Lemon Drop

Gingerbread Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 16:37:00 +0000

Credit goes to my 12 year old daughter, Charley, for finding this recipe and baking up some amazingly incredible gingerbread cookies.

She was in the holiday mood and desperately wanted to make a traditional sweet treat. She found this cookie recipe in one of her favorite cookbooks but sadly did not find a gingerbread man cutter anywhere in the house. So we settled on heart shapes and we are all very pleased with the results.

These cookies , if eaten warm, have a wonderful moist and chewy center. They pretty much melt in your mouth. Once they cool they are crisp and crunchy, resembling a gingersnap in both texture and taste.

WARNING: Let them cool at least 5 minutes in the pan before transferring them via spatula to a cooling rack or they will fall apart en-route.

Feel free to eat as-is or decorate with royal icing. Next time around my daughter has decided that using them as sandwich cookies and filling the middle with cream cheese frosting is the way to go. I agree !!!

Thank-you, Charley :)

So get baking, people !

RECIPE:
adapted source recipe: Gingerbread Kids, Williams-Sonoma, Kids Baking

WHAT YOU NEED

2 3/4 CUPS all purpose flour
2 1/2 TSP baking powder
1 TABLESPOON ground ginger
1 1/2 TSP ground cinnamon
1/2 TSP ground nutmeg
1/4 TSP salt
1/2 CUP unsalted butter at room temperature
2/3 CUP firmly packed light brown sugar
1 TSP pure vanilla extract
1 LARGE egg at room temperature
1/3 CUP molasses

MAKE IT

IN MEDIUM BOWL, combine first 6 dry ingredient and stir with wooden spoon
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, combine butter, brown sugar and vanilla.
BEAT on MEDIUM speed for 3 minutes
SCRAPE down sides of bowl with spatula
ADD dry ingredients to butter mixture on low speed just until blended
PLACE dough onto lightly floured work surface
DIVIDE into 2 pieces, shape into a somewhat flat disc, cover in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 1 hour

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper

ON lightly floured work surface, roll out chilled dough to 1/4 " thickness
CUT into shapes and with a spatula, transfer cookies to baking sheet
BAKE 10-12 minutes or until edges start to brown slightly
LET COOL on cookies sheets for 5 minutes
TRANSFER cookies to cooling rack
FROST as desired

ENJOY !

I Am Back !!! Or Am I ?

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:11:00 +0000

Seriously, I don't even know where to begin. I have been absent from both of my blogs for what seems like decades; actually several months. Why? The list is long. Lots of it's the typical stuff: work, home life, health.... So let's start in that very order:

A threat of possible layoffs (which thankfully didn't happen to me !) and then more changes at work resulted in lots of stress, more time spent after work hours worrying about this, that and everything else. We have all been there.

The good news is that everything work-related has now nicely settled down and I am flowing well with new tasks and a new routine. Work remains very busy but at least it no longer keeps me up at night.

Now onto home life which took a left turn into the fast lane. My gorgeous little daughter, Charley, just 11 years old came to me last summer and said that she was ready to start her career in the modeling and acting world. I finally said yes. This was a long time coming. If I recall, she badgered me for 3 years before I eventually caved and agreed. Initially I thought it was just a fad, a fleeting thought. She has proved me wrong.


Charley, Age 11

She has an agent, been to many auditions and is a busy , busy girl. We are all very proud. And busy. Did I say busy? Being the parent of an "actor/model" is time consuming ! Managing another person's career along with my own is a lot to juggle. Safe to say, I tended to slip to the bottom on of the priority list for awhile. Now to shamelessly plug her page :) If you would like to follow my little one's career, simply "Like" her Facebook page: CHARLEY COUSINS

And now this brings me to health issues and above all else, one of the key reasons I took a break from blogging and exercise (and fell off the wagon in many ways). The fact is I have been ill. Not death bed ill or anything like that but my old friend Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) decided to pay a long visit. When I thought it was packing its bags and moving on it would surprise me by coming back a day or two later and staying for another painful, extended period of time. It has caused pretty nasty swelling and pain in my feet, hands and left shoulder. It has made most daily tasks a challenge and I have consumed beyond my fair share of Advil.

I think there is a misconception about Rheumatoid Arthritis in that it simply means joint swelling, pain and potential deformity. There is an entire list of other symptoms one can experience and in the last six months I think I have experienced nearly all of them, such as:

fatigue
depression
headaches
sleep disturbances
whole body stiffness
muscle pain
nausea
stomach upset

Exercising (though highly recommended of course to help with RA) only
exacerbated the flares and would leave me incredibly sore and beyond
fatigued. Not just tired but that feeling of being run over by a truck tired. And with all this came the emotional side of things - the "Idon't give a shit what I eat" side. The side that just wants comfort ,peace and quiet...and cheese, croissants, pizza and hot chocolate.

It hasn't been a fun ride. This post wasn't meant to be an education on RA but rather just me sharing what my challenges have been lately. I am only now starting to see the light, to refocus on self-care and to take time to heal.

Oh and on top of this, we are selling our home. Crazy right ?!

I am hoping this roller coaster ride is now pulling into the departure gates and I can get off, and stay off of it for a good long while. But one never knows. For now I am back - not sure for how long or how often - but I am back to this blog and hope to have new posts and yummy recipes for you soon!

Thanks to all my readers ! And HAPPY MAY !

Gluten Free Raisin Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 17:28:00 +0000

Can you really enjoy bread while on a gluten and dairy free diet? Absolutely! And thanks to Elana at Elana's Pantry, you can indulge in a heavenly slice of cinnamon raisin bread any time your heart (and tummy) desires.

The base ingredient of this recipe may surprise you. It is none other than roasted almond butter. That's right, a nut butter is the main flour replacement in this recipe. Add in some almond flour and arrowroot powder as binding agents and the result is spectacular.

Feel free to add chopped nuts to this recipe as well. The original recipe called for pecans but I didn't have any available so omitted chopped nuts altogether.

This bread, in my honest opinion, is best toasted and spread with butter (or a dairy-free alternative). I am tempted to see if this would work for french toast; it's worth a shot.

The trick to this recipe though is the pan. You need a special sized bread pan for best results, specifically 7.5" x 3.5" Magic Line Loaf Pan. This size ensures the bread rises without sinking in the middle and bakes evenly all the way through the loaf.

So if you are ready to finally enjoy a gluten-free bread that doesn't take like rubber then let's get started !

