Gluten Free Bakes

Our last event of the year had a Gluten Free theme, asking the bakers to bake without things like flour etc.

Jia won Star Baker with her Mango Crepe Cake. Unfortunately we don't have the recipe or a picture, but here are some of the other bakes.

Jodie’s Flourless Chocolate and Almond Cake

Ingredients:

200g dark cooking chocolate, broken into pieces

200g butter, cubed

3 eggs

175g golden caster sugar

100g mascarpone

¼ tsp vanilla extract

100g ground almonds

30g cocoa powder, plus extra to serve

Method:

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 and line the base of a 20cm springform tin with baking parchment and grease the sides.

Melt the chocolate and the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, or in the microwave in 20 second bursts. Stir, then leave to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a second bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric whisk for 4-5 mins, or until thick and creamy. Add the mascarpone and vanilla, and continue to beat until everything is combined.

Lightly fold in the melted chocolate mixture until everything is an even colour, then fold in the almonds. Sift over the cocoa powder and a pinch of salt, and fold in to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is puffed up and has cracked on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30-40 mins – it will deflate as it cools. Dust with extra cocoa powder before serving.

Maebh’s Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake

Ingredients:

2 large lemons

300g golden caster sugar or granulated white sugar

200g butter, cubed and softened, plus extra for greasing

3 large eggs

200g gluten free self raising flour

50g ground almonds

½ tsp gluten free baking powder

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a 900g/2lb loaf tin. Finely zest the lemons.

Put 200g of the sugar, the butter, eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl and beat until pale, thick and creamy.

Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until well risen, firm, and golden brown. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for 5 mins.

Using an oven glove to protect your hands, turn the cake out gently onto a wire rack set above a small tray or plate. Remove the baking parchment and turn the cake the right way up. Make about 60 deep holes in the cake using a skewer.

Squeeze one of the lemons and mix 3 tablespoons of the juice with the remaining 100g sugar. Slowly and gradually, spoon the lemon sugar over the cake, stopping every now and then to allow it to soak into the sponge.

Leave to set for at least an hour before serving, or until the cake has cooled and the icing has crystalised. Serve in slices.

Sam’s Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup (270g) peanut butter (natural peanut butter doesn’t work well for this)

¾ cup (161g) brown sugar, packed

½ tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup (85g) chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Beat the peanut butter, sugar, baking soda, and salt at medium speed of your mixer until well blended.

Add the egg and vanilla and blend on low-medium speed until incorporated.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the lined baking tray (a tablespoon cookie scoop is best for this job) and push down the top of the dough to flatten just slightly.

Bake the cookies for 8-10 mins. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the tray. The tops should be slightly crinkled and you want to pull them out before they begin to brown on the edges.