
Spoon the mixture into a greased mini cupcake tin (or use cupcake holders), only 3/4 full. Bake for 12 minutes or until firm and golden. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool.
Icing
Cut softened butter into cubes, place in a mixing bowl with the icing sugar. Cream butter and icing sugar. Add milk, Baileys and cocoa, mix through. Place icing in a piping bag, decorate the cupcakes. Allow icing to set and enjoy these delicious cakes.
Low Fat Mango & Coconut Frozen Yoghurt!
Ingredients:
2 mangoes
1/2 cup honey
5 tablespoons of shredded coconut
500g tub reduced fat Greek Yoghurt
Method:
Process mangoes and honey until smooth. Add yoghurt and coconut process until smooth. Pour into a large plastic container (I used a rectangular shaped container), cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 4-5 hours until frozen.
Remove from freezer and allow to soften. Place into a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to the container and cover with plastic wrap, place in the freezer for a minimum of 5 hours or until frozen.
Remove from freezer and scoop into bowls to serve.
GF Marble Cake
Ingredients200g butter (softened)
1 cup caster sugar
4 large eggs
x2 3/4 cup gf self raising flour
2/3 cup rice flour
2/3 cup f corn flour
2 teaspoons gf baking powder
6 tablespoons lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons vanilla essence
1 tablespoon cocoa
2 drops pink food colouring
Icing:
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 tablespoon cocoa
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. With electric mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth and light. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well. Sift the flours and baking powder into the butter mixture and mix, add milk to make a smooth, moist batter. Spoon the mixture evenly into three bowls, add cocoa to one bowl and pink food colouring to the other bowl, leave the third bowl as is. Grease a 20cm tin and line with baking paper. Spoon tablespoons of each mixture into the bowl, taking turns at each flavour to ensure and even colour mix. Swirl the mixture at the end and bang down on the bench. Bake in the over for 30-40 minutes (check with a skewer in the centre after 30 minutes), you may need the 40 minutes depending on your oven. To make the icing add the ingredients to a bowl and mix well, if the ingredients is too wet, add some more icing sugar and if the mixture is too thick, add more milk. Ice the top of the cake with the icing, leave the icing for at least 20 minutes allowing it to set.
GF Caramel Strawberry Delight Pie
Ingredients
1 packet arrowroot GF biscuits
120g melted butter
1 large cup brown sugar
2 heaped tablespoons of rice flour
60g butter
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cartoon of thickened cream
2-3 tablespoons of icing sugar
Few drops of vanilla essence
Several strawberries
Method
Break biscuits in half and place in blender until mixed into a fine powder. Melt the butter Arne add to the bisuit mixture, place in a pie dish and push down evenly and place in the fridge. Cream the butter and sugar add flour. Mix milk and egg yolk together add butter and sugar. Cook in saucepan until very thick (about 10-15mins), add vanilla. Stir contanstantly, place in the pie base, leave in fridge to set. Place thickened cream, bowl and beaters in the fridge until cold, whip cream, add icing sugar and vanilla, beat again. Cut strawberries into quarters and place around the outside of the pie, decorate the centre of the pie with the whipped cream, return to fridge to set. Cut into wedges and serve.
GF Chocolate Mint Tea Infused Cake
Ingredients:
125g butter (softened)
1/2 cup caster
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup gf self raising flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup gf cornflour
1 1/2 teaspoons gf baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa
6 tablespoons Cool Mint Green Tea
Method:
Preheat over to 180 degree Celsius. With electric mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth and light. Add eggs individually and beat well. Sift the flours, cocoa and baking powder into the butter mixture and mix, add tea to make a thick batter (the consistency of brownies, fairly thick). Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined 20cm tin. Bake for 20 minutes, until skewer comes out with cake clinging onto it, this means that it will be moist and delicious. Place on a wire rack, cool and ice.
Icing:
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon sifted cocoa
2 tablespoons milk
Method:
With butter softened mix all the ingredients in a bowl, add icing sugar or milk if needed. Using a spoon and knife ice over the top and side of the cake. Leave to set and eat.