RECIPE:

adapted source recipe: Pecan-Raisin Bread, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

3/4 CUP creamy roasted almond butter at room temperature
4 LARGE eggs at room temperature
1/4 CUP blanched almond flour
1/4 CUP arrowroot powder
1/2 TSP sea salt
1/2 TSP baking soda
1 TSP cinnamon
1 CUP raisins

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F. Grease a 7x3 loaf pan with cooking spray
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, mix the almond butter MED speed until no lumps remain
ADD in eggs, one at a time
IN SEPARATE MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon
STIR almond flour mixture into the wet ingredients, blending until thoroughly combined
FOLD in raisins
POUR batter into prepared pan and smooth top

BAKE for 45 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
LET cool in the pan for 1 hour

ENJOY !

Nutella Pretzel Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:54:00 +0000

Salty and sweet, packed with chocolate and a wickedly delicious crunchy crust, these brownies ROCK!

I was surfing the web for foodie ideas, as I usually do, when I stumbled across this amazing recipe for Nutella Pretzel Brownies. Seriously? Does it get any better than this? I don't think so.

The crust is made with a mixture of salty pretzels, brown sugar and butter. Ummm, yes please! Then the pre-baked crust is topped off with a rich chocolate and nutella brownie batter. The icing on the cake, no pun intended, is the finishing touch : Nutella spread over the semi-cooled brownies and topped with more salted pretzels.

I have always been a tremendous fan of salty and sweet - chocolate dipped pretzels have been a longtime love of mine. But throw in Nutella and things just get crazy; in a good way!

This recipe can be found on Bakingdom's foodie blog so I won't bother reposting here but I did want to say - make it, eat it, and ENJOY !

RECIPE: Nutella Pretzel Brownies - www.bakingdom.com

Somerset Apple Cider Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 21:00:00 +0000

With fall fast approaching, what better way to celebrate early than with a sweet apple cake? This recipe comes from across the pond - all the way from merry old England. Somerset Apple Cake is moist, rich, and screaming out for a side of warm custard or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

This cake requires tart apples, ones that will still have a "bite" both in taste and texture after baking. I used Granny Smith and they worked perfectly.

If you don't have apple cider, don't panic. You can easily switch it up with apple juice. It won't have the same depth of flavor as the cider brings to the baked treat but it works nonetheless.

This cake bakes in a springform pan and needs a good hour in a 325F oven. You can eat it warm or cool and it is best eaten the same day.

Though traditionally cinnamon is not used, feel free to add 1 teaspoon to the batter if you really love apples and cinnamon together. A beautiful flavor combo.

This is just one more hit recipe from my fave cookbook: The Great British Book of Baking. Cannot wait to try more !

RECIPE:

*adapted source recipe: Somerset Apple Cider Cake, The Great British Book of Baking

WHAT YOU NEED

175 grams unsalted butter at room temperature

175 grams light or dark brown sugar

3 eggs at room temperature

250 grams self-raising cake and pastry flour

500 grams (about 3 large) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cubes in 1" pieces

100 ml apple cider

2 tablespoons demerara or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

MAKE IT

GREASE bottom and sides of 9" sprinform pan with cooking spray

LINE base with parchment paper

PREHEAT oven to 325F

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on HIGH for 5 minutes

ADD one egg at a time , blending after each addition

SIFT in flour

FOLD in flour with a spatula until partially mixed

ADD in apples and cider

GENTLY combine with spatula or wooden spoon until blended

DOLLOP batter evenly into prepared cake tin and smooth top

RAP the tin once or twice on the counter to remove any bubbles in the batter

SPRINKLE with sugar

BAKE 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

REMOVE from oven and place tin on a cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes

RUN sharp knife around sides of cake and unclip tin

LET cool to room temperature

ENJOY !

S'mores Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Call them Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting, call them S'more Cupcakes...it doesn't matter. In the end, you will call them DELICIOUS! No, these are not gluten-free or dairy free but so be it. They are heaven wrapped up in a sweet cupcake topped off with a swirl of marshmallow cloud. And I love them. Plus they gave me an excuse to use a kitchen torch and I am all for it !

I found this recipe while meandering through Martha Stewart's website. The photo lured me in initially. They looked so pretty and so fun too. I especially adore the layers of goodies that create this luscious treat: a crunchy graham cracker crust, a layer of chocolate, the devil-food cake like cupcake itself and lastly, a browned 7 minute frosting finishes the deal.

Lots of work? Not really. No nearly as tedious as one may think. The crust is a snap to put together. The cupcake batter comes together easily too. Even the frosting, which does require beating over a pot of steaming water, is easy-peasy. Now browning the frosting is the best part. If you don't own a kitchen torch yet then here is your excuse to rush out and buy one! Just a small flame, a delicate touch and you have a browned marshmallow frosting that is nothing short of sublime.

I did follow the recipe somewhat to a T. I used dark Lindt chocolate vs bittersweet. I used Cocoa Barry - Extra Brute dark cocoa in the cupcake batter for added richness. Lastly, I reduced the amount of vanilla extract in the frosting to 1/2. You want to the frosting to taste like toasted marshmallow, not vanilla.

A recommendation: use foil lined cupcake liners to prevent sticking. The paper ones can be a nightmare at the base when trying to remove the cupcake for devouring.

If you can handle all of this and trust me, YOU CAN, then let's get baking!

Crust ready for the oven

Cupcakes ready to be baked

They rise up beautifully !

RECIPE:

*adapted source recipe: Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

WHAT YOU NEED

CRUST

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 fine granulated sugar

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

9 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped ( I used Lindt Dark Chocolate)

CUPCAKES

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons fine granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (the darker, the better)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature ( I used 2%)

1/2 cup vegetable oil ( I used grapeseed)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

FROSTING

8 large egg whites

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 24 muffin tins with liners ( you can halve this recipe for 12 cupcakes)

IN SMALL BOWL, combined all crust ingredients except chocolate
PLACE 1 tablespoon of crust mixture into base of cupcake liners and press down with a shot glass or back of spoon . I used a Keurig K-Cup and it worked beautifully
ADD 2 teaspoons of chopped chocolate on top of each crust
You will have leftovers of both crust and chocolate, reserve for topping cupcake batter
BAKE in oven 5 minutes, remove and set aside

IN BOWL of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, sift in first 6 dry ingredients
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract
ADD wet ingredients to dry ingredients blending just until combined
SCRAPE down sides
SLOWLY pour in boiling water blending well until no lumps remain. Batter will be very fluid.

