Flourless Chocolate Cake - Gluten Free - Recipe

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Gluten Free

There are many recipes for flourless chocolate cake. I like them as they are usually a lot more moist than cakes with flour and they are gluten free. This one has the addition of an apple.

Flourless chocolate cake

4 eggs, separated

100g sugar

100g dark chocolate, melted

1 dessert apple, peeled and grated

100g ground almonds

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease a 20cm spring form tin. Cream egg yolks and sugar until light in colour and sugar has dissolved.

Mix in cooled melted chocolate, apple and almonds.

Beat egg whites until stiff, then gently fold into mixture a third at a time. (Cut and fold egg whites in gently with a large metal spoon to avoid knocking out too much air. Pour into prepared tin.

Bake for 45 minutes.

You can sprinkle with icing sugar or ice with chocolate icing.

Vanilla Macarons

Vanilla Macarons

Gluten Free

These are one of my favourite sweet treats! They are time consuming to make but well worth it for a special occasion.

The shells should have 'feet' around the base. (if these do not develop during baking, either the shells were not left to form a crust for long enough , or the oven temperature was too low.)

Macaron Shells

Ingredients

225g (8oz) pure icing sugar

140g (5oz) almond meal

100g (3.5 oz) egg whites at room temperature

Line two trays with baking paper.

Combine the icing sugar and almond meal and sift together twice, discarding anything remaining in the sieve.

Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. If colouring the shell, add the colouring to the egg whites now and beat in.

Fold the sifted sugar and almond meal into the egg whites, continuing to fold until the mixture is glossy and moves slowly when the bowl is tilted.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm nozzle. Pipe rounds 3cm in diameter spacing 2-3 cm apart. Tap the tray firmly on the bench a couple of times to knock out any air bubbles.

The macron shells must now stand at room temperature until a crust forms – this will take 2 - 6 hours depending on the temperature and humidity. When they are ready you should be able to touch one lightly and have no mixture stick to your finger.

Preheat oven to 150 degrees C

Place macron shells into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 130 degrees C. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until firm to the touch but not coloured. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the baking tray.

Pipe on a greased tray

or use a silicone mat

Filling

3 egg yolks

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

90g (3oz) caster sugar

2 Tablespoons water

125g (4.5 oz) softened unsalted butter, chopped

Beat egg yolks and vanilla seed on high for 10 minutes until pale and creamy.

Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer until the syrup reaches 121 degrees C (250 F)

Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the creamed yolks. Beat on high speed for 10 minutes until cool. 

With the mixer on medium speed, add the softened butter a cube at a time, allowing each piece to mix in before adding the next. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Spread onto macaron shell and join together.

Pizza - Gluten Free and Vegetarian - Product

Store Bought Pizza

Gluten Free and Vegetarian

This Mediterranean pizza is very tasty and ticks all the boxes for Pete.

It is available at a few supermarkets (Merivale Fresh Choice, New World as well as the Continental Bakery Rangiora). There is a bit of a price difference between stores but it is around $17 so not cheap but worth it to be able to have a pizza that you can have in the freezer for those quick weekend meals.

After cooking - slightly overdone after Pete forgot about it!!

Apple Slice - Gluten Free - Recipe

Apple Slice

Gluten Free

Apple,  walnut and cinnamon is such a delicious combination. You can use stewed apple or if you don't have time, use sliced apples just use a bit less water.

Apple Slice

2 ½ cups flour - I use 1 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour and 1 cup ground almonds

1/3 cup raw sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3 teaspoons cinnamon or mixed spice

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup (300g) stewed apple or 2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced.

1 cup walnuts, chopped roughly

1/3 cup oil – sunflower or canola

1/3 cup water (less for stewed apple)

2 teaspoons vinegar

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease a slice or cake tin and line with paper.

Mix together dry ingredients and nuts then add apple and liquids. Stir until moist. Turn into the prepared tin.

Bake for about 45 minutes until an inserted skewer 

becomes clean.

When cool, dust with icing sugar.

Gluten free Breadcrumbs - Product

Breadcrumbs

Gluten Free

These breadcrumbs are great to have in your pantry. They are handy for so many things. I have used them for Pumpkin and Kumara Balls and Crumbed Fish. You can buy them at most supermarkets.

Macadamia, maple and white chocolate slice - Gluten Free - Recipe

Macadamia, Maple and White Chocolate Slice

Gluten Free Recipe

This slice is divine! It is very rich so you only need small pieces. Great for a shout as it will go a long way.

2 cups Gluten Free Flour – I use Edmonds Gluten Free Plain Flour

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup brown sugar

1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger

250g butter, melted

Topping

½ cup maple syrup (or golden syrup)

1 ½ cans sweetened condensed milk

70g macadamias, coarsely chopped

Icing

150 g white chocolate melts

Heat the oven to 180 degrees C.  Line a 23cm x 32cm slice tin with baking paper.

In a large bowl combine flour, coconut, brown sugar and ginger. Pour over the melted butter and stir to combine thoroughly. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth with the back of the spoon, pressing down to make even at the sides. Bake for around 20 minutes until golden.

To make the topping, combine butter and maple syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil slowly, allowing the butter to melt. Boil for 2 minutes then carefully add condensed milk. Simmer for 7 – 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and turns golden brown.

Pour the topping over the slice and smooth evenly. Sprinkle over nuts and return to the oven for 5 minutes to set the caramel and toast the nuts. Allow to cool before icing.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over hot water, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over slice. Chill for 1 hour to set before cutting into small pieces.

Casamassima - Italian Fare - Corn Pasta - Gluten Free product - Christchurch

Casamassima - Italian Fare

48 Salisbury St

Christchurch

Corn Pasta

Gluten Free

Casamissima - Italian Fare is a delightful little cafe on Salisbury St. It has an outside seating area with a picket fence and geranium planter boxes. The inside area has a shop at the far end with a selction of Italian fare. Pasta, biscuits, oils etc. They have a section of gluten free pasta made with corn. Pete has always been very disparaging of gluten free pasta but he liked this as it didn't fall apart after being cooked.

The cafe also has great coffee and sweet treats like cannoli!