Cheesecake

The following recipe is one that I have used for many years.  It's a family favourite and dare I say it.. almost a pantry staple in our house 😆

It's a KRAFT recipe which has been adapted slightly to a cater for us gluten free folk.  I have made it thousands of times and every time it is a triumph & warmly received. 

Ingredients
1 + 1/4 Cups Gluten Free sweet biscuit crumbs

80g butter, melted

2 x 250g block Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 Cup Caster sugar

1/4 Cup lemon juice

3 teaspoons GF gelatine, dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water

1 Cup cream, lightly whipped

Method
Combine biscuits crumbs and melted butter and press into your tin. Refrigerate whilst you prepare the filling.

Using a mixer, beat Phily and sugar until smooth

Add lemon juice & gelatine mixture and beat well until combined.

Fold through cream.

Pour mix into prepared base and chill for 3 hours.

You can incorporate some passionfruit pulp, lime zest, raspberries, or other creative additional extras  into the mix before setting for that extra special something. I would avoid using fruits such as Pineapple or Kiwi Fruit in the mix as they may inhibit the gelatine working it's magic and setting the cheesecake.  Save these for toppings. 

Generally, any plain gluten free sweet biscuit works well. My favourite used to be Naturally Good Coconut Bakehouse Cookies but unfortunately not as readily available (locally) to me anymore. If you can find them, they make for an excellent cheesecake base. I have used Schar Maria plain biscuits and Eskal Tea Biscuits successfully.  

You could also incorporate some desiccated coconut into the biscuit base for that something special.  Toppings can be simple or elaborate. From strawberries & a dusting of icing sugar, to a medley of fruits, chocolate, meringue or even spun sugar.  You are only limited by your imagination.

This recipe makes 1 standard sized cheesecake (9-inch springform pan) or a dozen individual servings using disposable foil baking cups (8 x 3.8cm)


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Weet-Bix Slice

Good Grief.  I'm embarrassed to admit that I have never made Weet-Bix Slice before GLUTEN FREE Weet-Bix came along.  I know right?  Hilarious. 

Well here it is in all it's glory. It really is fabulous and SUPER EASY.

Original recipe from KAI TIME (a NZ TV show with a huge following).  I have adapted here to make gluten free :)

Ingredients
180g butter
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 Cup desiccated coconut
3 Gluten Free Weet-Bix, crushed
1 Cup gluten free plain flour
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
3/4 Cup sugar
1/4 Cup gluten free cocoa

Topping
200g Gluten Free Chocolate
1/3 Cup cream
Desiccated coconut to sprinkle on top

Method
Preheat oven to 180 C.  Melt butter and add vanilla
Combine dry ingredients together in a food processor, pour in butter and blitz until well combined.
Press mixture into a lined slice pan and bake at 180 C for 15-20 minutes until firm

Allow to cool

Melt chocolate and cream together and pour over cooled base
Refrigerate until set

Use a hot dry knife to cut into squares.

I think the slice is best served at room temperature after the chocolate topping has initially set but totally your call.  ENJOY!

Rocky Road

Got a hankering for some Rocky Road?

You're in luck! Here's a simple recipe that's bound to please

Ingredients

375g pack Nestle Melts (Dark or Milk Chocolate) 

170-200g Gluten Free Raspberry Lollies

200g Gluten Free Marshmallows

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts (* make sure to check ingredients list for hidden gluten)

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

**OMIT nuts if you prefer a nut-free Rocky Road or to make SCHOOL FRIENDLY 

Method

Chop raspberry lollies in half.  If using regular sized marshmallows, cut into quarters (this can be a sticky process and will test your patience).
If you are fortunate enough to stumble across Gluten Free mini marshmallows - WELL DONE 

Melt chocolate

- in microwave (50% power) for 1 minute. Stir. Continue with 10 second bursts until all the chocolate has melted. Watch your power - don't overheat!

- stove top ~ half-fill saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Place chocolate melts in a glass bowl that fits snuggly on the top of saucepan making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water! 

Use a metal spoon to stir until chocolate has melted.

Combine coconut, peanuts, lollies and marshmallows in a heatproof bowl. Add melted chocolate and mix well.  Pour into slice tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate until set (allow about 2 hours).