GF Cinnamon Sponge Cake
Ingredients:
4 eggs (room temperature)
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup gf self raising flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup gf corn flour
6 tablespoons boiling milk
57g butter or 2ozs
2tps cinnamon
1 tsps cocoa
Mock Cream:
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup caster sugar
113g butter or 4ozs
1/2 tsps vanilla
Icing:
2 tbls butter
2 tbls milk
1 tbls cocoa
1tps cinnamon 1 cup icing sugar
Add more milk or icing sugar if needed.
Method:
Once the cakes are cool spread the mock cream onto one of the cakes and spread evenly then place the other cake on top. Now it's time to make your icing. Mix all the ingredients for the icing together, ensure the butter is soft, even if you zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds, start with a cup of icing and if you need more milk or icing sugar add it. Once it is made up and all lumps have been mixed out, spread evenly over the top of the cake. You sponge cake is now complete. Don't worry if the texture of the cake becomes a little firmer around the cream, I think it's just the reaction.
GF Lemon and Passionfruit Meringue Pie
Ingredients:
180g plain biscuits
100g melted butter
400g can condensed milk
4 lemons
Rind 1 lemon
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
1 large or 2 small passionfruits
4 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar (just under)
Method:Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Break biscuits and place in a mix master, mix into a fine pieces. Melt 100g melted butter, add to biscuits, mix together. In a pie dish using a wooden spoon push out the biscuits mixture to all edges so it is equal and there are no bumps. When completed place in the fridge to cool. Combine the condensed milk, juice of 4 lemons, the lemon rind, passionfruit and egg yolks. Place this mixture into the biscuit mixture in the pie dish. Using a hand held or free standing mixer, mix beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, add the sugar slowly (don't use the whole 1/2 cup just under is plenty). Once beaten you can pipe, but I simply used the spoon and went around the edge of the pie first with heaped tablespoons of meringue and then added to the centre of the pie.
Gluten Free Peach and Plum Muffins
Ingredients:
4 small plums 1 cup brown rice flour
2 large peaches (skin on) 1/2 cup arrowroot flour
1/2 cup water 1/2 cup gf corn flour
1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup) 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 cup oil (vegetable) or butter 2 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup ground flaxmeal 1/2 tsp. bicarb soda
1 tsp apple cider vinegar 1/2 tsp. sea salt
11/2 tbs. golden syrup
opt:up to 1 cup chopped walnuts
Method:
Preheat oven to 180-200 degrees celcisus. Cut fruit into small pieces and place in the blender until they resemble a puree (leave the skin on the fruit). Combine ingredients in left column (except walnuts if using). In a separate bowl, combine ingredients in right column. Lightly mix the two together, fold in walnuts if using (I didn't use walnuts in my version, its a personal choice). Scoop into oiled muffin tins (I use a olive oil spray). Bake for about 20 minutes or until they spring back when you touch them.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Ingredients:
1 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup gf cornflour
1/2 cup gf flour
1tsp bicarb soda
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 cup butttermilk
200g butter, melted
2 eggs lightly whisked (at room temperature)
1 tbs white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tsp red food colouring
1 x 250g cream cheese at room temperature
2 cups icing sugar (add more to taste)
60g butter at room temperature
2-3 tsp vanilla essence, (for icing, add more to taste).
Method:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcisus. Line 12 muffin pans with paper cases (or 18 patty cakes). Sift flour, cocoa, bicarb soda into a bowl. Stir through sugar. Whisk buttermilk, butter, eggs, vinegar and vanilla in a large jug until well combined. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture, stir until just combined. Stir in the food colouring. Divide the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for 20-25 mins, or until skewer comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, extra butter and vanilla until smooth (I added another cup of icing sugar to meet my taste, so perhaps start with 1 cup and adjust to your individual taste). Spread over cupcakes.
Buttermilk: Add 1 tbs vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk (I used lemon juice). Allow to stand for a min of 5 mintures before using.
