Afternoon Tea

Ok, this may not be one for the beginner to try, but it gives you an idea of what can still be achieved despite the restrictions! I've wanted to do a full on afternoon tea for a while and husbands birthday seemed the perfect excuse (probably wouldn't have done quite so many things if it hadn't been a special occasion). 

Ours was Milk, Egg, Wheat and Soya free (MEWS), but I will post some suggestions for just Milk, Egg and Soya (MES) if you can still have wheat. 

Bread for Sandwiches:

There are lots of MES free wholemeal and multigrain breads around, but somehow I think afternoon tea sandwiches are better with white bread. Since Marks and Spencer changed their labelling on their white crusty loaf to 'not suitable for milk allergy sufferers', I think the best option (other than homemade bread) is Waitrose White and Wholemeal loaf. There might be other options around, but that's the only one I can get locally.

For MEWS free, I love Bob's Red Mill Wonderful Bread Mix (adaptation for egg free here), which gives a great textured easy slice loaf. Unfortunately, Mini Monster can't eat this because of the Chickpea flour. Orgran Easy Bake Bread Mix, being yeast free is more like a soda bread, but would work well baked on the day (otherwise it may be a bit crumbly). I still haven't had a chance to try the fantastic looking Italian flour mixes I picked up at the allergy show, but will keep you posted.

My current favourite bread recipe is this one adapted from Iced Gem Bakes (sorry, it's not nut free). It holds together beautifully for a thin slice (even when a few days old) and is a great texture.

Follow the link, but instead of the egg, just add 60mls additional fluid (total fluid 420mls, I usually use a mixture of water and milk substitute).

I had to make two loaves to feed 5 adults and 2 children, so used double this quantity (Put cut off crusts in a labelled bag in the freezer to make into breadcrumbs. Or make into bread crumbs and freeze...).

Scones

For MEWS free scones I used this recipe from Coeliac UK. I only used 20g of Baking Powder (otherwise taste was unpleasant), and cooked them for 12 minutes. Instead of the milk powder and water, just use milk substitute (I might have another go with 1/2 milk substitute and 1/2 sparkling water, to help the rise, next time).

For MES free try any scone recipe, but use dairy and soya free spread instead of butter, and milk substitute with juice of 1/2 a lemon instead of buttermilk.

Trifle

I did mini trifles as there were so many other things, and used about half this recipe for 6.

If I wait until I've written up the fruit tart and cake recipes, I'll never get this post live, so I'll post the recipes for those at a later date.

Chocolate 'Porridge' Biscuits

Don't let the name fool you, nothing to do with porridge, but Mini Monster named them porridge biscuits because they are made with oats.

I found this recipe for 'Ginger and Oat Cookies' in the back of a Christmas Tesco Real Food magazine I was about to throw out. They are now a firm favourite with several different adaptations. These work well with or without wheat.

125g (4oz) Dairy and Soya Free Spread (Pure Sunflower/Vitalite)

175g (6oz) Light Muscovado Sugar (or any other - I only use 125g)

2tbsp Golden Syrup (about 30g)

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

3/4 tsp Ground Ginger

3 finely Shredded Balls of Stem Ginger (these are very gingery, if you don't like them to spicy, start with 1-2)

125g (5oz) Plain Flour or Gluten Free Plain Flour

150g (5oz) Rolled Oats

25g Cocoa Powder

Put spread, sugar and syrup in a bowl and melt in the microwave (or put in a pan and melt over a low heat). Leave to cool slightly.

Weigh flour, oats, ground ginger and cocoa into another large bowl.

Stir grated ginger (if using) and bicarbonate of soda into the melted sugar and spread mix.

Add wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Mix well.

Roll into balls.

Flatten slightly and place on trays to bake.

Bake at 180ºC for 10-12 minutes. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack or they will break up.

Alternative flavours:

Add the grated zest of an orange instead of Ginger
Add chocolate chips
Swap the cocoa for flour to make plain oat cookies
Add raisins or other dried fruit

Ham, Pea & Potato Cakes

I get a lot of comments that there are not enough savoury recipes on the website, this is partly because I think savoury foods are easier to find or, with simple changes, adapt. My brother gets me subscription to BBC Good Food Magazine every year and I always manage to find lots of ideas and savoury recipes that are easy to adapt. I keep meaning to write to them and offer to do recipe adaptation for allergies, but I've been beaten to it. For several months they have included at least one gluten free (GF) recipe and over time have started marking other recipes in the magazine as GF, or how to adapt. Hopefully it is only a matter of time before we see some other allergies catered for too...

This month (August 2013) it boasts 'A Week of Gluten Free Suppers', with the exception of the Frittata (Italian style omelette), all are very easy to make Milk, Egg, Wheat and Soya (MEWS) free too. 

I had a go at the Ham, Pea &Polenta Cakes at the weekend - just didn't serve them with the poached eggs! Despite the abundance of peas, even Mini Monster loved them and asked for them again on Sunday (had to disappoint him there, but promised to buy the ingredients another day...).

To Make 8 (about 8cm wide and 2 cm deep)

400g Mashed Sweet Potato and Potato (you could use either alone if necessary, but if you are just using Sweet Potato, it might be better baked rather than boiled so it's not too wet)

120g Frozen Peas

180g Shredded Ham Hock

Zest of 1 Lemon

1 tbsp chopped mint leaves (fresh or frozen)

3 Spring Onions, finely sliced

Pinch of Cayenne Pepper (I used Mustard)

2 Tbsp Polenta plus 4 Tbsp Polenta For coating

Vegetable Oil for frying

(original recipe had an egg white added to bind it, I didn't bother and it held together well)

Put Mash, peas, ham hock, mint, lemon zest, spring onions, cayenne and 2 tbsp polenta into a bowl.

 Mix well.

Form into 8 cakes (roll into a ball and then flatten slightly).

Coat the cakes in the rest of the polenta.

Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes to firm up.

Shallow fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and warmed through.