Posts Tagged by chocolate
3 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse (Dairy & Egg Free)
| March 3, 2013 | Filled under Desserts |
Do you prefer going out to eat or staying in? I love both. Sure it’s nice to be waited on, and no clean up is always a good thing, but sometimes you just want something exactly the way you want it. And eating at home can definitely allow for that. You can make your favourite things, just the way you want, without worrying about what hidden allergens may sneak in.
One area that restaurants often trump home cooking is in the dessert department. Sometimes you just need an indulgent splurge, something sweet, decadent, and sinfully good at the end of your meal. For anyone who’s ever tried, finding a dairy/egg/gluten-free dessert (besides fruit) is tough, especially in restaurants. The other night, after we opted to stay in for dinner, I whipped up this decadent chocolate mousse and it was totally the best part of our meal.
I came across this recipe on Pinterest called ’3 ingredient chocolate mousse in 5 minutes’ and felt that it might be the right combination for me to tinker with, to create something dairy/egg/gluten-free yet still delicious. (PS follow me on Pinterest here - I am seriously addicted).
I’ve made traditional chocolate mousse many times before and have always found the step of whipping the egg whites to be so fussy. My version here is a combo of chocolate chips, coconut milk, and soy milk and was ready in about 8 minutes. Not bad right? The end result is a mousse with a texture that’s rich and creamy. While this version isn’t as airy and fluffy as a traditional mousse, it’s just as indulgent and satisfying. The canned coconut milk creates a rich creaminess and the soy milk helps lighten up the texture.
This recipe involves two steps: 1) melt chocolate, 2) mix in coconut and soy milk with a hand mixer. You can make just before serving or make ahead and chill in the fridge. A little shredded coconut on top makes for a pretty garnish, but is totally optional. If you’re a hardcore coconut lover, mix in some shredded coconut right into the mousse.
This was so delicious that I will be making it over and over again forever and ever. We served this to a couple of friends the other night and lets just say that one of our guests licked the bowl clean. Literally. What a sweet compliment.
3 Ingredient Chocolate Mousse (Dairy-Free) adapted from Drizzle and Dip
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 10 oz bag of dairy-free mini chocolate chips from Enjoy Life
- 1/2 cup canned chilled full-fat coconut milk, solid part only
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or other dairy-free milk
- 1/4 cup grated coconut (optional)
Equipment: Hand mixer
Directions:
Place chocolate chips in a large heat-proof bowl over a pot with 1″ of simmering water, so that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and place bowl directly over a large bowl of ice. Add coconut milk and soy milk to chocolate. Using an electric hand mixer, beat ingrendients until blended together and mixture becomes light and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in grated coconut if using. Serve immediately or chill to serve later.
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
| January 21, 2013 | Filled under Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts, Kid-Friendly |
Do you smile and get giddy like a 2-year old when you see a cupcake that is disguised as an ice cream cone? If you don’t, you may want to check for a pulse, because I probably could have named this post ‘happiness in a cone’. I first made ice cream cone cupcakes back when I was a teen summer camp counsellor looking after pre-school aged kids. The utter joy the campers got from helping to create these and gobbling them up was priceless. As wise and mature teenaged counsellors, we made sure to serve these to the kidlets right before we sent them home with mom and dad so we got to experience the joy, and parents got to deal with the resulting sugar high afterwards *insert evil laughter*.
What’s in it? This simple recipe involves gluten-free cake mix from Pamela’s Products, egg-replacer from Ener-G, homemade frosting, and gluten-free cones from Let’s Do. These cones look just like it’s gluten-filled original except the texture is slightly little less crunchy but still delicious. These cupcakes would be perfect for a birthday party for kids of any age - I actually made these for my own birthday which happens to be next week. You can do just about any combination you would do for a normal cupcake – the options are endless. This version happens to be gluten/nut/egg/dairy-free – so almost allergen free but still super yummy. A rare combo indeed.
Specialty Bakeware Not Required: Now I’m not normally one to acquire too much specialty bakeware, as living in a condo means very limited storage, but I couldn’t resist this ice cream cone baker that was on sale. You don’t need it to make this, you just need some tin foil and a muffin pan – there’s a great tutorial here.
