Gluten Free Bacon Scones with Brown Butter Glaze

Gluten Free
Bacon Scones with Brown Butter Glaze

3 cups all-purpose Gluten Free flour
1/2 cup white sugar
½ cup Crispy Bacon - chopped
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xantham gum
3/4 cup butter, chilled
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
Glaze
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups Powder Sugar
1/8 cup Milk
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine GF flour mixture, sugar,xantham gum and
baking powder. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir
into flour until combined – do not over stir. Carefull fold in Bacon.
Use a scoop to place small mounds of dough on the cookie sheet.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated over, or until golden brown
Glaze
Place butter in a fry pan over medium low heat. Slowly melt, then
brown the butter. Use caution not to burn the butter. Butter should be a light
tan color once brown. In a bowl, combine the powder sugar, milk and stir. Add the brown butter, if there
is sediment in the brown butter, be careful not to transfer this into the glaze
mixture. Stir completely. Add more milk if texture is still too thick. Using a
spoon, fork or spatula, gently glaze the cooled scones and Enjoy!

Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

Gluten Free Cinnamon
Raisin Bagels

3 Cups Gluten Free
Pizza Mix
1 tablespoon GF Yeast
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 Egg, lightly beaten
1 Egg White
1 Cup Raisins
Combine Pizza Mix,
yeast, cinnamon and salt.
Heat water to 110degrees (lukewarm), add vinegar, honey, oil
and eggs and beat together.
In a standing mixer combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix
for 2 minutes, until completely combined. Carefully fold in raisins.
Work individual balls of dough into the shape of bagels.
Grease your hand with extra oil for better control of dough. Form bagels, place
on lined cookie sheet and allow to rise in warm place for 20-30 minutes.
In a large pot of boiling water, carefully place in a few
bagels. Allow to cook for 30 seconds on each side. Using slotted spoon, or tool carefully remove from
pan. Continue to boil the remaining bagels.
Brush with egg whites
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove
from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon while still hot.
Allow to cool on wire rack – best served warm with your
favorite topping. Store in freezer and toast at future desire.

Pizza Rolls and Dorot Frozen Herbs

Monday Night was our night to use up the random things in the house. We opted for pizza rolls! They were easy to make and so yummy. I put some in the freezer for a quick snack or dinner addition in the future. You can make your pizza rolls with any fillings you'd like. We also utilized the Dorot Frozen Herbs. I must say that I absolutely love this product and was ecstatic to find a variety pack at Costco! Needless to say I am going wild with my frozen herbs. My freezer is full of these fun little packages. Between shopping at the Linden Hills Coop and Costco I have every herb they make.

These are simple and easy treats. Enjoy!

1 Bag Bob's Red Mill GF Pizza Crust (Prepare per bag directions)

1 Jar Pizza Sauce

2 Cups Shredded Cheese

1 Cup Ham Cubes ( or any fillings you

enjoy)

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Dorot Garlic Cubes

2 Dorot Basil Cubes

1.) Prepare pizza crust to bag recipe. Divide into 3 sections. Wet a kitchen hand towel and lay flat on countertop or flat surface, place parchment paper over the towel - the wet towel keeps the parchment from moving while you roll our your dough. Using gluten fre

e all purpose flour, generously flour your surface and roll out one section of dough.

2.) Combine the Olive Oil and 4 Dorot Cubes and stir until fully combined. Using a pastry brush lightly brush the dough.

3.) Arrange your toppings. If using

sauce, add the sauce before the cheese. Leaving one area free of toppings to seal closed.

4.) Gently Roll into a long tube shape. Slice into 2 inch rounds and place in a muffin tin. Adjust size of rolls to fit your muffin tin.

5.) Brush Tops with Olive oil and Dorot Mixture.

6.) Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes until tops become golden brown.

Enjoy While Hot!!

