Ginger Biscuits

Ginger Biscuits

Inspired by:

Australian Women’s Weekly Gingernuts

Why?

They were something simple and quick to take to a friend’s house.

Time Taken:

20 minutes preparation, 10 minutes baking=30 minutes

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Tray, medium saucepan, wooden spoon, teaspoon, measuring cups, measuring spoons, fork

I used:

90g dairy free margarine

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup golden syrup

1 1/3 cups gluten free flour

¾ tsp bicarb soda

1 tbs ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp allspice

What I did:

Line biscuit tray and preheat oven to 180C.

Melt margarine, sugar and golden syrup in a medium saucepan over low heat.

Once melted, remove from heat (turn off stove top) and add dry ingredients.

Mix until well combined.

Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.

Roll teaspoons of mixture into balls and place on tray 5cm apart.

Flatten slightly with a fork.

Bake 10 minutes.

Take out of oven and leave to cool (they will solidify more).

Eat and Enjoy.

Comments after eating Ginger Biscuits:

They were a new taste for my friends, who went back for more.

I don't have a good record for making pretty looking biscuits, but the taste makes up for it.

I was pleasantly surprised with how they turned out, although next time I will aim for more moisture.

What I would do different:

Perhaps add more sugar or golden syrup in the hope they would be more moist.

Practice making biscuits look pretty!

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.

Virgin Mojitos

Virgin Mojitos

Inspired by:

I can’t find the recipe anymore! I didn’t even write it down!

Apologies if my directions are rough.

Why?

I felt like having a Mojito but am off alcohol at the moment.

Time Taken:

5 minutes

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Spoon, knife, chopping board, 2 drinking glasses

I used: (2 skinny glasses)

4-6 tbs Lemon cordial chilled

(equal parts lemon juice, castor sugar and water, boiled until sugar has dissolved)

2 limes

10 mint leaves

2 tbs raw sugar

Cold water (still or sparkling)

What I did:

Cut limes into quarters and squeeze half a lime into the bottom of each glass.

Add 1tbs of raw sugar and 5 mint leaves to each glass.

With the spoon mix thoroughly, making sure the flavours muddle.

Then add the squeezed half lime and 2tbs of lemon cordial.

Mix again and add the other half of the limes and fill glass with cold water.

Serve!

Comments after drinking the Virgin Mojito:

YUM! I want to make another one! (and I did!)

What I would do different:

Muddle more, and maybe add some more lemon cordial.

Melting Moments

Melting moments

Inspired by:

Taste.com.au

Why?

I haven’t eaten one in what feels like years!

Time Taken:

15mins+15mins+5mins=35 mins

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Biscuit tray, medium bowl, fork, measuring cups, table knife, small bowl

I used:

250g dairy free margarine, cubed

1/3 cup gluten free icing sugar

1t vanilla

1 1/3 cups gluten free flour

1/3 cup gluten free corn flour.

Icing

60g dairy free margarine at room temperature

1t vanilla

Lemon rind to taste

2/3 cup gluten free icing sugar

What I did:

Preheat oven to 160C and line biscuit tray with baking paper.

In a medium sized bowl beat dairy free margarine, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy.

Add flours and mix until biscuit dough is just combined.

Roll into balls (the bigger the ball the bigger the biscuit) and place on tray 5cm apart (they do spread). Flatten slightly with a fork. Bake 15 minutes. Take out of oven and leave to cool (they will solidify more). Once cool, mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl. Using a table knife cover the base of the biscuit in icing and press the base of another biscuit on the top. Repeat until all biscuits are iced. Eat and enjoy!

Comments after eating Melting Moments:

They really do melt in your mouth! Delicious and dangerously moreish! Although they are not so tidy to look at. Once iced they look a bit more respectable, but once you taste them the look of them does't matter so much!

What I would do different:

Make a bigger batch! Also experiment with a little less margarine in the hope that they would spread less. 

Coconut Lemonade Ice

Amazing Coconut Lemonade Ice

Inspired by:

Coconut ice and lemons

Why?

I had made some lemonade then got this crazy idea of making lemon coconut ice!

Time Taken:

10 minutes+ refrigeration

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Bowl, fork, tray, measuring cups

I used:

250g icing sugar

100ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Grated lemon rind (to taste)

250g desiccated coconut

What I did:

Line a 20cmx10cm tin and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine icing sugar and coconut. 
Add lemon juice and zest and mix well with a fork.
Press mixture firmly into tin and refrigerate until set. 
Cut into squares and enjoy!

Comments after eating Coconut Lemonade Ice:

YUM! Tastes like lemonade but is in a slice. Delicious! Smells amazing too!

What I would do different:

Add a bit more icing sugar to help it set, or cut it into squares half way through setting to help it solidify.

Chunky Pineapple Sorbet

Chunky Pineapple Sorbet

Inspired by: Myrecipes.com

Why?

I had bought a pineapple with the knowledge that we were having friends over for dinner. However when their plans changed, it was too much for two of us to eat, and in the light of the fact that we were going away for the weekend, I wanted to use the pineapple so we didn't come home to fruit rotting in the refrigerator. 

Time Taken:

20 minutes preparation+7 hours freezing.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Fork, medium sized bowl/saucepan/container which is suitable for freezing, measuring cup, tablespoon, knife, chopping board.

