I suggest preparing your flour mixes in large quantities ahead of time and storing them in air-tight containers, so that when you are in the flow of a recipe it’s as simple as measuring one flour mix and not its individual components.

As always, I recommend combining each mix in a food processor for two excellent reasons.

First reason: Is to better refine your flours, making them lighter and giving your baked good more lift.

Second reason: Is to thoroughly combine the flours, assuring that each time you scoop, you are scooping up the same precise formula of flours. On this note, I highly recommend stirring or shaking up your bin (only after it is thoroughly and completely sealed) once a week to prevent settling.

MAKES: 1 kilogram/8 cups

ingredients
600 grams/4 1/2 cups  arrowroot starch/flour
330 grams/3 cups  oat flour, certified gluten-free
70 grams/6 tbsp  psyllium husk powder

method
Combining each mix in a food processor or mix with a wire whisk, if in a rush.

sponge
200 grams/3/4 cup + 1 tbsp  milk, warm
150 grams/1 1/4 cups  gf bread flour mix (see here)
6 grams/1 1/2 tsp quick rise yeast

final dough
175 grams/1 1/3 cups + 1 tbsp  gf bread flour mix (see here)
50 grams/1/2 cup  gf all-purpose flour mix (see here)
2 large  eggs, room temperature
2 large  egg yolks, room temperature
75 grams/1/3 cup  butter, soft
45 grams/2 tbsp + 1 tsp  honey
5 grams/1 tsp  molasses
pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and all-spice, cardamom (optional)
7 grams/1 1/2 tsp  kosher salt
90 grams/2/3 cup  currants, plumped
45 grams/1/4 cup  candied lemon peels, chopped

egg wash
1/2 large  egg yolk
a dash of milk or cream

To make the sponge: Stir the quick rise yeast into 150 grams of bread flour mix. Make a well in the centre. Pour 200 grams milk in the well. Stir to just combine. Cover with plastic or a clean cloth and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes.

To make the final dough: Combine the sponge in the bowl of an electric standmixer4 with all the final dough ingredients but the currants and candied lemon peels. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on the lowest speed for ten minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the currants and candied lemon peel. Knead an additional two to three minutes.

Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic, or a clean cloth, and let rise at room temperature until not quite doubled in bulk, 30 minutes.

Line a sheetpan with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into eight equal pieces. Knead each piece by hand for one minute. Roll each into a round ball and flatten slightly. Arrange on the prepared sheet pan no more than one centimetre apart (1/2 inch). Cover with plastic, while you work the next piece of dough.

Brush each bun with the egg wash. Loosely cover. Let rise at room temperature until not quite doubled, about 15-20 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 177°C (350°F).

Brush the buns again with egg wash.

hot cross bun topping
90 grams/7/8 cup  gf all purpose flour mix (see here)
45 grams/3 tbsp  butter, melted
45 grams/3 tbsp  granulated sugar
25 grams/5 tsp  milk 2% (I prefer goat milk)
1/2 each  lemon zest, chopped finely
1/2 large  egg yolk

glaze
2 tbsp  apricot jam
2 tbsp  corn syrup

In a small bowl, stir together all topping ingredients. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small tip, number three tip. Pipe a cross shape over each bun by piping one line across the centre of a bun, then pipe a line perpendicular to the first line.

Bake until the crust is a deep golden brown and the bottom of the buns sound hollow when tapped, 18 to 20 minutes. The topping should still be very pale in colour.

Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

MAKES: 8 WAFFLES | DAIRY-FREE, LOW GLYCEMIC

260 grams/2 cups  gf pastry flour mix or gf almond pastry flour mix (purchase here)
30 grams/2 tbsp  granulated sugar
12 grams/3 tsp  baking powder
5 grams/1 tsp  kosher salt
200 grams/3/4 cup  milk 2% or to make dairy-free use almond milk
2 large  eggs
60 grams/1/4 cup  melted butter to make dairy-free use oil
5 grams/1 tsp  pure vanilla extract

Sift together the dry ingredients. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs into the milk. Add butter and vanilla. Whisk in the dry ingredients.

Heat your waffle iron, then coat it with an even thin layer of spray on oil. Buying your own reusable oil misting bottle is cheaper and healthier, both for you and the environment, than buying a can of spray on oil.