POUR batter over pre-cooked crust filling each liner 3/4 full
SPRINKLE tops with left over crust mixture and chopped chocolate
BAKE 9 minutes, rotate pan and bake another 9-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
REMOVE from oven and place on cooling rack
REMOVE cupcakes after 5 minutes and let cupcakes cool completely before frosting

MAKE FROSTING
FILL a large saucepan 1/2 way with water.
SET over high heat until simmering
IN A HEAT PROOF BOWL that will fit over the saucepan but not touch the water, place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar and whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes
REMOVE bowl, add vanilla, and beat frosting with hand-held electric mixture on HIGH speed for 5- 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form
PIPE frosting onto cooked cupcakes
BROWN gently with kitchen torch

ENJOY !

Blueberry Boy Bait

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 17:26:00 +0000

I have been meaning to make this cake for ages but every time I about to I realize I am missing one key ingredient...usually blueberries. Today was different. I planned for this day and with all ingredients on hand I made the best gluten-free blueberry coffee cake I have ever eaten.

It is light, buttery, fluffy, studded with blueberries and the crunchy cinnamon sugar topping is amazing.

Of course I once again have Cybele Pascal to thank for an incredible GF recipe. Her cookbook never fails to amaze me. Each recipe is nothing short of perfection.

This time around I only switched things up a bit. I added 3 eggs instead of egg replacer and used almond milk instead of rice milk. Other than that, I stuck to her recipe and it turned out brilliantly.

Get this book - seriously, GET IT!

Let's get to it!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe: Blueberry Boy Bait, The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook, Cybele Pascal

WHAT YOU NEED

2 cups gluten-free flour mix (I use Authentic Food's GF Flour Blend) or see Cybele's site for her flour blend ingredients
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup almond milk
1 cup fresh blueberries tossed with 1 tbsp GF flour blend
1/4 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

MAKE IT

SPRAY 9"x9" baking pan with cooking spray
PREHEAT oven to 350F

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together first 4 ingredients
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, cream shortening and 2 sugars on HIGH speed for 2 minutes
ADD eggs and blend on MED speed for 30 seconds
ON SLOW SPEED, add 1/3 of flour mixture and stir til just combined (15 seconds)
ADD 1/2 almond milk and blend 20 seconds
REPEAT until all flour mixture and almond milk have been added and blended til combined

SPREAD 1/2 of cake batter in pan
LAYER with 1/2 blueberries
REPEAT
TOP with cinnamon sugar

BAKE 1 hour
REMOVE from oven and place dish on cooling rack
COOL for 1/2 hr before slicing

ENJOY !

Loving Britain Giveaway Winner !

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:26:00 +0000

Thank you to all my followers for your participation in this giveaway. I am excited to share with you all today the name of the winner of this great British cookbook.

The winner is: Ellen - who blogs at Bake It With Booze!

Congrats, Ellen ! You will definitely enjoy trying all the amazing sweet and savory recipes in this gorgeous cookbook.

Please email me your shipping address as soon as possible so I can mail off your prize.

Email: lemondropfoodie@yahoo.ca

HAPPY BAKING !

Decadent Lemon Cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 10:30:00 +0000

I have been and always will be a cupcake girl. I love any flavor, frosted or plain, filled with ganache or just dusted with icing sugar. It all works for me. Is chocolate at the top of my list? Second. The top is lemon. Nothing quite beats the taste of a fresh, citrus dessert where I am concerned. I love pies, puddings, cookies and squares but most of all I love sweet cupcakes infused with the gorgeous flavors of lemon.

And this cupcake does it for me: moist, cakey, sweet and gently scented with the zest of a lemon. The frosting is smooth, creamy and , you guessed it, lemony. Pair this with a cup of tea and all your worries will melt away. Perfection.

This little gem of a recipe is a result of a search on BBC Good Food. I have an undying passion for British sweets and had started out my web search for something traditional to the UK (think Parkin, Chelsea Buns, Bakewell Tarts...) but when I saw the photo for these golden goodies I was hooked.

The original recipe called for poppyseeds which omitted. I would rather not sit around watching my daughter try to pick out each individual seed. I did make a few more changes to the batter ingredients too as I went along and it all turned out great.

The recipe also called for the addition of lemon juice to the frosting. I went with lemon extract instead. It gave the level of flavor I wanted without adding too much liquid to the frosting. For added creaminess, a bit of whipping cream was added. Perfect flavor and consistency.

Let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe: Lemon and Poppyseed Cupcakes, BBC Good Food

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES
225g self-raising cake and pastry flour
85g golden brown sugar
85g fine granulated sugar
zest 2 lemons
3 eggs
100g plain, full fat sour cream
2 tablespoons whipping cream
175g butter , melted and cooled slightly

FROSTING
225g butter at room temperature
400g icing sugar , sifted
1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 tablespoons whipping cream
10 drops yellow food coloring

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners

MAKE CUPCAKES
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together flour, sugars and lemon zest
IN SEPARATE BOWL, whisk together remaining cupcake ingredients
ADD wet ingredients to dry ingredients stirring with a wooden spoon until no large lumps remain
DIVIDE batter up amongst muffin cups
BAKE 20 MIN or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
REMOVE from oven and let cool in tin 5 minutes.
TRANSFER muffins to cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting

MAKE FROSTING
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter on MED speed for 2-3 minutes
ADD icing sugar, lemon extract and whipping cream
MIX on HIGH SPEED for 2-3 minutes
ADD FOOD COLORING while continuing to mix on HIGH speed
BEAT for another 2-3 minutes

PIPE onto cupcakes and ENJOY !

Loving Britain Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:29:00 +0000

It is giveaway time here again on Lemon Drop. This one is very special for me. You see, I love, I mean LOVE Britain. I have wonderful friends there, the countryside is to die for and the food - oh my, the food. Think Eccles Cakes, Victoria Sponge, creamy and rich Custard Sauce, Bakewell Tarts, Chelsea Buns. I am drooling as I write this.

So in honor of my love of Britain, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year and London 2012, I am offering you, my sweet followers, a chance to win an amazing cookbook COOKING BRITAIN.

This glossy book is fantastic. It is filled with incredible recipes from England, Scotland and Ireland. There are savory and sweet recipes peppered throughout along with some delectable food photography. Absolutely mouth-watering.

My fave part of the book though are the tidbits of history for the featured foods. Want to learn the origin of the Bakewell Tart? Or how a Lardy Cake came to be? It's all right here.

The "food dictionary" at the back of the book is also heaven-sent. Not sure what a Bramley apple or know what it is but cannot find it locally? Then head to the back of the book where you will find a description of the item as well as substitute recommendations. For us non-Brits this is essential.

Now you will need to act fast if you want to participate. This giveaway closes at 11 PM next Saturday, July 28th. Just follow the steps outlined below for your chance to win!