Test one first… I recommend doing one test cupcake before doing the entire batch. The cone only needs to be about 2/3 full with cake batter (using a small ice cream scoop or one tablespoon at a time), however, different cake recipes rise differently. Once you’ve tested one cone, you can fill the rest of the cones with the right amount of batter. Too much batter will result in overflow, look messy, and messy up your oven too. Once these cuties are baked, poke a small hole in the bottom of each cone with a fork to allow the steam to come out so the cones don’t get soggy.
MMmmm Fudgy Frosting… Most people will agree that the best part of a cupcake is the frosting. This fudgy frosting is dairy-free thanks to chocolate chips from Enjoy Life and coconut oil. This recipe is adapted from Elena’s Pantry - a great gluten-free resource. The instant espresso powder gives the frosting a more deeply chocolate-y tasting. The heart-healthy coconut oil allows me to enjoy my birthday cupcakes guilt-free, especially since birthday calories don’t count, right? I chose an unscented coconut oil so the chocolate flavor wouldn’t compete with coconut, but if you wanted a choco-coconut frosting, scented coconut oil would be perfect.
For garnish, I recommend some white chocolate shavings (contains dairy) or shredded coconut to pretty these up even more. I considered putting some sprinkles but all the ones I found had wax or shellac as an ingredient so I passed.
I plan to make these cupcake ice cream cones every year for my birthday from now until infinity, so that I always feel like a kid no matter how much older I get. I hope you enjoy these for your next celebration.
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes (makes 12 ice cream cone cupcakes and 6 extra regular cupcakes) Adapted from Pamela’s Products
Ingredients:
- 12 flat bottomed gluten-free ice cream cones (1 package from Let’s Do)
- 1 package Pamela’s Chocolate Cake Mix (gluten-free)
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup egg replacer (Ener-G brand) or 2 large eggs
- 1 and 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free from Enjoy Life)
Dairy-Free Vegan Chocolate Icing (for 12 cupcakes) Adapted from Elena’s Pantry
- 1 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free from Enjoy Life)
- 1/3 cup unscented coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon soy milk
Special Equipment: Muffin pan and foil, or ice cream cone baker from Niftys
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover muffin pan with foil. Poke a hole over holes where cupcake would go and place ice cream cone in. In a large bowl, add cake mix, oil, egg replacer or eggs, water and chocolate chips. Mix all ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Do not over mix. Using a small ice cream scoop, fill ice cream cones until 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes on center rack or when toothpick comes out with slight crumbs. (Place a clean cookie sheet on bottom rack in case of spills.) Place on baking rack to cool. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cone with a fork to release steam.
- For remaining batter, fill paper lined muffin tin until 2/3 full. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. Place on baking rack to cool. Reserve or freeze for future use.
- Prepare frosting. In a small saucepan on very low heat, melt chocolate and coconut oil. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in espresso powder (if using), vanilla and soy milk. Stir and place in fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and beat with hand mixer until light and fluffy. Ice cooled cupcakes and garnish as desired.
A note about substitutions: I know many of my readers do not necessarily have gluten allergies or have varied food sensitivities. This post can be used as a guideline to inspire you to create ice cream cone cupcakes with your favourite options. My version is the most stripped down version and serves as a jumping off point for your own creations. I love hearing from you so if you end up tinkering with the recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Happy baking!
Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows
| October 31, 2012 | Filled under Desserts, Kid-Friendly |
Happy Halloween! Here are some spooky sweet treats to take to your Halloween party – these tasty tombstone marshmallows are heading to the office tomorrow. I made double whats in the picture in about 30 minutes and could probably have made a zillion more if I had to feed a crowd. They’re so simple and fun to make, require minimal ingredients, and because they are foods on sticks, are perfect for entertaining. Bonus: the messier the chocolate, the better they look. And you can dip into anything you like – I opted for Skor bits and toasted coconut. Trick or treat indeed.
Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows (makes 30)
Ingredients:
- 60 Large marshmallows (about 1 and 1/2 bags)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (I used gluten-free/dairy free ones by Enjoy Life)
- 1/2 cup total of toppings of choice (I used 1/4 cup Skor bits, 1/4 cup toasted coconut)
Special Tools: 30 candy sticks or skewers, tray lined with parchment paper
Directions:
- Skewer 2 marshmallows on a stick. Repeat until all marshmallows are skewered.
- In a small bowl heat up half the chocolate chips in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Heat for another 30 seconds until melted, stirring in between (about 2 minutes total).
- Dip skewer in chocolate, wipe away excess with a spoon. Dip spoon in melted chocolate and drizzle over marshmallows. Dip in toppings and place on parchment lined tray. Add remaining chocolate chips to bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Repeat dipping process. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chocolate is set.