GF Spiced Scones with Spiced Brown Butter Glaze

One of my favorite treats during the Christmas season is Aspen Mulling Spices. I love to mix the spice mix with warm apple cider for a fun treat after playing with the kids outside and it's even better in a warm glass of wine - simple Glogg (mulled wine)! My love for Aspen Mulling Spices along with my love of pastries gives birth to these delectable morsels.

Scones
3 cups all-purpose Gluten Free flour ( see below for my recipe)
1/2 cup white sugar
3 Tablespoons Aspen Mulling Spices
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xantham gum
1 tablespoon Nielsen –Massey Vanilla
3/4 cup butter, chilled
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk

Glaze
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups Powder Sugar
1 Tablespoon Aspen Mulling Spices
1/8 cup Milk

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine GF flour mixture, sugar, Aspen Mulling Spices, xantham gum and baking powder. Cut in butter. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl, and stir into flour until combined – do not over stir.
Use a scoop to place small mounds of dough on the cookie sheet.
Bake 15 minutes in the preheated over, or until golden brown

Glaze
Place butter in a fry pan over medium low heat. Slowly melt, then brown the butter. Use caution not to burn the butter. Butter should be a light tan color once brown. In a bowl, combine the powder sugar, Apsen Mulling Spices, milk and stir. Add the brown butter, if there is sediment in the brown butter, be careful no to transfer this into the glaze mixture. Stir completely. Add more milk if texture is still too thick. Using a spoon, fork or spatula, gently glaze the cooled scones and Enjoy!


Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
2 Cups Brown Rice Flour
2/3 Cups Potato Starch
1/3 Cups Tapioca Flour

Cookie Exchange Gone Gluten Free!

Jingle bells, jingle bells….the holidays are upon us and anyone with a gluten issue or concern may see these holidays as tricky. You already know you’re different with the way you eat…and now people are giving actual parties to point out that you are different! Yes, I am referring to the dreaded cookie party! But fear no longer you too can host your own cookie party and challenge your friends to be included and celebrate the differences that make us each special. There are many cookies and candies out there that can be made Gluten Free. Some on my favorites include:

GF Coconut Macaroons
GF Peanut Butter Kisses
GF Sugar Cookies
French Macaroons

Gluten Free Coconut Macaroons
Butter and GF flour mix for preparing baking sheet and foil
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare pan by covering with foil. Turn over edges to secure foil on pan. Lightly butter and flour foil, knocking off excess GF flour.
Stir together egg white, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until combined, then stir in coconut. Divide coconut mixture into fourths, then drop in 4 mounds (about 2 inches apart) onto baking sheet.
Bake until tops are pale golden in spots, 15 to 20 minutes, then carefully lift foil with cookies from baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Peel macaroons from foil.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Kisses
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Egg plus 1 egg yolk
Hershey Kisses

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix together Peanut Butter, Sugar and Eggs. Using a spoon make cookie mounds on your cookie sheet, leaning about 2 inches between each cookie mound. Place a Hersey kiss in the middle of each cookie. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cookies start to brown on edges. Carefully remove from oven and allow to cool. The Hersey kiss will keep its shape if left undisturbed.

Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

1 Cup Butter, Softened
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour Mix
1 tablespoon GF Vanilla
1 teaspoon Cardamom
1 teaspoon baking powder

Optional Frosting:
3 Cups Powder Sugar
1/3 Cup Butter
1 teaspoon GF Vanilla
1 -2 tablespoons milk

Combine 1 cup butter, sugar and egg in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cookie ingredients. Beat until well combined. Divide in half and wrap in plastic food wrap.
Refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).

Heat oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on lightly gluten free floured surface, one-third at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2-inch cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 6 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Combine powdered sugar, 1/3 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. Beat at low speed, adding enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Tint frosting with food color, if desired. Frost and decorate cooled cookies as desired.