GIVEAWAY TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Minimum requirements (1 chance to win):

Be a follower of this blog and add a comment*** to this post stating you are a follower. To follow, simply scroll down on the right until you see the Follow button in the sidebar. Then join up!

*** Please ensure you include your follower details in the comment (ie Google Friends name, email, etc)

You MUST meet the minimum requirement or I regret to say that your entry won't be counted.

Additional chances to win:

Minimum requirements must still be met

Publish a post on this giveaway in your own blog and link it back to this post (+2 more chances to win)

Add a link at the side of your blog (sidebar) to my blog. Feel free to use any image from this post if you want to (+ 1 more chance to win)

Provide a link to your blog in your comment and leave the post/link on your blog for 1 more week after the giveaway has closed for compilation purposes.

Important:

Contest closes 11 PM EST, July 28th, 2012. An online random selection tool (@ random.org) will be used to select the winner. Name of winner will be announced on Lemon Drop July 29th, 2012 and a request will be issued to the winner to contact me privately. The winner has 24 hours after winner announcement to contact me and claim their prize.

Good luck to all !

If haven't tried British baking yet then you are missing out on a world of goodness. Why not take a test drive with this incredible recipe for Spiced Chelsea Buns

Hummingbird Bakery Frosted Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:00:00 +0000

This recipe yields, without a doubt in my mind, the BEST chocolate brownies I have ever eaten. The base is a rich dark chocolate that is thick, sweet and chewy. The chocolate cream cheese frosting is just that - icing on the cake. Smooth, creamy and rich with dark cocoa powder. This combo is a winner!

Thank-you, Hummingbird Bakery, for another amazing recipe. Every one I have tried so far from their gorgeous cookbook has been a huge success. This one is no different.

If you don't own this cookbook yet then you have no idea what you are missing. It is loaded with recipes for pies, cakes, cookies, muffins and brownies. I simply adore it.

Let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*adapted recipe: Frosted Brownies, Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

BROWNIES
5 eggs
500g caster sugar
120g plain flour
100g dark cocoa powder
250g unsalted butter, melted
30g dark chocolate chips

FROSTING
200g icing sugar, sifted
75g unsalted butter at room temperature
30g cocoa powder, sifted
150g cream cheese , cold and cut into cubes

MAKE IT

MAKE BROWNIES
PREHEAT oven to 325F
SPRAY BOTTOM and sides of a 9" x 13" cake pan with cooking spray(one mixed with flour is ideal)
LINE base with parchment paper and spray parchment paper with cooking spray

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar on MED speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and fluffy
ON LOW SPEED, add flour and cocoa powder blending until combined
POUR in melted butter and mix until thoroughly blended
FOLD in chocolate chips
POUR batter into prepared pan, smooth top and bake for 30-35 minutes or until top is dry to the touch but still slightly jiggly in center
REMOVE from oven and let cook completely on cooling rack

MAKE FROSTING
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, beat icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder on MED speed for 3 minutes
ADD in cream cheese and beat for 5 minutes on HIGH speed
SPREAD over cooled brownies**.

**NOTE: I left the brownies in the pan and cut out squares straight from there. To store, just cover with clingwrap and place in refrigerator. These are even better the next day!

What better way to wrap up this post than to announce an upcoming

Lemon Drop Giveaway

Get ready for Friday, June 20, 2012 !!!!

In honor of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Year and the London 2012 Olympics I am giving away a copy of this gorgeous cookbook to one lucky winner. It is jam-packed with recipes from England, Scotland and Ireland. Mouthwatering from start to finish.

Giveaway will open this Friday morning and entries will only be accepted for 5 days before the contest closes. As always, this giveaway is open to all my followers worldwide.

ENJOY !

Gluten-Free Baking Soda Biscuits

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:01:00 +0000

I will be honest - I don't have many memories from my childhood...maybe 10 at most? Don't ask. But one memory that I do have is crystal clear: making baking soda biscuits with my mom.

I have loved those somewhat salty, flaky and fluffy biscuits my entire life. They are perfect eaten as-is, or filled with savory or sweet goodies. My all-time fave is an egg and ham sandwich with one of these babies as the bun! I would eat one daily if I could.

After having gone the gluten-free route, I really missed my biscuits. Then one day I wandered on over to Elana's Pantry and found a recipe that changed my world. Gluten-free biscuits that use almond flour as their base ingredient. They are very easy to make and they taste great; especially when eaten still warm from the oven with a dab of butter (or dairy-free butter substitute).

I made mine on the smaller side but you can easily make these larger to resemble the traditional baking soda biscuit. Though the original recipe did call for rolling out the dough and cutting into circles I simply rolled up some dough with my hands to form a ball then gently patted down after placing on my prepped baking sheet. Saved me time and they rose up perfectly while baking.

So if you are like me and adore biscuits but feel you need to forgo them due to gluten probs, then weep no more!

RECIPE:
*slightly adapted recipe: Biscuits, Elana's Pantry

WHAT YOU NEED

2 1/2 cups almond flour (JK Gourmet is great)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (omit if you prefer a less sweet biscuit)
1/4 cup Earth Balance Coconut Spread, at room temperature
2 eggs

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE baking sheet with parchment paper

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 4 ingredients
BLEND in coconut spread (or butter, or dairy-free butter substitute) with a fork until mixture is pea-sized
IN SMALL BOWL, whisk eggs slightly
WITH WOODEN SPOON, add eggs to dry mixture until dough comes together
ROLL 2 tablespoon size amounts of dough into balls and place on prepped baking sheet
GENTLY flatten down slightly with palm of hand
BAKE 15 minutes
REMOVE from oven and let cool on sheet 5 minutes before transferring biscuits to cooling rack.

ENJOY !

Old-Fashioned Cherry Clafloutis

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:05:00 +0000

As always, I was thrilled to see the new edition of the Food Network Magazine arrive in the mail the other day. It was jam-packed with goodies and an abundance of recipes that I couldn't wait to start testing out in my kitchen. But when I stumbled upon their section featuring cherries I put all other thoughts aside and zero'd in on an amazing yet simple recipe for Old-Fashioned Cherry Clafloutis.

Cherries are over-flowing right now in our local grocery store and I had a bag on hand that would be perfect for this recipe. So with my fave gadget in hand, my cherry-pitter, I got at it.

Note to self and others: never wear anything white (or remotely expensive) while pitting cherries unless you intend to use it to toss it afterwards. Cherries stain worse than beets if you ask me and that juice can spray in all directions when using a cherry pitter. Pitters beware!