Zucchini Muffins
| May 28, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes |
Do you ever stand in line at a coffee shop and get tempted by the bountiful displays of baked goods only to end up leaving with some crazy awesome donut/danish/cookie/muffin you didn’t plan on getting? I guess one of the blessings/curses of being gluten-free is that I can’t ever succumb to my desire for those delish gluten-filled goodies. So to compensate, I try to satisfy my cravings by baking.
Now I fully admit that gluten-free baking can be a challenge, however, when I come across an easy and fool-proof version, I have to share. This muffin is adapted from Erin McKenna’s Babycakes cookbook and it was moist, delicious, chocolate-y and gluten/guilt-free. So good, that it makes me forget all about those high-priced gluten-filled sugary sweets in the coffee shops. Great for my wallet and my body.
Just remember everything in moderation – too many muffins will lead to ‘Muffin Top” which “is a… slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging fat when it spills over the waistline of pants or skirts in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing.’ Thanks to Wikipedia for that informative and graphic definition.
Zucchini Muffins Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna (Makes 12)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
- ½ cup flax meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup agave nectar
- ¾ cup unsweetened soy milk (or non-dairy milk alternative)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup mini gluten-free vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon. Add oil, agave, soy milk, and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in zucchini and chocolate chips (if using) just until evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Do not over mix.
- Pour half cup of batter into each prepared liner, almost filling it. Bake the muffins on the centre rack for 25 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes. To check doneness, a wooden toothpick will come out clean after being inserted into the centre of a muffin.
- Let the muffins stand in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store muffins in airtight container in the fridge or freeze.
Cereal Treats
| March 13, 2012 | Filled under Cookies & Bars, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Snacks & Appetizers |
Sometimes you just want to feel like a kid again. Simple pleasures like these homemade cereal treats can be whipped up in minutes and packed in lunch boxes or purses alike. Using a variety of gluten-free cereals can keep this treat interesting and exciting – these ones are made with cocoa puffed rice ceral and I’ve used popped corn cereal too. Or get crazy and mix a couple of cereals together with some dried fruit or nuts. I’ve used coconut oil in the past and it gives the treats a lovely coconut-y flavour. The possibilities are endless. This recipe is just a reminder that going gluten-free doesn’t have to be complicated.
Cereal Treats (adapted from Joy of Baking)
Makes about 16 squares
Ingredients:
- 6 cups Gluten Free puffed rice cereal (used Koala crisp – cocoa flavoured)
- 3 Tbsp dairy-free buttery spread (Earth Balance), coconut oil, or butter
- Pinch salt
- 1 250 gram package mini marshmallows
- ½ tsp vanilla
Directions:
Butter or spray an 8” or 9” square baking pan with non-stick vegetable spray or canola oil. In a large sauce pan, melt butter and salt over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows and stir constantly until marshmallows melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add cereal treats and stir with a wooden spoon until all cereal is coated. Pour mixture into sprayed pan and lightly pat until even. Cool at room temperature until cereal is set. Cut into squares. To store, wrap squares individually in plastic wrap and store inside an airtight container for up to 5 days.
S’mores Brownies
| February 22, 2012 | Filled under Cookies & Bars, Desserts |
Smell ya later winter – summer is around the corner. Days are getting a wee bit longer and that extra bit of daylight lingering in the early evening is such a treat. I find myself daydreaming about all the fun times that the upcoming warmer months will bring. And although it’s not here yet, it’s still kinda nice to enjoy a piece of summer (especially when it’s still chilly outside) and what’s more summer-y that s’mores? How about a gluten-free s’mores brownie? Here’s my step-by-step guide which involves a box of brownie mix from Pamela’s. It makes a pretty big batch and is perfect for sharing.
Fun factoid: S’mores is a contraction of ‘some more’. Read more about it’s history here.
Step 1: Make graham cracker crust.
Step 2: Add brownie batter.
Step 3: Bake and cool.
Step 4: Prepare ganache.
…………………………………………
Step 5: Spread ganache.
Step 6: Spread marshmallows.
Step 7: Toast marshmallows under broiler.
Step 8: Slice and serve.
