Ginger Crunch Cookies

Another adapted New Zealand-type cookies -- slightly short, not too sweet, and crunchy without being crumbly or too tooth-achingly crisp. These cookies will not spread much or rise much (they contain no baking powder or baking soda). They have a mildly gingery taste at first, but the ginger gives a pleasantly hot kick on the aftertaste. Custard powder adds colour and a small amount of flavour. Make sure your custard powder is made of corn starch and contains no gluten.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/3 cup potato starch flour
3 tbsp tapioca starch flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

5 tbsp custard powder
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 cup cornflakes, slightly crushed

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and egg until well blended. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, starches, and xanthan gum. In a small bowl, toss chopped crystallized ginger in custard powder until well coated.

Blend flour mixture into butter mixture, then blend in ginger mixture. Roll by the tablespoonful into 24 balls, and roll the balls in cornflakes to coat crunchily. Place balls on a parchment-paper or silicone sheet-lined baking pan. Flatten with your fingers or with a fork.

Bake for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 375F, until firm and lightly browned. Allow to cool on the pans until cool enough to transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 24 cookies.

Soft Apple-Nut Spice Cookies

Adapted from an unpublished recipe by local cook and cookbook writer extraordinaire, Joanie Sutton.

I made these cookies partly to use up an over-stocked fruit bowl and partly in hopes the cookies might be slightly more healthful than my usual cookies. I don't know about the health factor, but the cookies were delicious, and the fruit bowl was happily diminished of its oversupply of apples.

I have to admit, these are a bit more healthful than I usual like my cookies to be -- they're more like muffin tops!

3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup almond flour (ground almonds)
1/2 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups grated apple (about 3 medium apples)
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line three cookie pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flours and starches, xanthan gum, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until well blended.

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.

With the electric mixer running, beat in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Gradually add the grated apple, mixing well to combine. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Drop by the tablespoon onto the prepared cookie pans and bake 12-14 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned and centre springs back from a light touch. Allow to cool on the pans for 5 minutes, or until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes approximately 40 cookies.

Chocolate Pudding Cake

Self-saucing pudding cake that’s easy, rich, and incredibly decadent with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup potato or tapioca starch
1/4 cup soy flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 rounded tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/3 boiling water
1/3 cup cocoa

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours and starches, first measure of cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, butter, milk, vanilla. Add the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Stir in walnuts. Spread in an ungreased 8” square pan.

In yet another bowl, whisk brown sugar, second measure of cocoa, and boiling water. Pour over batter in the baking pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs adhering to it. (The bottom layer of the cake will be wet and puddingy.)

Serve hot!

Makes 9 medium servings.

Apple or Rhubarb Crisp II

Here is my favourite gluten-free apple/rhubarb crisp topping with oatmeal, based on my Scottish grandmother's recipe. If you don't have access to pure, uncontaminated oatmeal, use the oatmeal-based version of the recipe in the last post, Apple or Rhubarb Crisp I.

4 cups fruit, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup arrowroot flour or tapioca starch
1/2 to 1 cup sugar (1/2 for apple, 1 for rhubarb)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Gluten-Free Topping:
1/4 cup fine dry gluten-free bread crumbs
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Combine sliced fruit, white sugar, 1/4 cup arrowroot flour, cinnamon, and water. Pour into a 9” square pan. Combine bread crumbs, brown rice, tapioca starch, brown sugar, oatmeal, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix well and crumble over the fruit in the pan. Pat down lightly. Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

Apple or Rhubarb Crisp I

My grandmother's spring rhubarb crisp and autumn apple crisp were notable for their crispy topping with almost as much butter as oatmeal! Her crisp also contained more flour than oats, and so is slightly harder to replicate as a gluten-free concoction. The following recipe captures some of the buttery, sugary crunch, but if you have access to pure, uncontaminated oatmeal, use the oatmeal-based version of the recipe in the next post, Apple or Rhubarb Crisp II.

4 cups fruit, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup arrowroot flour or tapioca starch
1/2 to 1 cup sugar (1/2 for apple, 1 for rhubarb)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Gluten-Free Topping:
1 cup fine dry gluten-free bread crumbs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds
a few drops almond extract
1/2 cup melted butter

Combine sliced fruit, white sugar, 1/4 cup arrowroot flour, cinnamon, and water. Pour into a 9” square pan. Combine bread crumbs, brown sugar, coconut, pecans, almonds, almond extract, and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix well and crumble over the fruit in the pan. Pat down lightly. Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.