The recipe comes together very easily once the cherries are pitted. It is a lovely custard blend with some added citrus for depth of flavor and a bit of flour for binding it all up into what results in a quiche-like texture. Once baked, let it sit at least 20 minutes before slicing and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (it won't last that long!).

RECIPE:
*Adapted- Old-Fashioned Cherry Clafloutis, Food Network

3 CUPS pitted cherries
1 1/2 CUPS half-and-half cream
4 LARGE eggs
1/2 CUP all purpose flour
1/2 CUP sugar
1/2 TEASPOON grated lemon zest
1/2 TEASPOON grated orange zest
1/4 TEASPOON salt
COARSE SUGAR for topping

MAKE IT

SPRAY a 9" pie plate with cooking spray
PREHEAT oven to 375F

COVER based of prepared pie plate with cherries
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together all remaining ingredients except coarse sugar
POUR over cherries
BAKE 45 MINUTES
REMOVE from oven, sprinkle with coarse sugar and BROIL for 1-3 minutes or until sugar starts to change to a golden color and berries are bubbling
REMOVE and place on cooling rack
LET cool for 20 minutes before slicing

ENJOY !

Paleo-friendly Banana Pecan Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:59:00 +0000

Muffins that are Paleo friendly and taste great? Of course !

If you follow the Paleo diet you know that both dairy and gluten are out - eggs are ok if you don't have an intolerance of course. As far as bananas go, many people seem to be on the fence about this sweet fruit. Yes, it is a great source of potassium and adds lovely flavor and moisture to baked goods but is it too high on the Glycemic Index? That choice is up to you.

But if you love your bananas then you are gonna love these Paleo inspired muffins! They are slightly spiced, moist and fluffy with a crunchy pecan topping. Feel free to toss in some ripe berries into the batter too if you wish; blueberries or raspberries would be great.

The muffin is made up of two "flours": almond and coconut. The almond adds the richness and moisture, the coconut acts like a binding agent and holds it altogether wonderfully. I have always found that adding a bit of coconut flour to any almond flour based recipe works out very well. It prevents baked goods from getting "too oily" as it acts like a sponge. Just remember, a little coconut flour goes a long way.

In regards to sweeteners, you can use honey or maple syrup but I much prefer the lower GI of coconut palm sugar. It adds a rich caramel flavor to any baked treat.

Lastly remember that all good banana breads, muffins and cakes should have some kind of spice which really brings out the flavors. Cinnamon and nutmeg are my go-to duo here once again!

So let's get to it !!!

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

1 1/4 cups almond flour (JK Gourmet makes wonderful almond flour)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 medium bananas, mashed
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut or grapeseed oil

1/2 cup chopped pecans

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 10 muffin cups with paper liners

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together first 7 dry ingredients
IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together all remaining ingredients except pecans
FOLD dry ingredients into wet ingredients until thoroughly blended
WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP, divide batter amongst 10 muffin cups
SPRINKLE chopped pecans over each muffin
BAKE 30 MINUTES or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
REMOVE from oven, let cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer muffins to cooling rack

ENJOY !

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Citrus Glaze

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:32:00 +0000

Combine the delicious recipes from Hummingbird Bakery and Martha Stewart along with some fantastic gluten-free flour and what do you get? An amazing cupcake !

These beauties bake up light and fluffy. They are perfectly sweet and speckled throughout with vanilla bean. Topped off with a lovely lemon glaze these are sure to please.

For those of you who aren't gluten sensitive then I will add some notes below to ensure that you too can make them with traditional all purpose flour. But for those of you, like me, that require gluten-free baked goodies, you will be delighted to know the days of rubbery tasting, sandy consistency GF desserts truly are a thing of the past! This cupcake is proof that our baked treats can be truly phenomenal and no comprise on taste is required.

My preferred flour blend is C4C (Cup for Cup) which already contains xanthan gum. I now Pamela's also makes a wonderful pre-blended mix that would also work here. If you don't have either on hand then go with your preferred flour blend. If it does not have added xanthan then add 1/4 tsp to the dry ingredients.

I opted for lemon as the base of this glaze because it pairs so well with vanilla but you can also swap it out for lime or orange as well. Any option you choose will work wonderfully.

Let's get baking!

RECIPE:
* Cupcakes - adapted source recipe Vanilla Cupcakes, The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
* Citrus Glaze - Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

WHAT YOU NEED

CUPCAKES
1 cup GF flour blend with added xanthan gum (see note above)
** if not Gluten Sensitive then replace GF flour with 1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

GLAZE
1 1/2 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
zest of 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

MAKE IT

MAKE CUPCAKES
LINE a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners
PREHEAT oven to 325F

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER fitted with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
ADD in butter and blend on MED speed until butter is broken down and mostly incorporated into dry ingredients
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together milk, egg and vanilla bean paste
ADD WET ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until blended with no large lumps remaining
FILL liners 2/3 full with batter
BAKE 22 MIN or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
REMOVE from oven and let cool on cooling rack

MAKE GLAZE
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together all glaze ingredients until smooth
DROP one tsp of glaze on top of each cooled cupcake
NUDGE the glaze into the nooks and crannies with back of spoon
LET glaze set for 15 minutes before indulging!

ENJOY!

Gluten-Free Baked Donuts

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:58:00 +0000

I was searching for a baked donut recipe that could easily be converted to gluten-free. I didn't want to mess with yeast or an array of GF flours either. I wanted it simple, tasty and easy to prepare.

Persistence paid off because I located a recipe that fit all of my criteria without any gluten-free changes required. It was already done for me and was such a simple recipe that I couldn't wait to test it out. Testing was a huge success! I now have a new favorite donut recipe that I will make again and again.

These donuts are incredible. The batter comes together in your food processor. No premixing of ingredients either. Just add everything together and blend away til smooth. Then divide the batter up in your donut pan and bake for 12 minutes.

The original recipe called for a date based topping. I wanted to stick with the tried and true cinnamon sugar coating that is a childhood fave for me. Just dip the warm donuts in some melted butter and then dip again a cinnamon/sugar mix.

These donuts, in my opinion, taste better than their flour based contenders. They are super moist and fluffy, have that enticing flavor of sweet nutmeg and really shine with the added cinnamon spice. These will also stay for a few days in a sealed container without any concerns. Their moisture and flavor will simply intensify and that, my friends, is a good thing!

