Banana Muffins (Gluten free)

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
• 1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) room temperature butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses or honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cup very mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
• 1 cup chocolate chips, optional

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan, or line the pan with papers, and grease the papers.

2) Whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, and flour or flour blend. Set aside.

3) Beat together the soft butter, sugar, and molasses.

4) Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl between additions.

5) Add the dry ingredients to the mixture in the bowl in three parts, alternately with the mashed bananas, beating well between additions and scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl one or two times during this process.

6) After everything is added, scrape the bowl again and beat at medium high speed for 30 seconds

7) Stir in the chocolate chips.

8) Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, mounding the cups 3/4 of the way full.

9) Bake the muffins for 20 to 22 minutes, until the middle springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Best served warm.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Monkey Bread

My brother's favorite dessert is monkey bread. In the past I have just used ready to bake biscuits but it is much better from scratch and not as hard as I thought.

Prep/Rising Time: 1 hr 45 minutes             Bake Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3-3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoon melted butter
3/4 cup warm milk

1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
Lightly grease 10 in bundt pan.
1.In bowl of a stand mixer combine warm water and yeast. Let sit for 2 minutes until slightly foamy.
2.Stir in 1 cup flour, along with salt, sugar, vanilla, egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and warm milk. Mix until smooth
3.Using the dough hook attachment or kneading by hand, gradually add the rest of the flour and mix until it forms a dough. Knead for about 4 minutes until the dough is firm and does not stick to the bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes.
4. In a small bowl combine brown sugar and spices. Place melted butter in a bowl nearby and a fork as well.
5. Turn the dough onto lightly floured countertop, roll out dough to about 1/2-1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1 inch squares. Roll into balls and dip into butter, then using the fork, into the brown sugar. Once coated, place in the prepared pan. I like to sprinkle the extra butter and brown sugar on top of the dough, it becomes all buttery and crispy after baked :)
6. Once you are done with all the dough, cover the pan with plastic wrap and let rise another 60 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30-35 minutes until all the dough is soft but does not stick to a tooth pick. After 10 minutes, turn onto a plate.

Marshmallow Fondant

Best fondant. Easier than other fondant and taste a whole lot better. This is only my 3rd fondant cake though marshmallow fondant is pretty simple. I watched some YouTube videos to see how to work with it. I watched everyone on shows like CakeBoss and Ace Of Cakes use fondant and really wanted to try. I got into baking from watching these shows and tried the techniques I saw them doing. It's not the best story, most people learn from their mom or grandma but I learned from watching TV. See mom, TV is good for me! Anyways...

Ingredients:
16oz (1 1/2 pks) mini marshmallows (use a brand like Kraft)
2 tablespoons water
8 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

Makes about 2lbs marshmallow fondant-Cover 2-8inch squares with escess left

Directions:
Place marshmallows and water in microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervales, stirring after each until marshmallows are melted. Fold 5 cups powdered sugar into melted marshmallows. Set up shortening and powdered sugar in an easily accessible place near the counter. Cover a couple feet of the counter with a good amount of shortening. Turn marshmallow mixture onto the counter and knead it like you would bread dough. Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, and continue to regrease hands and counter until the fondant is soft and not sticking to your hands or the counter, about 8-10 minutes. If its too dry add water 1/2 tablespoon at a time.
Allow fondant to sit overnight in the refridgerator. Coat fondant in thin layer of vegetable shortening and put in a ziploc.

When ready to use, let fondant become room temperature. Knead until its smooth. Add any food coloring.
 Put a gererous amount of powdered sugar on the counter, roll out fondant 1/8 inch thick.

Chocolate Layer Cake (Gluten free)

Delicious chocolate cake to fancy anyones chocolate desires.

 

Ingredients for two 9-inch layers:

3 cups granulated cane sugar
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup coconut flour

11/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 free-range organic eggs, beaten
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted, or organic expeller pressed canola oil
2 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract
2 cups non-dairy milk

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line two deep 9-inch cake pans with a circle of greased parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, sorghum flour, white rice flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda and sea salt. Add in the eggs, coconut oil, vanilla extract and non-dairy milk. Beat on medium high for 2-3 minutes until a smooth and stretchy batter forms. If too thick add a couple more tablespoons of milk.

