Category: Food

Food. Eaten. Made. Discussed. All gluten-free.

November 18, 2012

Friendsgiving & an epic punch

My friends have this tradition, that I had no idea was a thing that lots of people do until this year, called Friendsgiving.

It is a pretty simple concept: you gather up your friends, have people to sign up to bring things, eat food, play games and celebrate. You celebrate being thankful with the people who, while they aren’t family, are some of your favorite people on the planet.

There is something about turkey, stuffing, and pie that brings people together. And get together we did. My group of friends sounds like it could be the punch line to a joke: What do you get when you gather a handful of technology consultants, a lawyer, a designer, a medical technician, a lobbyist, a medical researcher, a couple of teachers, a Groupon employee…

You get 23 people. A mix of people from two groups of friends that merged together when a couple of straight guys traded numbers in the bathroom at Wrigley Field. And have been friends ever since. (And next fall the two halves will be united by a marriage. Let’s call it fate).

You get an epic feast.

You get beer pong and dance offs.

You get laughs.

You see how damned lucky you are. Just how much you have to be thankful for.

Why?

Because one of them insists that the next time I need to use an epi-pen, it is going to be his job. Because one of them shares your shoe size and love of footwear. Because one of them gets endlessly harassed about that one party 5 years ago… Because one of them loves to bake almost as much as me.

Because who else is going to listen to your stories of gentleman callers? Or tease you about being a robot? Or remind you just how crazy it is to change from a pair of 5″ stilettos to a pair of 3.5″ pumps because your feet hurt and you need sensible shoes?

Just them. My pretty awesome friends.

It was an amazing evening. I had a blast.

But in the preparations, there was just one problem. All these people know I write a food blog. And they are expecting something amazing.

So, I had to open with a bang. Show off during dinner and still have a stand-out dessert.

I made Hot Ginger Apple Rum Punch, Parsnip, Apple & Sage stuffing, Mushroom Stuffing and Cranberry Upside down cake. in 3.5 hours. Because I am a show-off. And I wanted to make sure that there was enough food there that I wasn’t stuck with turkey and plain mashed potatoes.

I will get the rest of those items posted here sometime soon, but the first recipe I want to share with you is the one for the punch (it was the most requested recipe at the party). It was my opening bang, A gallon was gone in half an hour, and it might just be my new signature drink.

Hot Ginger Apple Rum Punch

Recipe Type: Drinks

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 35 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

10 ounces (300 grams) of ginger (a piece about the size of a woman’s palm), washed
10 1/2 cups (2L) water
Juice from 6 large lemons
6 1/2 cups (1.5L) Fresh apple cider (cloudy apple juice, NOT spiced cider)
2 cups (480 mL) dark rum*
~1/4 cup (35 mL) honey,

Instructions

Slice the ginger with the skin on and add to a large pot with the water.
Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Strain the water through a sieve and return to the pot. Discard the ginger.
Add the lemon juice, apple cider and honey. (I dont measure it, just hold it above the pot, squeeze and circle around the pot 4 times).
Simmer for another 15-20 minutes. You want to get your punch good and hot. Taste it. It should only be slightly sweet. If it is too tart, go ahead and add a smidge more honey.
Remove from the heat and either add the rum (and apple spirits, if using). Place in a punch bowl (or cool looking jug for transport to a party). Serve as promptly as possible, to keep the alcohol from evaporating and the punch from getting cold.
You could also divide up the spirits into 12 glasses and top with even amounts of the apple, lemon, ginger mixture if you want to do individual servings.

Notes

*You can also replace half of the rum with an apple spirit such as Apple Jack or Calvados – I used Apple Jack when I served this to my friends.

3.1.09

November 17, 2012

Cook the Books: Gluten Free Baking for the Holidays

I buy a bunch of new cookbooks and cooking magazines. I read them, cook from them and let you know if they are worth your purchase or not. Read on for my review of one of my latest purchases, Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays: 60 Recipes for Traditional Festive Treats.

Jeanne is one of the long-time members of the gluten-free blogging community, and writes a blog called The Art of Gluten-Free Baking. Basically, she is an expert.

