Great British Bake Off Challenge - Week 3 - Floating Islands

Ok, for any visitors new to this blog, don't turn away just yet. Usually I only post simple recipes that I think even someone new to baking could try. I don't use any fancy equipment, and try to minimise ingredients and steps in the process. 

However, Gemma from Iced Gem Bakes challenged me to make Milk, Egg, Wheat and Soya free versions of all this years technical challenges on Great British Bake Off, so these posts are slightly out of character...

Why couldn't the trifle or petit fours have been the technical challenge this week? Why, oh why did it have to be yet another dish based on egg? I don't get Floating Islands. I'm not a massive fan of meringue or marshmallow, despite my really sweet tooth. Even if you can eat eggs, I've always thought this seemed like an odd idea for a pudding. After last weeks programme, I was ready to give up and not bother with this challenge, but while I don't expect anyone will actually want to make it, I just wanted to prove I could.

Creme Anglaise (custard) - no problem

Spun sugar - bit of a faff, but easy enough

Poached whisked egg white - OK, this might be more tricky... Whisked egg replacer won't poach... It will float away and dissolve in a mushy pool. Hmmm, what to do...

Apparently, the original eggy floating islands have a marshmallowy texture, so I thought I'd just try making marshmallow to float in it. I've never made marshmallows and didn't realise quite how easy they were. I particularly like the idea of making it with fruit puree as in this recipe from Delicious Magazine (I think I'll be doing a batch this year for christmas presents too...). I made half quantity of the plain version using Golden Syrup (the other reason I liked this version, it didn't need glucose syrup) and had loads more than I needed. I learnt 2 things... 1. you can't shape warm marshmallow mixture, and 2. marshmallow would be too firm and unbelievably sweet for this recipe...

Back to square 1...

I had another rethink and in a flash of inspiration thought of Italian Meringue! Wasn't sure if it would work with egg replacer and as it wouldn't be poached needed another way for it to be lightly set, so added a little gelatine too. It worked! it tasted much better than I was expecting, but my kitchen now has a liberal splattering of syrup! Think I'll stick to crumble with my custard... 

Recipes are below.

Please be something easier for week 4...

Great British Bake Off Challenge - Week 2 - English Muffins

Great British Bake Off Challenge - Week 1 - Angel Food Cake

Serves 4, with some 'islands' to spare - or you could make them bigger...

Meringue

110g Caster Sugar

40g Golden Syrup/Glucose Syrup (I used a tsp of honey as well as I didn't quite have enough syrup, added a hint of honey taste)

2/3 tsp SHS Low Protein Egg White Replacer 

5tbsp water (2 cold, plus 3 boiling)

1 sheet leaf gelatine (plus water for soaking)

Soak gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.

Put water in bowl and sprinkle on the egg replacer. Whisk gently to mix (don't worry about it not dissolving at this stage).

Add softened gelatine and mix until dissolved in the warm water mix.

Put sugar and syrup in a heavy based pan and just cover with cold water.

Heat gently until sugar dissolved (do not allow to boil). Remove from heat and put lid on for a couple of minutes to allow and sugar crystals on side of pan to dissolve.

Return to heat and boil until just beginning to colour (about 130ºC on a sugar thermometer). Remove from heat and leave to cool for a couple of minutes.

Begin whisking the egg replacer/gelatine mix until beginning to foam.

Slowly drizzle in the syrup (down the side of the bowl) in stages and continue to whisk until thick and glossy.

Use a couple of spoons to shape into quenelles and place them on a greased plate or tray. Chill in fridge until set.

Custard

1tbsp Custard Powder

1tbsp Corn Flour (you could just use all custard powder, but would be much yellower)

1tbsp Sugar

300mls Milk Substitute (I used oat milk)

200mls Dairy and Soya Free Cream (Oat, Almond or Rice cream)

Put custard powder, cornflour and sugar in a bowl.

Add a little milk substitute and mix to a paste.

Slowly mix in the rest of the milk substitute.

Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well. Microwave for another 1-2 minutes until thick and boiled. (or heat in a pan on a medium heat, stirring constantly until boiled and thick).

Stir in the 'cream' until you get your desired consistency - remember it will thicken more as it cools.

If you are not going to use it immediately, stir again every few minutes, or smooth a layer of cling film directly over the top of the custard to stop a skin forming.

Spun Sugar

For this bit, I'll hand you over to Mary Berry herself on the instructions for the original recipe for the show...

Baked Doughnuts

For anyone who doesn't know me (I need to hold my hands up AA style), I have a problem. I have a weakness for biscuit cutters and baking tins and the only thing stopping me buying more is that I have run out of space in my cupboard. 

Unfortunately, I was browsing on Amazon and made the mistake of looking in the recommended for me bit and spotted a doughnut tin. There has been a lot of excitement in the gluten free world on Twitter about doughnuts, since they sold out rapidly at the Allergy and Free From Show. I missed them there, but it did make me think of the lovely fresh ones my mum used to make as a treat on birthdays (we used to get a birthday menu with things we could choose from). 

I always find shop bought ones a disappointment having been brought up with them still hot and filled with homemade raspberry jam. As for doughnut stalls selling ring doughnuts, I haven't found one that doesn't smell of old fat. I didn't realise doughnut tins existed, but saw this as a great way to try a healthier version (also a: a good excuse to eat them more often, and b: a good excuse to buy another tin!).

