gluten free baking

Very Berry Almond Cake

In the winter we are all craving fresh fruit and this cake has that, sort of because we are using frozen berries. But no one eating it will know they were frozen. It’s also easy to make. It doesn’t have a ton of sugar, good.

I used a bag of mixed frozen berries; cherries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries: so much more available and they taste great, I cut up the bigger ones which is important for an even texture. I also added more berries than the original recipe.

This recipe is from King Arthur’s website. I made a few changes; feel free to look at the original recipe. This cake is made with mostly all almond flour. If you want to skip the gf flour, just use all almond flour. I just like how swapping in some flour improves the texture for me. I put it in a larger pan, and it definitely needed that space. Great for a small gathering or to take to someone’s house. They will never know it’s gluten free. Enjoy!

Winter Berry Cake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 cup gf flour; I used King Arthurs Basic GF Blend

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

6 tbsp soft butter: I cut mine into 6 chunks, put it in a glass measuring cup and nuked it for 30 seconds. I then stirred it to make it all soft and well blended

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar

zest of a small lemon

4 eggs separated

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 1/4 cup frozen berries; chop in half the bigger ones

Directions:

Spray the inside of a 9-inch deep tart pan or a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray; taller sided is much better. I used a deep tart pan with a removeable bottom. If no removable bottom I suggest a circle of parchment paper in there before spraying it. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Put the 1/2 cup sugar and the soft butter in a mixer. Blend well. Blend in 4 egg yolks. Add zest, vanilla and almond extract. Blend well. Beat the egg whites in a stand mixer, add the 2 Tbsp. sugar as it gets near to soft peaks. Stop when it forms a peak that doesn’t fall over or go flat. Blend the flour mix into the sugar/butter mixture just until blended. Then carefully fold in the egg whites, starting with about a half cup, stir, another half cup, stir and then the rest of the batter. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the berries over top evenly. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. test with a cake tester at 40 minutes. If the tester is clean; it’s done, if covered with batter; bake more. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes on a cooling rack and then remove from pan. I pushed mine up out of the walls and put it right back on the cooling rack for an hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like. Store any leftovers at room temperature, well wrapped.

Shoo Fly Pie (Shoe Fly Pie at my house!)

This sweet pie is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. It is quick to go together, needs neither refrigeration, nor a long chilling down before consuming it, pleases most everyone and best of all it can be made in any season; no fruit needed.  It wasn’t too hard to change from my old recipe to a gluten free version.  I recommend it for celiacs who miss that old time flavor of shoe fly pie.  Note: some folk say shoo fly pie but my recipe used the spelling you see in this post.  I believe either is appropriate.

I know folks who shy away from gluten free baking thinking it is too complicated.  Well, a couple years ago I featured pies and this is the easiest pie around so I dedicate this to a few friends who have been too scared to bake gf.  You can do this one! If you want, buy a ready made uncooked crust but I swear that with a stand mixer this is the easiest and best gf crust around.

This shoe fly pie recipe is a blending of the filling I have used for years, (my sister Margie gave me the recipe a long time ago) and the pie crust and crumb recipes from Annalise Robert’s cookbook, Gluten-Free Baking Classics.  Her cookbook is a fabulous resource and I can’t recommend it enough to anyone trying to bake gluten free for a family member.

My shoe fly pie is considered a “wet bottom” pie; not too crumbish.  If you want it drier use ½ cup molasses and ½ cup water.  I love it soft and moist so my version always is a wet bottom shoe fly pie.

Angie’s Shoe Fly Pie

Crust:

1 c plus 2 tbsp brown rice flour mix (at bottom of recipe)

2 tbsp sweet rice flour

1 Tbps. granulated sugar

½ tsp xanthan gum

¼ tsp salt

6 Tbps. cold butter cut into 6 chunks

1 lg egg

2 tsp fresh orange or lemon juice

Spray 9 inch metal pie pan with cooking spray.