Jeanne and I tweet back and forth on occasion, and I was stoked when I heard she was working on this book. Because the first Christmas that I was gluten-free was the worst. There were mediocre cakes, bad cookies and many traditions that were skipped. I resented my diet. For someone who misses their favorite traditional baked goods, this book is a savior.

The baked goods in this book range from cookies to cakes to savory items. She managed to work in traditional baked goods I have only dreamed about making again. There are cookies from Sweden and Germany (there seem to be more German-heritage recipes than others in the book, but I am ok with that). There are traditional Kwanzaa cookies and a cake for Hanukkah.

This book is a treat, and all 60 recipes sounded like ones I wanted to try. My only criticism? She doesn’t have a recipe for my grandma’s bon bon cookies.

I also pestered her into answering some questions about the book.

The interview

Why did you decide to write this book?

Chronicle Books approached me to write this book. They had seen a series I did on my blog about holiday baking and they thought it would be nice to expand it and turn it into a book. And that’s what happened!
What are the most important keys to success for the gluten-free baker?

I think it is important to read and follow the directions at first–before you start altering recipes. And it’s important to make sure you use gluten-free ingredients. Gluten hides in odd things like grain-sweetened chocolate chips. And it’s important to have fun. Baking is supposed to be enjoyable!

What was the hardest part about learning to bake gluten-free?

When I was diagnosed, in 2000, there was very little information out about gluten-free baking. Those of us who were doing it were kind of making it up as we went along. So, it was like re-learning to bake all over again. Luckily, I discovered some good guides, like the books of Bettte Hagman (The Gluten-Free Gourmet) that really helped me in my learning process. Also, ingredients like gluten-free flours were much harder to find–I did a lot of online ordering to get the ingredients I needed. They are so much more available nowadays.

What is your favorite recipe from the book?

This is always a tough one for me to answer. I love all of them! I think my two favorite recipes right now are the Rugelach and the Gingerbread (the cookies and the house)–because they are so good and they are fun to make. But, really, I love it all. Also, I’ve made the Buche de Noel several times this fall for events and it is a hit every single time–so that one is near and dear to my heart right now.

Did you learn anything about gluten-free baking while writing your book and what was it?

I did a lot more research into the science of baking as I wrote my book. I really wanted to be sure I was giving out good information about how and why things work or don’t work. So, I learned a lot about the “hows” of wheat baking and then translated those into the “hows” of gluten-free baking.

Are there plans for more cookbooks?

Oh, yes! I hope to write more. I really enjoyed this process and I hope to do it again. I am working on a proposal for another one, but I can’t share what it’s on right now!

The Rating

Author: Jeanne Sauvage
Format: Hard-cover, full color cookbook
 Stars: 5/5
Buy it or Forget it: Buy it (and be the talk of the cookie swap this year)
Must try recipes: Specuulas & Orange Scented Olive Oil Bundt Cake

November 7, 2012

Cookmore: Holiday Recipes with a Twist from Eden Grinshpan

Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to go to a launch for the new Kenmore Cookmore website.

And let me tell you, the launch party was pretty swanky. Mostly because of the Mojitos. (I couldn’t eat any of the appetizers that were passed before the demo or any of the desserts after, so I indulged in a cocktail or two…).

Ok, it wasn’t the mojitos. Kenmore knows a thing or two about the kitchen. And they want to share their passion for what happens in yours, so they are launching a website called CookMore. Users can upload recipes, share adaptations and personal “twists” to existing recipes and create their own digital cookbooks.

Sounds like my kind of website, and I encourage you to go check it out. Especially if you think either of the dishes above look delicious, because they were.

[box type=”info”]As part of the Cookmore launch, Kenmore is donating $1 for each recipe uploaded to their site to Heros at Home[/box]

Eden Grinshpan of Cooking Channel’s Eden’s Eats took the stage and prepared 3 traditional dishes with a twist. As a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in London (where she studied both cooking and pastry), she brought some serious culinary know how. And she employed my favorite cooking technique – the dump and mix.

She was full of positive energy and inspiration for how to take a classic and make it your own.

But really, it was a pretty awesome evening. Mostly because of the Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chimmichurri and the Curried Lentil Soup. Two dishes that are gluten free without any changes. That is my kind of savory cooking.

So, go, add recipes & twists. And have fun cooking!

I attended the event as a memeber of the Chicago Blogger Network.