So let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe: Grain-Free Cinnamon Roll Donuts, Texanerin Baking

WHAT YOU NEED

DONUTS
145 grams almond flour (approx 1 1/4 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

CINNAMON/SUGAR TOPPING
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
GREASE a donut pan (6 regular sized donuts) with cooking spray
IN FOOD PROCESSOR, combine all DONUT ingredients until smooth
DIVIDE batter into prepared donut pan
BAKE 12 minutes
REMOVE from oven and let donuts cool in pan for 10 minutes
RUN a knife around edges of donuts and then remove gently from pan

TOPPING
POUR butter into a flat bottomed bowl
COMBINE SUGAR and cinnamon in another flat bottomed bowl
DIP warm donuts in butter then in cinnamon/sugar mixture

ENJOY !

Gluten-Free Nutella Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 18:31:00 +0000

Soft, cakey and swirled with Nutella. Even better they are gluten-free, sweetened with coconut palm sugar and can be dairy free to with just a few changes.

These are best served warm from the oven topped with a dollop of your fave vanilla ice cream (rice and coconut varieties are wonderful). A decadent dessert!

If dairy is a concern for you, then you will need to replace the butter and Nutella. I have provided you with a link below to Earth Balance which carries non-dairy butter products. As for Nutella, just google Dairy Free Nutella. You will be amazed at the vast number of recipes there are to make it yourself.

Lastly, if sugar is not of great concern to you, feel free to swap out the coconut sugar for regular sugar. I always recommend opting for superfine sugar in your baking recipes. In the past it was tough to find but now it is carried in most North American grocery stores.

If you are a sucker for Nutella then this recipe is perfect for you. These little cakes are heaven-sent.

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend (with added xantham). I used C4C
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter substitute (Earth Balance has some great options) at room temperature
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs (or egg replacer equivalent to two eggs)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
1/3 cup almond milk (rice or soy work too)
12 teaspoons nutella (or a dairy free choc-hazelnut substitute)

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
LINE 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together first 3 ingredients
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter for 3 minutes HIGH speed
ADD coconut sugar and cream for another 2-3 MIN on HIGH speed
ADD eggs one at a time blending well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl if needed
BLEND in vanilla bean extract and almond milk
WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP, divide up batter between muffin cases
DOLLOP 1 tsp of Nutella on the top of each muffin
SWIRL Nutella into batter slightly - a bamboo skewer works well or try a butter knife

BAKE 22-25 MIN or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
REMOVE from oven and let cool on cooling rack for 15 minutes. They will still be warm and perfect for serving!

ENJOY!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 17:42:00 +0000

These cookies are not just gluten-free - they are also egg and dairy free too. Perfect for someone with allergies but not willing to compromise on taste.

These are chewy, sweet and filled with mini chocolate chips. These puff up during baking and take on a lovely golden brown color. As they cool the cookies settle and become more flat in nature. The texture is super moist but won't fall apart when you are indulging in them.

The ingredient list is minimum and come together without the need for any fancy kitchen gadgets; leave your stand mixer alone! Seriously, I had these prepped and in the fridge in minutes. And yes, they do require refrigeration for 20 minutes before scooping and baking so keep that in mind regarding prep time.

I was a little hesitant at first to think that almond flour based cookies would really be able to compete with the flour based kind but I was happy to know I was off-base on this. Now if you like the kind of cookies that hard crunchy with crisp edges these won't be for you but if you enjoy the soft, chewy variety then get ready to be delighted.

For sweeteners, the original recipe calls for agave nectar but if that is not your thing, opt for honey or maple syrup keeping in mind these sweeteners will affect the taste of the cookie.

As far as chocolate goes, my opinion is that Enjoy Life make the best gluten and dairy free chocolate chips and chunks on the market . If you can find them, buy them! I used the mini chocolate chips in these cookies and they were perfect.

So without further ado, let's get to it!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe Elana's Chocolate Chip Cookies, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla bean paste (or extract)
1/2 cup dairy free mini chocolate chips

MAKE IT

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 3 ingredients
IN MED BOWL, whisk together remaining ingredients except chocolate chips
ADD wet ingredients to dry, mixing with wooden spoon until combined
FOLD in chocolate chips
COVER with clingfilm and refrigerate for 20 minutes
WHILE the batter is in the fridge, preheat oven to 350F
LINE 2 cookies sheets with parchment paper

WHEN batter is chilled, scoop tablespoon sized mounds onto prepared sheets leaving 2 inch spaces between cookies
PRESS down cookies with palm of hand to flatten
BAKE 8-10 minutes or until golden brown
REMOVE and place cookie sheets on cooling racks
LET cookies cool for 20 minutes before removing

ENJOY!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:26:00 +0000

This is a fantastic cake based on Dorie Greenspan's recipe for Classic Banana Bundt Cake. It is reminiscent of banana bread but has a finer crumb. Perfect to serve for dessert topped with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream!

I love the flavor of banana and chocolate so adjusted the recipe and added dark chocolate chips. I am also a huge fan of spices when bananas are the main player in a recipe so cinnamon and nutmeg were a must for me. The flavors all work together incredibly well and result in an exceptionally delicious cake. Lastly, I wasn't keen on adding the required 2 cups of sugar to this recipe so exchanged it for coconut sugar. Great results!

The source recipe hails from Dorie's cookbook "Baking From My Home To Yours"
and as with every other recipe I have tried from that book, this one is nothing short of perfection. If you don't own it yet, then this cookbook is a must!

Let's get started, shall we ?

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe, Classic Banana Bundt Cake, Baking From My Home To Yours

WHAT YOU NEED

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups coconut sugar
2 tsps pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean extract
2 large eggs, preferably @ room temperature
About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sour cream
1 cup dark chocolate chips

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
GREASE and flour a 9-10-inch (12 cup) Bundt pan.

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 5 dry ingredients
IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar for 3 minutes MED speed
BLEND in vanilla
ADD one egg at a time blending well after each addition
REDUCE speed to LOW and add mashed bananas
SLOWLY mix in 1/2 of dry ingredients
ADD sour cream and blend
ADD remaining dry ingredients and mix just until blended
FOLD in chocolate chips
USING rubber spatula, scrape batter into prepared pan
RAP pan on counter top once or twice to remove any air pockets in batter
SMOOTH top
BAKE for 65-75 minutes or until thin knife inserted in center comes out clean

** CHECK cake 30 minutes into baking time. If browning too much, cover top loosely with foil and return to oven baking until done

TRANSFER cake to cooling rack and let rest 10 minutes before removing from pan.
LET cool to room temperature before slicing

ENJOY!

Gluten-Free Orange Cranberry Scones

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:37:00 +0000

It has been some time since my last post and I humbly apologize. I took some time off for a pre-summer holiday and didn't get much baking done at all. Though I enjoyed the relaxation I did miss feeding my baking addiction. To get things kick-started I wanted to dive back in with a gluten-free treat truly loved by many - the scone.

