Chocolate Chip Cookies

What are they like?

-Crisp on the outside & Chewy on the inside

-Packed with Chocolate Chips

Recipe

This is an adaptation of the chocolate chip cookie recipe from Gluten-Free Baking Classic. This version is dairy free, gum free, and it makes classic chocolate chip cookies, crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. If you would like some tips for this recipe (or how to make the perfect cookie), you are welcome to listen to the accompanying podcast or check out the show notes. 

Dry
1 cup gluten free flour, 130g
3/4 tsp baking soda, 5g 
1/2 tsp salt, 3g
1 tsp psyllium husk powder, 4g

Wet
1/2 cup coconut blend (see note) - or you can use butter
1/2 cup sugar, 105g
1/4 cup brown sugar, 40g, do not pack
1 egg, 54g 
2 tsp vanilla 

Additions
3/4 cup chocolate chips , 150g
1/2 cup walnut pieces (optional)

Directions:

1. Place all of the flour, baking soda, salt and psyllium powder in a bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. 

2. Warm the coconut oil over low heat until quite warm to the touch or use the microwave. Then add the sugar and whisk well to incorporate. The mixture should now be warm but not hot (or it can cook the egg). Whisk in the egg, followed by the vanilla. 

3. Add the dry mixture to the wet. Once the flour is almost mixed in, add the walnuts and chocolate chips and stir only until incorporated. Place in the refrigerator overnight. This step can be skipped if you’d like to bake them right away.  

4. Remove from fridge 2 hours before baking to allow the dough to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Bake for 8 minutes or just until the edges are golden and the middle has lost its sheen. Cool on tray for at least 10 minutes before transferring. Once cooled, store in airtight container.

   Enjoy! 🙂

Notes:
Coconut blend: the best butter substitute that I have come up with for cookies is a ratio of 7 tablespoons coconut oil mixed with 1 tablespoon coconut milk. Now, if you do not have coconut milk on hand, just use two teaspoons of water instead. Furthermore, if you do not have coconut oil on hand, you can substitute 84g (about 1/3 cup) of sunflower oil mixed with 2 teaspoons of water. Just note that a runny vegetable oil will not yield the same result. The cookies will still be delicious but they will not be as chewy and they will not stick together as well, so make sure you let them rest after they are baked. 

Bake time: It is important to be very particular about bake time for cookies. They can go from perfectly baked to over-baked in about 1-2 minute. Although freshly baked cookies are certainly still delicious even when over-baked, if they are taken out of the oven on time (and stored properly) they will stay tender and chewy for couple of days. However, if you prefer them to be crunchy all the way through, give them an extra minute or two. If you prefer them to be chewy take them out just when the middle has lost its sheen. 

Classic Butter Cookies

What are they like?

-A classic buttery flavor

-Delicately crisp (or soft, depending how you like them)

-Experiment with flavor: add nuts, matcha powder, or rose water

NOTE: The pattern on top can be made with a fork but the cookie does not need to be flattened to be baked properly. The design above is optional.

Recipe

These cookies are deliciously buttery. They can be rolled out and decorated or just dolloped onto a cookie sheet for a classic look. If you would like tips on how to make these (or how to make cookies in general), you can check out the podcast here.

1/2 cup vegan butter,115g, softened or melted (see note)
1/2 cup sugar, 100g
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour mix, 150g
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder


Icing (optional)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp water

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: the flour, salt, and psyllium husk powder. 

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the softened (or melted) butter and sugar thoroughly. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla. Then fold in the flour until incorporated. Rest the dough overnight. 

3. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C. (See note for decorative cookies and rolling out cookie dough.) Scoop one tablespoon sized balls onto a cookie sheet two inches apart. If the dough is too cold to work with, allow it to warm up some (see note). 

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes for a soft cookie, just until the edges start to turn color. For a crisp cookie, bake for a few extra minutes, until they are nicely tanned on the bottom. 

5. Let the cookies cool & enjoy. 

These cookies can be decorated if you like—dipped in chocolate or frosted. Store them in an airtight container for up to four days. 

For the Icing: 
In a bowl, stir together the ingredients for the icing. Add just enough liquid to make a thick frosting. If the frosting is too thin, it will run off the cookie. If it is too thick it won’t spread. Add just enough water (or powdered sugar) to get a workable consistency. 

Notes:
Butter: I tested this recipe using Miyoko’s vegan butter which I purchased from Trader Joe's. I prefer this dairy free butter because it does not contain palm oil, the cultivation of which wreaks havoc on the environment and many people also believe palm oil to have poor effects on health. If you would like to use butter, the recipe will likely work nicely, but I have yet not tested it. If you try it, please let me know how it works in the comments section below 🙂 

Resting the dough: You want to the dough to rest to hydrate the flours and to prevent the cookie from spreading too much on the oven. This is a typical step for this kind of cookie. When you portion the dough, it should still be cold but you may want to let it warm up sightly to make it easier to work with, about 1-2 hours depending on the ambient temperature. 