November 7, 2012

Ratio Rally: Gluten-Free Mini Vanilla Chai Bundt Cakes

This post is part of the Gluten-Free Ratio Rally, a group of gluten-free bloggers inspired and empowered by Ruhlman‘s Ratio and started by Shauna at Gluten-Free Girl. We get together each month and post many different takes on the same theme. This month that theme is Gluten-Free Tarts and the rally is being hosted by Adina from Gluten Free Travelette.

This post is brought to you by the number 1.

Since Big Bird isn’t at risk of getting fired, I thought a Sesame Street reference would be OK.

And the ratio is full of them, so there is that.

The ratio

1:1:1:1 ish. Butter:Flour:Sugar:Eggs

And heck, throw in some liquid (up to 1 part) for good measure.

I mean, that is where pound cake got its name. A pound of butter, a pound of eggs, a pound of sugar and a pound of flour. Equal parts. Awesomely delicious.

Now, put that in a bundt and you have a winner.

I don’t want to get too crazy into the science here, but you can vary any of these ingredients by up to 20% and your ratio should still work. I added liquid, cut back a little on the sugar and added a little extra flour so that there was an even cup measurement for those of you who still bake by volume (someday you will see the light, I just know it). I also cut back on the butter and eggs, to make room for the liquid. (How the flavors got into the cake).

Kiss my bundt.

Ok, I just had to.

Mostly because Bundts are awesome. They are usually a dense cake, like a pound cake, baked in a pretty pan and topped with a glaze. Easy peasy.

How about a scene from a romantic comedy about bundts?

(I had to, mostly because I love that movie, even if it wasn’t filmed in Chicago)

Ok, enough sillyness.

Chai is one of my favorite things. I drink double dirty soy chai lattes. My first recipe on this blog was for Gluten Free Chai Latte Cupcakes. In my first Ratio Rally, I shared a recipe for chai gluten-free cream puffs.

And it is back again. Chai spiced vanilla bean bundt cakes. In minature.

Bundts are elegant and un-fussy, and can be whipped up in a jiffy. They are even a breeze to decorate. Excellent for a last minute birthday treat.

This month’s rally is over at GFTravelette – make sure you go check it out!

Gluten-Free Mini Vanilla Chai Bundt Cakes

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 18`

A fun take on a bundt! With milk steeped with spices, the cake combines some of my favorite flavors

Ingredients

1/2 cup (120 mls) milk
5 green cardamom pods
2 star anise
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
4 cloves
210 grams (1 1/2 cups) gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum (omit if using a blend that includes this)
1 g baking soda (1/4 teaspoon)
2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
175 grams (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar
125 grams (1 stick + 1 tablespoon) butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
2 eggs
1 vanilla bean
3 tablespoons milk
1/2-1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a small sauce pan over low heat, simmer the milk, cardamom pods, star anise, cloves and fresh ginger for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes while you prepare your miss en place.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease your mini bunt pan.
Whisk together the flour, xantham gum (if using), baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using a stand mixer on medium-high and beating for about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition.
Strain the steeped milk, and add 1/3 to the batter.
When it is fully incorporated, add half the flour, and scrape down the sides of the mixer. Repeat until you are out of milk and flour (it should go milk – flour- milk -flour – milk). Mixing on no higher than medium, and scraping down the sides after each addition.
Use a #40 scoop (or fill the wells of the pan no more than half way), and divide the batter into the pan.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Bake the remaining batter.
While the cakes are baking, split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the 3 tablespoons of milk in a liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout. You want this to sit for 20-30 mins.
When the cakes are done and cooling, whisk the powdered sugar and salt into the vanilla milk. You want a glaze that is thick and opaque, but not so thick it won’t pour. If it is too thin, it will run off the cakes. My advice? Have a test cake and when you think you are close drizzle a little and see how it works. If the glaze gets too thick, add a half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Serve in cupcake papers for a pretty, special treat.