Portion the batter into the iron. Do not over fill the iron the batter will rise significantly. Cook until golden brown, as per your waffle iron manufacturer’s instructions.

There is a rumour which says celiac's cannot eat oats. To dispel this myth, you first need to know Oat and his friends and family as I do. Then you will see they are not bad folks to have around… or are they?

If you knew the Mr. and Mrs. Monocot, you will know they had three daughters.

Their oldest child who married into the Triticum's bore three children of her own: Wheat, a strong burly chap; then Rye, who has a wry sense of humour; and last, Barley, who works at the local malt shop.

Mr. and Mrs. Monocot's middle child’s married name is Stavia, and she had two children: Rice and Oat.

The Monocot's youngest child’s surname became Poaceae. The Poaceae raised three strapping children of her own: Sorghum, who had a Southern accent as thick as molasses; Corn, who has hair like silk; and Millet the miller.

The whole Grass family and their descendants are a wholesome group, however, Wheat and his brothers don't know their own strength. They are all the thick skinned type who sometimes rub people the wrong way; as in the problems create by the high concentration of gluten in grains of the triticum family.

Oat is a humble, wholesome, healthy lad. Nevertheless, when he hangs around his cousins Wheat, Rye and Barley their coarse form of jesting rubs off on him and he becomes offensive to his brother Rice and his other cousins; as when oat can easily become contaminated with gluten when processed in the same facilities used for processing wheat.

On his own, Oat is a likable guy almost anyone would get along with him, but there is a streak in him which clicks with his cousin Wheat and can distort this likable lad in a moment, though he never goes  as far in biting jesting as Rye.

Gluten is the term for the storage protein of wheat. It is what remains after the starch granules are washed away; and accounts for 10-15 percent of the wheat flour.

The fraction of gluten most studied in celiac disease is called gliadin, but there are other proteins which chemically resemble gliadin in rye and barley. These similar proteins are the offending part.

The offending protein in rye are secalins and in barley are hordeins. These proteins are not strictly glutens but are generally included in the term and are still toxic to people with celiac disease.

Wheat, rye and barley are closely related genetically. Oats are on a different branch, more closely related to rice. Most studies of gluten look at gliadin, but it is possible there are other proteins in gluten to which people are sensitive.

However, oats contain a protein fraction called avenin.

“Avenin...Was shown to cause a reaction in a few celiac patients that is not fundamentally different from the reaction to gluten peptides [gliadins]. But clinical studies have shown that the majority or people with celiac disease tolerate oats quite well.” - Peter H.R. Green, M.D., and Rory Jones, M.S., Celiac Disease A Hidden Epidemic: Is Gluten Making You Sick?

It is believed oats are safe for over 98 percent of those with celiac disease. Studies have found patients ingesting oats sometimes have more symptoms because of the increase in dietary fibre, but very few have any type of immune reaction.

When if Oat hangs around with, and spends much of his growing-up years with, his cousin Wheat cross contamination remains an issue. Oats and other grains are often grown in close proximity to, or are processed at the same facilities as, wheat, rye and barley. If not sorted properly, gluten can be accidentally ground in with the Oats, contaminating them.

Thankfully there is, and has been for sometime, a solution on the market, certified gluten-free oats. It is actually two solutions under one header. Certified gluten-free oats can be raised in two ways. The first is to raise the crops well away from wheat crops, the fields then are inspected to verify they are far enough away from wheat. The second is to raise the crop as per the norm, but in the factory/mill an electric eye scans the grains for gluten. The product is then sorted to remove all wheat kernels. Ultimately, both methods are inspected at the end in a lab and if found to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten they are certified ‘gluten-free.’

Look for the certification and eat with ease. However, monitor your health for any symptoms, bearing in mind there might be an overload of fibre, if you have a flare up consult your doctor immediately, you may be among the two percent of celiacs who are allergic to oats, or rather to oat protein.

