I have tended not to use coconut products as my primary cookie eater isn’t really a fan.  However, in an aberrant moment I bought several bags of coconut flour in with my order of brown rice flour, so I need to start using it.  I also had a jar of Read More »

These hazlenut biscotti have a warm, complex flavour with a lighter texture than my usual biscotti.  They have a hint of cinnamon but if you want a spicier flavour just add more spice, perhaps with mixed spice or ginger as well as the cinnamon.  If you like an iced biscotti, making a glace icing with icing sugar and ginger wine would work well.

I get given boxes of chocolates by my mother-in-law occasionally, but they always have wheat in.  Added to that the amount of dairy in chocolates is enough to cause me trouble.  I used to squeeze all the chocolates in a mixed box to find the ones that were firm (fortunately husband loves soft-centred chocolates) but mostly now I have just given up buying chocolates.

We have had about three hot days this summer, and thoughts turn to ice-cream.  I keep coming across people posting about chocolate sorbet.  This seemed a great way of having two types of treats at once.

This sorbet is very intense, and one small scoop is enough for me.  It would be great with raspberries or other Read More »

This cake is soft and reminiscent of the filling in pumpkin pie.  Not surprising really, when it has mashed sweet potato as its main ingredient.

To do ahead of time

Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave (or oven if you have it running for something else) until they are soft.  Mine took about eight minutes – four small sweet potatoes. Leave to cool then remove the peel and mash.  I found it easiest to cut an end off and scoop the sweet potato out with a circular action with a fork.  Do this ahead of time so you don’t be tempted to work with them while they are very hot and burn yourself.   Keep the peel and spritz with oil, put on a baking sheet, and cook for 20-30 minutes in the oven for a crisp scoop for spicy salsa.
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Quinoa is a very nutritious food, being a complete protein, but it can have a rather acrid flavour. This is caused by the coating the seed has to discourage insects from eating it.  If you rinse whole quinoa you can get rid of this.  I have used rinsed quinoa in these muffins, which I then toasted to a light brown before adding to the flour.  The whole quinoa gives a crunchy texture.  If you don’t want this blitz the quinoa in a blender to get a smooth texture.

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A quick trip to look at some furniture for the new flat – a desk that converts to a bed.  Didn’t order it, but did have a delicious meal at Getti, 42 Marylebone High St London.

I ordered the cod with tomato and chili sauce with green beans.  Usually when I eat in a restaurant I think I could have cooked better at home.  This time I realised I didn’t know how to cook fish at all.  It was exquisite, and this from a person who doesn’t really like fish, and can’t eat the stronger tasting ones without wanting to cry.

I had asked if they could feed me safely, and they said of course, one of their staff had coeliac disease, and they had good gluten-free pasta they imported from Italy, and made pizza as well.  Rod ordered pizza.  When the meal arrived Read More »

Not One, Not Two, But Three Types of Ginger!

This delicious gluten-free cake has a warm spicy flavour from its three types of ginger – fresh, crystallised and dried. The flavour improves when the cake is kept for a few days, so it is great as a bake ahead treat.

This recipe is based on the Ginger Butter Cake in Williams-Sonoma “Essentials of baking” p 100.

140g crystallised ginger, minced
80ml Grand Marnier
250g gf flour (40%urid, 40% tapioca, 20% cornmeal)
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
185g unsalted butter, room temperature
150g icing sugar
1 tbsp golden or agave syrup
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Grated zest 1 orange Read More »