Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

I've been a negligent baker as of late, mostly due to the fact that I am now gluten intolerant. Most gluten-free baking seems like an absolute chore and never ends up worthwhile. One of the things I miss the most since cutting out gluten is muffins. I've been working on a gluten-free muffin recipe (that actually tastes good) to combat these withdrawals and I feel with these, my gluten free blueberry muffins, I've finally cracked it!

2 1/4 cups Gluten-free flour

5 tsp Gluten-free baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

100g softened butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/4 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup milk

1 cup frozen blueberries

Topping

3 tbs shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees C and line a 12 hole muffin tray with muffin cases
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a medium bowl and set aside
3. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy (approx 2-3 minutes)
4. Beat in vanilla and eggs
5. Add apple sauce, milk and blueberries and stir to combine
6. Scoop out ice cream scoops of batter into prepared tin and top with coconut
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown
8. Allow to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes then remove and cool completely on a wire rack

Devil's Food Cake

This recipe for Devil's Food Cake by Nigella is the very meaning of deliciously bad. It is everything the name Devil's Food Cake describes; extremely rich, dark and positively sinful. It has the moist yet dense crumb of cake shop cake and cuts miraculously into perfect slices every time.

Cake

50g Cocoa Powder

100g Soft Brown Sugar

250ml Boiling Water

125g Soft unsalted butter

150g castor sugar

225g plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Frosting

125ml water

30g soft brown sugar

175g soft unsalted butter

300g dark chocolate

Serves 12

Preheat the oven to 180°c and line/grease two 20cm cake tins.

Sift the cocoa and sugar into a bowl and pour the boiling water over, then whisk to combine and set aside. 

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar to a fluffy paste. Then beat in the vanilla.

Add one egg to the butter and sugar, beat to combine, then add half the flour mixture, beat to combine. Then repeat with the other egg and the rest of the flour mixture.

Finally, stir in the cocoa and sugar mixture and then divide the batter between the two cake tins.

Bake for approx 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool in their tins for 5-10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

However, as soon as the cakes are in the oven, start the frosting. Put all the ingredients except the chocolate into a pan over a low heat to melt. Once it begins to bubble, take it off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, then swirl (not stir) to combine. After 10 minutes, give the mixture a stir to combine. Leave to cool for 1 hour, whisking occasionally.

To assemble to cake, place one layer on a stand or plate, spread 1/3 of the frosting over, then place the second cake on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. I cut each cake in half and did 4 layers in total so it would fit in the cake stand but do whatever you like.

Pumpkin Soup

I was trying to come up with an interesting name for this dish until I realised that in fact it doesn't need one. It is as traditional and down to earth in taste as it is in it's name. There is just something so comforting about that vivid orange on a sad rainy day that instantly cures even the deepest of doubts.

1.5kg pumpkin (butternut is easiest I find)
2 medium carrots
80g butter
1 tbs garlic oil (or vegetable oil with 1/2 tsp crushed garlic)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbs turmeric
1/2 tsp crushed ginger
1 tbs soft brown sugar

Peel and dice the pumpkin and carrots into small cubes.
Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy based stock pot over a medium heat. Add the onions with 1tsp salt and cracked black pepper and fry until soft and translucent. Now add the pumpkin and carrots and cook for 10 minutes while stirring.
Add the stock, turmeric, ginger and sugar and simmer gently, lid on, for another 10 minutes.
Once vegetables are tender, leave to cool.
Blitz in a blender or using a blending wand until you have a smooth, rich velvety consistency.

Serve with chopped spring onion, sour cream and crusty bread toasted with parmesan and black pepper

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

There is something so homely and warm about classic chocolate chip cookies. I think the scent of vanilla mixed with butter and of course chocolate sets an unmistakable calming atmosphere that I dare anyone to resist. I say to use Nestle chocolate drops here only because I feel they are the perfect size and they seem to maintain their shape when baked (obviously use whatever chocolate you like, however).

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

120g butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

250g Nestle chocolate drops

In a medium bowl sift the flour, baking soda and salt, then mix together and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until you have a soft creamy paste. Beat in the egg and then the vanilla.

Fold in the dry ingredients and then the chocolate drops.

