Peach and Pinenut Cake

Recently I've been experimenting with seeds. Great way to increase protein intake, which is even more important in children with gut damage. Ground nuts are often used in gluten free baking to improve texture and moisture, so thought I'd have a go with using Pine Nuts (not a true nut, but a seed!).  I used the basic Cake recipe from the Milk, Egg, Soya and Wheat free diet sheet with peach and pine nut. 

Apologies for poor picture quality, not happy with camera I got for Christmas, can't seem to get the colour right indoors.

175g/6oz/1 cup Gluten/wheat-free plain flour

1 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda

45g/ 1/3 cup suitable margarine

125g/ 1/2 cup caster sugar

75g/ 1/4 cup golden syrup

160mls oat milk

1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice

1/2 - 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract

1 peach, finely chopped (or 2 tinned peach halves)

50g crushed pine nuts (put in food bag and crush with rolling pin)

Put dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Melt margarine, sugar and syrup in a pan (or microwave).

Pour into the flour mixture with the rest of the ingredients  (except peaches) and beat well with a wooden spoon or whisk until thoroughly combined.

Add chopped peach and stir in.

*Pour into a 1lb loaf tin, lined with greaseproof paper, and bake at 180C for 45 minute (or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean).

Leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin to cool.

*I did this one in a 2lb loaf tin, so not so deep, and only cooked for 25 minutes.

Bob's Red Mill

I've noticed Dove's Farm Bread flours are not as easily available as they used to be. Waitrose seems to have replaced it with an American company called Bob's Red Mill, who seem to do a range of wheat free flour mixes. I've been putting off trying them because they have a much longer list of ingredients (potentially more to be sensitive to), but tonight, having got home late after a training course to see my dear husband (who had taken the day off to look after the kids so I could do my course) had used all the bread in the house. Couldn't face making a loaf that required effort, so thought I'd give Bob's 'Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix' a try, has been lurking in the back of the cupboard for a while. 

Ingredients on pack contain soya lecithin (should be tolerated in most cases), but baking instructions use milk and egg, so trying it with the following adaptations:

Not a great start as the enclosed yeast sachet didn't foam up. Tipped it out and started again with different yeast. Had to leave it to rise for much longer than suggested (could have done with a bit longer, but it was getting late). Beginning to smell good and seems to be rising very well in the oven, look forward to seeing if it sinks back down when removed from the oven.

1 x 450g Bob's Red Mill Bread Mix

2tsp Dried yeast (or sachet from pack)

560mls warm water/milk substitute (hand hot) - I used 1/2 water and 1/2 oat milk

60mls olive oil

5mls vinegar

Add yeast to warm water/milk substitute and leave for 5-10 minutes to froth up.

Tip flour mix into a bowl.

Add all other ingredients and beat with a whisk until well combined.

Pour into a well greased loaf tin and smooth top with the back of a wet spoon.

Cover with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for 45 minutes (or until doubled in size).

Bake (in a pre-heated oven) at 190ºC for 60-65 minutes. Cover top with foil to prevent over browning if necessary).

Turn out and tap bottom to check cooked (should sound hollow).

Allow to cool completely before slicing.

1st March Update


I didn't expect to like this, but was sort of surprised. I don't like the fact it has added salt, but  it didn't taste overly salty. Much lighter than the my homemade version and had a nice crust, but dry inside and a very expensive mix.  Mini monster and husband both ate it for breakfast, but it got mixed response at work. I probably would buy it again though.

Pancake fillings

Ok, a bit late for tonight, but some ideas for next time you make them.

Having left work an hour late tonight, we are foregoing the usual savoury pancake course, and I'm typing this while cooking pancakes.
I usually stuff then and roll them like cannelloni, top in a white sauce and bake until browned. Works well with Bolognese sauce, salmon and spinach in tomato sauce, baked beans, roasted veg, etc

Could also just fold up with smoked salmon (shouldn't have introduced mini monster to this at Christmas, he asks for it every time we go shopping now!), ham, cold roast meat, prawns, tuna and sweetcorn, grated carrot, cucumber strips, vegetable strips like fajita filling.

Tonight we will be having a combination of the following toppings:

Sliced banana
Chestnut puree (sweetened)
Chocolate sauce
Maple Syrup
Apple and cinnamon
Oat cream
strawberries
Dairy and Soya free ice cream
(and pomegranate as mini monster has a thing about it this week!)Bolognese

Ok, pancakes done, need to go and round up the boys!

Happy eating.

Pancake Day

When I left home (*says quietly under her breath, 22 years ago!), my brother bought me a Le Cruset Crepe Pan. It's still going strong despite years of constant use, and not just for pancakes. Any non-stick frying pan will do, but heavier ones are better. 