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S’mores Brownie Recipe (makes 32 pieces)
Graham cracker crust:
- 1 ½ cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs (I used Kinnikinnick brand)
- ¼ cup melted butter (vegan or regular)
- 2 Tbsp sugar or brown sugar
Brownie Mix:
- 1 package Pamela’s Gluten Free Brownie Mix
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 egg or egg replacer equivalent
Topping:
- 6 ounces dark, semi-sweet or milk chocolate, cut into small pieces
- ½ cup milk (unsweetened soy or regular)
- 5 cups mini marshmallows (about 1 x 400 gram bag)
Special Equipment: half sheet baking pan (mine is from Sur la Table) or can also use disposable pan.
Directions:
- Prepare the crust. In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together until combined. Pour onto parchment lined baking sheet and press down into an even layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine Pamela’s Brownie Mix, oil, water, and egg and stir until combined – do not over mix. Pour onto graham crust and spread into even layer. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean with a few crumbs. Brownie will look glossy but will dry out when cooling. Do not over bake. Allow to cool.
- Prepare ganache. Place chocolate pieces in a medium heat proof bowl. Heat milk in a small pot on medium heat. Bring to boil and immediately pour over chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixed through. Spread onto cooled brownies. Add marshmallows and spread evenly.
- Heat broiler in oven to high. Place brownies under broiler for a few minutes or until the tops of the marshmallows start to brown – do not leave brownies unattended as they will burn very quickly. Allow to cool and slice to serve. Store in fridge covered for up to 1 week.
Triple Chocolate Torte
| February 7, 2012 | Filled under Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts |
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and whipping up this luscious triple chocolate torte is a sure-fire way to show your sweetie that you care. It’s undoubtedly a show stopper, covered in a glossy dark chocolate ganache and enrobed in white chocolate slices. Not into V-Day? Me either (sort of). You can totally whip up this crowd-pleasing dessert to celebrate just about anything, from a new job, birthdays, showers, housewarming, festivus, you name it; it’s definitely a special occasion dessert.
As much as I go to baking mixes to help me create gluten-free desserts, this one was an easy adaptation of a recipe I found in the Globe and Mail over the holidays. It’s got a such a small amount of flour in proportion to the chocolate and other ingredients so it was easy to swap in GF flour. That being said, this dessert requires a) time b) planning and c) patience. All in all, it’s a pretty straight-forward recipe to make, Ie. it LOOKS way harder to make than it really is. And if you want to simplify, you can always make it a double chocolate torte and skip the white chocolate slices.
To break it down, this cake takes 3 steps. Step 1 is make the cake. Step 2 is to make the white chocolate slices. Step 3 is to make a ganache and assemble. Basically this cake involves a lot of chopping and melting chocolate (fun) and dish washing (not so fun which – I suggest outsourcing this piece to husbands/boyfriends/roommates/other parties who want to eventually eat this masterpiece).
Making the white chocolate slices is so simple and gives the cake its ‘wow!youmadethatyourself?’ look. Melt the white chocolate chunks and spread it onto a lined baking sheet to chill in the fridge. Once it’s chilled, simply remove and break into pieces and let your inner pastry chef/artist decorate. The more variations in the pieces, the better the cake looks.
The last part of the cake to make is the ganache which is dead simple to do. Seriously, just boil milk, pour it over chopped chocolate and stir to create a smooth and glossy chocolate spread. Pour onto the cooled prepared cake and spread around. It’s so much easier to make than icing or frosting and I love the silky rich taste so much that I just might ‘ganache’ all my cupcakes from now on.
So the next time you have a special occasion and 4 hours to spare, why not try making this amazing dessert? It’s so worth it and remember, after you serve this, you get to relish in all the adoring compliments while enjoy this decadent treat.
Triple Chocolate Torte (serves 8 to 10) Adapted from Lucy Waverman’s Triple Chocolate Torte for Globe and Mail
Ingredients
Cake
• 4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• ½ cup unsalted butter or dairy-free vegan butter, softened
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 8 oz dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate chopped into small pieces
• ½ cup unsweetened soy milk or regular milk
White Chocolate Pieces
• 6 oz white chocolate
Special Equipment: 9” round springform pan, off-set spatula, parchment paper
Directions:
1. Make cake. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Invert the base of a 9” round springform pan so that it is lip side down (avoids having an indent in the base of the cake). Grease bottom and sides of pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
2. Melt chocolate in a small heavy pot over low heat, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.
3. Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl until like and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.
