One of the best things about Rebecca Reilly's wonderful book, Gluten-Free Baking, is that the recipes hail from Maine and share heritage with the recipes of Atlantic Canada that my family grew up with and that we continue to crave despite dietary limitations. Her soft molasses cookies taste like my grandmothers' kitchens used to smell and are every bit as good as the wheatier variety, especially fresh out of the oven. This recipe is adapted, but not by much, from her book. But buy the book. You need it.
3/4 cup amaranth flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup soy flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 rounded tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar; mix in sugar, molasses, and egg.
In a small bowl, whisk together flours and starches with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and xanthan gum.
Add dry ingredients to molasses mixture alternately with the buttermilk, in three additions.
Refrigerate dough for an hour, if you have the time and patience. (I didn't, and no loss to the cookies' quality.)
Spoon rounded tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon baking sheet. Bake for approximately 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When done, the cookies will spring back blithley from a light touch.
Allow cookies to cool on pans for five minutes, then transfer to racks to complete cooling.
Makes about 32 cookies.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Soft Lemon Drop Cookies
This recipe is adapted from Gluten-Free Girl's wonderful lemon olive oil cookies and makes soft, chewy, intensely lemony cookies. Like little pillows of lemony goodness. I haven't managed to share these cookies with anyone outside our house yet. They seem to disappear before we get outside the door.
1/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt (soy yogurt works A-OK, too)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1 tsp pure lemon extract
zest of one medium lemon, well-washed and scrubbed before grating
juice of one medium lemon
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Combine dry ingredients in a smaller bowl. Whisk well.
Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk well, as well.
Stir dry ingredients into wet with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides well.
Spacing them 2" apart, drop cookies by the gooey spoonful onto parchment paper- or silicon sheet-lined baking sheets to make 20 to 24 cookies. Bake 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set and cracks in the surface no longer look wet and doughy.
Allow to cool on the pans for five minutes, then cool on a rack.
Makes almost 2 dozen cookies.
1/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt (soy yogurt works A-OK, too)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1 tsp pure lemon extract
zest of one medium lemon, well-washed and scrubbed before grating
juice of one medium lemon
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup amaranth flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Combine dry ingredients in a smaller bowl. Whisk well.
Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk well, as well.
Stir dry ingredients into wet with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides well.
Spacing them 2" apart, drop cookies by the gooey spoonful onto parchment paper- or silicon sheet-lined baking sheets to make 20 to 24 cookies. Bake 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are set and cracks in the surface no longer look wet and doughy.
Allow to cool on the pans for five minutes, then cool on a rack.
Makes almost 2 dozen cookies.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
This recipe is based on Bette Hagman's muffin recipe, with additions of whole grains and a flavourful sprinkling of cinnamon sugar from my mother's wheat-based blueberry muffin recipe. If possible, it’s best to let these cool an hour or so before eating them. When they’re hot, the texture is quite nice, but they taste too “eggy” for my liking. The muffins freeze well and heat nicely in the microwave.
Topping:
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup softened butter
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup amaranth flour
3/4 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
5 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup blueberries or other chopped fruit
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 12 muffin cups. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Beat in eggs. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. Don’t overbeat. Stir in vanilla. Fold in blueberries. (The dough will seem sloppier than regular muffin dough.) Pour into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake about 20 minutes, until muffins test done.
Makes a dozen muffins.
Topping:
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup softened butter
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup amaranth flour
3/4 cup potato starch flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
5 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup blueberries or other chopped fruit
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 12 muffin cups. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Beat in eggs. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. Don’t overbeat. Stir in vanilla. Fold in blueberries. (The dough will seem sloppier than regular muffin dough.) Pour into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake about 20 minutes, until muffins test done.
Makes a dozen muffins.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Breakfast Rice Pudding
This rice pudding is more like a naturally sweet breakfast porridge than a dessert. It is gluten, egg, and dairy free and is still delicious. This batch makes enough for at least five days' worth of breakfasts -- just tuck the casserole dish into the fridge and warm a serving at a time in the microwave. If you don't have cashews, pecans make a good substitute, for a flavourful but slightly darker-hued pudding.
2 cups cooked brown and wild rice combo
1 cup crushed pineapple and juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 ripe banana
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
3 tbsp orange juice concentrate
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Preheat the oven to 325F. In a casserole dish, combine brown rice, pineapple and juice, and dried fruit.
In a blender, combine banana, hot water, cashews, orange juice concentrate, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend until smooth.
Pour blended ingredients over rice mixture. Mix well. Bake for 45 minutes.
Makes 6 breakfast servings
2 cups cooked brown and wild rice combo
1 cup crushed pineapple and juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 ripe banana
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
3 tbsp orange juice concentrate
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
Preheat the oven to 325F. In a casserole dish, combine brown rice, pineapple and juice, and dried fruit.
In a blender, combine banana, hot water, cashews, orange juice concentrate, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend until smooth.
Pour blended ingredients over rice mixture. Mix well. Bake for 45 minutes.
Makes 6 breakfast servings
Monday, February 26, 2007
Gluten-Free Tortillas (Wraps)
I love the texture and flavour of amaranth flour and so should not have been so surprised to discover that it makes chewy, flexible tortillas.