Using an ice cream scoop, distribute even mounds of cookie dough onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Set aside to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe from Good Housekeeping

Chocolate Pear Cake

I just can't explain how much I love the marriage of pears and chocolate. There is something about the rich depth of the dark chocolate combined with the sweet nursery taste of the pears that brings instant satisfaction. This is somehow both light and dense at the same time, which makes for one unctuous pudding - sure to be a regular crowd pleaser.

cake

150g dark chocolate

4 tbsp milk

2 tins halved pears

1 tbs lemon juice

400ml water

90g butter, softened

1/2 cup soft brown sugar

2 medium eggs

3/4 cup self-raising flour

3 tbs ground almonds (or plain flour)

chocolate sauce

50g dark chocolate

25g butter

Gently melt the 150g chocolate and milk in a double boiler and set aside to cool. 

Drain the pears but reserve the juice/syrup. Put the pears aside and in a pan bring the juice/syrup to a boil with the lemon juice and 400ml water, stirring occasionally. Add the pears and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Spoon pears out on to a plate and leave to cool. Keep the syrup in the pan on  a low simmer.

Arrange the drained pear halves, cut-side down, in the bottom of a 20cm round cake tin.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.

Beat in the melted chocolate, and gently fold in the flour and almonds. 

Smooth the mixture over the pears and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Keep stirring the syrup while the cake is baking. The syrup should have reduced now to a thick glossy consistency. When the cake is fresh out of the oven and still in the tin, skewer holes through it and pour over the syrup. Leave for 1/2 hour to cool.

Turn out pudding, pear side up. Pour over the chocolate sauce. Serve warm with good vanilla ice cream.

Serves 10-12

Apple & Cinnamon Quick-Bread

This was adapted from Dean Brettschneider's recipe for basic quickbread, which is also delicious.

Filling

200g diced stewed apple

1 tsp vanilla extract

50g Softened Butter

1 tbs Cinnamon

Scone Dough
380g plain flour
30g caster sugar
25g baking powder
good pinch salt
60g butter, softened
1 egg
190ml milk

1. Using a large sieve, sift the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your finger tips until it is evenly mixed in.

2. In a jug, whisk together the milk and egg and pour into the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon mix together until you have a soft dough, then tip it out onto a floured bench and knead for 10 – 20 seconds, however don’t over-knead otherwise it will become too elastic.

3. Take the dough and shape it into a square shape. Then using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a lightly floured bench to a square measuring approximately 25cm by 25cm.

4. Whisk the egg and water together to make an egg wash.

5. Spread the filling evenly on top of the dough sheet, leaving about 1cm free at the bottom edge.

6. Brush the bottom edge with the egg wash, then tightly roll up the dough sheet, starting at the top to achieve a swiss roll or pinwheel shape log, 25cm in length.

7. Using a sharp large chef’s knife or dough scraper make a single lengthways cut down the middle, right the way through.

8. Take the two strands, one in each hand, with the cut side of each strand facing towards you, twist them around each other, press the ends firmly together so they do not unwind during the baking process. Place the plait onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

8. Brush the plait with egg wash and allow to rest for 10 minutes on the bench before baking.

9. Bake in a preheated oven set at 170 - 180ºC and bake for approximately 35 minutes, turning the tray half way through baking to ensure an even colour.

Chocolate Cake

There are few pleasures more welcoming than a freshly baked chocolate cake waiting to be sliced and devoured. The beauty of this, Nigella's Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake is that it is so ridiculously quick and simple to make. Everything goes in the one processor at the same time and then it's straight into the oven. Absolute perfection and undoubtedly the ideal addition to a summer picnic in the park.

for the cake:
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup castor sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup best quality cocoa
175g softened butter
2 large eggs
1 tbs vanilla extract
2/3 cup sour cream

for the frosting:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
100g softened butter
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
sugar flowers to decorate

Begin with all ingredients at room temperature and preheat the oven to 180 C.

Add all cake ingredients into a food processor and blitz for 1 minute, scrape down the sides and blitz for another 15 seconds. Poor into 2 greased and floured cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or if baking in one tin only, then 45-50 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly on a wire rack then remove the cakes from their tins and allow to cool completely.

To make the frosting, put all the frosting ingredients into the food processor and blitz for 1 minute, scrape down the sides and blitz for a further 15 seconds. Spread 1/3 of the mixture on the bottom cake, place the other cake on top and push down to 'sandwich' them together.

Spread another 1/3 of the frosting on the top of the cake and then the remaining 1/3 around the sides. Adorn with sugar flowers or whatever you have that fits the mood.

Serve with creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream.