Tag: gluten free baking

Easy Homemade Toffee

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Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups of Almonds
  • 1 pound of unsalted butter (4 sticks)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1 bag (12 oz) of semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt flakes

Directions:

  1. Chop up almonds by pulsing them in a food processor.
  2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad.
  3. Sprinkle half of the almonds onto the baking sheet.
  4. In a large saucepan, over low heat add the butter, salt and sugar.
  5. Turn heat up to medium/high, stir occasionally, to melt the mixture and bring it to a boil. It is ready when it turns an almond brown color, about 10 minutes.
  6. Pour the mixture over the almonds on the cookie sheet.
  7. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and use a spatula to spread the chocolate around.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining chopped almonds over the top of the chocolate layer.
  9. Sprinkle sea salt flakes over the top.
  10. Let it cool completely and then cut into squares.

– PIN THIS –Homemade Toffee

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“Healthy” Cookie Dough Bites

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These bites size desserts are do addictive. They aren’t overly sweet, which makes them really easy to pop more than just one at a time!

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Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup of gluten free oats
  • 3/4 cup of walnuts
  • 1/2 cup of cashews
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1.5 tablespoons of coconut oil (melted)
  • 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Grind the oats and nuts in a food processor for 1 minute.
  2. Then add the honey, vanilla, coconut oil, and chocolate chips and use a spatula to mix all the ingredients together.
  3. Using a 1 tablespoon to measure, roll into balls.
  4. To Freeze: Place balls in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for 20-30 minutes. Store in a mason jar or tupperware in the fridge.

Recipe adapted from Goop.

Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispy Treats

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I can’t believe this is my 50th video! Thank you to everyone for your love and support over the last year. It’s been such a fun ride and can’t wait to see what the next 50 videos hold! Don’t forget to let me know what videos you want to see by leaving a comment below, on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

This dessert is sure to be a crowd pleaser. An easy, no bake recipe if you need a last minute treat to bring to a party this weekend.

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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About a month ago I had the pleasure of baking for my friend’s wedding. Baking is a hobby but this was my first time of doing it for almost 200 people at one event. My friend suffers from celiac disease so we worked on plan to make all the desserts gluten free.  It was a big undertaking and I definitely put a few miles on my KitchenAid mixer.

The dessert menu for the night:

  • Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Cake Pops
  • Coconut Macaroons
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
  • Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispy Treats (check the blog next week for this recipe!)

Red Velvet Cake Ingredients:

  • 2.5 cups of all purpose gluten free flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 2 hefty tablespoons unsweetened coca powder
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1.5 cups of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon of red food coloring gel
  • 1.5 cups vegetable oil

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

  • 1 bar of cream cheese (8oz)
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 2-3 cups of confection sugar

Cake Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill muffin pan with liners.
  2. In a small bowl pour in almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Do not stir, set aside in order for it to develop into “buttermilk.”
  3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, coca powder, salt, baking soda and xanthan gum.
  4. In a mixer on medium speed, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil and sugar until blended together.
  5. Add vanilla and food color to mixer and blend together.
  6. In 3 batches mix in flour mixture, alternating with 2 batches of the “buttermilk” mixture.
  7. Bake for about 15 minutes (for mini muffin pan) or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting Directions:

  1. In a mixer beat together cream cheese and butter.
  2. Add one cup of confection sugar at a time, mixing in between. The amount of sugar you add depends on your taste level of sweetness.
  3. The frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.

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Pumpkin Muffins

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Every year my parents host Thanksgiving, it’s always a huge crowd of friends (since our family is on the east coast) with an abundance of food & drinks. Our one family friend always brings these delicious pumpkin muffins and I’m always dying for the recipe. This year, they were so gracious to share the recipe since we decided to travel to North Carolina where my parents recently got a house and do Thanksgiving on the beach. It was my duty to make the muffins and I hope I did them justice (with just a few little tweaks to make them gluten free). Let’s just say I had to hide them because I’m worried there won’t be any left for Thanksgiving tomorrow! Enjoy!