Gluten Free Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup plain gf flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten (just use a fork)
150g butter, melted
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 Fahrenheit. Grease a slab tin and line with baking paper. Sift flours, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl. Add sugar and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre. Add eggs (whisk first) and melted butter to flour mixture. Using a metal spoon, mix until just smooth. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 mins, or until the skewer comes out with crumbs clinging to it. Remove from oven, allow to cool in pan. Remove from pan and cut into squares. These are delicious with a nice cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate. You can also eat them with ice cream and chocolate topping! (not recommend all the time!), or as I said for a special occassion with your favourite liqueor or glass of wine.
GF Cherry Ripe Cake (thanks Delicieux for the wonderful cake!)
Cake:
Butter for greasing pans
1/2 cup gf cornflour
1/2 cup arrowroot flour
3/4 cup rice flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good quality cocoa (I used Cadburys)
2 teaspoons of bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups of Coconut milk (1 large tin was enough)
1/2 cup olive oil (original recipe calls for vegetable oil but I only had olive oil,I think for gf olive is the best)
2 extra large eggs at room temperature (this is important, it can really affect the cake!)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup cherry liqueur (I used Continental cherry liqueur, whatever cherry flavoured liqueur or brandy you can find)
200g glace cherries (a packet), finally chopped
1 cup of shredded coconut
Cherry Coconut Butter cream:
125g room temperature butter cut into cubes
1 cup of icing sugar
200g glace cherries, finely chopped
1/4 cup shredded coconut
2 teaspoons of cherry liqueur (or a small slug)
Red food colouring (optional, I used it and it looked great, just a few drops!)
Chocolate Ganache:
1 cup of non thickened cream
300g dark chocolate chopped
1 tablespoon of cherry liqueur (optional)
Method:
1.start with the cake I used muffin tins, you will need at least 24, with maybe a second batch! Best thing about muffin tins is you use cupcake holders, so you don't have to worry about greasing tins! Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350degress Fahrenheit)
2. Sift the flours, cocoa,bicarbonate soda, baking powder and salt. Place in an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, add the sugar and mix on low speed until it's mixed through.
3.In another bowl, whisk the eggs, coconut milk, oil and cherry liqueur. With the mixer on low speed slowly add these ingredients to the dry ingredients until mixed through.
4. With mixer on low add the coconut and cherries until just combined.
5. Pour batter into muffin tins, or to make a big cake use 2 20cm tins (my advice is cupcakes/muffins are the best size, due to the sweetness and richness of this cake)and bake for between 20-30 minutes if using muffins, check regularly with skewer as they cook quicker than a larger cake. It's cooked when the skewer comes out clean.
6.Cool in the pan for 30 minutes or more, even put in fridge or freezer to make then easier to cut in half!
7. For the cherry butter cream mix butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add the food colouring and mix well. Add glace cherries, coconut and cherry liqueur, mix to combine.
8.For the chocolate ganache, use a double saucepan, the larger one filled with a bit of water and place broken chocolate, cream over low heat until melted, add liqueur, set aside until the chocolate thickens and reaches room temperature.
9. Cut cupcakes in half and fill with Butter cream, place the other half of the muffin on tip of the other half. Using 2 tablespoons pour chocolate ganache completely over the cakes, letting it run slowly down the sides.
10. Decorate with cherry ripes, fresh or glace cherries. I used a cherry ripe cut into very small pieces, 1 on each cupcake/muffin.
Note: to overseas readers Cherry Ripes are an Australian chocolate, they taste exactly like this cake! Very yummy! A great Christmas gift, anniversary or special occasion! A guaranteed hit!
Chocolate Baileys Macaron's
Ingredients:
360g icing sugar
200g ground almonds (I used almond meal)
40g cocoa (the original recipe called for Dutch cocoa, I used Nestle cocoa and it was fine)
5 egg whites (eggs need to be at room temperature, this is REALLY important)
1/3 cup caster sugar (If you don't have caster sugar, put normal sugar in a bowl and use a stick mixer to blend to a finer consistency like caster sugar)
1 1/2- 2 cup of icing sugar
100g unsalted butter (slightly melted)
8-10 pieces of milk chocolate
1 tablespoon of hot water
Slug of Baileys (to your liking)
Method:
Sift the icing sugar, ground almonds, cocoa into a bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs until soft white peaks form, add caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whisk until dissolved. Stir in the almond mixture (the mixture will be quite thick). Spoon mixture into a piping bag (this is the best option, for the best presentation of the macaroons), fit with a 5mm nozzle, pipe a small amount of mixture (about 3cm) onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Using a wet finger, smooth out peaks and set aside for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius, bake 2 trays of macaroons at a time, swapping trays half way through, cooking for a total time of 25 minutes (a good idea to set the timer at 12 minutes), or until firm to touch. Allow to cool and slide a knife underneath macaroons to remove from baking paper. You can store them in an airtight container for a week or until ready to assemble.
For the Buttercream icing, using a hand held electric mixer, mix butter, icing sugar, Baileys, hot water and mix, when mixed through, add the chocolate (melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals). Taste the mixture and add Baileys to your taste. Lay out macaroons, using a teaspoon, place buttercream icing onto the macaroon, then add another macaroon on top like a biscuit. Repeat this with all the macaroons. Place in the refrigerator to set, they taste even better after being left in the fridge for a day to let the tastes, blend together.
Chocolate Strawberry Balls
Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 heaped tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. bicarb soda
200g almond meal or ground almonds
250g caster sugar
60g of cocoa
1 1/2 punnets of strawberries
Slug of Baileys (to your liking)
1 block of milk chocolate
100g unsalted butter
1/2 punnet or more of strawberries (for decoration)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. Cut strawberries in half and put in food processor with Baileys until blended through and cut into small pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until ingredients is combined. Now this is the part where you must grease the 20cm spring form cake tin and use baking paper and bake for 1 hour. Let the cake cool before removing. If you want to do the smaller delightful strawberry chocolate balls, remove the cake from the tin, while still warm, the cake will fall apart. Break the cake into smaller pieces, place in a bowl cover with cling wrap and put in the fridge. Get our your patty cake holders and roll the cake mix into small balls and place inside the cup cake holder. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave, checking at 30 second intervals, and stirring each time. Add the melted chocolate and butter and top with a small section of a strawberry. Repeat with remaining mixture. I think this is a delightful way to ensure such a rich cake, in small bite size portions. The only problem is, you are more likely to go back for seconds and thirds! If you do make it as a whole cake, I would cut strawberries in half and decorate around the side of the cake after using the chocolate and butter to make a delicious ganache icing
GF Chocolate and Berry Pavolova with Bailieys and Chocolate Cream
4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup sifted cocoa
1 teaspoon gf cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
pinch salt
300ml thickened cream
1/4 cup Baileys
8 pieces melted dark chocolate
Blueberries
Strawberries
Cherries
Method:
Separate the eggs individually, whisk on high, adding eggs one at a time. Whisk until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, to ensure it is mixed through, add the icing sugar in the same manner until shiny, glossy peaks form. Add sifted cocoa, cornflour, vinegar and saltm fold into meringue mixture.
Draw a 23cm circle on baking paper. Using a spoon and knife, spread dollops of mixture around the entire circle. Pipe remaning mixture around the entire circle, in two layers (see picture if unsure). Add a bit more mixture to the centre. Cook on 140 degrees celicus for 40 minutes or until firm (I turned the oven off and left the door open a bit and let it cook a little bit more for 5 minutes).
Cool the merinuge, it should look like this:
For the cream, whisk a small carton 300ml of thickened cream with 1/4 of a cup of Bailieys or to your liking. Whisk until peaks form. Melt dark chocolate in the microwave, for 30 seconds at a time, mix, careful not to burn the chocolate. Fold melted chocolated through the cream. Add the cream to the centre of the merinuge, making the pavolva! Decorate with berries, I strategically placed, blueberries, cherries and strawberries on my pavolova!