My only problem then was whether to get a tin for normal sized ones or mini ones. I bought both... I told you I had a problem...

This recipe was enough for 6 big doughnuts and 12 mini doughnuts. You could make half quantity if only one tin. I haven't yet tried keeping 1/2 mix to use again once tin is empty, but it would probably still work (but keep in fridge to slow down growth from the yeast).

100g GF Bread Flour

50g Corn Flour

50g Sorghum Flour

1heaped tsp Baking Powder

30g Sugar

60mls Oil

200mls Milk Substitute (warmed to hand hot)

1tsp Vanilla

1tsp Dried Active Yeast (quick yeast still needs to be added to the liquid in wheat free bread. It doesn't get kneaded so doesn't have time to dissolve and mix in if added to dry ingredients)

Add yeast to the milk substitute and leave to foam.

Add all dry ingredients to a bowl.

Beat in vanilla, oil and yeast mixture with a balloon whisk.

Transfere mixture to a piping bag (could be spooned in, but would be messier...).

Pipe round the greased rings on the tin.


Leave to rise for 20-30mins.

Bake at 220ºC until lightly browned(10-12mins for large ones and about 8 mins for mini ones). Don't worry about them looking cracked on the tops, they will be smooth and round underneath.

Turn out of the tins and cool on a wire rack. 

Left plain, these freeze really well, or...

-Toss in cinnamon sugar while still hot.

-Dip in melted dairy and soya free chocolate.

-Drizzle with icing (I used icing sugar mixed with raspberry puree).

Great British Bake Off Challenge - Week 2 - English Muffins

After last week's tough start, I lucked out in week 2! For anyone joining us this week, Gemma from Iced Gem Bakes has challenged me to do milk, egg, wheat and soya free versions of all the technical challenges in the Great British Bake off. 

I think English muffins was one of my first recipes on the blog. It felt like cheating putting it straight on Twitter before the programme had even finished airing, but as Mini Monster had a planned trip to hospital this week on the day I would normally do my baking, I was very, very grateful to the producers. Lets hope week 3 is allergy friendly too...

Clic here for English Muffin Recipe.

Great British Bake Off Challenge - Week 1 - Angel Food Cake 

Great British Bake Off Challenge - Week 1 - Angel Food Cake

Last year Gemma at Iced Gem Bakes managed to not only produce wonderful gluten and dairy free alternatives to all the technical challenges, but did it within days of the programme going to air! This year she has challenged me to a bake off to try milk, egg, wheat and soya free. As she's a professional chef, I think she has a bit of an unfair advantage, but lets see what happens... 

Seeing the first technical challenge of the year - Angel Food Cake, I thought 'that's it, there's no way I can make a cake whose whole basis of it's volume and lightness is from stiffly whisked egg whites'! But I didn't want to fall at the first hurdle.

Trying to find a recipe to adapt, I was amazed by the site that claimed 42 vegan Angel Food Cake recipes, that only gave vegan additions to your already baked (non-vegan) cake!

After discounting a couple of other vegan ones, I decided just to look for a basic recipe. Up popped Martha Stewart (is she the American Delia?)! This recipe called for 12 egg whites. Am I mad to even try?

It's raining, it's still school holidays and I have the day off work, the kids are playing nicely (for a change - bit suspicious really...) so here goes...

I made half quantity, as I wasn't sure it would work and didn't want to waste lots of ingredients, so knew it wouldn't be as deep as a traditional one (but then, egg and wheat free cake never is!).

Thanks to the joy of Twitter, I know Gemma had a go with Orgran Egg Replacer and ended up with marshmallow, so I started with EnerG Egg Replacer (if this doesn't work, I'll pull out all the stops and dig out my tin of SHS Loprofin Egg White Replacer - not using this first, as less easy for people to get hold of as only available on prescription).

Starting with what the pack says is the equivalent of 6 egg whites (25g powder and 90mls water), I started to whisk slowly to combine and then as it starting to thicken, increased the speed on the whisk. I then had the volume of what looked like about 2 beaten eggs... 

Bunged in another 25g of powder and 90mls water and re whisked. Looked bit better, but still not going to have the volume... 

Carried on with the recipe anyway and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I may even try whisked egg replacer to add lightness to some other cakes.

Ingredients:

50g EnerG Egg Replacer
180mls water
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
1/2 cup Gluten Free Self Raising Flour*
1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1 tsp Vanilla Paste (or extract)
1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

*If you don't need it to be wheat free, just use Self Raising flour and don't add the Xanthan Gum

Put egg replacer and water in a bowl, whisk slowly until beginning to froth and any lumps have gone.

Increase speed and whisk until thick (between soft peak and ribbon stage, you won't get stiff peaks) - this will take several minutes, so be patient.

Slowly add the sugar (about a tablespoon at a time) and continue to whisk.

When all the sugar is added, whisk in the vanilla.

Sieve in the dry ingredients (in about 3 batches) and fold into the egg replacer with a spatula or metal spoon. Try to be gentle to keep in as much air as possible.

Put into a tin (don't grease it) and bake at 180ºc for 35-40mins, until firm but springy to the touch.

Cool in the tin, with it turned upside down (it will slide out of tin as it cools).


Husband and Fussy Five loved this, Mini Monster wouldn't even try it (seems to be off cake at the moment!). I could taste the egg replacer, so may add a little more vanilla next time, or I did see one recipe with almond extract, or maybe orange zest...

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.