Scoop the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans and using a wet spatula, smooth out the tops. Bake on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating half way through baking. Test with a cake tester. The center should be firm to a light touch. Cool the pans on a wire rack.

 

For filling see Mocha-Chocolate Filling recipe


Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2012/12/gluten-free-chocolate-layer-cake.html#ixzz2FvqVqqVJ

Mocha-Chocolate Cake Filling

I made a little chocolate cake with this mocha filling for a christmas party. Frankly, THE best filling I have made and I think everyone else agreed with me. It's super simple too.

Ingredients:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon medium roast espresso grounds
3 tablespoons melted butter
2-3 tablespoons water

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in bowl and beat until it reaches a spreading consistancy. Add more water if too thick or a bit of powdered sugar if too thin.

Snowy Cookies (Gluten Free)

Fluffy and festive with slight lemon taste.

Makes about 40 cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sorghum flour

1 1/4 cups brown rice flour

1/4 corn starch or tapioca starch

3/4 cup powdered sugar

half a lemon, juiced and zested

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup honey

1 egg

powdered sugar for coating

Directions:
In large bowl, mix together sorghum flour, brown rice flour, corn starch, powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest, xantham gum, baking soda and salt.
2. Add in coconut oil. Mix until mixture becomes crumbly and sandy.
3. Add honey, water and egg and beat until a smooth dough forms.
4. Chill in the refridgerater for one hour
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

6. Pinch off small amouts of dough, about 2 teaspoons.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Should be firm but still soft. remove from sheet promptly and place in ziploc bag with abut a cup of powdered sugar or a bowl with one cup powdered sugar. Coat the cookie and they are ready for eating.

Modified from glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

Cookie Dough Bites

Edible cookie dough, perfect to pop in your mouth. These were gone so quickly I couldn't take a picture of them. I made these last night and they were gone this morning, including my share which someone else ate. I've tried to make other cookie dough but it always tastes weird but these taste just like Toll House cookie dough. Yummo! and super easy

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk or soy milk
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 cups melted chocolate chips

Directions:
Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.
Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
When dough is firm enough to handle, form dough into 1″ balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place sheets in freezer and let chill for 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate chips in microwave. Using toothpicks as a dipping tool, dip cookie balls into chocolate until covered. Let cool for a few minutes until chocolate is firm.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

 

Some Thanksgiving cupcakes. I've given these to people who aren't gluten free and they couldn't believe it. They are so moist and flavorful. My faves right now.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 cup organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup potato starch or tapioca starch
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup almond flour or hazelnut flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
1 cup canned organic pumpkin
2 organic free-range eggs, beaten or egg replacer*
2 teaspoons Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a 18-muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: brown rice flour, sorghum flour, light brown sugar, tapioca starch, white cane sugar, almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, sea salt, and nutmeg.

Add in the coconut oil by pieces, cutting in with a pastry cutter or your mixer's whisk/whip attachment, until the mixture is sandy. Add in the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla, and beat on medium high for 1-2 minutes until the cake batter is smooth and stretchy.

Spoon the cake batter into the 18 cupcake liners and smooth out the tops.

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven for 18-20 minutes or so, until the tops are firm but springy. Ovens vary widely, so watch these babies and check with a cake tester if you need to.

Cool in the pan only briefly, until the cupcakes are cool enough to handle. Then remove them from the baking pan and cool on a wire rack for one hour before frosting.


Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-maple-cream.html#ixzz2Czt2RCsz

 

See  buttercream frosting for the recipe

The Chewy Gluten Free

chewy chocolate chip cookies that taste nothing like gluten free.Your classic chocolate chip cookie but gluten free. As my dad would say, "These babies are SCREAMIN'"

Makes: about 3 dozen

Ingredients:
8 oz butter, room temperature
2 Cups brown rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons tapoica flour
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1 teaspoon koster salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablspoons milk or soy milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips or 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup heath toffee bits

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
In medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Set aside.
Add both sugars and butter to the large bowl. Beat for one minute until creamy. Add whole egg, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and miz until well combined. Slowly incorpprate the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a small ice cream scoop, place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Gluten Free)

Fudgey, pepperminty, Christmas-y, cookies. Life doesn't get much better than this!