Mix dry ingredients in bowl of stand electric mixer.  Add butter and mix until crumbly and resembling coarse meal.  Add egg and juice.  Mix until it comes together into big chunks.  Shape into a ball with your hands. Put it on a crust sized piece of parchment or wax paper (14 x 14 inches more or less), flatten the crust ball some; put on top of it another piece of parchment or wax paper and chill it all in your fridge 15-20 minutes. Make the crumb topping while it chills.

Crumb topping

Put all four ingredients in the same mixing bowl you made the bottom crust in and mix well with mixer paddle until crumbs form.  You will only use 1 ½ cups of the crumbs; put it in a jar and store it in the fridge until your next pie; it keeps well for several weeks.

¾ c brown rice flour mix

½ c granulated sugar

½ tsp xanthan gum

1/3 c cold butter cut into six chunks

Next, roll out pie crust between the two sheets of parchment or wax paper; try to get the thickness even, no thick middle! Peel off one side of paper and place in pie pan, centered.  Remove other slice of wax paper.  Crimp edges all around.  Then make filling and pour half into the crust, careful not to splash it out.

Filling:

2/3 cup molasses, I used Grandma’s

¾ cup boiling water

½ tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Mix the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with a spoon until blended. It will foam up a bit as the baking soda mixes with the molasses! Gently pour half of the molasses mixture into the raw pie shell.

Then pour half the crumb topping (1 1/4 to 1½ cup total) evenly over this mixture.  Add the rest of the molasses liquid and sprinkle the rest of the crumbs on top.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes Cool at least ½-1 hour before serving or let cool to room temperature.

Note: I used to bake pies in my bottom heat pizza oven and it gaveme a great browned crust. No longer have that oven so I put the wire rack as close to the bottom as possible and it really helps the bottom of my pie to brown.  One other option: if your oven isn’t bottom heat you might want to pre-bake a gf crust 10 minutes before filling.

Brown Rice Flour Mix (King Arthur’s basic gf blend)
2 c brown rice flour

2/3 c potato starch

1/3 c tapioca flour

** This blog post first appeared in March of 2016, revised slightly in 2023 to clarify the directions.  Enjoy!

Tuna French-Fry Casserole, 3.0

I rarely make tuna noodle casserole; but I did make a delicious version a while ago. Today I attempted to make my old French fry version with a scratch gluten free sauce from that noodle version. What a difference that made! So delicious, a delicate flavor and a huge improvement over bought cans of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup which are generally not gf anyway. This was as good a tuna casserole if not better than any I have tasted before going gluten free so I plan to make it again for sure. It really isn’t that much work to make a scratch sauce, and it makes all the difference in the world in terms of flavor. Just don’t boil the sauce or it may separate.

Notes: I added chunks of red and green sweet pepper; up to you whether you add them. I especially like the red pepper in it. Use whole milk if possible; makes it taste rich. You can use any type of frozen French fries but check to make sure they are gluten free. Don’t leave out anything in the sauce; the celery/onions/peas give it such a fresh taste, like early spring! Use the tuna you like; I suggest water-packed white for this. I find albacore kind of dry, so the solid white tastes better to my taste buds; totally your call what tuna you use. Be sure to drain it; your critters will love the juice in their suppers! I used fresh dill in my sauce this time, but use what you have or even leave it out.

 I served mine with buttered baby carrots. A salad would be a nice option too!

Most of the veggies are in the pan!
Creamy sauce and veggies; thickening
Half constructed; 2 layers of French fries when it gets done.
Ready to bake: cracker topping is on!
A healthy serving of tuna french fry casserole

Angie’s Tuna French Fry Casserole

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. butter, divided

1 rib of celery, diced finely

1/3-1/2 cup finely diced onion

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, diced

1 tsp (1 clove) minced fresh garlic

2/3 cup frozen peas

4 Tbsp. white rice flour

14 ounces chicken broth; low sodium preferably

7/8-1 cup of whole milk; I warmed it 1 minute in my microwave

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. dried dill weed or 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped dill

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1-2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional)

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

2 cans tuna, (5 oz cans) drained – I like solid white packed in water for this

half a bag of frozen french fries baked for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees; bake while you make the sauce.

Topping: 3/4 cup crushed gf Schar Company Crackers and 1-2 Tbsp. melted butter; mix in small dish and sprinkle it over before baking the casserole.

