Gluten Free Shortbread

I recently purchased a package of gluten free pecan shortbread, delicious, no doubt, but I knew I could do better at home.  So can you.

GF Shortbread

1 1/3 cup rice flour 

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup arrowroot

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

2 sticks butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla 

Preheat oven to 300.

In a small bowl mix together rice flour, arrowroot, salt, baking powder & xanthan gum.  Stir together & set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, sugar & vanilla.  Cream together with electric mixer.  Slowly add and mix in the dry ingredients, blending completely.

Once mixed, it will look like crumbs and you will wonder how in the world it will become cookies.  If you've never made shortbread, it's like magic how it all comes together.  Trust me, it will!

Once mixed, you can add various ingredients to make different types if shortbread.  For pecan, I added about 1/2 cup of finely ground pecans to the mixture, stirred it in completely and they turned out perfectly.  

Yum Yum Suggestions:  

•1/4 cup finely ground nuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds, cashews; whatever you like.  If adding almonds, substitute 1 tsp. almond extract for the vanilla extract

•1/4-1/2 cup chopped milk or dark chocolate, increase vanilla extract to 2 1/2 tsp

•1/2 cup chopped dried cherries, substitute 1 tsp. almond extract for the vanilla extract 

•1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut 

After mixing in desired ingredients, grab a handful of the crumbly mixture and squeeze it into a flat ball, sort of like a hamburger patty.  Don't try to roll out all of the dough at once.  It will crumble apart and leave you super frustrated!  Take it in small batches, a couple of handfuls at a time.  The goal is a compressed patty that you can roll out without it falling apart.  

Carefully press it together, pressing in around the edges to keep it from crumbling apart.  Place the dough patty on a floured surface to roll out on.  

Flatten the patty with your hand and then roll out to about 1/4" thickness.  I turn the dough to roll it out in every direction.  I also keep compressing in the sides, as to not get the edges too crumbly.  

Roll to about 1/4" thickness then cut into desired shapes (I used small round cookie cutters).  Bake at 300 for 30 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

GF Chocolate Cupcakes

As I experiment with gluten free and flourless baking, I'm having to learn to adjust sugar amounts.  As I revise the recipes, I will update them on here.  I don't like to use sugar, and use replacements whenever possible.  I always have to make the recipe as directed first, that way I know what it's supposed to taste like!

GF Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350.  Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Mix together in a large mixing bowl:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 Tbs. tapioca flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

In a small bowl, whisk together:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup warm water or coffee

Add the liquids to the dry mixture and stir until well combined.
Fill muffin tins almost to the top, give them a little room to grow!
Bake at 350 for about 10 min. for mini muffins, 15-20 for regular size. (I made mini!)

Homemade Candy Bars

 

If you are a regular consumer of store bought candy bars, then this may take an adjustment, but, try it because it is delicious, amazing, and sort of healthy even!  I plan to make these again experimenting with diffrent types of nut butters.  Next on the list, peanut butter.  I absolutely LOVE peanut butter.

Homemade Candy Bars

In a food processor, mix together well:
4 1/2 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 Tbs. cold water
1/4 tsp. salt
Press into a pan lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer.
This is the nougat layer

Next, make the caramel layer:
Combine 3/4 cup raw tahini
3/4 cup maple syrup or agave
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4- 1/2 cups + shredded coconut
mix until well combined.
Press onto the nougat layer and put back in the freezer for one hour.
after the hour, cut into bite size pieces.
Melt chocolate chips in a small saucepan while stirring until completely melted and smooth.  drizzle over the cut and seperated candy pieces on parchment paper (don't use a wire rack, they will stick.  I found that out the hard way.) Put back int he freezer unti lchocolate is set,  Unfortunately, these don't survive long out of the freezer, but that shouldn't be a problem, they are so yummy you will have them gone in no time.

Chocolate Pudding

This pudding is so easy! 

It can be vegan if you use soy milk or almond milk or coconut milk or whatever it is you like!

Once you learn to keep unsweetened chocolate in the cupboard, you'll be amazed how many yummy things you can whip up late at night to satisfy that sweet tooth!  I used to make this a lot back in the day, I always used soy milk.  I don't even buy soy milk anymore, and I have never made it with actual dairy milk.  I'm sure it's good with any type of milk or milk substitute. 
It is chocolate pudding, afterall.

Chocolate Pudding

In a medium saucepan, melt:
3 squares unsweetened chocolate in 2 2/3 cups milk
Mix together:
1/4 cup cornstarch & 1/2 cup sugar,
Stir in 1/3 cup milk
Add to saucepan and cook, whisking, until thickened and smooth.
Cook for 5 minutes, stirring.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp. vanilla.
Enjoy hot (which is actually really yummy), or, cool completely.  To prevent a skin from forming on the top, cover with plastic wrap; press the plastic wrap down onto the surface of the pudding so that air can't get to it.  (I actually like the thick skin that this pudding forms.  Maybe I'm weird!)
This pudding is really yum with whipped cream on top.  That's not a vegan option, sorry!

Chocolate Squash Cake

This is an awesome cake that utilizes all of that yellow squash that the garden usually pumps out!  Any summer squash will do, and you won't even know it's in there.  This is not a healthy cake, just cake with a healthy ingredient.

Chocolate Squash Cake
Melt 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate with 1/4 cup vegetable oil.  Cool completely.
Cream 1/2 cup butter until light. 
Add:
2 cups sugar
3 beaten eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
Add the cooled chocolate mixture and blend well.
Mix together the dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with 1/3 cup milk, sour cream or yogurt.
Mix in 3 c. shredded summer squash, squeezed.

Bake in oiled cake pan (9x13) for 40 minutes.  Can be baked as cupcakes too, check at 10 min, may need to bake for 15-18 minutes. 

Chocolate Vinegar Cake (v)

I have no idea where I originally got this recipe, but I have held onto it it very tightly throughout the years.  I even copied it down in my address book for fear of losing it, because sometimes recipes come and go!  This cake is awesome.  If I have ever made you a chocolate birthday cake, this is probably what I made.  Not only is this cake vegan and cheap, but you can mix it right in the pan you are going to bake it in.  No mixing bowl required!

Chocolate Vinegar Cake
Preheat the oven to 375.
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. vinegar

Don't oil the baking pan.  Mix all the dry ingredients directly in the baking dish.
In a seperate bowl, combine the syrup, oil, water and vanilla.  Mix well and add to the dry ingredients.  Stir until all drys are mixed in.  Quickly stir in the vinegar.
You can put the cake in the oven as is and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Or, you can add frozen cherries or raspberries on top of the cake batter after you have stirred in the vinegar.  The fruit will sink to the bottom and does magical things.
I once made this recipe using frozen raspberries and loved it so much that the next time I made it I used a raspberry infused vinegar in addition to the frozen berries!  Wow.  You can probably add fresh fruit too, I haven't tried that yet.
You can also use coffee or milk instead of the water.
You can also add mini chocolate chips to the batter.
Walnuts and pecans are also a good addition.
Yum.