Ingrediants:

• 8 oz Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chocolate chips
• 2 3.5 oz Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark bars, chopped
• 4.5 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour or regular flour (if using regular flour, omit xantham gum)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xantham gum (omit if using wheat flour)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

In large bowl melt bittersweet chocolate with butter. In separate bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg mixture to chocolate. Beat in flour, baking powder and xantham gum. Stir in chopped Peppermint Bark. Scoop onto tray. The cookies don't need to be too big, they are quite chocolatey. Bake 10-12 minutes. Remove from tray promptly because if allowed to cool they will stick.

Baked Doughnuts

I discovered this recipe when baking with my cousin. Whenever we get together, we bake and have a wonderful time making a huge mess. I've made these twice now and have gotten rave reviews. They are simple and light with just cinnamon and sugar on top. I tried it with chocolate icing before but the cinnamon and sugar is perferred. There is a lot of waiting for the dough to rise so make sure you have some time to do these. Definately worth the waiting though.

1 1/3 cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees (divided)
1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
A pinch or two of nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Place 1/3 cup of the warm milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the yeast and sugar and set aside for five minutes or so to let it proof. Stir the butter into the remaining cup of warm milk and add it to the yeast mixture. With a fork, stir in the eggs, flour, nutmeg, and salt - just until the flour is incorporated. With the dough hook attachment of your mixer beat the dough for a few minutes at medium speed. Adjust the dough texture by adding flour a few tablepsoons at a time or more milk. You want the dough to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and eventually become supple and smooth. Turn it out onto a floured counter-top, knead a few times (the dough should be barely sticky), and shape into a ball.
Transfer the dough to a buttered (or oiled) bowl, cover, put in a warm place, and let rise for an hour or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.
Punch down the dough and roll it out 1/2-inch thick on your floured countertop. With a 2-3 inch cookie cutter, stamp out circles in the dough . Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet and stamp out the smaller inner circles using a smaller cutter. If you cut the inner holes out any earlier, they become distorted when you attempt to move them. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for another 45 minutes.
Bake in a 375 degree oven until the bottoms are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes - start checking around 8. While the doughnuts are baking, place the butter in a medium bowl. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
Remove the doughnuts from the oven and let cool for just a minute or two. Dip each one in the melted butter and a quick toss in the sugar bowl. Eat immediately if not sooner.
Makes 1 1/2 - 2 dozen medium doughnuts.
http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2007/09/baked-doughnutsbaked-goodness.html

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

 Gooey, Chocolatey muffins. Need I say more...



Makes 18 muffins

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
• 1.2 teaspoon xantham gum
•  1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray muffin tin with Pam or line with muffin cups. 
2.  Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
4. Add the egg and milk. Combine until thoroughly blended, about 1 minute.
5. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Blend well, but don't over mix. 
6. Beat in the pumpkin until almost completely combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
7. Spoon batter into the muffin tin. The cups will be about 3/4 full. These muffins will rise.
8. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Delicious warm right out of the oven. I just made them a couple of minutes ago and almost half of them are gone from just four people.
9. Modified from yummly.com

Julia Child's Best-Ever Brownies

Normally, I take a recipe from someone else and make it my own. This is a Julia Child recipe, you shouldn't mess with her recipes-shes brilliant.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
Directions:
1. Put a rack in the center of the oven and pre-heat to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together the flour and salt; set aside.
3. Melt the butter and all of the chocolate together the in the microwave in a large bowl or gently over double boiler.
4. Add one cup of the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the vanilla.
5. Mix the remaining sugar and the four eggs in an electric mixer bowl for a few seconds until just combined.
6. Little by little, pour half of the sugar-egg mixture into the chocolate mixture, stirring gently but constantly with a rubber spatula so that the eggs don't set from the heat.
7. Whip the remaining sugar and eggs in the electric mixer until they are thick, pale, and doubled in volume, about three minutes.
8. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture.
9. When the eggs are almost completely incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients.
10. Pour and scrape the batter into an un-buttered 9-inch square baking pan.
11. Bake the brownies for 22-26 minutes, they should rise a little and the top will look dark and dry.
12. Make a small cut in the the center of the brownies after about 22 minutes to check for doneness. They'll be perfect if they are just barely set and still gooey.
13. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a rack before cutting.