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Makes 24 muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cans of pumpkin puree
  • ¾ cup butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Prepare muffin tins with liners.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground cloves & nutmeg.  Set aside.
  3. In the mixer, beat together sugar with butter on medium speed until just blended.
  4. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is very light and fluffy.
  5. Beat in pumpkin puree.
  6. On low speed, beat in flour mixture until combined.
  7. Stir in nuts.
  8. Pour batter into muffins tins.
  9. Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

Deconstructed Pumpkin Pie

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Last year in Martha Stewart Living magazine I saw a recipe for pumpkin mousse and always wanted to try it out but never got around to it. Recently, I got a request from a YouTube viewer to do a pumpkin recipe for fall and thought it would be the perfect time to test out the pumpkin mousse. I didn’t end up using Martha’s recipe because it called for gelatin and I didnt want to use that, but I found a recipe just as good and made some minor changes. You can definitely make this recipe in a bowl but thought it would be fun to put in small mason jars. They can act as favors and/or place cards at your next dinner party. You all know I’m a huge fan of double duty items when it comes to entertaining.

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Materials:

  • Mason Jars
  • Twine
  • Tags

Ingredients:

  • 1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz)
  • ½ can condensed milk (14 oz)
  • 2 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground clove
  • Cool Whip
  • Cinnamon Candied Pecans
  • Gluten Free Graham Cracker Crumbs

Directions:

  1. Place the pumpkin puree, condensed milk, ½ cup of heavy cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove into a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat.
  2. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and allow the mixture to cool completely and cover with plastic wrap.
  4. Place in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. You could make this part of the mixture the night before and let it chill.
  5. Smash cinnamon candied pecans in plastic bag with rolling pin. Set aside.
  6. Place the chilled pumpkin mixture and remaining 2 cups of cream into a stand mixer and whip until it thickens..
  7. Fill pastry bag with mousse and squeeze into mason jar. You can also just spoon it in, but you will get cleaner sides with the pastry bag.
  8. Add layer of graham cracker crumbs.
  9. Add layer of Cool Whip.
  10. Top off with layer of the crushed cinnamon candied pecans.

Pumpkin Mousse Recipe adapted from Spoon Fork Bacon. 

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

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This no bake dessert packs so much goodness in one little bite. I prefer to make these mini because they are so rich, especially if you are using dark chocolate. I have a lot of pregnant friends right now and this dessert seems to be satisfying those sweet tooth cravings.

Makes 24 mini cups

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup of butter
  • 3/4 cup of chunky peanut (or almond) butter
  • 3/4 cup of gluten free graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1 cup dark (or semisweet) chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup of milk (I use almond milk)
  • Sea Salt

Steps:

  1. Line muffin tin with papers.
  2. In microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and peanut butter together for 45 seconds. Stir until smooth. Add graham crackers crumbs and sugar, mix to combine.
  3. Distribute mixture evenly between prepared muffin cups (using an ice cream scoop helps this process). Tap muffin pan on counter to help settle the mixture in the tins. Freeze for 5 minutes to set peanut butter layer.
  4. Combine chocolate chips and milk in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 25 second intervals until chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth.
  5. Distribute evenly over top of peanut butter layer. Tap muffin pan on counter to help settle the chocolate in the tins.
  6. Wait 2 minutes for chocolate to cool a little, then sprinkle with sea salt. Chill until firm. Store covered in fridge or freezer.

Recipe adapted from Blue Eyed Bakers

How to Make Cake Pops

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These delicious cake pops are much easier to make than they look. I promise you no one will have just one. I figured about 4 cake pops equal 1 cupcake, so don’t feel so bad when you go for seconds, or thirds….right!?!

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Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

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My mom has this recipe book that is older than I am. The cover is burnt off, the pages are torn and spilled on but it contains some of the best tasting recipes. I have been craving the Zucchini bread that she always made when I was younger, so I got the recipe and altered it for my gluten free lifestyle (plus I cut out some of the sugar and oil as well).

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 2 cups (about 3 medium sized) shredded zucchini
  • 3 cups gluten free flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Using a food processor, shred the zucchini.
  3. Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer and then evenly distribute into loaf pan. Bake 1 hour.

Mom’s recipe book!

Coconut Macaroons

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As promised here is the recipe for the Coconut Macaroons I made yesterday. The kraft takeout boxes were the perfect transportation for the macaroons to the BBQ party.

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Ingredients:

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 package (14 ounces) unsweetened flaked coconut
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (about 4 ounces)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (or coat generously with nonstick cooking spray).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt until frothy. With a fork, stir in coconut until moistened.
  3. Drop mixture by packed level tablespoons onto prepared sheet (cookies will not spread). Bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Melt chocolate chips in microwave (20 second intervals) and then drizzle over macaroons.

Original recipe from Martha Stewart (I use unsweetened coconut vs. sweetened)