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Gluten-free choc chip cookies

On April 11, 2012 in Baking, biscuits, celiac, chocolate, cookies, food sensitivities, gluten-free, wheat-free

What’s your favourite childhood sweet treat? Choc chip cookies top my list. My Mum, sister and I used to bake them all the time. In fact, my sister can be credited as the original choc chip cookie baker in our family as she tried to replicate the recipe from Mrs Fields Cookies and get them to the perfect consistency. Taking them out of the oven before they were ready meant we could eat them while they were still warm and gooey. Ah, the memories.

Of course, the choc chip cookies of my childhood contained gluten and were probably responsible for my constant tummy aches. Now that I’ve cottoned on to the cause of my poor digestion, I’m always on the look out for gluten-free baked versions of my childhood favourites. This brings me to today’s cookie recipe – gluten-free choc chip cookies.

I recently asked my beloved Facebook fans if they prefer crunchy or chewy biscuits. The overwhelming majority like their cookies chewy in the middle and crunchy on the outside. As for their favourite cookie of all time – choc chip won hands down.

So, I had a go at creating some chewy and crunchy gluten-free choc chip cookies. My first attempt resulted in a rather sad batch of cookies – crumbly and the centres fell out. Not being one to give up easily, I gave the cookies another go – this time with the addition of xanthan gum (a great binder in gluten-free baking). The results were triumphant – golden, crunchy, chewy mouthfuls of yumminess. Admittedly, the cookies weren’t particularly chewy on day one, but they gradually became chewier after a day or so (I might try omitting the caster sugar next time and doubling the amount of brown sugar). I tested the cookies out on my lovely workmates who happily polished off the whole lot.

Gluten-free choc chip cookies

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes: 30

Gluten-free choc chip cookies

Bake some of these for your workmates or family and you'll be sure to earn some brownie (or "choc chips") points.

Ingredients:

125g unsalted butter
1/2 brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 free-range egg
1 free-range egg yolk
2 cups gluten-free self raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark choc chips
1/2 cup white choc chips
1 tsp xanthan gum

Method

Turn on your oven to 180 degrees celsius, making sure the two oven racks are positioned towards the middle of the oven.

Cream together lightly softened butter with sugars and vanilla essence with an electric mixer. Once the mixture looks light and fluffy, lightly beat the eggs in a bowl with a fork and gradually add them to the butter mixture and give it a good mix. Be sure to taste some of the mixture at this stage as it’s delicious!

Add the sifted flour and salt to the butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. I have been using White Wings gluten-free flour mix, but it’s too salty for my liking, so you may want to experiment with making your own self-raising flour mix with a combination of rice flour, soy flour, cornflour and tapioca flour mixed with gluten-free baking power. I’ll work on posting a recipe for this down the track.

Add choc chips and mix well. At this stage, I recommend popping a few choc chips in your mouth as it’s always essential to taste test.

Shape teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls, making sure to include both dark and white choc chips in each cookie (the white choc chips can look invisible when they melt resulting in a cookie that looks choc-chipless) and place them on lightly greased baking trays with enough room in between each one to spread. Lightly press each cookie with a fork that’s been lightly dipped in flour. Bake in moderate oven for about 10 minutes.

While you’re waiting for the biscuits to cook, you can kick back on the couch and lick the bowl and the beaters.

Once you’ve taken them out of the oven, leave the cooked biscuits on the oven trays for about 5 minutes before carefully turning them onto some drying racks to cool. Enjoy with a glass or milk or a cuppa tea.

P.S. Food Crush tied the knot a few weeks ago and is going honeymooning for the next few weeks, so you won’t be receiving any lengthy blog posts from me for a while. I’ll try to post some yummy food shots from Thailand and Turkey to keep you salivating. :)

 

 

 

 

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Craisin, pecan and white choc cookies

On February 24, 2012 in Baking, biscuits, celiac, comfort food, gluten-free, Nigella Lawson

Has the cult of celebrity ever struck you as weird? The way masses of seemingly sane people can go hysterical in the presence of a rock star, actor or reality TV star? Or how women can go weak at the knees at the mere sight of their idol. Think Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Lady Gaga, Madonna – all these mere mortals have been known to cause this effect. Indeed, if you were an alien observing Earth from afar, surely you would come to the swift conclusion that we’re all completely nuts!