For me, pancakes, whether Scotch, American, English or wherever, they were NEVER just for Shrove Tuesday. 

Why I love pancakes:

They are cheap

They are easy to make

You can freeze them

You can top them

You can fill them

You can roll them

You can stuff them

You can have them sweet

You can have them savoury

I've got 2 different versions to follow, so scroll down if you need the other one.


Milk, egg and soya free pancakes:

120g Plain Flour

300-350mls milk substitute - I used oat milk, which is slightly thicker so needs a little more.

Put flour into bowl and make a dip in the centre.

Pour in about half of the milk substitute and beat well (use a fork, wooden spoon or balloon whisk) until you have a smooth thick batter.

Slowly mix in the rest of the liquid and leave to rest for at least 30 min (can be done in advance and stored in the fridge for several hours).

Heat frying pan, when hot pour in a little oil and wipe out with kitchen roll (keep for oiling pan between pancakes). Turn temperature down to medium before cooking.

Pour mixture (about 50-75mls depending on size of pan) onto a tilted pan and quickly swill round to cover base.

Remember, the first one never works so don't panic too soon!

Leave until 'set' on surface (mixture no longer looks shiny) and lightly browned underneath.

Flip over with a pallet knife (or toss if you're brave enough) and cook for another minute on the other side until brown patches forming.

Place on a plate while you continue to make more. Pile those on top, they won't stick to each other.

This mix is enough for 10-12 8" pancakes.

Fill and enjoy!

Milk, egg, soya and wheat free pancakes:

60g gluten/wheat free bread flour

200mls milk substitute

Just double the above quantity if doing wheat free for the whole family (or triple!)

Put flour into bowl and make a dip in the centre.

Pour in about half of the milk substitute and beat well (use a fork, wooden spoon or balloon whisk) until you have a smooth thick batter.

Slowly mix in the rest of the liquid and leave to rest for at least 30 min (can be done in advance and stored in the fridge for several hours).

Heat frying pan, when hot pour in a little oil and wipe out with kitchen roll (keep for oiling pan between pancakes). Turn temperature down to medium before cooking.

Pour mixture (about 50-75mls depending on size of pan) onto a tilted pan and quickly swill round to cover base.

Remember, the first one never works so don't panic too soon!

Leave until 'set' on surface (mixture no longer looks shiny) and lightly browned underneath.

Flip over with a pallet knife (or toss if you're brave enough) and cook for another minute on the other side until brown patches forming.

Place on a plate while you continue to make more. Pile those on top, they won't stick to each other.

This mix is enough for 10-12 8" pancakes.

Fill and enjoy!

Seeded Bread

After several attempts, which have produced nothing but bricks (didn't stop mini monster constantly asking for some of mummy's special bread and demolishing the whole loaf in less than 24 hours!), and a little help from Phil Vickery in this months Crossed Grain magazine from the Coeliac Society, I think I've got an improved recipe.

Toasted bread (with and without seeds), spread with
dairy and soya free spread (right) and marmalade (left).

400g Wheat free Bread Flour Mix
2 tsp Xantham Gum
2 tsp sugar

Salt (optional) up to 1 tsp (I never salt bread, but I know most people are used to a salty taste)

2 x 7g sachets fast action dried yeast
mixed seeds (sunflower and pumpkin)
350mls warm water
50mls olive oil
extra seeds for the top.


Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Grease a loaf tin (1lb/500g) and dust with flour/polenta/sunflower seeds etc.


Mix dry ingredients well in a bowl.


Add most of the liquid and beat with a wooden spoon, add the extra water slowly until dough falls slowly from the spoon.

Oil your hands and shape the dough into a loaf before placing in tin.


Smooth the top with a wet spoon, then sprinkle with remaining seeds.

Cover tin with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise until doubled in size (phil said put it straight in the oven, but when I did that, it didn't rise at all). The below picture is not risen enough, the first one I made (and didn't photograph), rose to top of tin, then I reread recipe and saw it said to put straight in oven without rising so I didn't leave this one so long. It was better when left to rise.

Bake for 45-55 mins until well risen and golden brown.


Take bread out of tin to cool on a rack (if it doesn't sound hollow when tapped, pop it back in the oven for another 10 minutes, without the tin, before cooling).

Lazy Day Foods

Popped into Waitrose in Stortford on way home from clinic today to discover a new range of Free From food. Lazy Day Foods. Bakery has no wheat, gluten, dairy egg or nuts on site. They do use soya lecithin, but as this is a refined oil and not a protein, in most cases this is still fine to use. I was very disappointed to see soya flour in the millionaires shortbread (and some of their other products) and have emailed them to suggest they may be missing a trick! The Belgian Dark Chocolate Tiffin only uses rice, potato, tapioca and corn flours, no soya! 