Gluten Free Cinnamon Spice French Macaroons
Macaroon Batter
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup powdered almonds (place sliced raw almonds in food processor and process until a fine powder.
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Chocolate Filling
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon All-Spice

Preheat oven to 350º F
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch) ready.
Grind together the powdered sugar with the almond powder so there are no lumps; use a blender or food processor.
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch apart.
Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macaroons, then bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

Chocolate filling:
Heat the cream in a small saucepan. When the cream just begins to boil at the edges, remove from heat and add the chocolate pieces and spices. Let sit one minute, and then stir until smooth. Let cool completely before using.
Assembly:
Spread a bit of chocolate filling on the inside of the macaroons then sandwich them together.
Let them stand at least one day before serving, to meld the flavors.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze. If you freeze them, defrost them in the unopened container, to avoid condensation which will make the macarons soggy.

Flours and Baking....just the Basics

As the Holiday's draw near and the days begin to get longer I find myself moving into a type of nesting. Getting the house clean and organized, baking breads, cookies and the sorts to freeze for the long winter. ( Because a freezer full of yummy treats is just what every house needs to stay healthy- :) )

Gluten free flour still seems like an adventure some days. Just when I think I figure it out, I learn something new. In the beginning of my Gluten Free adventure I would reach for the pre packaged "All-Purpose Flour" by Bob's Red Mill or Pamela's. These items are amazing and easy to use, however, they can get pricey if you bake frequently. Much to my excitement my area Co-op has Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour in bulk for a great price - I understand this doesn't help everyone. Below I have the most basic Gluten Free All Purpose Flour mix around.

Basic GF All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Brown Rice Flour
2/3 Cups Potato Starch

1/3 Cups Tapioca flour (Tapioca Starch is the same)

Place in a sifter and carefully sift the flours together to fully mix. If you don't have a sifter the use a whisk to fully combine. Store in an air tight container in a cool dark cupboard, refrigerator or freezer. Keep in mind that flours will not last forever and to avoid them going rancid consider the amount of baking you do before you mix too large of a quantity. Keeping flours in the freezer will keep them the longest.

Freezer - 1 year

Refrigerator - 4-5 months

Cupboard - 1-2 months, only keep in cup board if you use readily

A Few other Baking Items - Gluten Free Four v.s. Regular Flour

The above basic flour recipe as well as the alternative, pre packaged "All Purpose" flours work well in most recipes. However, unlike flours containing gluten, the gluten- free flours are missing a few characteristics that will need to be substituted.

The flour that contains gluten will have a "doughy", stretchy consistency. Regular flour also will rise easily when yeast is added. When baking gluten free it is best to use some type of Gluten Free Flour mix or GF All-Purpose flour. I find that the gluten free flours work best together than as individual flours. My first gluten free adventure (years ago) was making muffins with only white rice flour and I ended up with muffin bricks, perfect for the trash. Since regular dough has that "sticky" texture, we will need to add that texture to our GF flour by adding guar gum or xantham gum. Be sure to add these gums sparingly, too much and you may end up with a slimy baked good. It is recommended to add only 1/8 t0 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour of either guar gum or xantham gum.

Flours to Avoid

The following flours contain Gluten
All-purpose flour	Plain flour
Bulgar flour	Sauce flour
Bread flour	Self-rising flour
Brown flour	Semolina flour
Cake flour	Spelt flour
Durham flour	Triticale flour
Granary flour	Wheaten cornflour
Graham flour	Wholemeal flour
Kamut flour

Side note on Gluten in your house

If your house uses Gluten, you will need to take special care to avoid cross contamination. Be aware of toasters, counter tops, toaster oven and cooking surfaces. You will need to clean any surface which has touched gluten before a non gluten food can touch that surface. Toaster bags can be purchased to avoid the need for separate toasters. When using butter, jams and other bread condiments take caution not to " double dip" your knife or spoon. If the knife touches the bread and then goes back into the peanut butter jar, you have likely contaminated the entire jar and a person with Celiac or Gluten Allergy will not be able to consume this item. I recommend labeling items, "gluten-free" or "not gluten free" so each family member knows which items to give special care to.

I hope this will give people some basic insight to gluten free flours and baking. It truly is not as difficult to bake gluten free as many people perceive it to be. I will be posting my favorite baked good recipes soon - stay tuned! If you have any questions, please ask me.