Allow a short spell out of the fridge before cutting with a hot dry knife.

Variations can include glacé cherries, gluten free biscuits, macadamias - your only limit is your imagination.. 

Meringues

Essentially Meringues are egg whites, caster sugar and a pinch of salt. 

Most meringues include these three staples, however some include cornflour and vinegar, which I have incorporated here.

This recipe contains a LOT of sugar.  So if you're a SUGAR PHOBE you may want to leave the room now.  Also, if you have NO PATIENCE, you may also wish to excuse yourself.

These babies require a lot of baking and cooling downtime so if waiting is not your thing, you may have to reassess your love of the humble meringue.

A little tip ~  make sure your eggs are at room temperature.  I discovered this years ago when attempting my first lemon meringue pie and my egg whites wouldn't fluff up after vigorous beating for eons  weeks A BLOODY LONG TIME.

Clueless I whinged lamented about my egg white beating skills (clear lack of) to my friend Kym.  Quite the master baker herself and winner of several prestigious country show awards, (where the competition and judges are FIERCE) she replied..
"You are using eggs at room temperature aren't you?" "Pfft.. of COURSE I am..."

Some omit the vinegar but I have read, that a little helps to crisp up the outside of the meringue whilst keeping the inside a softer consistency.  Worth putting in.  My mum used to put vinegar in everything. Toffees, meringues, poached eggs..  I guess old habits die hard.

Ingredients
4 egg whites  
Pinch of salt                                                    
1 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoons GF cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Pre-heat your oven to 100°C   

Method
Make sure your mixing bowl is clean.  Any trace of fat can bring your meringue merriment to a screeching halt.  Using an electric mixer, beat your egg whites and salt until soft peaks form, then gradually add sugar.  Beat until mixture becomes glossy and all of the sugar has dissolved.
If you rub a little between your thumb and forefinger and the mix is no longer gritty, you're good to go.  At this point, add cornflour, vinegar & any colour preference (mix until just combined).

Use a piping bag with a wide star tip to create your meringues.  Aim for about 4-5 cm diameter and allow space between each on a lined baking tray.  Abb & I sprinkled GF 100's and 1000's on ours but GF sprinkles or small cachous would also look fab.

Bake for 2 hours until meringues have a hardened shell and sound hollow when gently tapped on the bottom.

Now for the hard part.  The waiting..
Turn your oven off and allow meringues to cool for a couple of hours.  I stick a wooden spoon in the door so it remains ajar whilst meringues are cooling.  I also do this when making lemon meringue pie.

Well done! You made it.  ENJOY!                                  

 

Chocolate Mousse

We were meeting up with friends for a BBQ and I naturally had left things to the last minute.
What to make? What to make? I needed something simple, something delicious and something fast.  Chocolate Mousse?  BINGO. 

I used those small plastic wine goblets that you can purchase from any supermarket for around $3-$4 for TEN.  The kind you can throw away but are rigid enough to wash and re-use if you feel so inclined.  The idea was no washing up.  I liked the idea immediately.

The following recipe is from www.taste.com and just adapted so as to make it gluten free.  No changes actually, just ensure you are using gluten free cocoa powder and chocolate.  It's a no brainer.

300g Gluten Free good quality dark chocolate
3 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar

1 Tbs Gluten Free cocoa powder sifted
300mls thickened cream (I actually used whipping cream so I didn't have to buy thickened AND whipping - less waste) plus extra whipped cream to serve
Grated chocolate for decoration

Melt your chocolate.
Now you can do this in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water as long as the bowl isn't actually touching the water - stir gently, remove from heat and set aside to cool

OR

Use your microwave.  Naturally I used this lazy option.  Just make sure you reduce the power to 50% and do in small bursts.  My chocolate could have probably done with more melting but tiny bits of unmelted chocolate through the mix equalled WIN WIN later when tucking in.. Totally your call.

Either way, set aside to cool slightly.

Place eggs and sugar in your mixer and beat for 5 minutes until mix becomes pale in colour and increases in volume.  FOLD in your sifted cocoa powder and chocolate.  In a separate bowl beat cream until thickened and fold through chocolate mixture.  Chill in  fridge for 1 hour then decorate with extra whipped cream and grated chocolate.