Variations:
* Add 1/2 cup blueberries or cranberries to either rhubarb or apple mixture.
* Sprinkle apples with 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 1 to 2 tbsp lemon juice for a tangy apple crisp.

Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

This is a really special angel-food cake, perfect for the coming berry and fruit season. Tetra-pak egg whites make this easy and don’t leave you with a dozen lonely egg yolks yearning to be made into pudding.

2/3 cup sweet rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp xanthan gum

12 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp almond extract

3/4 cup sugar

Combine flours, 3/4 sugar, salt, and xanthan gum.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and vanilla and almond until quite stiff. While beating, gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture by hand. Pour batter into an ungreased tube pan. Gently cut through the batter with a knife to break air bubbles.

Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes. Invert immediately on the top of a bottle. Allow to cool completely before turning out.

Everyday Apple Spice Cake

This is a sweet, spongy, puddingy cake good served with ice cream, whipped cream, or butterscotch sauce.

Instead of dried cranberries and/or nuts, it is also delicious with a handful or two of diced rhubarb, fresh or frozen cranberries, or wild blueberries folded into the batter.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 large apples, peeled and grated
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients and add to the butter mixture. Fold in apples and nuts and cranberries (if desired).

Pour batter into a greased 8” square pan. Bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tests done in the centre.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Like most cakes with fruit or vegetable content, carrot cake adapts very well to gluten-free flour. The carrot adds lots of moisture and evens out the texture. You can also add 2 tbsp flaxseed meal to the recipe. For a slightly lighter cake, there's always the option of separating the eggs, beating the whites until stiff, and folding them in after folding in the carrots.

Gluten-free carrot cake rises best (though still not hugely) in a sheet pan (9x13”) rather than a tube pan.

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup potato starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 cups white sugar
2 rounded tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots

Whisk together dry ingredients. Add oil and eggs and fold until just mixed. Fold in carrots. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake tests done. Allow to cool before icing.

Cream-Cheese Icing:

6 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 to 2 tsp grated orange rind (optional)
1 1/2 cup icing sugar

Soften and blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and orange rind. Stir in icing sugar until smooth.

New Zealand Nana's Pavlova

With summer (allegedly) on the way, with its bounty of fresh fruits and berries, what better than a meringue?

This antipodean recipe comes from my friend Mark's nana and makes enough for an army. Mark's nana used malt vinegar, but for a gluten-free version, balsamic vinegar adds a hint of lovely caramel colour and mild flavour. Mark was pleasantly surprised by how well Canadian wild blueberries matched the New Zealand pavlova.

6 egg whites
3 cups sugar
3 tbsp cold water
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cornstarch

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add water and beat again until stiff. Add sugar slowly, one spoon at a time; beat again. Sprinkle vinegar, salt, vanilla, and cornstarch and beat again. Spread on parchment paper on a pan and bake at 300F for five minutes. Turn oven down to 200F for 2 hours. Turn off the oven, and if possible leave the pavlova in the oven overnight to dry out.

Serve topped with lots of whipped cream and fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries, kiwis, blueberries, or whatever suits your fancy). Allow to sit topped with cream and fruit for one hour before serving.

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

These "muffins" are cupcakes, really. They adapted surprisingly well to gluten-free flours -- the rice flour makes them a little crisper on the edges, but it’s a nice texture. The recipe makes 9 full-size muffins. I'm not sure how well they keep -- they got eaten up too fast at the potluck we brought them to!

75 g cream cheese
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup brown rice or amaranth flour (or a combination)
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup soy flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
2 tsp (heaping) baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk

Beat cream cheese and 2 tbsp sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside.

Combine flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and whisk well. In a smaller bowl, combine egg, oil, and milk and whisk. Combine wet and dry ingredients with a light hand.

Spoon 2 tbsp chocolate batter into each of nine prepared muffin cups, drop 1 tsp cream cheese mixture on top, then cover with remaining chocolate batter.

Bake at 375F for 20 minutes.