I have tried many GF scones before and none have lived up to the hype. They were either too dense, too dry or had some kind of funky aftertaste. After much searching I found a recipe online that seemed promising and gave it a whirl. I am very pleased with the baking results and can safely say these are scones that are not just "edible" but downright delicious. My son who won't touch dried fruit scarfed down 2 of these while still warm, dried cranberries and all !

These scones are flaky, filled with rich dairy, just sweet enough, flavored with orange zest and studded with cranberries. Heaven with a cup of coffee or tea. Perfect with jam or butter. They are the best GF scones I have ever eaten.

So if you are ready, let's get baking!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe The Best Gluten-Free Scone Recipe from Gluten-Free Gourmand

WHAT YOU NEED

2 cups gluten-free flour blend ( I used C4C but Bob's Red Mill will work well too)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (I used blonde palm sugar)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xantham gum if not already added to your GF flour blend
6 tablespoons cold butter, diced

1 large egg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
zest of one orange (medium size)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (opt for ones sweetened with apple juice)

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 425F
LINE a cookie sheet with parchment paper

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together first 5 ingredients and xantham gum if using
USING A FORK, cut butter into dried ingredients until pea-size consistency
IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together all remaining ingredients
USING A FORK, gently mix wet ingredients into dry until combined. Do not overmix
PLACE dough onto prepared cookie sheet and pat into a circle about 1inch high
CUT into triangles
BAKE for 12-15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned and toothpick inserted into scone comes out clean
REMOVE from oven and place sheet onto cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature
SCONES will easily pull apart where cut prior to baking

ENJOY!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cream Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:46:00 +0000

I love pudding but when you put that velvety heaven in a bed of crunchy graham crackers crumbs - well let's just say the word "nirvana" comes to mind.

Your first bite is like a texture and flavor explosion! The crunch and sweet taste of buttery and cinnamon spiced graham crackers....then the smooth richness of a delectable chocolate cream. My, oh my. Take it a step further and top it with a cloud of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Yes, folks - we have a winner.

I made the crust with gluten-free graham cracker crumbs. There are boxed varieties that are fairly easy to find in the organic/natural food section of most grocery stores. And yes, they do taste like graham crackers and not some wonky substitute. They bake up wonderfully in pie shells like the one in this recipe and hold their crunch.

For the filling, we are talking pure, quality ingredients, people. Don't scrimp here. You want top-notch chocolate, fresh eggs, whole milk, unsalted butter (do NOT use margarine!) and vanilla bean paste. You can use pure vanilla extract if you like but I always prefer paste.

This pie takes a while to come together. First you pre-bake the crust. While it is baking, you make the chocolate cream. Both need to cool completely before the filling is spooned into the crust. Once that is done, the pie must then sit for 5-6 hours before serving.

If you and your lovely guests intend to devour the entire pie at serving time then go ahead and top the pie with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder. If you intend to keep this pie for an extra day and enjoy the sweet left-overs then I highly advise not topping the pie with the whipped cream but rather dolloping on a glorious heap of it on each slice at serving time. This pie can keep well, loosely covered with cling-wrap and refrigerated, for 1-2 days without whipped cream on top of it.

So let's get to it!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe Chocolate Cream Pie, The Kitchen Sink Recipes

WHAT YOU NEED

CRUST
1 1/3 cup gluten-free graham cracker crumbs ( regular graham cracker crumbs can be substituted if gluten is not an issue for you)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

CHOCOLATE CREAM
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
7 ounces dark chocolate (opt for Callebaut or Valrhona), chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean extract

TOPPING
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
cocoa powder or shaved chocolate

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
IN LARGE BOWL, combine all crust ingredients
PRESS crust mixture into base and up the sides of a 9" pie plate
BAKE 15 minutes
REMOVE from oven and let cool completely on cooling rack

IN MEDIUM SAUCEPAN, whisk together first 4 chocolate cream ingredients
TURN ON BURNER to MED heat
SLOWLY pour in milk, whisking at all times
CONTINUE WHISKING until mixture comes to a boil
TURN DOWN HEAT to low and whisk for another minute until mixture is thickened
STRAIN mixture through a mesh sieve into a large heat-proof bowl
STIR in chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla bean extract
CONTINUE to stir until chocolate and butter and melted and thoroughly combined
COVER surface with cling-film to prevent a skin forming
LET COOL in the refrigerator for 2 hours

SPOON cooled filling into pre-baked crust
COVER loosely with cling-film and place back in the refrigerator
LET COOL for 5-6 hours

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with whisk attachment, beat whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form
TOP pie with whipped cream
DUST with cocoa powder or sprinkle with chocolate shavings

ENJOY!

Easy-Peasy Pizza Crust

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:23:00 +0000

Though not a gluten-free recipe, this one is a keeper. Nothing beats a homemade pizza crust but so many recipes can be time consuming requiring kneading, kneading and kneading, right? Once again, we can let our mixers do the work for us. Sit back, have a tea, and watch it all happen. Leave your bicep workouts for the gym. No manual kneading required!

As my followers know well, I am not a dough fan but when I can use my mixer with dough hook attachment my fears of kneading become a thing of the past. This recipe is perfect for me and will be for you too!

All the ingredients are mixed in your mixing bowl and kneaded only a few minutes with your dough hook. The dough is then brushed with some oil and left to rise right in that same bowl. After the rising stage is over, punch down and press into your pizza pan. Clean up is a cinch.

If you like a chewy crust then bake the pizza on a pan. If you prefer a crispier crust, try using a pizza stone or bake it right on your oven rack. We love chewier so I bake it on my aluminum (un-greased) pizza pan. If you like, sprinkle some cornmeal on your pan before pressing though dough into place. Adds a nice texture.

Honestly, this is the easiest pizza crust I have ever made and tastes amazing. You have to try it! You will be so proud of yourself for making pizza from scratch and will be thrilled with the results. Your relationship with your local pizza parlor may come to an abrupt end as a result. As Martha would say " It's a Good Thing". Yes, it is.

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 package rapid rise yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup water at room temperature or slightly warm to to the touch
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon grapeseed oil (to coat the dough for rising)

MAKE IT

IN BOWL OF STAND MIXER, fitted with dough hook, stir together flour, yeast, sugar and salt. ADD in water and 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
KNEAD on low speed for 4 minutes
WITH HANDS, smooth dough into a ball and coat with 1 tablespoon oil
LEAVE dough in mixing bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and place in a warm area
LET RISE 45 minutes

PREHEAT oven to 450F
PUNCH DOWN dough and stretch out in your pizza pan
COVER top with your preferred sauce and toppings
BAKE 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese (if using) is bubbling

DIG IN !