I half filled NINE of these small plastic wine goblets easily with this quantity of mousse and then topped up with whipped cream.

ENJOY!

Got Chocolate. Not Afraid to Use It.

I have thousands of cookbooks.  I think my collection is ample but I just keep on adding to it.  It's a sickness I tell you and I got it bad.  Hello. My name is Tara and I have a compulsion to buy.. just one more cookbook. The upside is, I'm never short of a great recipe or inspiration which leads me to this next little gem.

I found a great recipe recently in the very fabulous - Artisanal GLUTEN-FREE Cupcakes by Kelli & Peter Bronski.  SEE HERE  Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes no less.
The recipe was already perfect but I like to put my own spin on things so the following is an adaptation of the original.  Here's what I did -

Ingredients                                             

250g butter

1 cup water

1/2 cup GF cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1+1/2 cups GF plain flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

1+1/2 tsp GF baking powder

1+1/2 tsp bi-carb soda

1/2 tsp salt  

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180° and prep your patty cases in your baking tin.

Heat butter, water and cocoa over a medium heat until butter has melted.

Put sugar in electric mixer bowl, add the butter-cocoa mix & mix on low for 5 minutes. 

Add eggs one at a time incorporating each one well into the mix at each addition.

Add sour cream and vanilla, mix in well.

In a separate bowl combine your dry ingredients - sift twice!

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix at medium-low speed until just combined. Don't over-mix.

Fill each patty case 3/4 full.  Mix is quite thick - Don't panic.
Smooth each top then place in oven to cook for 25 minutes.

Allow cupcakes to cool in tin for 10 minutes then remove & allow to cool completely on a wire rack 

Now this recipe called for Whipped Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry Sauce.

WHIPPED. CHOCOLATE. GANACHE.

Yes you read correctly. I just like saying it out loud..slowly..

WHIPPED. CHOCOLATE. GANACHE. 

The Whipped Chocolate Ganache was decadent enough for me.. I never made it to the raspberry sauce...
 
There's always next time...

Betty's Birthday Baking

A good friend of mine has a pet name for me due to my love of baking.. BETTY
Her affectionate comments have included "Nice one Betty" "Betty I'm impressed" "Make sure some of that is in plentiful supply when I call in for afternoon tea later Betty" - I know it's a term of endearment, it's kinda grown on me, OK so I kinda like it..

So Betty got baking a few days back.  Abbey's 6th birthday was looming.  Got baking? OK it was a baking FRENZY.  I had mudcake, macarons, cupcakes, and fondant coming out of the wazoo.  I had 12 kids coming for some afternoon frivolity and sugar fuelled madness.


WHY.. WHY..  I think this Coeliac scourge is creeping into my cranial cavity and strangling my brain.  Did I mention the choc-mallow jelly slice.. *GROAN*

Clearly I had bitten off more than I could chew but I was gonna make this happen.  CRAP. Why do I put myself under this pressure.  It's a bit OCD for me this baking gig. But I do LOVE it.

Well I'm happy to report that I pulled it off.  Yes. That's right.  I BLOODY did it.










A word to the wise..

If you intend on colouring fondant yourself, use GLOVES (mmm yes.. something that I could have done with knowing EARLIER..)  Better still, buy COLOURED FONDANT unless of course you're comfortable with grotesquely stained hands for days and uncomfortable stares at the supermarket checkout..

If you need to cool jelly.. DON'T forget about it and return to fridge 2 hours later in a lather realising that it has SET.. SET! That's appropriate here.  Set a TIMER people.. a TIMER (DOH! Now that tested me - stress levels were through the roof)  




AND yet, in spite of my setbacks, it all went off rather well.  It pays to have a sense of humour.  It has gotten me through many a sticky situation.


And for those of you that want to give the fabulous
Choc-mallow jelly slice a whirl.. I found the recipe in the March 2013 edition of Super Food Ideas and you can find it HERE   *Remembering to substitute for GLUTEN FREE where appropriate - e.g., Sweet biscuits, Milk Chocolate, Marshmallows