Note: I couldn't resist but this was a little rich immediately after adding the cream, but the next day, when the flavours had blended through tasted much nicer. So something I would recommend making the day before you need it.
Banana Muffins
4 bananas mashed 1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup water 1/2 cup of arrowroot flour
1/3 cup honey*(I used Maple Syrup) 1/2 cup of gluten free cornflour
1/3 cup oil or butter (I used vegtable oil) 1 tsp. cinammon
1/3 cup ground Flax (In Australia it's Flaxmeal) 2 tsp. baking powder
Opt. up to 1 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Method:
Combine ingredients in left column (except for walnuts if including). In a separate bowl combine ingredients in right column. Lightly mix the two together and then fold in walnuts. Scoop into oiled muffin cups. Bake at 180-200 degrees celiscus for about 20 minuts. Makes about one dozen muffins * maple syrup (I used this, or agave (I'm unsure if this can be found in Australia Note: The original recipe called for 1 cup of sorghum flour, unfortunately in Australia, I have not been able to purchase this flour, the arrowroot flour and gluten free cornflour is my subsitiute, and it worked well and tasted delicious!
Chocolate, Almond & Butterscotch Schnapps Christmas Balls
Ingredients:
I packet gf plain biscuits (I'm using arrowroot gf biscuits)
I tin condensed milk
1/2 cup desicatted coconut
1/2 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons of cocoa
2 tablespoons (or a slug) of Butterscotch Schnapps, to your liking
Additional desicatted coconut
Method:
1. Break individual biscuits into small pieces, place in an electric mixer and blend until there are only small pieces, a very fine substance.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well in a bowl.
3. Place additional coconut on a plate and have a separate plate for ready made balls.
4. (this is the messy part), remove rings and jewllrey. Using your hands, roll mixture into medium to small balls, roll in coconut and place on fresh plate. Complete until all mixture is gone!
5. Place plate of made balls, in the fridge.
6. Serve and put in a bowl, or in a box with baking paper if it's a gift and decorate with ribbon or a or a bowl!
Note: you can also make this version without alochol, simply remove from ingredients and they are chocolate balls, still very tasty! To make the gluten version, simply use plain biscuits and follow the same method for the rest of the recipe (if your making for friends and you ate a coeliac don't be tempted to lick your fingers or the bowl! (just remember the puffer fish!)Also the original recipe did not have almond meal, just 1 cup of coconut, so if you have only coconut in the cupboard the recipe will work out fine!
Adults Only Cherry Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients:
300ml (small) carton of thickened cream
1 block of milk chocolate (don't buy the expensive brands, they don't melt well, I buy Woolworth's brand chocolate and it works every time!)
1 cup of finely chopped cherries (cut around each side of the stem, then cut the remaining bits at the bottom)
Cover the cherries in the cherry liqueur, with 1-2cm above the cherries, place in bowl, cover with foil and marinate for at least 2-3 hours
Method:
Whip the cream with an electric (hand held) until cream forms peaks and becomes thicker. Break the chocolate up into small pieces and place in a microwave proof bowl, heat on high for 30 seconds, and stir with a wooden spoon, repeat this process until chocolate is melted. Fold in chocolate to cream. Add the cherries (not all the liqueur, the cream will curdle), get a spoon and spoon cherries into moussese, mix well. Place in small glasses and add a cherry, cut in the middle on the edge of the glass for presentation and enjoy!
