Chocolate & Nuts Tart (Gluten-Free)

I have adapted this recipe to make it gluten-free, combining a standard recipe for a chocolate/nut tart (substituting gluten-free all-purpose flour for the regular flour, and agave nectar for the corn syrup) and Elana Amsterdam's gluten-free basic crust for pies and tarts. The recipe for this crust is posted on this blog site, but I have added it to this posting so you won't need to go looking, if you decide to try making this delicious dessert. I have made this into both a tart and in a deep-dish pie pan, and the tart came out better -- the flavor is the same, but the tart is easier to slice and serve because of the pan's removable bottom. [Note: You can use the recipe for the filling and make your own crust, if you don't need to worry about gluten.]

Basic Gluten-Free Crust for Pies & Tarts

[Photo to follow]

This is another of Elana Amsterdam's recipes (slightly adapted by me) from her "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook." It's very easy and simple to make, and you won't need a rolling pin since the dough is soft and is "pressed" into the cake or tart pan using your hands. Ms. Amsterdam says that the almond meal that is readily available at supermarkets (Bob's Red Mill brand) will not work in her recipes, and I would like to test this out because blanched almond is impossible to find anywhere except online (which makes it a bit expensive especially because of the shipping costs). We shall see.

Flourless Orange & Almond Cake (Gluten-Free; Dairy-Free)

I'm always on the lookout for gluten-free or dairy-free recipes to test, because I have friends and family who are allergic or sensitive to gluten and dairy. I found--and adapted--this recipe from "Planet Cake" by Paris Cutler, and it was a success at first try--delicious, moist, with a subtle almond taste, intensified by a wonderful orange aroma and flavor. The cake is yummy as a dessert, snack, or breakfast item. Try to buy oranges with unwaxed and unblemished skin, since the whole fruit is going to be used. Finally, enjoy the nice orangey smell that envelops your kitchen while the oranges are boiling. [Note: I'm afraid you'll need a weighing scale to accurately measure the orange purée.]

What is GLUTEN?

Gluten is a special type of protein found in foods processed from wheat, barley and rye. It helps dough rise and gives bread its structure, shape and texture. When the proteins in the dough absorb water, and they are pulled and stretched when the dough is kneaded, the gluten is developed into flexible strands, which trap the gas bubbles produced by the yeast--this is what

Peach Blueberry Crumble

Another steal from Elana Amsterdam's gluten-free cookbook! I made this for dinner tonight -- it tasted great but I thought it had been over-baked a little. I would have preferred the peaches and blueberries to be more firm after the cooking, and not almost mushy like this one turned out. Perhaps I should use peaches that are not nearly as ripe as the ones I used. I will certainly test this recipe again.

Eggplant Parmesan (Gluten-Free)

Here's another successful gluten-free recipe adapted from Elana Amsterdam's gluten-free cookbook (see my related posting about her book); it's like a lasagna but without the pasta, just delightful eggplants. It was delicious, and very filling! The tomato sauce is made from scratch--the separate recipe calls for 14 ounces of tomato paste, and I found the sauce too tangy for my taste, perhaps because the tomato paste is too concentrated. Maybe I'll add a little bit more water next time.

My First Gluten-Free Cookbook

I’m so happy to have discovered Elana Amsterdam’s “The Gluten-Free and Almond Flour Cookbook,” (click here for her website). I have just recently started doing some research on gluten-free cooking, because a couple of friends and relatives are highly allergic to gluten and I wanted to look for some recipes that I could share with them.

Salmon Dill Burgers

Once you taste this easy-to-make salmon burger, you will wonder whether it really is a healthy dish (gluten-free and dairy-free), because it is so super-delicious and flavorful. I served it with a healthy green salad with endives, grapes, tomatoes, dried cranberries, and walnuts, lightly tossed in my favorite parsley-apple dressing (find the recipe for the dressing under "Endive Salad with Parsley & Apple Dressing"). The dressing was also excellent on the salmon patties. (Recipe from Elana Amsterdam's "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook;" see my related post about her book.)

Zucchini Bread

I adapted this recipe from Elana Amsterdam's "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook," (see my related post under the general info section on gluten-free cooking). The bread (well, actually, to me it was more of a cake than a bread--it was quite filling) came out so delicious and moist, and made a wonderful dessert after the Salmon Dill Burgers, another Amsterdam recipe, that I tested on the same day. This dish is gluten-free and dairy-free, and totally guilt-free. Read my related blog posting, mentioned above, regarding the ingredients.

Useful Tips for Gluten-Free Baking

(I will update this page as I find more useful information on gluten-free baking.)

Store gluten-free flour blends in the refrigerator or freezer because they contain perishable whole grain or nut flours. Use airtight container or re-sealable freezer bags; always label the containers.

Bring flours to room temperature before using; re-whisk or shake the flour to make sure they are completely combined.

In measuring the flour, never pack the cup; don’t dip the cup into the flour, but spoon the flour into the cup and level off the top with the level back of a knife or spatula.

No-Fat Banana Chocolate Ice Cream (Gluten-Free too!)

I tested this recipe with my dear Rocky in mind (my almost-two-year-old granddaughter), who loves ice cream like any toddler. We try not to give  her store-bought ice cream because of its high sugar and fat content. Making the ice cream at home is an option, of course, but not everyone owns an ice-cream maker—you don’t need one for this dish. I was excited about testing this dish, after my good friend Tatiana served it as an after-dinner dessert. You need only 2 ingredients, it has zero-fat, and since the bananas are naturally sweet, you don't need to add any sweetener. It's one of the simplest, but most rewarding recipes I have ever tested -- try it!

Chocolate Macarons (Gluten-Free)

This afternoon I took my first bold attempt at making those heavenly-tasting macarons, you know, those bite-sized silky buttons, two tiny half-moons sandwiching a delicious filling. Macarons are famously notorious for being very very difficult to make - the recipe I used even had the exact number of strokes for folding in the dry ingredients into

Raspberry Clafouti (Gluten-Free)

My first attempt at gluten-free baking, and it was a success! Clafouti is a French dessert where fresh fruits are baked in a custard-like batter. Almond flour is the basic ingredient (and, of course, the fresh fruits), making this safe to eat for people who are allergic to gluten. 

 

 My good friend Maricoy tried this recipe for a dinner with friends last night, and it was a success -- she didn't have half-and-half, but she substituted almond milk and it worked! Her clafouti looks even better than mine - congrats, Coy!

Gluten-Free Cooking

I have just started testing gluten-free recipes, and the Raspberry Clafouti that I baked last night turned out really well. I have a couple of friends and relatives who are severely allergic to gluten, and I know that this condition is afflicting more and more people these days. I've been doing a lot of research on this, and have now compiled a bunch of recipes which I'm going to test and post here on my food blog site (the Clafouti was the first). I'll also add additional information on gluten, plus some helpful tips for cooking gluten-free dishes.