4. In a separate bowl, sift cocoa powder and add gluten-free flour, and salt and whisk until well combined. Beat into butter mixture. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Pour into springform pan and spread into an even layer.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set and slightly puffed in the centre. Let cool in the pan.
6. Make ganache. Place dark chocolate in a bowl. Place soy milk in a small pot and bring to boil over medium heat. Pour over chocolate and stir to melt.
7. Remove cake from pan and pour ganache over cake, ensuring the ganache spreads to the edge. Use a spatula to help spread evenly over the top and sides. Chill in the fridge to set.
8. Make white chocolate rectangles. Place white chocolate in a small, heavy pot over low heat. Melt slowly, stirring occasionally. When melted, use an off-set spatula to spread evenly on a parchment paper or Silpat sheet lined baking sheet. Place in fridge to harden.
9. Remove white chocolate from parchment paper and break into large pieces and press white chocolate against the sides of the cake, overlapping slightly. Stick leftover white chocolate pieces vertically into the middle of the cake to create a pattern. Chill again until ready to serve. Remove from fridge for 15 minutes before serving.
All Natural Red Velvet Pancakes (Gluten-Free)
| January 20, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes, Fruits, Kid-Friendly |
‘Red Velvet’ anything makes people go bananas. To be fair, the ’Red Velvet’ name itself is so luscious and enticing, that it just lures you in – brilliant marketing for basically a combo of cocoa powder and red food colouring. Personally, I’m kind of grossed out by food colouring in general and but still want to hop on this ‘red velvet’ bandwagon, so this is my all-natural homemade gluten-free version. They’re super easy to whip up thanks to Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix.
To any ‘Red Velvet’ purists out there who might argue that this isn’t really ‘Red Velvet’, well just call these cocoa-berry pancakes instead and enjoy. I promise, you’ll love them.
Recipe All Natural ‘Red Velvet’ Pancakes (makes 6, 4″ pancakes) Adapted from Pamela’s Products
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blackberries or raspberries
- 1 cup Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix
- 1 egg or egg replacer equivalent
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ¾ cup water
- 2 Tbsp chocolate chips
- Extra cocoa powder/icing sugar for dusting (optional)
- Maple syrup for serving
Directions:
Mash the berries and and mix together with baking mix, egg, cocoa powder, water and chocolate chips and mix until there are no lumps. Batter should not be too thin or too thick; add additional water if needed. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto a preheated, lightly oiled griddle or frying pan (medium-low heat). Cook until golden brown, flipping once; pancakes will puff up a little in the middle when done. Serve immediately dusted with cocoa powder and icing sugar and maple syrup.
Extra pancakes can be cooked, cooled, then wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen or refrigerated. To reheat, remove wrapping and microwave wrapped in a paper towel until hot, approximately one minute per pancake.
Chocolate Pear Muffins
| January 15, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes |
I propose that ‘high coffee’ be the new ‘high tea.’ On new year’s day, my parents treated my hubby, sister and I to a lovely high tea. Full of delightful pastries, finger sammies, and fancy teas, it was a luxurious and decadent way to ring in the new year. Honestly, I was slightly hung over and as much as I love tea, I could have really used a huge cup of coffee to help perk me up. That’s when D proposed that ‘high coffee’ should be a thing. And I couldn’t agree more.
So we decided to host a ‘High Coffee’ at our place for some good friends and put out a massive spread. I admit, I went a little overboard. The great thing about hosting a high coffee/tea/brunch, is that you can totally do a combo of store-bought and homemade treats and keep it low effort/cost and stress-free. It’s generally more relaxing to have brunch at home where instead of trying to flag down a waiter for coffee refills, you can just keep the caffiene and mimosas flowing. And at our place, we always serve mimosas for brunch. Why? Because brunch is great and all, but mimosas make it a better brunch.
Also, if my guests are gluten-eaters, I tend to do more gluten-y items than gluten free. I just adapt whatever I’m serving to suit my own dietary restrictions. So I just made gluten versions of the chive cream cheese/cucumber/chicken open face sammies by swapping the bread for a gluten free rice tortilla. Same for the smoked salmon cream cheese Montreal bagel. Also, swapped cream cheese for dairy-free Tofutti version. Easy pea-sy dairy-free cream cheese-y.