Traditional GF Christmas Pudding:
Ingredients:
250g butter (leave out at room temperature)
250g sugar 4 eggs (room temperature)
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup gf plain flour
1/2 cup potato flour
1/2 cup dry stale gf breadcrumbs (leave out, tear into tiny pieces and remove crusts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup currants
60g mixed peel
60g dates
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbote soda
1/2 teaspoon almond essence
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 teaspoon lemon essence
1/4 cup OP or normal rum
3/4 teaspoon mixed spice (or if no mixed spice 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
30cm calico cloth
Method:
Chop and soak fruit, essence, and rum for a monument overnight (better for a few days). Sift flours and dry ingredients, add sugar, rub in butter (best with cold hands), until mixed through. Beat eggs well, until they are light and creamy and 3/4 of way up the bowl, mix in gradually to dry ingredients. Add fruit grudully, stirring well. Rub gf flour into cloth to cover about 8cm from sides, with more flour in the centre. Place cloth in a colander or bowl. Place mixture in centre of cloth, gather ends together and tie securely with string as close to mixture as possible, leaving a small break (1-2cm), to allow pudding to swell. Tie cloth and put in boiling water for 3-4 hours. Continue to add boiling water every 30 minutes, don't allow to boil dry. Puddings are best made a month or so before Xmas and can freeze. Wrap in glad wrap and finish off with a layer of foil. These puddings can store for months in the freezer and taste great 6 months later! Serve with ice cream and brandy custard, and you get to eat pudding just like everyone else! Im storing half in the freezer and half for Christmas day, the frozen half has actually shrunk, don't stress, thats what it is meant to do.
Enjoy from my family a precious recipe to yours! I did notice when eating last night it was slightly crumbly, it tastes perfect tho! I'll play around with the flour combo next year and keep you all updated! Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!
Coconut cake with ganache icing
The inspiration for this cake came from my favourite 4 ingredients cookbook. But this cake was for my famous Miss 30 yr old bestie and I wanted to do a special icing. Also I had run out of icing sugar lol, so I made this move watering icing.
Ingredients
1 heaped cup of coconut
1 cup milk (I use light makes it fat free!!)
1 cup caster sugar
1 3/4 cups GF self raising flour
1 block of chocolate (I used Cadbury milk chocolate)
1/3 cup thickened cream
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celicus. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix (you don't even need electric mixer). Pour batter into a greased loaf tin, lined with baking paper. Bake for 45 minutes.
Now for the ganache, in a small to medium saucepan bring water to a high simmer, break chocolate up and put in a stainless steal bowl over the saucepan, add the cream. Regularly stir with a metal spoon until the chocolate is melted and starts to thicken up, don't have the water boiling, or you will ruin the chocolate. Place the ganache aside to cool a bit, and every few minutes stir, to ensure it is thick.
Using a spoon and knife coat the cake with the ganache (try not to eat all the ganache!!).
This cake is very moist but must be eaten on the same day, as it dries up very easily.
Apologies about the lack of photo but my i phone was not cooperating to upload the photo of the cake. I will put the picture up when I can and my computer time is up. Enjoy this lovely cake or even make ganache over icecream, yummy!!
Choc Coconut Cake
This started off as a plain cake but I added some cocoa and coconut and its so much better than a plain cake! I didn't ice but it really doesn't need it the combination of the coconut and cocoa make it a delicious cake!
1 1/4 cups coconut
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup milk (may need extra)
1 cup caster sugar
1 3/4 cups self raising flour
Method
Preheat oven to 180, Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. If the cake batter is too dry add some more milk and if it is a bit runny add a little more coconut. Pour batter into a greased and lined loaf tin. Bake for 45 minutes, or until cooked through.
Enjoy
xxxx
Recipe of the Day
Icing
Ingredients
1 cup icing sugar
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon milk (have more milk aside as you may need to add more)
1 teaspoon cocoa (for chocolate icing)
Method
Place icing sugar, margarine, cocoa and milk into a bowl and mix well. You will probably need to add a bit more milk (this is the part I always stuff up, do it SLOWLY!!!), 1/2 tablespoon at a time. The best thing is with icing, if you add too much milk you can add more icing sugar and if you add too much icing sugar you can add more milk!!
1 cup of icing sugar may not be enough to cover a large cake, but a 1 cup basis is easiest to work with when making more or less icing!
If you want to make a vanilla icing, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence. But if you fancy some lovely bright coloured icing, be very CAREFUL with how much food colouring you add, one extra drop can make icing look like play dough (trust me I've done it many times!)
Good luck with the icing and I hope this works for you (remember icing is meant to go on cakes!).