Julia's Best-Ever Brownies (adapted from 'Baking with Julia' with Dorie Greenspan)

Julia..

A couple of months ago, I watched the movie "Julie and Julia" and was awe struck and completely captivated. Julia Child was a middle aged women when she started to cook and fell in love with it. Julie made it her goal to try all of Julia's recipes (over 500 in all) in just one year. She started a blog called the Julie-Julia Project which became wildly popular. This is now one of my favorite movies and has so much more to it than just cooking. It inspired me to start a blog and become a major Julia Child fan.

"Doors are going to open-doors you can't even imagine exist."-Julia Child

Buddy Valastro's Red Velvet Cake

Buddy Valastro from Cake Boss makes great pastries. A few months ago I had the opportinuty to go to his bakery in New Jersey. It was really good but I only ate a little bit because none of it is gluten free. This is his recipe for red velvet. People who claim they don't like red velvet, love this cake. See Buttercream Frosting for frosting recipe

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 stick butter-room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp baking soda

1.Preheat over to 350. Grease two 9 in rounds or line 24 cupcakes
2. Sift flour and cocoa in small bowl
3. beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add food coloring, a little at a time. (be careful because if you add too much it will taste bitter) and vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour mixture alternating with buttermilk. In small bowl, stir together vinegar and baking soda. Add to batter.
4. Divide into liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out completely clean.

Buttercream Frosting

Really easy, tasty buttercream. Best I've had so far

1 cup butter-room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon meringue powder or 1 egg white
1 tablespoon milk
2- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Beat butter, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until fluffy. Make sure not to over beat
2. Beat in meringue powder and milk. Gradually add 1/2 cup powdered sugar at a time until blended. If still too thin after adding an extra 1/2 cup powdered sugar, refrigerate briefly

Wyoming Whoppers (Flourless)

These were the first gluten free, dairy free, peanut free, cookies I made. I never thought food without so many ingredients could taste good but these are marvelous! I always eat just a little of the batter (shhh. dont tell anyone). Simple, flavorful, chewy cookies that we can't get enough of.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups peanut butter or almond butter
6 cups Old Fashioned Oatmeal
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips
(1 cup raisans or coconut optional)

Directions:
Beat together melted butter, bothe sugars, peanut butter or almond butter, and eggs. Scrap sides down. Add oats and baking soda. Lastly fold in chocolate chips. Use small ice cream scoop to place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes

Better Than A Cookie, Cookies

The only thing better than a chocolate chip cookie is a chocolate chip cookie with a Hershey kiss in the middle.These are probably my most famous cookies. I brought this recipe to school for cooking class and everyone went crazy for them. A few weeks later we made over 100 of them for a school fundraiser and they were gone pretty quickly.

Makes 48 cookies
Ingredients:
48 Hershey Kisses
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Hershey chocolate chips -(Mini chocolate chips work best but regular ones are fine too)plus 1/2 cup for the drizzle on top

Directions:
1. Heat oven too 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from chocolate kisses.
2. Beat butter, both sugars, and vanilla in medium bowl until blended. Do not over beat. Add flour to the mixture, beat. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3.Mold a tablespoon of dough around each kiss, covering the kiss completely. Take off as much access dough as possible, leaving the Kiss completely covered. This babies are powerful, you don't need too much dough added to them.
4. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
5.Leave cookies on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to wire rack.
6. For the drizzle, melt the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips at 30 second increments, stirring after each. Place melted chocolate in a small Ziploc, cut off the little corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over each cookie.
7. Let cool for 30 minutes then ENJOY!

Flourless Fudge Cookies

Fudgey Brownies mixed with chocolate chip cookies, and gluten free! It doesn't get much better than that! The first time I made these, they were gone in minutes.I made them again the next day and again they were gone. I've been getting requests to make these, so I thought I would just share the recipe since they are so easy to make and taste Divine!

Makes 18 Jumbo Cookies.



Ingredients:
3 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened Hershey's cocoa powder
2-4 large egg whites
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add in vanilla and egg whites, starting with two. The batter should be about the consistency of brownies. If it is too thick add another egg white.
3. Whisk together until the batter is just moistened then add chocolate chips.
4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon measurement, spoon onto sheets leaving plenty of room for the cookies to expand. They expand a lot!
5. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the top is cracked and glossy.
6. Leave on baking sheets for 7-8 minutes to cool. Then move to wire rack or plate.