My mother is the queen of burritos and has been looking for a wrapper that the celiacs in the family could eat. I think this may just do the trick! This small batch is enough to make two large, burrito-stuffable tortillas or three smaller (10 cm) tortillas to wrap around a sandwich filling or to eat as fajitas. So far, I've only eaten these warm, so I'm not sure how they work with cool fillings.
2/3 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup water
sprinkle of salt
Combine amaranth flour, water, and salt, mixing well until the dough can be formed into a dense, slightly sticky ball. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Divide into two or three balls. Place each between two sheets of plastic wrap (sprinkling with a little rice flour, if necessary). Roll until tortilla-thin. Gently peel away plastic wrap from each side.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with a mist of vegetable oil. Cook the tortillas one at a time, just until each side bubbles slightly and the bubbles brown (30 seconds to 1 minute per side).
Stack tortillas on a warm platter and stuff while warm and soft.
These reheat nicely in the microwave with a warm sandwich filling.
Makes 3 (10cm) or 2 slightly larger tortillas.
My mother is the queen of burritos and has been looking for a wrapper that the celiacs in the family could eat. I think this may just do the trick! This small batch is enough to make two large, burrito-stuffable tortillas or three smaller (10 cm) tortillas to wrap around a sandwich filling or to eat as fajitas. So far, I've only eaten these warm, so I'm not sure how they work with cool fillings.
2/3 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup water
sprinkle of salt
Combine amaranth flour, water, and salt, mixing well until the dough can be formed into a dense, slightly sticky ball. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Divide into two or three balls. Place each between two sheets of plastic wrap (sprinkling with a little rice flour, if necessary). Roll until tortilla-thin. Gently peel away plastic wrap from each side.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Lightly grease with a mist of vegetable oil. Cook the tortillas one at a time, just until each side bubbles slightly and the bubbles brown (30 seconds to 1 minute per side).
Stack tortillas on a warm platter and stuff while warm and soft.
These reheat nicely in the microwave with a warm sandwich filling.
Makes 3 (10cm) or 2 slightly larger tortillas.
Chewy Chocolate-Butterscotch Chip Cookies
An adapted version of a recipe from an old Harrowsmith recipe. These were popular when I made them yesterday, though I can't comment on how well they might keep, since they didn't last long enough . . .
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups ground oatmeal (gluten-free oatmeal pulverized in a food processor)
1/3 cup amaranth flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 oz chocolate chips
2 oz butterscotch chips
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars, then eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk oatmeals, flours and starches, xanthan, soda, and baking powder.
With the electric mixer running, blend flour mixture into butter mixture. Add chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut, and almonds and mix with the electric mixer until well combined.
Roll into balls, one large tablespoonful at a time, to make 36 balls. Place 2" apart on a parchment paper-lined or silicone sheet-lined pan. Flatten balls slightly with your hand. Bake for 10 minutes, until beginning to brown lightly. Allow to cool a few minutes on the pan before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups ground oatmeal (gluten-free oatmeal pulverized in a food processor)
1/3 cup amaranth flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 oz chocolate chips
2 oz butterscotch chips
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, cream butter, sugars, then eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk oatmeals, flours and starches, xanthan, soda, and baking powder.
With the electric mixer running, blend flour mixture into butter mixture. Add chocolate and butterscotch chips, coconut, and almonds and mix with the electric mixer until well combined.
Roll into balls, one large tablespoonful at a time, to make 36 balls. Place 2" apart on a parchment paper-lined or silicone sheet-lined pan. Flatten balls slightly with your hand. Bake for 10 minutes, until beginning to brown lightly. Allow to cool a few minutes on the pan before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Gluten-Free Crepes
These turn out beautifully. No one will know they are gluten-free -- if secrecy about celiac happens to be your thing. They can be used for supper or for dessert and extras store well in the refrigerator.
1/3 cup rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tbsp tapioca starch
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
Whisk flours with salt in a medium bowl or cup with a pouring spout. Whisk eggs and milk until well combined. Stir wet ingredients into flours and refrigerate batter at least 1 hour.
Remove from the refrigerator and whisk batter again very thoroughly. (Flours will have settled lumpishly to the bottom.)
Grease a crêpe pan with butter over medium heat. When butter has fizzed and the bubbles have subsided, pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into the pan. Tilt pan to cover evenly. Cook until set, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip and cook lightly (30 seconds) on the other side. Stir the batter well from the bottom before cooking each crêpe, as flours will settle again swiftly.
Makes 10 to 12 thin crêpes.
1/3 cup rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tbsp tapioca starch
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
Whisk flours with salt in a medium bowl or cup with a pouring spout. Whisk eggs and milk until well combined. Stir wet ingredients into flours and refrigerate batter at least 1 hour.
Remove from the refrigerator and whisk batter again very thoroughly. (Flours will have settled lumpishly to the bottom.)
Grease a crêpe pan with butter over medium heat. When butter has fizzed and the bubbles have subsided, pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into the pan. Tilt pan to cover evenly. Cook until set, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip and cook lightly (30 seconds) on the other side. Stir the batter well from the bottom before cooking each crêpe, as flours will settle again swiftly.
Makes 10 to 12 thin crêpes.
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