Enjoy
xxxx
Recipe of the Day
Patty Cakes
Recipe is from the 'Gluten Free Bible', this recipe can be used for a plain cake, patty cake etc
125g butter (I softened and melted slightly in microwave)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup gf self raising flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup gf cornflour
11/2 teaspoons gf baking powder
3 tablespoons lukewarm milk
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celiscus. With a electric mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth and light. Add vanilla and an egg and beat well. Add the other egg and beat again.
Sift the flours into the butter mixture and mix, add milk to make a smooth, moist batter.
Spoon the mixture into creased patty cake tins, only 3/4 full. Bake for 12 minutes or until firm and golden. Place on a wire rack and cool, ice (frost) and eat!
Enjoy
xxxx
Recipe of the Day
This is from the book Gluten Free Bible, I'm sorry there's not a picture of this recipe, I made these the other day and they were gone before I had a chance to take a picture. I will upload a picture later this week.
Coconut macaroons
Ingredients
2 large egg whites
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons rice flour
2/3 cup caster sugar
Optional 1-2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (I haven't cooked these with the zest)
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks form (I use hand held electric mixer) and fold in coconut, flour and sugar, mix well.
Form little mounds of the batter on the tray and bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown (set timer for 18 minutes just to check).
Cool on a rack before storing
Enjoy xxx
Recipe of the Day
Scones
This is another recipe from the 4 Ingredients Gluten Free Cookbook
The additional ingredients of the extra carton of cream, vanilla essence, icing sugar and jam is things I have added, for serving with scones.
Ingredients
4 Cups GF self raising flour (I ended up using the entire box)
2 tsp GF baking powder
2 x300ml cream
375ml can lemonade (sprite for US readers)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 cup icing sugar
Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Sift self raising flour into a bowl, mix thoroughly and make a well, pour in cream and 3/4 of the lemonade. Mix with hands to make a firm dough (I added more flour as it is very sticky and wet, you won't get the consistency of gluten scones). Roll onto a GF floured surface and knead into a high round mound. Cut with scone cutter (I didn't have one so just formed small round molds), onto a greased baking tray close together. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.
While scones are baking, pour second carton of cream into a bowl with vanilla and icing sugar, beat with electric mixers until cream has thickened (this is how my grandma made cream, lovely and sweet). Put into a serving bowl.
Remove scones from oven and serve warm with jam and cream, and a nice cup of tea or coffee.
Each day I will put up a recipe of the day. These individual tabs will make finding a particular recipe easier.
Recipe of the Day
Chocolate Mousse
Recipe is from 4 Ingredients Gluten Free Cookbook by Kim McCosker and Rachael Bermingham
Ingredients
300ml thickened cream
1 block chocolate (I use milk chocolate) at least 200g
1 Flake Bar
Method
Whip cream with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Melt chocolate carefully in the microwave (stirring even 10-15 seconds), you can burn the chocolate (I've done it!) by leaving it too long. Fold chocolate into cream and spoon into cocktail glasses. Crumble the flake bar onto each glass and refrigerate. You can serve immediately or leave to set for a few hours.
Note: I have soaked a punnet of chopped strawberries in Frangelico for a few hours, then placed strawberries at the bottom of each glass. You can do this with any type of fruit or just serve with the chocolate.
P.S For the Schnitzel recipe, my friend informed me she used a whole egg to coat the chicken not the yoke.
Enjoy
xxxx
Recipe of the Day
Caramel Meringue Pie
This is a family favourite, mum used to make it for special occasions, I never understood why it wasn't a regular dish until I made it. It takes a bit of time, particularly stirring the caramel. I've modified this recipe to make it gf (thus the coconut based pastry).
1 large cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons flour (whatever gf flour available)
70 g butter (diced)
1 cup milk
2 egg yokes
2 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/2 cup maize corn flour
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups coconut
120g melted butter
Method
Pastry: Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Mix corn flour milk coconut and butter into a bowl, add more coconut if the mixture is too runny. with a spoon press the mixture into a pie dish (make sure it isn't too thick). Place in oven for 10-15 minutes to lightly brown.