Xanthan and Guar Gum – Don’t Be Intimidated

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 00:35:00 +0000

Many people want to bake gluten-free goodies but the somewhat standard list of GF ingredients that appear in most recipes send bakers running. First off they are usually hit with an array of various flours which many have never heard of before…and then come the gluten replacers. I remember the first time I read Xanthan Gum and thought, huh, what the heck is that?! Something else I don’t know how to use, let alone spell, which of course will require a road trip to some remote natural food store to purchase. But rather than flee screaming from the kitchen I decided to educate myself on how these 2 items work in recipes and what the replacement ratio is for various baked treats. I also was delighted to find that nearly all grocery stores carry these gluten-free replacement ingredients in that natural food section of the store.

I hope that by sharing the information with you that I have learned, it too will expand your mind, your collection of family foodie favorites and perhaps, just perhaps, a space in your pantry.

As we all know, when we remove gluten from a recipe we in turn have a gluten-free recipe. But simply removing a gluten-based ingredient is not all you need to do. When you remove gluten you also remove an essential binding agent. These 2 ingredients, Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, are therefore an essential ingredient to most gluten-free recipes. They are the gluten replacers needed to achieve desired baking results. They can also be used interchangeably with similar results but personally, I opt for Xanthan Gum - easier on the tummy, especially if you have any digestive concerns.

Below I have 3 bullets that are a good rule of thumb BUT keep in mind; nothing is exact with GF baking. Trial and error is truly the only way to go. Start off with the minimum amounts as per below and see how it works out for you!

When converting a flour based recipe over to gluten-free, in addition to adding a *GF flour blend you would also need to add the following amount of either Xanthan or Guar Gum to achieve favorable results.

• Cakes: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp to each cup of gluten/wheat free flour
• Breads: 1/2 to 1 tsp to each cup of gluten/wheat free flour
• Cookies: 0 to 1/4 tsp to each cup of gluten/wheat free flour

* NOTE: Some GF pre-made mixes already have these thickeners added so pay special attention to the ingredients

Good luck with all of your baking endeavors and remember, patience is key.

Gluten-Free Apricot Tea Squares

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:44:00 +0000

I rarely bake with apricots but I saw a gluten-free recipe that sounded amazing and one I had to test out asap. In fact, I think this is the one and only apricot recipe on Lemon Drop to date.

These Apricot Tea Squares are simple to make, use wholesome ingredients and get this - contain NO SUGAR or sugar substitutes! The apricots and natural sweetness of coconut is all you need. That, my friends, is a winner in my book.

The other great thing about these squares is the easy preparation. Everything comes together in minutes with your food processor then you simply press the dough into a prepared pan.

Ok, so sure, they come together easily, they are sugar-free, but do they taste good? Ask my son who refuses to eat apricots or coconut but devoured 2 of these squares while still warm. As these also support my own personal clean-eating plan I had to indulge too. Yum! They have a great chewy consistency, are not overly sweet and the flavors of both the apricot and the coconut come through in leaps and bounds. I especially love their crunchy, golden edges. These would be fantastic topped with some cream cheese too. Lastly, they are perfect any time of day, especially mid-afternoon with a lovely cuppa Earl Grey but would even be a super breakfast treat.

If you like baking with almond flour and enjoy the benefits of a Gluten-Free diet, then this cookbook is for you:

It is food-processor time! Let's get to it.

RECIPE:
*slightly adapted source recipe: Apricot Tea Squares, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook

WHAT YOU NEED

1 cup dried apricots ( you want the fat, plump ones - leave out the harder ones)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
SPRAY a 8" square pan with cooking spray
LINE the bottom of the pan with parchment paper

IN FOOD PROCESSOR, pulse together apricots and coconut until you have a crumbly texture with no large bits of apricot remaining
ADD in all remaining ingredients and pulse until combined
PRESS batter into prepared pan
BAKE for 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown

REMOVE pan from oven and place on cooling rack
LET cool 1/2 hr before slicing into bars

ENJOY !

Babycakes NYC Chocolate Chunk Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Linda @ Lemon Drop) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:46:00 +0000

Who doesn't adore chocolate chip cookies? These ones are gluten-free, dairy free and egg free but you would never know it. I opted for chocolate chunks to add even more taste and texture. Amazing!

What flours are used to make these gluten-free? Oat flour, GF all purpose flour and lastly, though not technically flour, the addition of flaxseed meal. Flaxseed meal adds even more fiber and Omega 3 fatty acids plus works wonders at binding all the ingredients together.

For both the GF all purpose flour and the flaxseed meal, I used Bob's Red Mill brand. They also carry oat flour too but I opted for a different brand because I had it handy. Feel free to use whichever one you like best. If you want to ensure egg and dairy free cookies, I recommend Enjoy Life Chocolate Chunks. These are pretty much as good as you can get.

Be forewarned, this recipe does have a lengthy list of ingredients but the end result is worth it. The cookies are fat, moist, store well in an air-tight container but above all else they taste GREAT! The kids gobbled these up.

Babycakes NYC is a well-known gluten-free bakery in New York City. There are even Babycakes cookbooks available too and I will be purchasing one shortly as I was so thrilled with this recipe. I think Babycakes Covers the Classics will soon be added to my already jammed bookshelves.

Now on to the recipe!

RECIPE:
*adapted source recipe: Babycakes NYC Chocolate Chip Cookies

I replaced organic sugar for palm sugar and used chocolate chunks

WHAT YOU NEED

1 cup 1/2 Gluten Free Oat Flour

1 cup GF All Purpose Baking Flour (Bob’s Red Mill)

1 cup Coconut (palm) sugar

1/4 cup Flaxseed Meal

1/4 cup Arrowroot Starch

1 tsp 1/2 Xanthan Gum

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

3/4 cup plus 2 Tb melted, refined Coconut Oil or Canola Oil

6 Tb unsweetened Applesauce

2 Tb gluten free Vanilla Extract

1 cup gluten free, dairy free Chocolate Chunks (Enjoy Life)

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F

LINE 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper

IN LARGE BOWL, stir together first 8 dry ingredients

IN MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together remaining ingredients except chocolate chunk

STIR wet ingredients into dry ingredients

FOLD in chocolate chunks until combined

DOLLOP 1 tablespoon size mounds of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet leaving 1 1/2" space between cookies

BAKE 7 minutes

ROTATE pan

BAKE 7 more minutes

REMOVE COOKIE SHEET and place on cooling rack

LET cookies cool for 15 minutes before transferring cookies to serving platter

ENJOY !