Pumpkin and Walnut Bread

Pumpkin and Walnut Bread

Inspired by:

Simply recipes website

Why?

I was visiting another friend at her work. Thought it would be nice for afternoon tea.

Time Taken:

10 minutes preparation (+1 hour to cook pumpkin)+45 minutes cooking=1-2 hours.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Medium sized bowl, dessert bowl, fork, measuring cups, measuring spoons

I used:

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

¼ cup rice milk

1 cup gluten free self raising flour

½ cup desiccated coconut

1 tsp salt

1 cup raw sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp all spice

½ cup walnuts

(cranberries and coconut to garnish)

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line 30cm x 20cm loaf tin.

In the largest bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and rice milk with a fork .

In the dessert bowl, combine gluten free flour, coconut, salt, sugar, and spices and mix together with a spoon.

In the largest bowl, add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix gently until combined.

Stir in walnuts

Pour into loaf tin, and sprinkle with cranberries and coconut.

Bake for 45 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Cut into slices and enjoy.

Comments after eating Pumpkin Walnut bread:

It doesn’t taste like I expect, but it has a nice texture and a good flavor.

Great with tea and very moreish.

What I would do different:

I would consider using brown sugar instead of raw sugar.

Coconut, Cranberry and Walnut slice

Coconut, Cranberry and Walnut slice

Inspired by:

Chocolate coconut slice- Australian Women’s Weekly

Why?

Wanted to take something for afternoon tea to my friend’s house.

Time Taken:

10 minutes preparation+20 minutes cooking=30 minutes

Dirty Dishes:

Tray, medium bowl, fork, spoon, measuring cups, measuring spoons

I used:

125g dairy free margarine (melted)

1 cup castor sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup self raising gluten free flour

½ cup desiccated coconut

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup walnuts

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C. 

Line 30cm x 20cm slice tray.

In a medium bowl mix margarine, sugar, egg and vanilla with a fork.

Once combined, add flour, coconut, cranberries and walnuts and mix well.

Pour into slice tray and bake for 20 minutes or until firm.

Let cool before cutting into slices.

Eat and enjoy.

Comments after eating Coconut, Cranberry and Walnut slice:

It’s a great combination of flavours and a tasty non chocolate slice.

My friends kept going back for more.

What I would do different:

I had a little less than ½ cup cranberries. I think adding more cranberries would be nice.

Chocolate Mousse (number 3)

Chocolate Mousse

 (pictured with chocolate chips)

Inspired by:

Urbanposer.blogspot.it

Why?

As usual with these great discoveries, the story begins with failure! I tried to make a soy free slice for a friend, but used olive oil as a margarine substitute and the slice although chocolatey ended up tasting like olive oil! So I thought a mousse slice would mask the flavor nicely. Am always looking for new ways of doing things, and this mousse recipe was quick and easy.

Time Taken:

Overnight refrigeration of coconut milk+ 5 minutes.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Medium sized bowl, beater, measuring spoons/cups.

I used:

1 cup of chilled coconut cream (the solid white part not the watery part)

5 tbs cocoa

2 tsp vanilla

½ cup icing sugar (it’s supposed to be 3tbs honey but the lid was stuck on the jar!)

What I did:

Scoop the cold coconut cream into a medium sized bowl.

Add cocoa, vanilla and icing sugar and beat for 2-5 minutes until combined and fluffy.

Eat, or chill and eat later.

Comments after eating Chocolate mousse:

Yum and wow. So easy!

My husband likes the other mousse recipes better than this though.

What I would do different:

When I can get the lid off my honey, I will try it with that instead of icing sugar!

I want to try this method to make different flavours of mousse!

GF Pizza base/flat bread

GF Pizza base/flat bread

(after cooking and before cooking)

Inspired by:

Schar bread mix. . .the recipe on the back of the packet.

Why?

I’ve been making this for a while, but a friend and recent GF convert wanted to know about Pizza bases. 