I used:

1 cup sugar

2 Tbs lemon juice

1 Pineapple

What I did:

In the medium sized bowl (which is suitable for freezing) dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice, and stir until combined. 
Skin and core pineapple and cut the remaining flesh into small pieces 1cm square, and add to the bowl. 
Mix with a fork and mash as much of the pineapple flesh as possible. 
For a smoother finish blend the pineapple, sugar and juice until pureed and then return to bowl. 
Cover bowl and freeze for 3 hours until it is frozen on the outside but still soft in the middle. 
Mash sorbet with a fork to break up the pineapple as much as possible and distribute the ice and then return to the freezer for 4 hours. 
Serve and Enjoy!

Comments after eating Pineapple sorbet:

YUM! This is delicious!

What I would do different:

Adding some fresh mint leaves in here would make a great flavor.

Scones

Scones

Inspired by:

Simon and Alison Holst- Gluten free baking.

Why?

We had just come back from a weekend away, and had no food in the house. I was feeling too unwell to go to the shops, but needed something quick and easy for lunch.

Time Taken:

10 mins preparation+15 mins cooking

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Tray, bowl, spoon, fork, measuring cup, measuring spoon

I used:

2 cups Gluten Free Flour

4tsp baking power

½ tsp salt

75g dairy free margarine- cold

¾ cup dairy free rice milk

3 Tbs sugar

What I did:

Preheat oven to 200C and line 20x 25cm baking tray. 
In a medium sized bowl mix gluten free flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and dairy free margarine and blend with a fork until the margarine is well combined and the mixture looks like small crumbs.
Add rice milk gradually and mix it in with a spoon to form the dough. 
When the dough is mixed, use a tablespoon to create equal spoons of dough on the baking paper, placing them a few centimeters apart (should make 10-12 tablespoons). 
Bake for 10-15 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Comments after eating Scones:

YUM! I have missed the taste of hot scones with melted margerine! Delicious, a little bit sweet and so soft! Perfect with golden syrup, margarine or jam! Reheats well in the microwave.

What I would do different:

The proper way to make scones involves using a round to cut the floured dough into circular buns. However this method didn’t work for me and so I found spooning to be just as effective, or better. Next time I will space them out on the tray in an even pattern!

Lemonade

Lemonade

Inspired by:

Simply Recipes

Why?

I bought some lemons to make lemon bars and had some lemons left over. I came across the lemonade recipe as I was searching online for inspiration. I have never tried it before, but have heard so much about it through friends from the US, so I thought I would give it a go.

Time Taken:

15-20 mins preparation, plus 40 mins to chill.

Number of Dirty Dishes:

Saucepan, lemon squeezer, knife, spoon, measuring cups, jug

I used:

1 cup sugar,

1 cup lemon juice- from 6-8 small lemons

1 cup water

5 cups cold water

What I did:

In a medium sized saucepan add lemon juice, water and sugar and mix together. 
Place the saucepan on a medium heat and stir until sugar has completely dissolved. 
Take off the heat and allow to cool.
Add to 5 cups cold water and chill in jugs for 40 minutes, OR chill syrup for 40 minutes and add the cold water before serving.

Comments after drinking Lemonade:

I have made this three times in the last week I love it so much. Everyone that I have served it to, loved its refreshing taste and came back for more.

What I would do different:

Fresh mint would be a great garnish.

Mint Chocolate Ice cream!

Mint Chocolate Ice cream!

Inspired by:

Sandy Parrott Ashbrook on Aprovechar’s Fresh Mint Ice cream Recipe and Jamie Oliver’s Pear Sorbet Recipe

Why?

Ice cream is my favourite food! I love Gelato/i because it tastes great and the fruit flavours (in real gelato- like here in Rome) are dairy free! It’s a blessing especially when I can’t indulge in the pizza and pasta!

My favourite flavor is Mint Choc Chip, which is not dairy free. I had a craving (perhaps because my brain tells me it should be summer even though it’s super cold here) and so I decided to experiment!

Time Taken:

10 mins to create the mixture. Several hours to freeze. I froze mine overnight. Using an ice cream maker the times will vary.

Dirty Dishes:

Heat proof dish (2L), medium saucepan, spoon.

I used:

250g icing sugar

1 can of coconut milk (400ml)

Peppermint essence (to taste)

Peppermint leaves (to taste- dried 2Tbs)

50g dairy free chocolate broken into chunks.

What I did:

Combine icing sugar and coconut milk in saucepan on medium heat. 
With a spoon stir until sugar is melted. 
If  using fresh mint leaves add them now and keep the mixture on low heat for several minutes to allow the flavor to develop. 

If using peppermint essence, add desired amount now and the dried peppermint leaves and stir in thoroughly.
After the peppermint flavour has been mixed through, taste the mixture (it will be hot!) to check the flavor, and add more essence or seep for longer if desired. 

Then bring to the boil, and boil for one minute. Remove from heat (turn off the element) and let mixture cool. 

When the mixture is still warm, but no longer boiling hot, add the chocolate chunks and give a brief stir. Some of the chips should melt. Pour the mixture into the heat proof dish until the mixture is completely cool. Then use an ice cream maker according to it’s instructions to complete the freeze process or to freeze it without an ice cream maker, put the ice cream mixture in the freezer. 
Mix every hour or two (if possible) for the first few hours to spread the chips around and to avoid any ice deposits.

After eating Mint Chocolate Ice cream:

I am wondering why I took so long to make it in the first place! The others who ate it enjoyed it too! Mmmmm mint.

Comments and what I would do different:

The ice cream doesn’t stay frozen for as long as traditional store bought ice cream. Once put into a bowl it gets quite melty around the edges. I’m not sure if there’s something I can do to combat this in my recipe (more sugar/longer boiling etc) or if that is a symptom of dairy free/preservative free ice cream or I need an ice cream maker. If anyone knows let me know! Until then I'm happy!