Directions: Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in medium frying pan, medium heat. Add onions and celery; cook 4-5 minutes, add garlic and peas, cook one more minute. While they cook, butter a 9×12 glass baking dish (2.75 quart) and put those hot veggies on a plate while you whip up the nummy cream sauce.

Start oven heating to 350 degrees. Melt rest of the butter in the same frying pan, add the flour when it is hot; stir it while the flour blends in, cooking it 30-60 seconds. Add in the broth and then the warm milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add the salt, dill, parsley and lemon juice. keep stirring; after a minute or two it should be thick and bubbly. Stir in the parmesan cheese as it bubbles; not at a boil. Taste and adjust sauce as needed. I thought it was perfect with no changes but up to you. Dump back in those veggies; stir. Add half the hot French fries and then carefully pour half the sauce and veggies into the baking dish. Top with the cheddar cheese and then the buttery crumbs and bake about 25 or 30 minutes until it is bubbling. I did 30 minutes

It keeps in the fridge for 2-3 days; I like to add a touch of half and half to my serving before microwaving it; like a couple teaspoons; helps it stay moist when reheated.

Black Bottom Pie A Southern Treat!

This is a humdinger of a pie, from the South but definitely a pie we love here in Pennsylvania. A gingersnap crust topped with a thin layer of dark chocolate custard and then a high layer of rum flavored custard which I like to top with lightly sweetened freshly whipped cream. Heaven on a plate.

This pie is slightly tricky but honestly I have never had a fail and I have made it like 2 dozen times over the years. My mom used to make it and I often make it during the Christmas season. We had some on New year’s Eve to celebrate. My guy claims to not like gingersnaps but once he eats a freshly baked one made from scatch he suddenly becomes a fan! So, you could use a graham cracker crust but I urge you to try this with the gingersnap version. The rest of it is hard to sub in anything. I generally like dark rum but in a pinch I have used white rum more than once. I use bittersweet chocolate but you could try it with semi-sweet or even 50/50 bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate.

Black Bottom Pie

Make a gingersnap crust; 1 1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps; I do it in the blender

1/3 cup melted butter; mix in a bowl and pour into a 9 inch pie pan; spread evenly on bottom and sides. I like to use a sheet of wax paper to easily spread it. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Let cool completely.

Filling

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 Tbsp and 2 tsp. cornstarch

2 cups whole milk heated to quite hot in the microwave; I do 2 minutes

4 eggs separated; put yolks in a small bowl and lightly beat with a whisk

1.5 ounces of bittersweet chocolate melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp plain gelatine mixed with 2 Tbsp. cold water in a small dish; let stand a minute before using

1/4 tsp. cream of tarter

2 Tbsp rum, preferably dark rum

a cup of cold heavy cream

Directions: Mix the sugar and cornstarch and add to the milk in 1.5 quart saucepan, heavy if you have such. Stir as it heats on medium. I use a heat diffuser between the heat and the pan. Cook slowly, do not let boil. Stir a lot so it heats evenly. It needs to coat the spoon; won’t get that thick and this generally takes 8-10 minutes at least. Then use a measuring cup to dip out 1/3 or so cup of it and stir into the egg yolks. Then pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk and stir well. Then cook on medium heat for a minute. Meanwhile… Melt that chocolate; I do it in my microwave. Dip out or pour a cup to 1.25 cups custard into a small bowl; pour in melted chocolate, stir good and add the vanilla, stir and let cool a couple of minutes before pouring into the crust. evenly coating the bottom. Put in fridge to chill.

Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until forming soft peaks. Add 1/3 cup sugar very slowly as it beats to firm peaks. Pour the melted gelatin into the remaining hot custard, stir in until it is melted. Add rum and fold together with the beaten egg whites until no white shows, pull the crust out of the fridge and gently pile the rum custard on top of the chocolate custard. Chill at least 3 hours. Serve topped with whipped cream sweetened with a little powdered sugar; 1 cup heavy cream plus 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar.