2 each  Bosc pears
300 mL/1 1/4 cups  red wine
50 grams  granulated sugar
20 grams/1 tbsp  liquid honey
2 strips  orange peel and juice of half an orange
1 stick  cinnamon
1 star  anise (optional)

Peel, quarter and core the pears and place in a pan with the red wine, sugar, honey, orange peels, orange juice, cinnamon stick and star anise. Set over low heat to dissolve sugar.

Baste the pears and bring slowly to a boil, cover with a disc of baking parchment. If you care to know, this “disc of parchment” is referred to as a ‘cartuchute’ among culinary circles. It is a great make shift lid. Continue to cook at a very gentle simmer until the fruit is tender but not soft. This ought to take 15-30 minutes more, depending on the ripeness of the pears. Remove the pan from the heat and let the pears cool in the liquid. Leave the pears sitting in the poaching liquid at least a good two hours, after cooling. Keeps in the refrigerator up to two weeks.

Peel, quarter and core the pears and place in a pan with the red wine, sugar, honey, orange peels, orange juice, cinnamon stick and star anise (if using). Set over low heat to dissolve sugar. Baste the pears and bring slowly to a boil, cover with a disc of baking parchment.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Sterilize two, 500 mL jars and two, two piece lids.

Divide the pears evenly amongst the sterilized jars. Pour the liquid equally into both jars. Seal sterilized lids finger tight. Return the sealed jars to the boiling water. Top up pot so that the water covers the jars by at east an inch. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove jars from the water and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely for 24 hours.

These colorful, tasty cookies will bring back childhood memories for anyone with Eastern European heritage. This kołaczki cookie recipe has is made with a cream cheese dough that bakes up buttery and flaky. Kołaczki comes in as many shapes as it ahs alternate spellings it can be round, square or diamond-shaped, and the dough can be flaky or yeast-risen. You will need to refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before rolling and cutting, so plan accordingly. You can freeze unbaked filled kołaczki, then bake from frozen when you're ready. All you need to do is add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

250 grams/1 1/3 cups  butter, soft
250 gram/1 1/3 cups  soft goat cheese or cream cheese, room temperature
3 large  egg yolks
7 grams/1 1/2 tsp  lemon juice (optional)
200 grams/1 cups  granulated sugar
250 grams/2 cups  brown rice flour
250 grams/2 cups  sweet rice flour
125 grams/1 cup  arrowroot starch/flour
1.25 mL/1/4 tsp  xanthan gum (optional)

fillings and garnishments
apricot jam
confectioners’ sugar

Cream together the butter, goat cheese, sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice. Stir in the flour. The dough should be stiff but not dry. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll the dough out to two millimetres (1/12 inch) thick. Cut onto six centimetres (2 1/2 inch) squares.

Heat an oven to 160°C (325°F).

Place a small dollop (five millilitres/1 tsp) in the centre of each square. Fold one corner half over. Fold opposing corner onto the folded corner. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Bake ten to twelve minutes, until slightly coloured. Cool. Store in an airtight container

I can't believe I am saying this but I have a 60 page e-Cookbook available on Amazon Kindle and Kobo.

Whether you are a seasoned home-cook, or a newbie, beginning to bake gluten-free can be like learning a whole new branch of cooking. Some concepts, like beating an egg until frothy transfer word for word; others like kneading bread require a new technique. This book makes it simply with helpful hints on how to make gluten-free baking convenient and tasty. I hope you find all of these recipes as delightful to your taste buds as they are to mine.

My book features 17 gluten-free recipes, as well as dairy-free, diabetic & vegan recipes, including: Banana chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread, honey-lemon squares, sugar-free oatmeal cookies, double-chocolate salted cookies, brownies and more!

If you are looking for a gluten-free cookbook, I encourage you to check out my book it is only $4.97 CAD and make a great gift for the newly diagnosed celiac.

Find on Amazon: Life After Gluten: Cookies & Bars
Find on Kobo: Life After Gluten: Cookies & Bars

Buy the book and send me your review of one or more recipes before January 7th, 2022 and get a printed acknowledgment in my 320 page hardcover cookbook, which will be published early 2022.