Hero worship doesn’t stop at rock stars and Hollywood A-listers. The foodie world is currently basking in the glory of its newfound celebrity status.  Many refer to it as the “Masterchef phenomenon”, and they’re not wrong. Cooking was cool long before reality TV, but shows like Masterchef have put culinary pursuits well and truly back on the radar, and transformed previously unknown chefs like Adrienne Zumbo into household names.

Internationally speaking, the cult of celebrity chefdom is positively brimming at the rim. While most of us aren’t likely to go into a crazed frenzy at the site of Jamie, Nigella or Heston (okay, so I probably would), we are all on first-name basis with them. When these cooking gurus aren’t dazzling us with their latest cookbook release, they’re lighting up our screens with yet another cooking series. And as for Jamie, well he’s a special case, but his foodie empire is expanding faster than I can type this blog post. Speaking of which, have you checked out Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia?

Of all the celebrity chefs out there, Nigella is my favourite. Truth be told, I just want to look like her, but that’s not the point. For someone who’s not a chef, she does a very good job of inspiring me to don my apron. Sometimes I wonder if there’s a food guru sitting behind the camera telling her exactly what to say and when to say it, but let’s not break the enigma shall we.

Without further ado, today I’m sharing my wheat-free interpretation of Nigella’s cranberry and white chocolate cookies (from Feast cookbook). My recipe actually strays quite a distance from Nigella’s version, but the results are good and gluten-free to boot. This brings me to the topic of oats. These cookies contain oats. While oats are deemed “no go” by the Australian Coeliac Society, they are on the gluten-free list of equivalent societies in other countries. They don’t upset my tummy, but I’m not a Coeliac, so you need to make your own call on whether these cookies are right for you.

Craisin, pecan and white choc cookies

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes: 20

Cranberry, pecan and white choc cookies

Craisin, pecan and white choc cookies

Ingredients:

125g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (loosely packed)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
pinch salt
1/2 tsp gluten-free baking powder, sifted
11/4 cups gluten-free plain flour, sifted
3/4 cup rolled oats (please see note above about oats)
1/2 cup dried craisins (you can buy them from the supermarket)
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup white chocolate, roughly chopped (or you can use choc chips)
Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until creamy. Add vanilla essence and egg then mix until light and fluffy.
2. Add sifted flour, baking powder, oats, salt (please see note above about oats) and mix lightly until combined.
3. Stir in the choccie, pecans and craisins until evenly distributed.
4. Roll tablespoonfuls into balls and bake on two greased trays (they will spread so leave enough room) at 150ºC for about 15 minutes or until cooked and lightly browned.
5. After about five minutes, remove the cookies with a spatula and let them cool on a wire rack.
Cranberry, pecan and white choc cookies

Cranberry, pecan and white choc cookies

Notes:

  • Don’t worry if the mixture is sticky. My mixture was gooey and the finished product held together well.
  • I used White Wings gluten-free plain flour, but I found it to be very salty. Next time I’m going to make my own gluten-free flour mix using rice flour, soy flour and cornflour. In fact, there’s a great flour recipe in ‘Gluten-free Dessert Bible’. I will contact its author, Fiona Hammond to see if she’s happy to share it with you.

So, tell me. What’s your favourite biscuit recipe? And do you prefer your biscuits crunchy or chewy or both?

 

 

 

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Allergy-friendly desserts

On February 16, 2011 in allergy-free, biscuits, cakes, celiac, dairy-free, dessert, egg-free, food sensitivities, gluten-free, healthy recipes, wheat-free

When I first embarked on this food blogging caper last year, I was oblivious to the world of blogging (and food blogging, for that matter). I felt like a voyager chartering unknown territories and discovering new lands. Sadly for this late adopter, these “new lands” were by no means new, but rather, I was a bit behind the times. Nevertheless, it did beg me to wonder how blogging and I had managed to evade each other for so long. We were a perfect match and our union was long overdue… what, with me being a frustrated writer and it being so accessible and all.

I liken blogging to being in a relationship – you keep learning about each other as you peel off the layers. This has what happened over recent months as I’ve delved deeper into the blogosphere. You see, I’ve had to kiss dairy, gluten, eggs and shellfish goodbye for health reasons (it was a teary farewell), but the good news for sensitive souls like me is there’s loads of amazing recipes out there. I’m only scratching the surface of what seems to be a treasure chest of food-sensitivity nirvana. In the interests of sharing the love, here’s a round-up of gluten, egg and dairy-free desserts from some of the most talented food bloggers around.