3.1.09

The other recipes this month:

Apple Almond Cake | Heather | Discovering the Extraordinary

Blueberry Molasses Bundt Cake | Jenn | Jenn Cuisine

Date Pecan Bundt Cake with Orange Glaze | Caneel | Mama Me Gluten Free

Gluten Free Mini Vanilla Chai Bundt Cakes | Mary Fran | Frannycakes

Pear & Cardamom Spiced Bundt Cake | Rebecca | Salts Kitchen

Spiced Sweet Potato Bundt Cake | Brooke | B & The Boy

Spiked Egg Nog Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bourbon Glaze | Charissa | Zest Bakery

November 5, 2012

Best-Ever Cream Cheese Frosting

Things have been a little heavy here lately.

And we need to have a serious talk about frosting. Because it pains me when people say they don’t like frosting.

via someecards

True story: I feel this way.

You have been fed a lot of bad frosting in your life. Heck, some of you even like it. (If you didn’t Betty Crocker wouldn’t have half an aisle in the grocery store filled with cans of the stuff). But that, and dreadful american buttercream (powdered sugar + butter + vanilla + milk) give frosting a bad rap.

But to just totally eliminate an entire category of pastry toppings because you don’t like the super-sweet, slightly gritty, dries out when left out kind? That would be like saying you don’t like any cake because you don’t like yellow cake.

You have heard of SMB (Swiss Merengue Buttercream) and a pastry chef friend of mine prefers the Italian Merengue Buttercream. Most bakers are familiar with American Buttercream (see above). But there is French Buttercream. And German Buttercream.

What does all that mean?

American Buttercream – The powdered sugar frosting we have all had a gazillion times. It is common because it is incredibly easy and fast. It stands up well to the elements (it doesn’t melt, it stiffens a little so it isn’t as delicate)
Swiss Merengue Buttercream (SMB) – Made from a cooked egg white & sugar mixture, this frosting is made by whipping the cooked whites and sugar, whipping them into a merengue and then adding butter and flavorings. It is the frosting technique that I use the most and makes a light & fluffy frosting.
Italian Merengue Buttercream – Similar to SMB, this is a merengue frosting, but instead of cooking the whites, you beat a hot sugar syrup into the egg whites.
French Buttercream – Instead of egg whites, a hot sugar syrup is beat into egg yolks and then combined with butter. This stuff is rich and incredibly decadent.
German Buttercream – You start with pastry cream, beat it and add butter. You can thank me later for introducing you to this.

This is German Cream Cheese Buttercream. And it is a dream.

It isn’t the best for piping pretty designs, but it really will rock your socks. (I might have overheard someone in the office compare it to ice cream that wouldn’t melt). That’s the thing with frosting.

Feed the frosting naysayers this. You will rock their socks hard core.

Best-Ever Cream Cheese Frosting

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 20 mins

This recipe was adapted from [url href=”http://bravetart.com/recipes/GermanButtercream”]Brave Tart[/url] & [url href=”http://www.gilttaste.com/stories/2292-the-original-red-wine-velvet-cake-recipe”]Gilt Taste[/url]. It makes enough to frost & fill a 3 layer cake and pipe a decorative border or to decorate 48 cupcakes. This frosting will pipe simple designs like the one in the photo, but intricate piping techniques won’t hold up.

Ingredients

16 ounces whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
10 ounces sugar (1¼ cups, by volume)
1½ ounces cornstarch (6 tablespoons by volume)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
16 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan, bring the milk to a simmer. Meanwhile, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, eggs, and yolks in a medium bowl.
Temper the egg mixture by whisking about a half cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture—it will be quite thick but while you whisk, it will loosen as the milk incorporates. Whisk in a little more hot milk until the egg mixture is fluid and warm. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot of hot milk with the heat set to medium and keep whisking.
Once the mixture starts to thicken and bubble sluggishly, continue whisking and cooking for a minute more, then remove from heat and pour into a bowl.
Put the custard in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment and beat the custard for a few minutes, until it has cooled to room temperature and is creamy.
Whip in the cream cheese, one tablespoon at a time, until it has fully incorporated. Then repeat with the butter. Add the salt and beat for about a minute more.
Chill for about 15 minutes before using, if you want to be able to pipe with it.

Notes

You can make this a regular german buttercream by swapping the cream cheese for an equal amount of butter

3.1.09

October 30, 2012

Wednesday Wisdom: Appearances

This is a post about appearances. And how incredibly deceiving they are.

On my good days, I will walk until my legs stop working. Doing the chase corporate challenge happened on a day with minimal pain.

