Month: January 2017

GF and DF Caramel Cupcakes

~ Cakes by Noah ~ 2 Comments

I have written in the past about our journey with Noah and Coeliac Disease. I have also written about my professional journey and my thoughts about how the wider industry I work in also deals with that.  Some can cater for the free from market and do it particularly well.  Others offer a half-hearted approach and do not appear to offer the continued guidance to their teams on how to deal with, empathise with or understand the health issues associated with coming into contact with foods that their customers/guests/visitors simply cannot in any way, consume/touch or be in the vicinity of.  We won’t mention those that don’t appear do anything.

Will there be a light bulb moment for those outlets than continue to get it wrong? What will it in fact take, to make a menu choice easy for every one? Where a pudding is not fruit, that complex menu making becomes not about quantity, but about quality and ease of delivery.

To see the face of my colleague when he realized I had made these for everyone to enjoy was a moment to behold. I wish we had taken a photo.  It really isn’t difficult to include everyone. It just takes a little thinking time and when you get it right, its a wonder to behold.

gluten-free-and-dairy-free-caramel-cupcakes

Now I have that off my chest 🙂 I can bring you these wonderful little cupcakes created for some work colleagues.  They are not difficult to make, in fact they are very quick and easy and are also incredibly light to eat.

You will need a 12 hole muffin/cupcake tray – lined with muffin cases.  Pre heat the oven to Gas 3/160c – using the middle shelf.

This is an all-in-one recipe, so pop the mixing bowl on the scales to weigh out the ingredients. I used a stand mixer (Kitchen Aid) and the paddle attachment.

  • 150g Gluten Free Self Raising Flour
  • 150ml vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 100g Light Brown sugar
  • 50g dark Brown Sugar
  • 10 drops of Butterscotch flavouring (I used  Foodies Flavour Butterscotch)

Once you have weighed all the ingredients, turn on the paddle on low and slow to initially mix the ingredients, then turn it up a little to 4 and beat for about 8 minutes until the ingredients have all combined and you have a smooth caramel colour mixture – it will be quite runny. You need to ensure all the sugar has been incorporated and there are no lumps.

Pour the mixture into the 12 cases and bake for about 20 minutes – or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.  Leave to cool in the tray before removing and completely cooling on a cooling rack.

Then to make the frosting. Again pop all the ingredients into the mixers, stir to mix together, so you don’t get a icing sugar dust cloud, then beat for about 5 minutes to combine. The mix will get light and fluffy as it mixes the sugar into the Stork

  • 100g Stork – for Biscuits & Cookies – softened
  • 200g Icing Sugar
  • 10 drops of Butterscotch Flavour
  • Food Thoughts Cacao Nibs to decorate

Pipe onto the cupcakes with your desired nozzle and finish with a sprinkling of Cacao Nibs.

I would suggest you eat them within a couple of days, whilst at there best.

Gluten Free Trifle Cake

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Gluten Free Trifle Cake. Yep, it’s a thing and this way everybody gets a fair slice of sponge, jelly, fruit and custard. Although I’ll admit I always used to like just the custard and sponge.

The celebrations maybe over but there is always time for cake. Where some might be cutting down or even out (God forbid!)  I believe it’s all about moderation. Someone will be celebrating somewhere and here is a gluten free cake to celebrate. Perhaps there should be a National Trifle Day? 😀

gluten-free-trifle-cake

This cake was made for our final family gathering of the holidays or should that be the first celebration of 2017 and if I’m honest it turned out better than I thought 😀😀 It took a little planning ahead, but certainly worth the wait.

You’ll need 2 x 8″/20cm round, loose bottom cake tins and some patience.

Firstly you need to make the jelly and set the custard. You may need to do this bit a day in advance.

  • 1 packet of Jelly – I used Hartley’s Strawberry Jelly
  • 1 tin of Fruit Salad – drained – retain the juice.
  • Line one of the 8″/20cm cake tins with enough cling film, so that it over hangs the tin.
  • 1 tin (400ml) custard – yes I used a tin, do I need to make everything?
  • 4 1/2 sheets of gelatine
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Make the jelly as per the packet instructions – as I used Hartley’s I started with the half pint of boiling water to dissolve the jelly, once dissolved I then poured in the juice from the drained tin. Scatter the drained tinned fruit over the base of the lined cake tin and the pour in the jelly. If you can, pop it into the fridge to set. Once the jelly has set, you can start the custard mix.

Soften the gelatine in a small amount of water – you need to cover the gelatine in cold water and leave it for about 4-5 minutes until its soft and flexible – like the jelly before you dissolve it. Drain the gelatine and discard the water. Put the gelatine in a small saucepan over a gentle heat in order to dissolve the gelatine into a liquid. Try not to let the mix boil, it will though only take a minute or two – so don’t take you eyes of it and stir constantly.

gluten-free-trifle-cake

Pour the cold custard and vanilla extract onto the dissolved gelatine and whisk gently until fully combined. Pour onto the set jelly, pop back into the fridge to set completely.

Then to make the sponge and finish with sherry, jam, cream and sprinkles.  Line the other 8″/20cm cake tin with greaseproof and preheat the oven to Gas 4/180c

  • 120g soft butter
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 120g gluten free self-raising flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam (optional)
    • Sherry
    • 300ml double cream
    • 1 table-spoon icing sugar
    • Sprinkles to decorate

trifle-cake-gluten-free

To make the sponge, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoon of flour if it looks like it might (or is) curdle. Beat in the extract and stir in the gluten free flour. Pour into the tin and bake for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin before turning out.

And then to assemble.

Place the sponge on the cake stand and spread with the jam (if using) and drench with as much sherry as you dare.

Then the tricky bit.

Lift the set jelly/custard out of the cake tin, with the cling film and place on top of the drenched sponge base.  You can then gently remove the cling film by rolling/pulling the cling film from underneath the jelly.

Whisk up the cream, extract and icing sugar until light and fluffy and it holds its shape. Pipe onto the custard and finish with the sprinkles.