Rolling out the dough: dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the dough. Don’t forget to dust the rolling pin and a light dusting over the top of the dough as well. Roll the dough out when it is still cold. You can cut out desired shapes and sizes, just keep in mind that small cookies will bake more quickly than large ones. If you would like to frost the cookies wait until they cool completely and then make a thick icing to pipe on top (you can dye it desired colors). 

Chocolate Cake with Ganache Frosting + Video

What is it like?

- Super chocolaty

- Perfectly balanced with a hint of fruity cranberries

- Classy frosting which takes less than 5 minutes to make!

Note: The recipe below is for one layer of cake. If your’e feeling ambitious, you could slice the cake in half and fill it with ganache or jam (example above). Or, if you have made this style of cake before and have a very tall cake pan, you could bake two layers and then stack them. However, I recommend starting simple — You will be amazed to have made such a classy, homemade cake!

Recipe

This cake is moist and light. It’s bursting with chocolate flavor which is balanced by the fruitiness of the cranberries. In my book, it’s good for just about any occasion. And the frosting, with its classy look, could not be simpler.

Makes one 9-inch round cake or one 8 x 8 inch cake. This recipe can be used to make cupcakes or whoopee pies.

Dry
dry 1 cup flour mix, 130g
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 32g (see note)
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder or 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp sea salt

Wet
scant 3/4 cup sunflower oil or olive oil, 157g
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, 263g
2 large eggs, 107g
1 1/4 cups cranberries, 125g
1/2 cup minus 1 tbsp water, 100g
2 tsp vanilla extract

Ganache Frosting:
510g / 17.9oz / 2 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate pieces or chocolate chips
510g / 17.9oz cream OR for dairy free: 370g / 13 oz coconut milk (see note)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) cake tin with oil (one that is at least 2 inches or 5 cm tall). Use a cake tin with removable sides. If you do not have one, you can just use a regular cake pan, but you will need to serve the cake from that dish since it will not be easy to remove.

2. Add the fresh (or frozen and thawed) cranberries to your food processor and pulse (or chop by hand) until they are roughly chopped and the size of the pieces vary (see video). Do not puree. If all of the cranberries are too small, the flavor will not come through in the cake. Set aside.

3. In a medium sized bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Sift your baking soda and cocoa if there are any lumps.

4. In a large bowl whisk together the wet ingredients, adding the cranberries last.

5. Add one third of the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Give it a couple of folds with a spatula before adding half of the remaining flour. Give the batter a few more turns before adding the remaining flour. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Do not worry if there are a few lumps.

6. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for about 30 minutes or just until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a few crumbs attached. Allow to cool completely in the tin.

7. Once the cake is cool, make the ganache. Combine the chocolate pieces and coconut cream. Warm in a pan over low heat (stirring continuously) or in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring thoroughly between heating. Heat just until the mixture is completely melted and smooth, and until it is fairly warm to the touch (see note).

8. Pour about two thirds of the mixture over the cake, reserving the rest for another use (see note). Allow the cake to set for a couple of hours before serving.

Optional:  Serve with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream. 

Notes:

• Dairy free: This cake is excellent dairy free. Surprisingly you cannot taste the coconut in the chocolate ganache. I used Thai Kitchen coconut milk, which worked well.

• Heating ganache: If your ganache isn’t warm enough it will not spread very well over the cake. In this recipe's video demonstration the ganache had actually cooled a little too much, leaving a few ripples on top of the cake (since the chocolate was so thick from being slightly cooled). So, if you want a very smooth top, you need to have a runnier/warmer ganache heated to 90F to 110F (32C to 38C). Also, be very gentle when you stir and pour the ganache so as not to incorporate air bubbles.

• Extra ganache: It is good to have extra ganache for two reasons. First, it is excellent with ice cream, made into chocolate milk, formed into truffles, or just enjoyed as-is. Secondly, if you are making this cake a day or two ahead (it is a great make-ahead cake because it stays moist) you can add an extra thin layer of ganache on top if needed. For instance, the first time I made this cake I stored it in the fridge. While this is not recommended since cold and ganache do not generally mix, I did it anyway. Despite, careful storing, some condensation formed on the top of the cake making the ganache look splotchy. So I just melted some of the leftover ganache (also stored in the fridge) and spread a thin layer over the top. It gave the cake a fresh shine, and because the ganache was a thin layer, it set within an hour.

Whole Grain Fig & Almond Hot Cross Buns (1-Bowl)

What are they like?

- Moist & Light Rolls

- Filled with your choice of filling: Fig & Almond OR Cherry and Ginger

Photographed above are an example of fairly traditional hot cross buns. The recipe below is Whole grain (brown rice and buckwheat) so they are darker in color. The whole grain dough is also thinner than a traditional bun so they are baked in a muffin tin to hold a nice shape.