This is some real talk. Talk about something that is very, very real in my day to day. It relates back to my deep, dark secret. At the end of this post, I am going to ask you for a favor.

Most of us work incredibly hard to keep up appearances. We putty the cracks, smooth the wrinkles. Put a little paint on to freshen things up.

Even I take awkward self portraits when I buy new lipstick…

We assume the identity that we want the world to see.

Some days, I like to pretend that makes me like a comic book super hero. With awesome tights and a great butt.

Iced Double Dirty Soy Chai. Baristas do roll their eyes at this, but it is my favorite.

Except that I am not. When I become not me, I become that normal, average person. A klutz who spills her double dirty soy chai on the train. An irritated commuter who just wants the tourists to step aside so I can make my train. I am the girl that would very much like for cupcakes to have nutritional value. The girl who gets kinda (yes, kinda) giddy when the guy she has been seeing calls. The very same girl who would gladly come over and make you chicken soup when you are sick. The girl who is almost always up to do something fun.

And in normal life, this is a very good thing. It means that my friends don’t see something that they would pity me for. It means that I can go out without someone wondering if I can handle it. There aren’t pity stares or unending questions about what I can and cannot do. I am normal.

I look normal. Well, as normal as the next ~~nerd~~ girl.

Unless I point it out, you would never notice the battery. And unless I tell you, you would never know that for 2-6 hours a week, I lay completely still so that my battery will charge.

It just works for me.

Until I need help.

You see, I’ve never been good at asking for it. It was a cause of many fights in my last serious relationship. My sister would just show up at my old apartment to make sure that I got to the grocery store and that the laundry made it to and from the laundry room. if I bother to ask, it means I really need it.

I am independent. I was raised to think and act for myself. It suits me.

But I have lost some of that independence. Sometimes, I do have to ask.

Some days that means asking someone sitting in the handicapped seats on the train to not take all 4 seats for them & a laptop. Some days that means asking for priority boarding for the Amtrak or a plane. It might mean that I ask for a ride through the airport and a jump to the end of the security line. Or maybe it is as simple as me asking for a minute so I can go somewhere private and adjust the electrical current that runs through my spine and my leg so that I can more comfortably do what ever it is we are doing. Or I’ll ask that we take a cab instead of a walk.

So, I ask you this.

Please, if someone asks you for your seat on the train or bus, give it to them. When you see someone who appears able bodied get out of a car in a handicapped parking space, do not be so quick to judge. (The number of times this has happened to me, you think I wouldn’t even notice it any more). If you work in a customer service job and someone asks for accommodations for a disability, do what you can to help. It was probably already hard enough for someone who looks able bodied to ask because we have to endure the silent judgement of those around us who think we are lazy.

(This is not so different from the eye rolls and sighs that people with food allergies and celiac receive from restaurant staffs)

Be kind. Give someone the benefit of the doubt. You never know what it is they are struggling with.

Thank you.

October 25, 2012

A very happy birthday treat

Let’s celebrate.

There are always excuses not to. Maybe there is no money. Maybe you are sad. Maybe you are sick. Maybe you are just grumpy & miserly and don’t ever want to have fun (it’s ok, sometimes even I feel that way).

I have as many reasons as the next guy to not want to celebrate. I can’t find the strength to get to the gym. Real pants make me want to cry. An ill-timed night out with friends can ruin my life for a month. But those are the absolute wrong things to focus on. They can give you grey hair before your time. And we all know that would just lead to more fretting.

And you know, girls just wanna have fun.

So really, let’s celebrate.

Have a party. I mean, heck, it was a birthday after all.

We can throw a little party with a few dozen cupcakes.

Cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

And maybe a few sprinkles thrown in the batter for good measure.

And maybe some balloons. Balloons are good for a birthday.

Balloons are always appropriate

It is good to celebrate.

And don’t forget to smile, it’ll do you good. And maybe eat a cupcake. Because cupcakes are theraputic.