June 16th, 2021

Cupcakes. They seems such a simple indulgence. Nothing is really quite as satisfying as a perfect cupcake. There is something about achieving perfection in something as delicate as a cupcake. They tend to expose every shortcoming you may have in your baking skills. Which is why we end up covering them will so much frosting. Am I right? Just think of all those culinary competitions on T.V. what are the judges so impressed by? The delicate and humble cupcake. Plain and simple... but so unctous. This cupcake recipe was a labour of love. True chocolate is not my favourite food on Earth, however, this was for you, for the little boy, the little girl. Happy birthday to you and bon appetite!

400 grams/2 cups  granulated sugar or for a low-glycemic option use date paste (see page xx)
300 grams/2 1/4 cups  flour mix #3 (page xx)
100 grams/1 1/4 cups  alkalized cocoa powder
20 grams/5 tsp  baking powder
5 grams/1 tsp  kosher salt
200 grams/⅘ cups  your favourite milk alternative5
200 grams/7/8 cup  butter or for dairy-free option use coconut oil
3 large  whole eggs
20 grams/4 tsp  pure vanilla extract

Before beginning, make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature.

Preheat an oven to 177°C (350°F).

Sift together the sugar, flours, cocoa powder, baking powder and kosher salt. Make a well in the centre.

Combine the milk, butter/oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour this wet mixture into the well of the dry ingredients. Whisk until combine. Beat for another two minutes until slightly aerated.

Divide the batter amongst the 24 cups in your muffin tin. This batter is so perfect that it is not necessary to line your muffin tin; however, if you have cute cupcake liners that you just would love to use, go for it!

Bake until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched in the centre, or a toothpick comes out nearly clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Breakfast has never been part of my family's Christmas tradition. I mean really we just snack all morning and afternoon until the Christmas dinner is on the table.

Usually our snack is comprised of mini quiche, sausage rolls, muffins, and naturally Christmas cookies. However, while I have a very nice mealy pie dough recipe, I was thinking about how there is not much difference between a quiche and an omelette. Isn't a omelette essentially a quiche without crust an less cream? And by that token would that just mean that omelette is the natural gluten-free, dairy-free alternative to your traditional quiche?

This that benefit in mind, there is the added bonus that this recipe use holiday leftovers! It uses gravy and the fixings in this omelette are essentially stuffing minus the bread. If you made more of my GF Parsnip Stuffing recipe for Christmas than you needed at the dinner table than this omelette is your way of re-utilizing those leftovers in a fun and tasty delight!

- BAKED -

December 10th, 2020

One day I was at work and the Sous Chef requested a few gluten-free cookies for a takeout order. No let me pause for a moment from story telling... do you find that the best thing happen by accident? Well it happened that day. In five minutes I had whipped together the best batch of ginger cookies but there was one glitch... I wasn't following a recipe.

What did I just do? I asked myself. Immediately I made a second batch and wrote down exactly what I did. This is that very successful recipe.

These cookies are crunchy, chewy and filled with delicious flavour.

Here are some of the best deals for ingredients and equipment relevant to this recipe. You will need these items for this recipe, so at now extra cost you, if you purchase one of these products then I earn a small commission that helps fund more posts like this one!

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#gluten-free #dairy-free #gingercookies #recipe

300 grams  vegetable shortening
200 grams  demerara style brown sugar
4 large  egg yolks
100 grams  blackstrap molasses
10 grams  pure vanilla extract
630 grams  flour mix #3 or #3b (page xx)
45 grams  baking powder
7.5 mL/1 1/2 tsp  ground cinnamon
5 mL/1 tsp  ground ginger
1.8 mL/1/3 tsp  nutmeg
1.8 mL/1/3 tsp  ground cloves
350 grams  dried cranberries
350 grams  chopped pecans, toasted

Preheat an oven to three hundred and seventy five degrees Fahrenheit.

Cream together demerara sugar and shortening. Add eggs a little at a time. Add molasses and vanilla. Stir until homogenous.

Sift together the starch, rice flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Fold these dry ingredients into the shortening mixture. When homogenous, fold in the dried cranberries and pecans.

Form dough into four centimetre (11/2 inch) balls and arrange about five centimetres (two inches) apart on cookie sheets. Flatten cookies to one half the height using the palm of your hand.

Bake for six minutes, until lightly golden but still do not spring to the touch. Let cool, cookies will cook a little further as they are cooling.