I make it without yeast.

Time Taken:

20-30 minutes

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Measuring cups, bowl, measuring spoons, mixing spoon, knife, tray

I used:

1 cup gluten free all purpose flour

¾ cup warm water

2 tbs olive oil 

1 tsp salt

What I did:

Preheat oven to 200C.

Line tray and prepare desired toppings.

In a medium bowl combine gluten free flour, water, 1tbs oil and salt, and mix well (add more water if your flour is quite dry and absorbent, the dough should be well mixed, and spreadable-see picture).

Scrape the dough onto the tray and pour remaining olive oil over it.

Using a knife, spread dough on the tray as thinly as you desire.

Add toppings and bake in the oven for 10-20 minutes (until it is your preferred crispiness), or until your toppings are cooked to your satisfaction.

Take out of the oven and enjoy!

Comments after eating GF pizza base:

I love the thin crispy Roman pizza bases so this is perfect for me. 

It's a quick and delicious snack with some cheese or herbs scattered across it.

Different flour blends produce different results and it’s best to start with a bread/pizza flour blend.

It’s a little different, but all my guests have enjoyed it.

What I would do different:

I want to try out my own flour blend! I will get there eventually.

Anzac Slice

Anzac Biscuits/Slice

Inspired by:

Family Circle Kids Cookbook Recipe

Why?

I continued the Australia Day celebrations from last week. We had more visitors from Australia come and stay and they had missed out on celebrating Australia Day. What better to cheer them up than some warm Anzac slice!?

Time Taken:

10mins +20 mins cooking

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, wooden spoon, measuring cups, medium bowl, tray

I used:

1 ½ cups rolled oats (or rolled rice if oats isn’t in your gluten free diet)

1 ½ cups gluten free flour

2 tbs golden syrup

125g dairy free margarine or ¼ cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

1 tbs hot water

1tsp bicarb soda

*see what I would do different for the recipe with coconut

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line 20cm x30cm baking tray. 
In a medium saucepan, melt dairy free margarine and golden syrup. 
In a cup mix hot water and bicarb soda and then add to the syrup, stirring well. 
Take off the heat (turn off the element). In a medium sized bowl mix together oats, sugar and gluten free flour. 
Pour syrup over the dry ingredients and mix well until combined. 
Pour into tray and flatten into the pan with the back of the spoon making sure the mixture is even. 
Bake for 20 minutes (it will be gooey/bubbling when it comes out of the oven), and then leave to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Comments after eating Anzac biscuits/slice:

This slice is a winner with so many, which I am always surprised by that as I think it looks healthy (in a way that might make the eater think the biscuits are bland) because of the oats, and in general when it comes to dessert I find that friends don’t often choose the healthy looking option they choose the yummie looking option. I think the golden syrup gives them a delicious taste that not everyone, especially here in our international community is used to as It’s very easy, it’s vegan, and very delicious.

Comments/What I would do different:

Normally coconut is added to this recipe, but as I didn’t have it I added extra oats and flour. 
If you add 1 cup of shredded coconut, then only add 1 cup of rolled oats and 1 cup of gluten free flour. 

Normally this recipe is made as a biscuit/cookie not as a slice. I have had no success in getting my mixture to stay separate in the oven (perhaps a side effect of the dairy free part) and so I cut them into biscuit squares after it is cooked instead of despairing every time.

Custard

Custard

Inspired by:

Recipe on the BBC.co.uk by Mary Berry

Why?

My Australian friends and I had tried to make pavlova and so we were left with 4 egg yolks. I have always wanted to make custard from scratch and this was my chance.

Time Taken:

15 minutes.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Measuring cups, spoon, whisk, bowl, saucepan, teaspoon

I used:

2 cups of rice milk

1 tsp vanilla powder

4 egg yolks

2 tsp corn flour (gluten free)

½ cup sugar

What I did:

In a medium sized bowl whisk eggs and sugar together. 
Add corn flour and whisk until well combined. 
In a medium sized saucepan heat rice milk until it simmers, then remove from the heat and pour over the egg mixture. 
Whisk together and then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly over a low heat until the mixture thickens. 
Serve immediately.