Caramel: Place butter and brown sugar into an electric mixer for a few minutes, add flour. Mix 1 cup of milk a egg yokes to butter mixture. Put in a saucepan on low to medium heat stir constantly until thickened (takes 10+ minutes), stir in vanilla. Put caramel into the cooled pastry dish.
Meringue: Mix egg whites with a hand held mixer until it starts to get thicker. Add caster sugar and mix until soft peaks form. Put meringue on top of the caramel and put in the oven for 10 minutes to brown the meringue.
Enjoy
xxxx
Recipe of the Day
White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Hazelnut Sauce
From The Gluten- Free Kitchen by Sue Shepherd
I cooked this for the first time last night, everyone loved it, every last mouthful was eaten! I didn't have panna cotta moulds, so I just used some glasses.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I used essence and it was fine)
1/3 cup sugar
50g white chocolate
3 tablespoons boiling water
1 tablespoon powdered gelatine
Hazelnut sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons coco powder, sifted
11/4 tablespoons GF cornflour
11/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons hazelnut liqueur (I used Frangelico)
Method
Heat cream, milk, vanilla, sugar and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until chocolate has melted.
Combine the boiling water and gelatine in a small heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a larger bowl of boiling water, stirring constantly until the gelatine has dissolved. Stir the dissolved gelatine into the chocolate mixture. Pour into panna cotta moulds (or glasses, see picture if unsure of amount) and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight until set.
To make the sauce, combine the sugar, cocoa and cornflour in a small saucepan. Stir in a little milk to form a thick paste, then add remaining milk and mix well to ensure there are no lumps (I used a whisk for this). Stir over medium-high heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, then remove from heat and stir in hazelnut liqueur. Transfer to a jug, over and refrigerate until ready to serve, pour over the panna cotta.
Enjoy
xxxx
Recipe of the Day
This is from the book Gluten Free Bible, I'm sorry there's not a picture of this recipe, I made these the other day and they were gone before I had a chance to take a picture. I will upload a picture later this week.
Coconut macaroons
Ingredients
2 large egg whites
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons rice flour
2/3 cup caster sugar
Optional 1-2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (I haven't cooked these with the zest)
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks form (I use hand held electric mixer) and fold in coconut, flour and sugar, mix well.
Form little mounds of the batter on the tray and bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly golden brown (set timer for 18 minutes just to check).
Cool on a rack before storing
Enjoy xxx
Recipe of the Day
Popcorn pudding
Recipe is from the Gluten Free Bible by Jacki Passmore
This recipe is so easy and so very yummy! It doesn't taste much like popcorn at all. I made it to take to the in-laws for desert, and picked this recipe as everything that was needed to make it was in my cupboard or fridge. I wasn't quite sure how it would taste but everyone loved it, all plates were left without a crumb! It doesn't look that appetising but it tastes wonderful.
Serves 4
Ingredients
5 cups plain cooked popcorn (I just used microwave popcorn)
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup sugar (I used caster sugar)
2 cups milk
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Thickly butter a 4 cup over dish.
Crush popcorn (I put popcorn in a large bowl and crushed with the back of a large metal spoon) and pick out any unpopped kernels. Combine popcorn, sultanas, sugar and milk and pour into the dish.
Bake for about 40 minutes until set and golden on top.
Serve warm or cold with ice cream.
Enjoy
Recipe of the Day
This is from the 4 Ingredients Gluten Free Cookbook
Chocolate Mousse Patty Cakes
250g milk chocolate
3 eggs
1/4 cup GF self raising flour
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Melt chocolate in a saucepan (put in a smaller saucepan, with the smaller saucepan in a larger one filled with hot water, prevents chocolate burning), stirring often. Mix eggs and flour with a whisk and stir in chocolate with a wooden spoon. Grease a patty cake tin (recipe says it makes 6 I made 7) and spoon in mixture (not too high as they will rise). Bake for 20 minutes or until sides are set but centre is still liquid. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve with ice-cream or cream.
Enjoy
Enjoy