Coconut-Almond Macaroons (Gluten Free)

The first macaroon I ever tried was crispier than others. It was so delicious and I've been on a quest to find one like it but no other one's compare. Most coconut macaroons are fluffy and almost soggy. These one are chewy and crispy and chocolate dipped! It doesn't get much better than that!

Makes 18 macaroons
Ingredients:
2/3 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi sweet chocolate, for dipping and/or drizzling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Mixture should stick together and not be falling apart. If it is too dry, add another egg white.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop macaroons onto prepared sheets. Pat down the tops a little so they get crispier in the oven.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove quickly or the macaroon will stick to the baking tray.
5. Let cool for a few minutes. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave at 30 second increments. Dip the macaroons into the melted chocolate and/ or using a spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate onto the macaroons.
6. These are irresistible!

Fluffy Cookies?

Love fluffy cookies? But they are turning out flat? When making cookies, always always always let your butter become room temperature before baking. Softening it in the microwave will make your cookies turn out flat and crispy. Sometimes I forget to leave the butter out before baking and I end up with super flat and often burnt cookies. A little baking tip for you.

Nestle Toll House Twist

Gooey chocolate chip cookies with a wonderful twist...Heath Toffee Bits!

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup(2 sticks) butter, room temperature
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup Nestle chocolate chips
1 cup Heath Toffee Bits

Directions:
1.Preheat over to 375 degrees
2.Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl
3. In a medium bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy about 2 minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time.
4. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits by hand.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
6. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes.

Rocky Road Cups

A cup of gooey marshmallows and chopped almonds in divine chocolate. Super easy to make and super good to eat!

Makes 3 dozen cups




Ingredients:
4 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/3 cup almonds

Directions:
1. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside
2. In a Cuisinart, chop almonds until they are as small as you like. I left my in little slivers because I like some crunch.
3. Melt all the chocolate in the microwave at 30 second increments, stirring after each burst.
4. Combine the melted chocolate, marshmallows, and almonds together.
5. Drop bits of the chocolate mixture into the prepared muffin pan by the tablespoon.
6. Refrigerate for 1 hour until chocolate is hardened. 

Black and White Cupcakes (gluten free)

GF chocolate cupcakes dipped in ganache with some coconut butter cream and coconut shavings to top it off. They aren't as complicated as they sound :) Makes 16 cupcakes
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup can sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1 cup warm coffee
1 egg
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar

Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz chocolate, can be chocolate chips or even hershey dark chocolate bars
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Coconut butter cream:
1/2 cup of coconut plus 1/2 cup extra for sprinkling on top
1 stick of butter-room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with 16 liners
2.To make the chocolate cupcakes, place all of the cake ingredients in a large bowl. Mix for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth.
3. Using a small ice cream scoop, plop the batter into the prepared baking cups. Bake for 16-18 minutes
4. While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the ganache. Put the chocolate pieces or chips in a medium bowl. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour cream over chocolate pieces and mix until the chocolate is melted and incorporated. Let sit for 20-30 minutes
5. Next. make the butter cream. In another medium bowl, beat the butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Do not over beat, just until smooth and incorporated. Add 1/2 cup of coconut flakes into the butter cream. Beat for 30 seconds.
6. Have the other 1/2 cup of coconut flakes in a small bowl ready for dipping
7. When cupcakes are completely cooled, dip and swirl the tops in ganache.
8. Pipe a tablespoon of butter cream on top of ganache.
9. Dip cupcakes in coconut flakes and gently push the coconut flakes into the butter cream.
10. Ready for eating! They are really light and fluffy.

Fabu Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free)

Fabu Chocolate Chip Cookies from my last post but modified to be gluten free. They are so delicious and fluffier than the cookies with wheat flour. Gluten Free never tasted so good!


Absolutely fabulous chocolate chip cookes modified from the New York Times recipe

Time: 45 minutes, plus at least 24 hours' chilling
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks of butter at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ounces Baker's chocolate squares- I used 2oz white chocolate, 4 oz unsweetened, 4 oz semi sweet chocolate.