Gluten Free White Cupcakes

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 48

My favorite white cake recipe made into cupcakes with a simple chocolate frosting. Add GF sprinkles to the batter for a “funfetti” feel. This is adapted from the Cake Bible’s White Velvet Cake recipe. This recipe makes 48 cupcakes, a 4-layer 8″ cake or a 3 layer 9″ cake.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) milk at room temperature
7 large (210 grams) egg whites (pasteurized are fine), at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
460 grams ( 3 1/4 cups) gluten free all purpose flour*
2 teaspoons xantham gum**
450 grams (2 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
7 grams (1 teaspoon) salt
1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
85 grams (6 tablespoons) vegetable shortening
1 cup gluten-free sprinkles (optional)
1 Recipe Easy Chocolate Frosting (below)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cupcake tins with papers (if you have 4, by all means line them all), grease the tops of the pans and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of the mil, the egg whites, egg and vanilla extract.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients including the sugar on low speed for 30 seconds.
Add butter & shortening and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Add the remaining milk and stir untill just moistened. Increase the speed to medium and mix for a minute and a half.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg/milk/extract mixture in 3 groups, scraping down the sides before each addition.
Using a large ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly among the cupcake papers, making sure that none of them are more than 2/3 full (or you could have a little bit of a mess).
Bake 2 trays at a time for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

*I use Cup4Cup gluten free flour in my kitchen, and it is my favorite, but I have also had good experiences with the following: Jules Nearly Normal Flour, Better Batter All-Purpose flour or King Arthur Flour’s Gluten Free All Purpose Blend.

**If your blend has xantham gum or expandex in it, you can omit this.

3.1.09

Easy Chocolate Frosting

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 30 mins

An easy chocolate frosting that you can adapt to be as firm or as soft as you like.

Ingredients

340 grams (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
150 grams (1 3/4 cups) cocoa (I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa, the dark helps cut the sweetness a little bit)
1 cup milk or cream
225 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) butter
565 grams (2 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the first amount of powdered sugar and the cocoa.
Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stirring constantly so the milk does not scald. Whisk this into the powdered sugar mixture. Let cool to room temperature, about 20 mins.
Beat soft butter, vanilla extract and salt until creamy. Add the 2½ cups of powdered sugar and mix slowly until incorporated. With mixer on low, add the chocolate mixture a spoonful at a time.
If the frosting is too loose, add up to an additional half cup of powdered sugar.
This makes enough to frost a layer cake or put a good amount on 48 cupcakes (see photo for how much I used per cupcake)

3.1.09

October 22, 2012

Let’s just press pause

Let’s just press pause.

Because life is crazy and funny and difficult and amazing.

And we miss so very much of it while we work our butts off to get where we are going. We let friendships slide so we can spend more time in a relationship. We let relationships slide so that we can get ahead at work. We very often go on autopilot through our days and don’t stop to notice the beauty of the world around us. We forget to say things like “thank-you” or “I love you”.

And we need to stop that.

We need to press pause. We need to stop our crazy, busy lives every now and then so that we can remember the whole point of being alive.

To live.

So, let’s press pause and savor this moment.

Stop and look at the trees as they change from green to a symphony of reds and oranges. Enjoy the fresh apple cider that is plentiful this time of year. Take time to indulge in a favorite hobby. Make time to take a trip and visit friends. Tell people how much you love them.

And hug your mom the next time you see her.

Since it is fall, and figs are one of my favorite indulgences from nature, I thought I would work them into a quick bread while they can still be found at the grocery store fresh.

If you can only find dried figs, soak chopped figs in enough milk (either dairy or non-dairy will work) for about half an hour before making the quick bread. This will rehydrate them just a wee bit so they don’t dry out the bread.

Gluten-Free Fig + Olive Oil Quickbread

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 65 mins

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 8

This is a great breakfast loaf, or simple dessert

Ingredients

350 grams (2 1/2 cups) gluten-free all purpose flour*
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum (omit if using a blend that contains this)
10 grams (2 teaspoons) baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
200 grams (1 cup) sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup (175 milliliters) unsweetened vanilla almond milk (you can use any unsweetened milk or cows milk if you prefer)
1/2 cup (120 milliliters) olive oil
75 grams (1/2 cup or 4 large) fresh figs cut into eights and roughly chopped
8 large fresh figs cut in fourths (so you have wedges) to place on top of the bread

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard loaf pan using olive oil.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, xantham gum (if using), baking powder, salt and sugar.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, almond (or other) milk, and olive oil.
Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Stir in the chopped figs and pour into a loaf pan.
Bake for 65-75 minutes. The loaf will be golden on the top, and a tooth pick will come out clean when inserted into the center.
Let the quickbread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove it and allow it to cool on a wire rack. This bread tastes even better the next day 🙂

Notes

*I use Cup4Cup gluten-free all purpose flour from Williams-Sonoma, but Jules’ Nearly Normal flour or Better Batter would work without needing the xantham gum. If you use a blend such as the King Arthur Flour gluten-free all purpose blend, you will need to include the xantham gum listed in the recipe.