Kiffles, Classic Cookie for Christmas

Kiffles are a local favorite here in eastern PA when it comes to cookies, particularly Christmas cookies. The Kiffle Kitchen on Rt. 512 north of Bath, PA has made their reputation on their outstanding kiffles, now sold on line! I used to enjoy them but never took the time to make them in the past. Now that I can’t eat gluten anymore I thought, why not bake some gf kiffles? They are a sort of local Ukrainian specialty (Their origin is Austria-Hungary in eastern Europe) so finding them in a cookbook and also gf was a challenge. Luckily, early this year I purchased “Gluten-Free Baking Classics The Heirloom Collection” by Annalise G. Roberts. It was published in 2014 and I bought it brand spanking new – not one miss in anything I have baked from it so far. Page 170 had the answer to my search; Rugelach, Kiffles, and Kolaki.

christmas baking 2015 030

I got my courage up and made a batch of kiffles (the preferred local spelling) on Christmas Eve afternoon. I just did jam filled, apricot and raspberry. The cream cheese dough in formed into two discs and chilled before rolling out between wax paper sheets into an 8 inch square. I did find myself chilling the rolled out dough a bit to keep it from getting too soft as I filled and formed the kiffles. Not too cold but chilly. After rolling and a slight chill, cut each big square into 16 two inch squares and put a tsp. of best quality jam on each; fold together so the filling peeps out both ends and chill some more on the baking sheet. I brushed them with heavy cream and sprinkled a touch of granulated sugar on before they hit the 350 degree oven. The cute packets of dough and jam bake up lightly browned and delicate in about 15-20 minutes.  Success was felt when my mom ate a few that evening. Her smile told me how yummy they were.  I wish she was still around to share them with. This is my fourth Christmas without her….christmas baking 2015 025christmas baking 2015 026christmas baking 2015 027christmas baking 2015 028

A couple of years ago I made them with the nut and cinnamon filling that is very traditional around the Lehigh Valley. Delish! I also hear that some stores sell special kiffle filling meant just for these cookies. Gonna look for it; hopefully gluten free and therefore safe for me to enjoy.

If you use jam try to find jams made with regular sugar, not corn syrup or other such substitutions as the jam will then tend to bubble and run and you won’t get a good result.

So if you are gluten free and crave kiffles; this cookbook by Annalise Roberts is the place to find a workable recipe. She has never failed me yet with her desserts and I thank my lucky stars her cookbooks are on my shelf to guide me through holiday, parties and everyday meals. I don’t mean to sound like a salesperson for her but I can’t say enough great things about this new cookbook and her prior best seller Baking Classics – my copy of that is well worn and I couldn’t exist without it. This kiffle recipe is way too involved to type out for you and I think that if you are serious about baking gf you need to check it out and get your own copy, real soon!  Here are the ingredients for the dough and a brief directionns paragraph but this is a three page recipe in her book and if you want the entire directions you should support the author by buying her awesome cookbook called “The Heirloom Collection.

Cookie Dough:

1 cup King Arthur basic gf flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 Tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 Tsp. baking powder

1/4 Tsp salt

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter at room temp.

4 ounces full fat cream cheese

1 -3 Tsp rice flour for rolling it out.

1/2 cup apricot, raspberry and or cherry jam

Mix sugar and butter in stand mixer. Mix dry ingred. Add slowly. Form into 2 patties, wrap in plastic and chill 30-60 minutes. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 8 inch square; cut into 16 squares. Put rounded half teaspoon jam on center; fold up two sides and pinch. Place on parchment covered cookie sheet. Chill 15-20 minutes. Brush with optional egg wash or heavy cream and then bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. For a longer recipe buy the book! I will say that you should avoid jams with corn syrup in them; they boil out of the cookies; use jam made with cane sugar.

Note: I did a search on line for a gluten free kiffle recipe and didn’t really find one; lots of other cookies but these are quite a specialty and not made by most home cooks except in areas where they are popular and what you can buy is definitely not gluten free. I am very happy with these utterly delicious cookies and can heartily recommend them to you for your gf holiday baking. Enjoy

Originally published in 2016; just added ingredient list and minor text changes done 12/2020, reprinted 12/21 with no changes.