I also try to get as much of the prep done the day before. So, plan plan plan. Prep the veggies, condiments, fruit platters, set the table, and have a list of what you need to do the day of. This makes it a breeze to put together and allows you the time and energy to actually relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. These muffins were baked a day ahead and so were the mini potato crusted quiches we served. So next time you’re thinking of hosting a brunch, try delightful finger sammies, and sweet bite-sized treats. And try these tasty chocolate pear muffins that are healthy and will help minimize chances of getting a muffin top.
Chocolate Pear Muffins (makes 12) Adapted from BabyCakes by Erin McKenna
- 2 cups bob’s red mill GF all purpose baking flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tsp xanthum gum
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted or canola oil
- 2/3 cup agave nectar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened soy or rice milk
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pears cut into 1/2” cubes
- ½ dark cup chocolate chips (gluten free, vegan)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum, and salt. Add the oil, agave, milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth. Add the pears and chocolate chunks and stir to combine.
- Pour 1/3 cup batter into each muffin tin cup. Bake on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The muffins are done when a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean.
- Let muffins stand for 15 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
'High Coffee' spread. Did I mention this is for only 4 people? I say 'Let them eat cake (and muffins)!'
Chocolate Crinkles
| December 20, 2011 | Filled under Cookies & Bars, Desserts |
I love the holidays. For the first time in a long while, I’ve been home for the holidays and fully able to enjoy the prep – baking, gift wrapping, decorating, and entertaining. We got a tree (fake), centerpieces (leftover wedding + dollar store), cool wrapping paper (silver + black), and most of the gifts are done. I even snuck in a week in Punta Cana for my cousin’s wedding last week. And now, it’s time to bake Chocolate Crinkles – a truffle-y rich cookie to put under the tree for Santa.
Before going gluten free, I used to make these amazing chewy chocolate cookies by the talented Anna Olsen. I loved her show ‘Sugar’ on the Food Network and remember loving the dreamy white set. She made it look so simple and even though it’s a few extra steps than say my Neiman Marcus cookies, they’re so decadent that it’s worth it. There is only 1/2 a cup of flour in the original recipe which I swapped out for a GF combo of Bob’s GF All Purpose Flour mix, coconut flour and xanthum gum.
To make this recipe mostly dairy-free, I swapped the butter for heart healthy coconut oil. Chopping the chocolate helps it melt quickly over the double boiler. A double boiler is just a heat proof bowl set over a pot with about an 1″ or so of lightly simmering water. The steam from the water heats the bowl, melting the chocolate delicately. It’s important not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or the chocolate will get weird and nasty.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and let it cool down. Next up is prepping the egg mixture. A stand mixer is great but if you don’t have one, no worries. A hand mixer will work great and burn a few extra calories too. Just keep whipping until the egg mixture is pale and thick.
After you have the egg mixture ready, it’s time to add in the melted chocolate. Whisk in together until full incorporated. I love the swirly pattern – so pretty.
Next up it’s time to add in the dry ingredients. Mix together the dry ingredients with a whisk and add into the chocolate egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 4 hours. I know I know, it’s a lifetime to wait for cookies. I’m all for instant gratification, especially after all that melting and stirring (and dirty dishes) so I cheat and wait 2 hours, bake up about a dozen, and put the rest of the batter back in the fridge to full chill.
These cookies are pretty rich so I like to keep them fairly small and dainty so I use a melon baller to scoop out the chilled dough. Roll into balls and then gently roll in some icing sugar and voila, they are ready to bake.
This makes a pretty big batch of cookies (especially if you make little ones) so it’s perfect for your cookie plate or gifting. I know it seems like a lot of steps, and truthfully, it is. So give yourself enough time, make sure your ingredients are all sorted out, and blast those Christmas carols and give it a go. They’re a real treat whether you’re gluten-free or not since you can’t even tell they’re GF. These crinkles are so rich they’re naughty and so gluten-free they’re nice.
Recipe Chocolate Crinkles (makes 36 to 60) Adapted from Anna Olsen’s Chocolate Crinkle recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 10 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 4 eggs, room temperature (preferably organic)
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp xanthum gum
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 2/3 to 1 cup icing sugar
Directions
1. Over a pot of filled with 1″ to 2″ of simmering water, place a heat-proof bowl (metal or glass) and add coconut oil. Stir until melted halfway and add chopped chocolate. Stir until just melted and remove from heat. Set aside.
2. Whip eggs with sugar, vanilla and espresso powder with hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment, until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine GF flour, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, xanthum gum, and salt.
