chocolate truffles GF DF

My sister Rebekah introduced me to this pretty great recipe last week, and so in an effort to make nice things for my dieted out daughter I changed the recipe to become dairy free and gluten free. :)

125 gm GF DF coconut biscuits
100 gm DF margarine
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup icing sugar (check ingredients)
1 cup coconut
1/4 cup dried fruit (I used a mix of apricots and apple)
1/2 tsp caramel essence
1-2 Tbsp water

Crumb biscuits in a food processor. Add the margarine, cocoa, icing sugar and coconut. Add dried fruit and caramel essence. Mix, adding a little water if dry. Form mixture into small balls. Roll in extra coconut and chill until firm.

These will keep for up to 2 months in the fridge. DELICIOUS!!!

New England Pumpkin Muffins

50 gm dairy free margarine
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs (or 3 Tbsp Golden Syrup)
1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin
1 2/3 cups healtheries baking mix
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sultanas

Makes 42 mini muffins.

Mix all the above ingredients with a wooden spoon, in a bowl using the above order. Put teaspoonfuls of mixture into prepared muffin pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes. They almost melt into your mouth, hmmm, DELICIOUS!

Note: I cooked the pumpkin (skin and all) in the microwave and pureed it in the food processor with a little water.

Pancakes GF DF

1 cup Healtheries Simple Gluten Free Baking Mix
1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/2 cup coconut cream
3 Tbsp sugar
1 egg

Mix all of the ingredients together and cook in 1/4 cup measurements in a hot pan.

Serve with maple syrup and dairy free margarine.

Homemade Custard GF DF

2 eggs
2 slightly rounded Tbsp sugar
2 heaped Tbsp gluten free cornflour
2 cups coconut cream (1 tin and add water to make up to 2 cups)
1 tsp vanilla essence

Beat eggs, sugar and cornflour together.

Add coconut cream and beat.

Cook on high, beating every three minutes until desired consistency is achieved (doesn't take long).

Add vanilla essence and beat.

Adjust cornflour for runnier or thicker custard.

This recipe is an old family favourite, one I grew up with (of course that one had dairy in it). This one is DELICIOUS, and everyone wants to come back for more!

Hot Cross Buns GF DF

Based on the recipe found here, but using a breadmaker instead of a stand mixer and with a few adjustments to the recipe to make it dairy free!

Makes 12
Preparation: 30 minutes, + proving
Cooking: 15 minutes

3 teaspoons (10g) dried yeast
1 can coconut cream (400gm tin)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
31/4 cups (plus 2 tablespoons extra) Healtheries Simple Wheat & Gluten Free Bread Mix
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
60g dairy free margarine
2 cups dried mixed fruit
2 eggs
1 teaspoon sugar
Warmed apricot jam, to glaze

1. Place yeast, coconut cream and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Whisk to dissolve sugar. Rest for 10 minutes.

2. Sift together 31/4 cups bread mix, spices and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the breadmaker tin. Using fingertips, rub through margarine. Add mixed fruit, eggs and yeast mixture. Put on the dough function of your breadmaker.

3. Using a 1/3-cup dry measure, scoop into generous mounds on a greased
30x20cm lamington pan, making 3 rows of 4 mounds each. Rest the dough in a warm place for 45 minutes until almost doubled.

4. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Mix extra 2 tablespoons bread mix, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 tablespoon water to a paste and pipe crosses on buns. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through and browned. Brush on jam while still warm.

The most difficult part of making hot cross buns (in my opinion) is making the crosses. I guess it's the perfectionist in me! Oh well, these turned out okay. They taste great, and mean that we can all celebrate Good Friday carrying on a yummy tradition!

We took them to Daddy who had to work today!

Carrot Muffins GF DF

Makes 48 mini muffins.

1 1/2 cups Healtheries Simple Baking Mix
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (I use muscovado sugar instead)
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups grated carrot
1 cup dried mixed fruit
4 Tbsp dessicated coconut

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Prepare silicon muffin trays by using paper patty cases. Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl in order above. Combine with a wooden spoon - don't over-mix! Cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

DELICIOUS!

(Photo to come)

Announcement; Gluten Free Recipes to come!

We have just discovered, via elimination, that my youngest daughter is not only intolerant to milk, but she is also intolerant to gluten (wheat). So I will be adjusting some of our family favourites to be more in line with this. Today, I made carrot muffins - they were really YUMMY! There is hope for us yet!

If you have any great gluten free and dairy free recipes I would love to hear them. Email any to me at sewfunky@orcon.net.nz - thanks! :)

chocolate syrup

This recipe makes a delicious chocolate syrup that could rival some of the better (think, more expensive) bought ones.

1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Stir constantly until sauce begins to thicken (2-5 minutes of boiling). Store in a jar in the fridge.

You can use it to make both hot & cold drinks or as a delicious ice cream topping! Use one tablespoon of syrup for each drink!!