While I did buy them for mini monster, in the interest of the blog, I have opened the packet to try with a coffee this evening! They are not bad, nice chocolate taste, not too greasy or sweet and good crunchy biscuit. I've checked out their website and see that their Scottish Shortbread, Chocolate Chip Shortbread and Chocolate Orange Slice are ok too.

Lavender Hearts and Flowers

• Adapted from BBC Good Food Recipe, something special for any occasion.
  

  

  Milk, Soya and Egg Free

  
  
  125g/4½oz Lavender Sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 
• 225g/8oz Dairy and Soya Free Spread
• 300g/10½oz Plain Flour or Wheat Free Bread Flour
• 50g/1¾oz Ground Rice
  
  
  
  
  Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 350ºF 
  
  
  Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
  
  
• Sieve the sugar into a bowl and reserve the lavender. 
• 
  
• Whisk the Spread and Sugar together until pale.
• 
  
• Sift the flour and ground rice into the mixture, add the reserved lavender seeds and mix with a wooden spoon until it begins to come together.
• 
  
• Using floured hands, work the mixture together to form a smooth paste.
• 
  
• Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently until the dough is smooth. Chill the dough in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• 
  
• Roll the dough out to a 5mm/¼in thickness, and cut out biscuits using a heart-shaped cutter. Place the hearts onto the baking trays, and sprinkle with a little extra lavender sugar.
• 
  
• Leave to chill for a further 30 minutes in the fridge. (I didn't bother doing this)
• 
  
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Carefully place the biscuits onto a cooling rack, and set aside to cool completely.







Wheat Soya Milk and Egg Free are always paler.

• We ate these with a white chocolate dipping sauce made from melting Mortimer's White couverture with oat cream and leaving it to cool (after the kids had gone to bed we had hazelnut liqueur added too, great addition!)
• 
  
• 
  

Cinnamon Balls

Just to prove I do make some things that don't contain chocolate!

Adapted from Cybele Pascal's Baker's Handbook (see Book Reviews)

2 1/2 Cups of Gluten Free Bread Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 tsp Egg Replacer (would probably work without, but not had chance to try yet)
3/4 Cup Dairy and Soya free spread
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Muscovado Sugar
2tsp Vanilla Paste (or extract)
1/4 Cup milk substitute

2tbsp Granulated Sugar mixed with,
2tsp Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 190ºC. Line baking trays with greaseproof paper.

Mix flour, baking powder and egg replacer well in a bowl.

Whisk the Dairy and Soya free spread and sugar until light and fluffy.

Whisk in the Vanilla.

Add the flour mixture in 2 batches and whisk in slowly alternating with the milk substitute.

Roll heaped teaspoons of the mix into balls before rolling in the cinnamon sugar.

Place on baking tray 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing from baking tray.

This mix is a great cookie dough, I intend to try cookie dough ice cream with it at some stage. Mix keeps well in the fridge for upto 3 days if you want to bake in small batches and would probably freeze well after rolling into balls (allow to defrost before rolling in cinnamon sugar and baking)

Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Brunch, second breakfast, or just something for the packed lunch box. These freeze well if you manage to stop your family eating them all in one go!

This is the basic muffin mix I always use at home, I just change what I'm adding for a bit of variety (or just because it's all I happen to have available). In these I used chopped strawberries, which gave a lovely fresh flavour and 3 different types of chocolate, dark(Montezuma's Giant Dark chocolate buttons), 'milk' (Moo Free chocolate) and white (left over homemade chocolate chunks made from Mortimer's White Couverture), but you could use any combination.

400g/14oz Plain Flour (also works with GF, but use less flour, or more liquid)

2 tsp Baking Powder

150g/5oz Sugar 

100g/3 1/2oz Dairy and Soya Free Spread (or olive oil)

300mls Milk substitute

1 tsp Vanilla Paste (or extract)

Chopped Strawberries (about a cupful, but more or less fine depending on how fruity you want them)

Chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease and flour a muffin tin (or use silicon cases) - paper cases don't like the wetter egg free mix, tends to stick.

Add flour, sugar and baking powder to a bowl and mix well.

Melt spread and add to milk substitute and vanilla.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and carefully fold in with a metal spoon (don't overwork or they will be tough).

Fold in fruit and chocolate.

spoon into muffin tin.

Bake for about 25mins until the muffins are well risen and golden (wheat free ones never brown so well, you might want to use dark brown sugar for a bit of colour).

The white chocolate tasted great with the strawberries,
but as you can see, quite a lot melted out.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For those eagle eyed readers, yes, that is a raspberry,
I had 4 left in the fridge and bunged them in too!

Eat and enjoy!