1. Sweet pear and polenta muffins
Gluten-free Goddess is a one of the best blogs I’ve come across. As well as being a God-send for people with food sensitivities, this blog is chock full of wisdom and anecdotes on relationships, love and life. Its fabulous author, Karina injects so much of herself into the blog that you just want to invite her over for dinner and give her a big hug. I’m yet to cook these vegan sweet pear and polenta muffins. Karina describes them as grainy and tender with soft sweet bites of pear that almost melt in your mouth.

Sweet pear and polenta muffins

2. Gluten-free carrot bread with Chai spices
Yet another marvel from Gluten-free Goddess. I’m thinking of whipping up this tasty number this weekend. Doesn’t it look moorish?

Gluten-free carrot bread with Chai spices

3.Sweet potato biscuits
I only recently discovered The Sensitive Pantry and boy do I love it. It has my name written all over it with its spotlight on gluten, egg and dairy-free recipes. When I first found out that I had to give up dairy, eggs and grains, I pretty much kissed dessert goodbye. But recipes like this one for sweet potato biscuits just go to show that anything is possible with a bit of creativity.

Sweet potato biscuits

4. Lemon drizzle cake
I love cake and I love lemon, so this lemon drizzle cake from Pig in the Kitchen makes me as happy as a pig in mud. The secret ingredient to this allergy-free cake is an egg replacement product called Orgran ‘no egg’. It is made from potato starch, tapioca flour, vegetable gum, calcium, carbonate and citric acid. Talk about taking resourcefulness to the next level!

Lemon drizzle cake

5.No bake brownie fifteens
The best brownies I ever made contained sour cream and walnuts. I would share the recipe with you, but since I wouldn’t be able to eat it, I thought it best to share these allergy-friendly brownies with you instead. I found these on a fabulous Canadian blog, Healthful Pursuit. The majority of recipes on this holistic nutritionist’s blog are dairy, gluten, corn, yeast, and citrus free.

No bake brownie fifteens

6.Maple and almond cookies
And the prize for the most resourceful cook in the world goes to the person who invented an egg substitute from flaxseed, baking powder and water. Wonders will never cease. Admittedly, I am yet to bake these biscuits, so stay tuned and I’ll let you know if they taste as good as they look.

Maple and almond cookies

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Bill Granger’s cranberry and white choc chunk cookies

On October 10, 2010 in Baking, Bill Granger, biscuits, chocolate, cookies, recipes

Choc chip cookies were the star of my baking repertoire as a child. My sister and I would bake them after dinner and leave Mum with the job of cleaning up and storing them away once they’d cooled. Eating raw mixture was mandatory, as was taking the cookies out of the oven before they were fully cooked and eating them whilst they were piping hot.

Cranberry and white chocolate cookies

Cranberry and white chocolate cookies

I was transported back to my days of cookie making when I baked Bill Granger’s cranberry and white choc chunk cookies. They’re not as sweet as the choc chip ones I made as a kid, but they’re probably not as fattening either. The tartness of the cranberries nicely cuts through the sweetness of the white chocolate.

In the interests of being healthy, I cut down the amount of sugar and white chocolate by about a quarter of a cup. The recipes claims to make 25, but I only made about 15 biscuits. Maybe I made them too big. They go nicely with a cup of tea, but be warned, it’s hard to stop at one.

Here’s the recipe.

Feel like some more cookie recipes? Check out my ginger cookies!

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Ginger and chocolate cookies

On August 12, 2010 in Baking, biscuits, cookies, recipes, snacks

Roll up, roll up, I’ve written my own recipe! This is a first for me as I usually rely on cookbooks, food websites and my Mum for cooking inspiration. My virgin recipe creation is … drum roll… of the biscuit variety. And if I may say so myself, I reckon it’s pretty damn good.

Ginger and chocolate cookies

Ginger and chocolate cookies

Mum doesn’t think they’re the prettiest biscuits she’s ever seen, and I tend to agree, but they say it’s best not to judge a book by its cover. Anyway, give them a shot and let me know what you think. I’m open to feedback and suggestions!

Ingredients:
125g butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (firmly packed) soft brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs, lightly beaten
300g (2 cups) wholemeal plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
a handful of choc chips

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.

Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla essence using electric beaters until well combined. Add the eggs and beat well after each addition.

Sift together plain flour, baking powder, ginger and nutmeg and mix into the butter mixture. Stir in choc bits, dates and walnuts and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Roll large spoonfuls of mixture into balls and place about 15cm apart on oven trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Flatten the balls (using a fork dipped in flour) to about 7cm in diameter and 5-8 mm thick.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and cool on trays. They taste great just out of the oven! Store in an airtight container.

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