I found a version of this recipe in a newsletter from the local celiac association, and it was credited to the "Edmonton Chapter." So, thanks to the Edmonton chapter. I've adapted the recipe to my liking -- and also to my patience. My little "tweaks" have made the batter easier to pour and to spread and then to shape into cones, but at the cost of a little bit of crispness, unless the cones are cooked to perfection, and life admits a lot more errors than perfections. A real treat, though, to have a real ice-cream cone . . . worth the bother for the sake of much-loved children.
2 egg whites
pinch salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp water (or tiny bits more, as needed for pourability)
Beat egg whites with salt until frothy. Stir in sugar, vanilla, almond extract, xanthan gum, cornstarch, potato starch, and water; stir until no lumps remain. (The mixture will be similar in texture and colour to melted marshmallows.)
Lightly spray a hot pan with vegetable oil or non-stick cooking spray. (Keep the temperature constant at low-medium -- just less than 4 on a scale of 10 on my stove.)
Spoon approximately 1 1/2 tbsp batter into greased pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter into a circle or oval as thin as the batter allows, ideally about 4". Cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then flip to cook the other side until it, too is golden, about 90 seconds. Very carefully and very quickly, without burning your fingers, remove from pan onto a silicone baking sheet or heavy, clean towel. Form into a cone with your fingers, working quickly but without burning your fingers. The cone will set into place quickly as it cools. Place cone seam-side down to cool completely. Freeze if not using within a few days.
Makes 12 cones, give or take. Takes about an hour. If sugar from the cones begins to burn on your pan, remove from heat, wash and dry, re-heat the pan, and recommence.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Marjorie's Blueberry Cake
My mother-in-law asked me to attempt to recreate her favourite blueberry cake in a gluten-free form for blueberry season. The first attempt was good, but the centre was slow to cook, leaving the edges a little browned for my liking. The second attempt was better, with delicate and tender sides and an evenly risen and browned top, but it was definitely a little more finicky. I made sure my butter and eggs were room temperature and I warmed the milk in the microwave. And I used fresh, not frozen, blueberries to reduce the cooking time. And I cooked the whole darn thing in a bain marie. It was nearly perfect cake, but if you really can't be bothered with the fussing, it will still be delicious -- a real, old-fashioned cake to serve with tea.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup warm milk
2 to 3 cups blueberries
Grease and line with parchment paper a 9" square pan.
In a large bowl, whip butter until white. Cream sugar with butter until light and fluffy, several minutes longer than you think is reasonable. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flours and starches, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.
To the butter mixture, beat in flour mixture alternately with the warm milk. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Place the cake pan in a larger pan; fill the larger pan with boiling water to halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake at 350F for about one hour (definitely a little more for frozen berries). A skewer poked into a crack in the cake's surface should test clean.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup warm milk
2 to 3 cups blueberries
Grease and line with parchment paper a 9" square pan.
In a large bowl, whip butter until white. Cream sugar with butter until light and fluffy, several minutes longer than you think is reasonable. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flours and starches, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.
To the butter mixture, beat in flour mixture alternately with the warm milk. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Place the cake pan in a larger pan; fill the larger pan with boiling water to halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake at 350F for about one hour (definitely a little more for frozen berries). A skewer poked into a crack in the cake's surface should test clean.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe can be doubled or tripled for special occasions. No one will know there chewy crisp cookies are gluten-free unless you tell them.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup amaranth flour
1/3 cup potato starch
3 tbsp tapioca starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup fine unsweetened coconut
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours and other dry ingredients. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and coconut. Drop by 1 tbsp about two inches apart on prepared pans.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until light golden. Cool cookies on racks, if they last until cool.
Makes almost 3 dozen cookies.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup amaranth flour
1/3 cup potato starch
3 tbsp tapioca starch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup fine unsweetened coconut
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets. Preheat oven to 350F.
Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flours and other dry ingredients. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips and coconut. Drop by 1 tbsp about two inches apart on prepared pans.
Bake for about 12 minutes, until light golden. Cool cookies on racks, if they last until cool.
Makes almost 3 dozen cookies.
Corn Fritters
These quick corn pancakes make a very quick breakfast side-dish or, surprisingly enough, a good vegetarian sandwich filling, with cheese, sprouts, tomatoes, and a spicy fruit chutney. If you like a stiffer and heavier dough for fritters, adding more flour is an option.
1 can (14 oz/400 ml) can creamed corn
1 large egg
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
Whisk egg into creamed corn until beaten. Stir in flours and flaxseed and baking soda until just mixed.
Drop 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of dough onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Cook over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown and well set. Serve with chutney, as a savoury, or with maple syrup or molasses, as a sweet breakfast.
Makes about 12 smallish (2 1/2" to 3") pancakes (about 3 servings).
1 can (14 oz/400 ml) can creamed corn
1 large egg
1/4 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
Whisk egg into creamed corn until beaten. Stir in flours and flaxseed and baking soda until just mixed.