3. Whisk melted chocolate into egg mixture until incorporated. Whisk in flour mixture and stir in white chocolate chunks. Cover batter with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours before baking.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
5. Spoon cookie dough with a melon baller or teaspoon and gently roll to shape into a ball. Roll cookie in icing sugar and place on a parchment paper (or silpat) lined or greased cookie sheet, leaving 2″ of space between cookies. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. To test doneness, lift a cookie off the tray – if it comes off cleanly, then cookies are done.
Storing: Cool cookies before storing. Cookies will keep up to 1 week at room temperature in airtight container. Batter also freezes well.
I love the holidays. For the first time in a long while, I’ve been home for the holidays and fully able to enjoy the prep – baking, gift wrapping, decorating, and entertaining. We got a tree (fake), centerpieces (leftover wedding + dollar store), cool wrapping paper (silver + black), and most of the gifts are done. I even snuck in a week in Punta Cana for my cousin’s wedding last week. And now, it’s time to bake Chocolate Crinkles – a truffle-y rich cookie to put under the tree for Santa.
Before going gluten free, I used to make these amazing chewy chocolate cookies by the talented Anna Olsen. I loved her show ‘Sugar’ on the Food Network and remember loving the dreamy white set. She made it look so simple and even though it’s a few extra steps than say my Neiman Marcus cookies, they’re so decadent that it’s worth it. There is only 1/2 a cup of flour in the original recipe which I swapped out for a GF combo of Bob’s GF All Purpose Flour mix, coconut flour and xanthum gum.
To make this recipe mostly dairy-free, I swapped the butter for heart healthy coconut oil. Chopping the chocolate helps it melt quickly over the double boiler. A double boiler is just a heat proof bowl set over a pot with about an 1″ or so of lightly simmering water. The steam from the water heats the bowl, melting the chocolate delicately. It’s important not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or the chocolate will get weird and nasty.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and let it cool down. Next up is prepping the egg mixture. A stand mixer is great but if you don’t have one, no worries. A hand mixer will work great and burn a few extra calories too. Just keep whipping until the egg mixture is pale and thick.
After you have the egg mixture ready, it’s time to add in the melted chocolate. Whisk in together until full incorporated. I love the swirly pattern – so pretty.
Next up it’s time to add in the dry ingredients. Mix together the dry ingredients with a whisk and add into the chocolate egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 4 hours. I know I know, it’s a lifetime to wait for cookies. I’m all for instant gratification, especially after all that melting and stirring (and dirty dishes) so I cheat and wait 2 hours, bake up about a dozen, and put the rest of the batter back in the fridge to full chill.
These cookies are pretty rich so I like to keep them fairly small and dainty so I use a melon baller to scoop out the chilled dough. Roll into balls and then gently roll in some icing sugar and voila, they are ready to bake.
This makes a pretty big batch of cookies (especially if you make little ones) so it’s perfect for your cookie plate or gifting. I know it seems like a lot of steps, and truthfully, it is. So give yourself enough time, make sure your ingredients are all sorted out, and blast those Christmas carols and give it a go. They’re a real treat whether you’re gluten-free or not since you can’t even tell they’re GF. These crinkles are so rich they’re naughty and so gluten-free they’re nice.
Recipe Chocolate Crinkles (makes 36 to 60) Adapted from Anna Olsen’s Chocolate Crinkle recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 10 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 4 eggs, room temperature (preferably organic)
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp xanthum gum
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 2/3 to 1 cup icing sugar
Directions
1. Over a pot of filled with 1″ to 2″ of simmering water, place a heat-proof bowl (metal or glass) and add coconut oil. Stir until melted halfway and add chopped chocolate. Stir until just melted and remove from heat. Set aside.
2. Whip eggs with sugar, vanilla and espresso powder with hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment, until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine GF flour, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, xanthum gum, and salt.
3. Whisk melted chocolate into egg mixture until incorporated. Whisk in flour mixture and stir in white chocolate chunks. Cover batter with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours before baking.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
5. Spoon cookie dough with a melon baller or teaspoon and gently roll to shape into a ball. Roll cookie in icing sugar and place on a parchment paper (or silpat) lined or greased cookie sheet, leaving 2″ of space between cookies. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. To test doneness, lift a cookie off the tray – if it comes off cleanly, then cookies are done.
Storing: Cool cookies before storing. Cookies will keep up to 1 week at room temperature in airtight container. Batter also freezes well.
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