Directions:
1. Chop Baker's chocolate into small chunks.Combine the different chocolates in a bowl and set aside.
2. Sift gluten free flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and both sugars together uintil very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Drop chocolate pieces and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
4. Take out 10-15 minutes before baking so the dough gets soft enough to make into balls. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a couple of tablespoons or small ice cream scoop, drop dough balls onto sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes until golden brown but still soft. Let sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute then transfer to wire rack or plate.

Fabu Chocolate Chip Cookies (Regular)

Absolutely fabulous chocolate chip cookes modified from the New York Times recipe

Time: 45 minutes, plus at least 24 hours' chilling
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/3 wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks of butter at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 ounces Baker's chocolate squares- I used 2oz white chocolate, 4 oz unsweetened, 4 oz semi sweet chocolate.

Directions:
1. Chop Baker's chocolate into small chunks.Combine the different chocolates in a bowl and set aside.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and both sugars together uintil very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Drop chocolate pieces and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours.
4. Take out 10-15 minutes before baking so the dough gets soft enough to make into balls. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a couple of tablespoons or small ice cream scoop, drop dough balls onto sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes until golden brown but still soft. Let sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute then transfer to wire rack or plate.
5. Eat Up!

My Gluten Free Journey

I started baking when I was 12 and dreamed of becoming a famous pastry chef. In January of this year, I got pretty sick. I lost a lot of weight and didn't have enough energy to make it through a school day. We went to the doctor and found out that I am gluten, dairy, and red meat intolerant. That meant that for the rest of my life, I can not eat flour, milk, or butter which are the main ingredients in baked goods. I thought that my baking dreams were over. Boy was I wrong! Becoming gluten free only fueled my baking dreams. I had to experiment with what flours work well together and the different substitutions needed when baking gluten and dairy free. I also had to learn how to tell if a "regular" batter was made correctly and tasted good without actually tasting it. That was hard at first but you can tell by the texture and smell and how it rises in the oven. Becoming gluten free expanded my horizons of baking and has made me a better baker.

                               Any negative can be made a positive,
                                                    Raina

Little Monster Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:
- 12 vanilla cupcakes baked in orange, green, and purple paper
- 12 mini vanilla cupcakes, paper liners removed
- 1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
- Neon green, orange, and purple food coloring
- 24 mini lollipops (Dum Dums), unwrapped
- 24 peach or green apple gummy rings (O’s)
- 24 brown mini candy coated chocolates (M&M’s Minis)
- 12 assorted color candy-coated chocolates (M&M’s Minis)
Directions:
1. Spoon 2 tablespoons vanilla frosting into a small ziplock bag. Divide the remaining vanilla frosting among three bowls and tint each a different color with the food coloring. Spoon each color of frosting into a separate ziplock bag, press out the excess air, and seal the bags.
2. Insert a lollipop stick through a gummy ring, pushing it through the candy from the center to outer edge. Bring the gummy ring up around the lollipop, like a bonnet, to make the eyes. Continue with the remaining gummy rings and lollipops.
3. Snip a small (1/8-inch) corner from the bags with the frostings. Pipe a dot of tinted frosting on top of the standard cupcakes. Place a mini cupcake on top, flat side down. Starting at the edge of the standard cupcake and using the tinted frosting, pipe furn with a squeeze-release-pull action. Continue until the entire exposed cupcake assembly is covered. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and colored frosting.
4. Insert 2 like-colored lollipop eyes into the top of each cupcake assembly. Pipe a dot of vanilla frosting in the center of each lollipop and add a brown candy for the pupil. Add a colored candy to the top of the frosting for the nose. Repeat with the remaining lollipop eyes and cupcakes.
*****
STRING MONSTER VARIATION:
Follow steps 1 and 2 above. Snip a small (1/8-inch) corner from the bags with the frosting. Pipe a dot of tinted frosting on top of the standard cupcakes. Place a mini cupcake on top, flat side down. Pipe the tinted frosting all over the cupcakes to make the string, making sure to cover cupcakes completely. Continue with step 4 above.
*****

recipe from what's new cupcake book

Lemon Bars

 

Serves 16
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 45 min





Ingredients
Crust:
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
Pinch salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature

Filling:
4 eggs
2 Cups granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 pan or 10 by 10 inch pan.
To make the crust, combining the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
While that is baking, make the filling. Mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, and lemon juice. This mixture may separate if you let it sit so just mix it again right before you pour it. Pour the filling over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar when the bars are done.