Comments after eating Custard:

My friend said it tasted very similar to the egg custard her grandmother made (although the rice milk gave it a slightly different flavor), and I was satisfied with the result, even though I have only tasted custard made from custard powder. After eating it our other friend decided she liked it so much that she was inspired to make it at home, which is the best complement anyone can give me!

What I would do different:

I actually put in 4 tsps of corn flour, but 2tsp is enough (and 2tsp was how much was in the original recipe).

It goes well with mixed berries, but not as nice with chocolate.

Fake Tim Tams or Chocolate Mousse Biscuits

Fake Tim Tams or Chocolate Mousse Biscuits

Inspired by:

Slice base from Gluten Free Baking Book by Simon and Alison Holst and Nigella Lawson’s Instant Chocolate Mousse

Why?

It’s Australia Day on the 26^th of January, and so I wanted to make something that reminded me of Australia. TimTams are one of our famous biscuits- they involve, two chocolate malt biscuits with chocolate icing between them, covered in chocolate. Yum. Without the malt and the gluten and dairy to aid me.  . .here is my attempt!

Time Taken:

Mouse=20 mins, Biscuit base=40 mins, Chocolate=10 mins. 1 hr 10 mins.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, spoon, bowl, spoon, tray, bainmarie, spoon, knife

I used:

Base:

100g melted dairy free margarine

¼ cup castor sugar

1 cup gluten free flour

¼ cup cocoa

Mousse:

150g Gluten free marshmallows

1 Tbs of dairy free margarine (can substitute for oil)

250g dairy free chocolate (I used 40% cocoa solids)

¾ cup dairy free milk substitute

1tsp vanilla essence/powder.

Coating:

100g dairy free chocolate.

What I did:

Preheat oven to 180C and line 30cm x 40cm baking tray.

In a medium sized bowl combine the ingredients for the base (dairy free margarine, castor sugar, gluten free flour and cocoa) and mix well together. 
Pour out on to tray and with a spoon smooth onto the base of the tin so that the batter is evenly spread and is half a centimeter thick. 
Place in the oven and bake for 10 mins or until the centre is firm. (If a crunchy biscuit is desired pull base out of the oven and let cool for ten minutes and then rebake for another 10 minutes or until firm). 
Cut the base in half.

While the base cools combine mousse ingredients (marshmallows, dairy free margarine, dairy free chocolate, dairy free milk and vanilla), in a medium saucepan over a low heat. 
Stir mixture continually until marshmallows are melted, taking care not to boil the mixture. 
Let mixture cool for ten minutes and then spread over one half of the biscuit base and place the other half of the biscuit base on top of it so that the mousse is sandwiched between the biscuit layers.

After ten minutes cut the biscuits into thick fingers about 5cm long and 2.5cm wide and separate out on the baking paper.

Melt the remaining dairy free chocolate over a bain-marie, and once chocolate has liquidified pour it over the biscuits until they are covered. 
Once done, lift the biscuits off the paper slightly so that the chocolate runs underneath and coats the bottom of the biscuit as well.

Let the biscuits set, and enjoy.

Comments after eating fake Tim Tams:

Yum! Very chocolatey and delicious. Our friend who does not normally enjoy chocolate desserts liked them very much which was a big complement. Everyone was happy. Not exactly TimTams. . .but it satisfied my craving!

What I would do different:

I didn’t double bake the slice, and I would do that next time or use biscotti in an effort to make the biscuits more like Tim Tams which have that biscuit crunch. My crust was firm before I added the mousse and the chocolate, but when encased in chocolate and mousse, it soaked up the moisture and became more cake like than I desired. No complaints about the taste though!