Drop 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of dough onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Cook over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown and well set. Serve with chutney, as a savoury, or with maple syrup or molasses, as a sweet breakfast.
Makes about 12 smallish (2 1/2" to 3") pancakes (about 3 servings).
Amaranth-Blueberry Pancakes
July got away from me with no recipe postings, due to regular summer busy-ness, a new baby in my sister's family, and a bout of hot summer weather that kept me out of the kitchen.
These amaranth pancakes were a hit with my baby, who liked sinking her new teeth into the dense and chewy little cakes. Halved fresh raspberries would be a nice substitute for blueberries. Leftovers are best reheated in the microwave. They do not do well in the toaster, unless you like a lot more crunch to your pancakes than I do.
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
sprinkle of salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp oil
1/2 cup blueberries
In a medium bowl, whisk flours and starches, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and oil until well blended.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, just to combine. Fold in blueberries.
Spoon by the generous, dolloppy tablespoonful onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Turn once, after set on one side.
Makes about 12 smallish (2 1/2-3") pancakes.
These amaranth pancakes were a hit with my baby, who liked sinking her new teeth into the dense and chewy little cakes. Halved fresh raspberries would be a nice substitute for blueberries. Leftovers are best reheated in the microwave. They do not do well in the toaster, unless you like a lot more crunch to your pancakes than I do.
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
sprinkle of salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp oil
1/2 cup blueberries
In a medium bowl, whisk flours and starches, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and oil until well blended.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, just to combine. Fold in blueberries.
Spoon by the generous, dolloppy tablespoonful onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Turn once, after set on one side.
Makes about 12 smallish (2 1/2-3") pancakes.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Savoury Ricotta Muffins
Another savoury muffin recipe. I must admit these required too much work for me to commit to making them very often. Hours after cooling, though, they were still moist (a wee bit sticky) and still nicely crunchy on the edges. Cottage cheese would probably work just fine rather than ricotta -- it would leave some nice wee lumps of curd in the mix.
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dry mustard powder (check that it's gluten-free)
3/4 cup milk
3 tbsp melted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 small onion, minced finely
1/4 cup parsley, minced finely
1/2 cup grated very old Cheddar
1/2 tsp paprika
Prepare 12 muffin tins by greasing them well. Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours and starches, xanthan gum, flaxseed meal, salt, mustard, and baking powder. In a larger bowl, wuickly beat together milk, butter, and egg; fold in ricotta, onion, and parsley. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
Spoon into prepared muffin tins, dividing evenly. Sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dry mustard powder (check that it's gluten-free)
3/4 cup milk
3 tbsp melted butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 small onion, minced finely
1/4 cup parsley, minced finely
1/2 cup grated very old Cheddar
1/2 tsp paprika
Prepare 12 muffin tins by greasing them well. Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours and starches, xanthan gum, flaxseed meal, salt, mustard, and baking powder. In a larger bowl, wuickly beat together milk, butter, and egg; fold in ricotta, onion, and parsley. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
Spoon into prepared muffin tins, dividing evenly. Sprinkle evenly with Cheddar cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce
This famous recipe from a local swanky eatery at Dalvay-by-the-Sea has been published in Gourmet magazine and is a favourite at PEI supper parties. It is fruity and sticky enough to adapt well to gluten-free flour. Make sure to serve it warm.
1 3/4 cups packed pitted dates (about 10 oz)
2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup potato starch flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 rounded tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
Preheat oven to 375F and butter and rice-flour an 8” square baking pan, knocking out excess rice flour.
Coarsely chop dates and simmer with water in a saucepan, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Let mixture stand 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl sift together flours and starches, xanthan gum, baking powder, ginger, and salt.
In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating very well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Fold in date mixture and until just combined well. (This bit will be a bit sticky with gluten-free flours. Be patient and steadfast.)
Pour batter into prepared pan and set pan in a larger baking pan. Add enough hot water to larger pan to reach halfway up sides of smaller pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool pudding on a rack. Serve warm with toffee sauce.
Toffee Sauce:
7/8 cup butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
In a heavy saucepan over moderate heat melt butter. Add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally; then stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
1 3/4 cups packed pitted dates (about 10 oz)
2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup potato starch flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 rounded tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
Preheat oven to 375F and butter and rice-flour an 8” square baking pan, knocking out excess rice flour.
Coarsely chop dates and simmer with water in a saucepan, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Let mixture stand 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl sift together flours and starches, xanthan gum, baking powder, ginger, and salt.
In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating very well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each addition until just combined. Fold in date mixture and until just combined well. (This bit will be a bit sticky with gluten-free flours. Be patient and steadfast.)
Pour batter into prepared pan and set pan in a larger baking pan. Add enough hot water to larger pan to reach halfway up sides of smaller pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool pudding on a rack. Serve warm with toffee sauce.
Toffee Sauce:
7/8 cup butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
In a heavy saucepan over moderate heat melt butter. Add brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally; then stir in cream and vanilla. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
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