Homemade Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 3 dozen cups
1 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup light brown sugar
1¼ cups powdered sugar
4 cups milk chocolate chips, divided
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1. Line a mini-muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. Line a baking with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Heat until completely melted and starting to bubble a little, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add the powdered sugar a ¼ cup at a time, stirring until completely combined with the peanut butter mixture after each addition. Set aside and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, melt the 2 cups of the chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons shortening together in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, until completely melted, stirring after each burst.
4. Using a small cookie scoop or a couple of teaspoons, spoon melted chocolate into the bottom of each lined muffin cup.
5. Use a heaping teaspoon to scoop out the peanut butter mixture. Roll it into a ball, and then flatten it slightly into a disk. Place on the prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once finished with all of the peanut butter mixture, refrigerate both the muffin tins and the peanut butter patties for about 30 minutes.
6. Place a peanut butter patty on top of each chocolate-lined muffin tin. Then melt the other 2 cups of chocolate chips and 2 tablespoons shortening together in the microwave at 30 second increments until melted, stirring after each burst. Once melted, use a small cookie scoop to spoon the melted chocolate on top of the peanut butter cup.
7. Refrigerate again for 30 minutes, then they’re ready to serve! Store in the refrigerator or freezer. You can keep at room temperature in an airtight container if you’re going to serve them the same day, but they’ll start to get soft if not at cool room temperature.

No-Bake Fudge Kisses

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons Hershey Cocoa powder
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups of sugar
dash of salt
1/2 cup of peanut or almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 cups of dry oatmeal

1. To make, combine cocoa, milk, sugar, and salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minutes then remove from heat.
2. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and 3 cups oatmeal to the cocoa mixture.
3. Stir together. The cookies should be thick but still have a little moisture. If too thin add another 1/2 to 1 cup of oatmeal.
4. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop cookies by the tablespoon onto a 3 ft. long sheat of parchment or wax paper.
5. They are the best when still warm but are also good cooled.

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line muffin tray with 12 regular size baking cups.
• In a medium bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together with a wire whisk until combined.
• In another bowl, stir sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Stir until combined.
• Stir in chocolate chunks and divide batter into baking cups.
• Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until done.
• Makes 12 regular or 9 larger muffins. Bake a couple minutes longer for taller muffins

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

8 oz. Belgian dark chocolate (or use your favorite dark chocolate bars)

1/2 cup organic light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup organic white cane sugar 

          1/2 cup very hot strong coffee (or use espresso powder in very hot water)
          1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon unsweetened organic cocoa powder

4 large organic free-range eggs, at room temperature

1/2 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract- yes, a tablespoon!

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 8x8 springform pan by lining the bottom with buttered parchment

Break up the dark chocolate into pieces and pour the chocolate into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until the chocolate breaks up into small bits. Add the sugar. Pulse until the chocolate and sugar turns into an even, sandy grain.

Pour the hot water or coffee slowly into the feed tube as you pulse again. Pulse until the chocolate is melted. Magic!

Add the butter pieces and the cocoa powder, and pulse to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and process till smooth. The batter will be liquid and creamy.

Pour the batter into the lined Springform pan. Wrap the outside of the whole pan with a big piece of foil. Bake at 350º F in the center of the oven, till puffed and cracked and lovely - about 45 to 55 minutes.  Use a wooden toothpick to check the center of the cake; pick should emerge clean, with maybe a crumb.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. The cake will deflate. Don't worry! When cooled a bit, press down on it gently with a spatula to make it even, if you wish. Or not.

When the cake is completely cooled, cover, and chill it for at least three hours (best up to eight hours), until serving. Overnight is even better.

Serve thin slices with drizzled chocolate sauce or a sprinkle of sifted powdered sugar. .

Read more: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/01/flourless-chocolate-cake_11.html#ixzz25WRVgsoy

Welcome to My Blog!

My name is Raina. I'm 16 years old and an aspiring pastry chef. I will post recipes on a regular basis, some of which will be gluten free. I have been baking since I was 13 when I was asked to make a birthday cake for my brother. The cake turned out great and since then I have not stopped baking.