3.1.09

October 14, 2012

gluten-free churros and pumpkin pie dip

I have spent all weekend trying to write this post, and I am not sure why the words are not finding their way to the page.

I keep writing. And deleting.

And writing.

And deleting.

So, I think it is best just to move on to the food. Because I really can’t think of something witty to go with these delicious treats. Other than I have now learned my lesson: frying food before work is not a good idea when you have a 9am client meeting. Because you will spend the whole meeting wishing that you were outside the conference room eating. You will have your fingers and toes crossed and then you will eat 4 of them after the meeting. And still want more. Because they are all you have thought about since 5am. So just don’t do it.

I first made these bad boys last Sunday, when I was busy on a Mexican-themed cooking blitz. (I came up with the chilaquiles and a vegetarian taco bake that you will be able to find on Stockpiling Moms next week). I was bringing the taco bake to a dinner that some of my coworkers have with their friends on a regular basis, and I had to make sure that my food was worthy.

You know that is a major concern. I wanted to be invited back.

You are going to a potluck with people you don’t know. You have to bring food. And, if you are me, you want that food to be something stand out that people are going to remember.

And then, you have to make a dessert. Because, first, you are FrannyCakes. Second, you always want dessert and the likelihood that someone is bringing a gluten-free dessert to a potluck is highly unlikely.

So, I tweeted, and got a response.

@frannycakesblog churros!

— Kurt Cruse (@kurtcruse) October 7, 2012

How do you argue with that? Particularly since it was someone else who was going to be there.

Well, they were a hit – the people who didn’t know that I am gluten-free were genuinely surprised by that fact.

I made them a second time this week, to test some additional changes to the recipe, and it was the first time an office treat was gone before lunch.

Gluten-Free Churros with cardamom & ginger and pumpkin pie dip

Recipe Type: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 24

I started with a [url a href=”http://www.blackbird-bakery.com/baking/gluten-free-churros-with-coconut-chocolate-dipping-sauce/”]gluten-free churro recipe[/url] from my friend [url=”http://www.blackbird-bakery.com/”]Karen Morgan of Blackbird Bakery[/url]. I have adapted her recipe to work with an all-purpose blend and to work with weight measurements. I use vanilla bean paste because I feel it has a stronger vanilla flavor and additional spices in the sugar give these a bright flavor that goes very well with the pumpkin pie dip.

Ingredients

For the Dough
70 grams (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter
7 tablespoons milk
5 grams (1 teaspoon) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 egg white
11 grams (¾ teaspoon) baking powder
80 grams (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) gluten-free all purpose flour with a binding agent such as Cup4Cup or Jules’ Nearly Normal Flour*
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Vegetable Oil
For the sugar coating
200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, milk, sugar and salt together and bring to a boil.
Lightly beat together the eggs and egg white. Add the baking powder to the eggs and let stand for about 5 minutes while your ingredients are heating up. The baking powder should start to foam.
As soon as the mixture is boiling add the flour and stir like crazy. A paste should form leaving a film on the bottom of the pan and it will start to turn into a ball.
Place this dough ball into a food processor and pulse for about 20 seconds to loosen it up.
Add the egg and baking powder mixture to the food processor, making sure that you get all the baking powder in. Also add the vanilla bean paste.
Let the food processor run for 2 minutes.
Put the paste, which will be really sticky, into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
Let the dough stand for 20 minutes.
In a pot or frying pan with at least 3″ sides, bring 2″ of oil to 350 degrees (if you don’t have a thermometer, the oil is hot enough when you put a skewer in the oil and bubbles form around it).
Pipe 4-5 inch snakes of dough into the oil, using a sharp knife to cut the dough from the pastry tip.
Cook them for a minute and a half on each side. They should be a deep golden color.
Drain on paper towels.
When all of the churros have been cooked, combine the sugar and spices in a 9×13 baking dish and toss the churros in the sugar mixture to coat.
Serve promptly. These go great with my pumpkin pie dip.