Buckwheat groats pictured above which, despite the name, are naturally gluten free

Recipe

Makes 10 buns (in a regular sized muffin pan)

Dry
3/4 cup flour mix 100g
2/3 cup buckwheat, 103g
1/3 cup tapioca flour/starch, 40g
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or British mixed spice
1/2 tsp salt 4g
1 1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder, 6g
1 1/8 tsp instant yeast, 4g

Wet
2 tbsp olive oil, 26g
1 large egg
2 tbsp maple syrup, 30g
1 cup warm water, 236ml/g

Additions (optional)
Flavor 1: 1/3 cup cranberries + 3 tbsp crystallized ginger, diced finely
Flavor 2: 1/3 cup diced figs + 1/4 cup slivered almonds + zest of 1 orange

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
about 1 tbsp water

Directions:

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the wet ingredients and mix on low until amalgamated. Mix on medium speed for about one minute. The dough will be very wet.

2. Next, mix in the dried fruit (optional). Scoop the dough into a muffin tin or whoopee pie tin. Fill each mold a little over half full so that there is plenty of space for the rolls to rise—and they rise a lot!

3. Allow to rise until at least doubled in volume. Preheat your oven to 350F / 175C. If using a muffin tin, bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops just begin to brown. If you’re using a whoopee pie tin, the rolls will bake for less time, about 20 minutes because they are smaller.

4. Allow to cool completely. Then mix together the powdered sugar and just enough water to make a thick drizzle (it should coat the spoon generously). Place the mixture in a piping bag or you can make your own (see note). With the icing, make a cross pattern going all the way across the buns. Allow the icing to set and then serve warm or place in an airtight container. I give them a short zap in the microwave before serving. Enjoy!

Notes:

• If you prefer to try a savory version of this recipe, you can leave out the dried fruit and frosting and just add a few tablespoons of sunflower seeds and flaxseeds to the dough. Also put a few seeds on top of each roll before baking, and gently press them onto the dough.

• You can make your own piping bag from a sandwich bag or parchment paper. Alternatively, you can just dollop some icing on top of the buns with a spoon.

1-Bowl Whole Grain Boule Loaf + Video (vegan)

What is it like?

- Moist on the inside with a beautiful, chestnut-brown crust

- Enjoy with butter and jam for breakfast, as an open-faced sandwich, or dipped in soups!

NOTE: The photo avove is a classic boule. The one I made is a smaller, wholegrain version. A smaller loaf is quicker to make and more importantly (in my book at least) it has more crust per volume of bread :-) I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS TASTY MULTIGRAIN LOAF!

Welcome to the gluten free video series (below). It will help you learn tips and techniques and achieve great results.

If you enjoyed the video, please give it a thumbs up 🙂And if you’d like to see more, hit the subscribe button.
(You may need to click on the video title which will take you to Youtube.)

Recipe

This bread is flavored with teff flour, a delicately nutty whole grain. Although technically, teff is a seed and not a grain, which is packed with nutrients. Teff gives the loaf a beautiful, robust and chestnut-brown crust that so many gluten free loaves lack. And this recipes explains how to achieve that crust in a home oven. Enjoy!

Dry
1 1/3 cups Steve’s bread flour, 180g (see note)
2/3 cup teff flour, 105g
1/2 tsp psyllium husk powder
1/2 tsp fine salt, 4g
1 1/8 tsp yeast, 4g

Wet
2 tbsp oil, 26g, plus more for greasing the bowl
1 1/2 cups minus 1 tbsp warm water, 335ml

Directions:

1. Whisk the flours, psyllium, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer with a dough hook.

2. Add the oil and water and mix on low until incorporated. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute. The dough will be sticky.

3. Oil a medium sized bowl and place the dough in the bowl to rise until doubled in volume, about 30-60 minutes depending on the ambient temperature. Before the bread is done proofing, preheat the oven to 450F / 230C.

4. Once the bread is done proofing, gently turn it onto a parchment lined baking tray. Using a knife, make a crisscross score in the top of the dough, each line about 2 inches (5 cm) long and 1/2 cm deep.

5. Boil 1 1/2 cups water and place an empty baking tray on the bottom rack in your oven. When you put the bread into the oven, pour the boiling water onto the empty baking tray to create steam. Quickly close the oven doors.

6. After 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 350F / 175C. Bake for an additional 25-40 minutes, just until the loaf is browned on top and it sounds hallow when tapped on the bottom. The bottom of the loaf will be quite dark in color.

7. Cool completely before slicing. This bread will stay moist for several days and the crust will crisp nicely again when toasted. Keep at room temperature, but if it is not eaten it within a couple of days, it is best to slice and freeze it.

Notes:

• I use Steve’s bread flour for many recipes so if you’d like to buy it you can also make a exceptional brioche, pita bread, stollen, and an orange olive oil roll (coming soon). This loaf is a small one by design.

• Smaller loaves take less time to proof and bake. If you’d like to make it larger you can double the recipe, although I would still make two loaves to maximize the beautiful crust and keep a shorter rise/bake time.

• Steam helps create a beautiful crust that is characteristic of so many beautiful loaves. Note that the crust will soften some as the bread cools, but it will crisp up again after toasting and give you that crunchy/chewy exterior that gluten free breads usually lack. Enjoy!