Shortbread Cookies

These are sweet, sandy shortbreads that dissolve in the mouth. They also crumble in the making and require the patience of Job. But it's a religious season, so make like Job and be patient. For brown-sugar shortbread with a crunch, like my Scottish grandmother used to make, see Rebecca Reilly's Gluten-Free Baking, and roll the dough thin.

1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup gluten-free icing sugar
1 cup white rice flour
3/4 cup butter

Sift cornstarch, sugar, and flour together. Add butter and mix with hands until a soft dough forms. Refrigerate at least one hour. Shape it into 1” balls. This might require patience, since the dough is super-crumbly and might need to warm in your hands before it will hold together. Place cookies 1 1/2” apart on a parchment-paper or silicone-sheet lined unrimmed cookie pans. Flatten very gently with a fork dusted with rice flour, if the cookies are not already too crumbly. Bake at 300F for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

These are really special if you dip their tops in melted chocolate after they have cooled.

Gluten-Free Raisin Bread ("Plum Loaf")

Over Christmas, I found myself missing the "plum loaf" my mother and grandmother used to make with big, sticky raisins, and I decided I would try to make some. I bought the raisins, but I didn't find the time to adapt my grandmother's recipe, so "plum loaf" was one of the cuts I had to make to my extensive Christmas baking list.

I made two loaves today to give as gifts to my mother and mother-in-law, and I was very pleased with the results. The bread smells like Grandma's and is buttery and mildly spicy and sweet. Here's the recipe I used. The proportions are inspired by a recipe by Bette Hagman for a bread with a healthy (or unhealthy) dollop of butter.

2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup amaranth flour
1 cup powdered milk
3/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup potato starch
1 tbsp egg replacer
1 tbsp xanthan gum
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 lb sticky raisins
3 tbsp brown sugar + 2 tsp more for proofing the yeast

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 packets (2 1/2 tbsp) yeast
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
4 large eggs

In a very large bowl, combine the flours, egg replacer, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 3 tbsp brown sugar. Whisk until well combined. Stir in the raisins, coating them well with flour so they don't stick together and are well-distributed throughout the dough. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, dissolve 2 tsp brown sugar in half the warm water (1 1/4 cups). Sprinkle the yeast on top and set aside until very frothy.

Beat the yeast mixture into the flour mixture, then pour in the remaining half of the warm water (1 1/4 cups), the melted butter, and the cider vinegar. Beat well with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time to make a very soft dough. Beat for as long as you have patience, or 3 minutes. (I run out of patience first.)

Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and leave to rise until doubled, about an hour. Meanwhile, grease two bread pans.

When the dough has risen, stir to remove large bubbles and then beat the dough for several more minutes. Spoon evenly into the two prepared pans. The dough will fill them to the 1/2 to 2/3 mark. Cover the pans with plastic wrap or a towel and set aside again to rise until the bread reaches the tops of the pans, about another hour.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove the plastic or towel and place loaves in the oven when it is up to temp. Cover the loaves with foil after 15 minutes. Cook for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until both loaves ring hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and allow to cool completely on a rack before slicing.

Delicious fresh or toasted, especially served with a sharp, old Cheddar cheese.