Notes

If you don’t have those, use: 1 tablespoon sorghum flour, 2 tablespoons tapioca flour, 5 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon guar gum

3.2.1337

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Dip

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 24

This dip is great with the churros, but would also make a great filling for cream puffs or as a layer in a fall trifle. You could even serve it on a fruit tray at a party.

Ingredients

1 15.5 ounce can (~440 grams) pumpkin puree
1 16 ounce package (~450 grams) marscapone cheese
100 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
170 grams (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the pumpkin and marscapone.
Add the brown sugar, beat in and scrape down the sides.
Mix in the powdered sugar in 2 parts, scraping down the sides to make sure everything is mixed evenly.
Stir in the spices and adjust to taste

3.1.09

October 10, 2012

It’s time to fall in love (Gluten-Free Chipotle Chilaquiles)

with brunch.

Oh, you thought I was going to tell you that there was some handsome and worthy gentleman caller in my life? I appreciate you thinking that I am a worthy lady, but that is not where I am going with this.

Unless you are a handsome and worthy gentleman caller. Then, by all means, send me an email. I’ll bake you some cookies. It could be fun.

Besides, a lady never kisses and tells.

I just want to talk about food today.

Not about who I go out to dinner with. Or who I want to see again. Or who I managed to mess things up with. Even though there are some pretty funny stories there. I am just not ready to share those with you.

I don’t want to talk about football, and how the Illini are still not any good at it. (At least those Bears are doing alright…)

I don’t want to talk about those teeth that got pulled Monday because of a paralyzing fear of the dentist.

And definitely not about the friend who is losing her mom to cancer.

I want to talk about the food.

Just the food. There is no deeper meaning here. No search for something better. Just some good food.

I want to talk about the warmth of a breakfast with my parents on a Sunday morning. The crisp, cool breeze of an October morning tempered by a cozy sweater and a hearty brunch.

I want to talk about breakfast nachos. It is a real thing with a name: Chilaquiles.

You cook up some tortilla chips in a sauce, top it with some more things like chicken, cilantro and cheese. Then, if you are really hungry you can add an egg.

Gluten-Free Chicken Chipotle Chilaquiles

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Mary Fran Wiley

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 6

This recipe is adapted from Rick Bayless, and was made with [url href=”http://gowaybetter.com”]Way Better Snacks[/url] tortilla chips (which were provided for me to use by the company and which I wouldn’t use if I didn’t love eating them).

Ingredients

1 28-ounce can whole fire roasted tomatoes (regular is fine if that is all you can get
3 chipotles in adobo
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Salt
1 bag each Whole Grain & Blue Corn Way Better Snacks Tortilla Chips (~12 ounces of chips)
4 cooked chicken thighs, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
Sliced radishes to garnish (optional)
One egg per person (optional)

Instructions

In a blender, combine the tomatoes and the chipotles. Blend until smooth.
In a very large, deep skillet or dutch oven (I would recommend a 5 quart), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the 2/3 of the onion and cook until transparent and starting to brown, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Pour the blended tomatoes and chipotles into the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the broth and cook for an additional 2 minutes – you want the sauce to thicken back up.
Stir in the chips and make sure they are evenly coated in the sauce. Cook for a minute or two, really making sure they are all covered.
Now is when you should fry up the eggs if you are making them.
Divide up the chips into individual bowls or put them into a large serving dish.
Top with the chicken. If you are making this ahead of time, you can stop here and place in a warm oven (150 degrees Fahrenheit)
When ready to serve, top with remaining onion, cheese, cilantro, radishes (if using) and eggs (if using).

3.1.08

[box] The chips used in this recipe were provided by Way Better Snacks. I met some of their staff at the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo back in April, and frankly, I was hooked on the Sweet Chili flavor of chips the minute I tried them. I wouldn’t have used them in a recipe if I didn’t actually like and purchase the product. however, this recipe will work if you just have plain old every day tortilla chips. [/box]