Spiced Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans

 

I was in a Sweet Potato mood last week and because I had two in the pantry, I went ahead and roasted both - they were big!  I only ate half of one and saved the rest for the next day and then I was done. So, I froze the remaining Sweet Potato and today I pulled it out because I decided to make Sweet Potato Bread, Southern Style with Pecans and Spices. Cooked Sweet Potatoes are very similar in texture to ripe Banana, so I did a riff of a Banana Bread recipe using Gluten Free Flour. I seasoned the Bread much like you would for Sweet Potato Pie, with some Cinnamon, some Ginger and a little Nutmeg. And because I like my sweet breads to be not so sweet, i played down the sugar, but you can add more. On the top I sprinkled chopped up Pecans and Cinnamon Sugar all over before baking it. It was so good and is even better the next day!  

Spiced Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans

1-1/2 cups of cooked Sweet Potato

1/3 cup of melted Butter

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup of White Sugar

1/4 - 1/2 cup of Brown Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground Ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour blend with Xanthan Gum or add 1 teaspoon (I used Cup4Cup)

3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts

1 additional Tablespoon Sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

Turn the oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan

In a food processor (or stand mixer), mix together the Sweet Potato, Butter, Egg, Sugars and Vanilla. In a mixing bowl, blend tougher the Gluten Free Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt and Spices. Then add to the Sweet Potato Mixture and mix until just blended. Pour into the loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with the Pecan pieces and the Cinnamon Sugar. Cook for one hour or until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clear. Cool before slicing.

Five Element Analysis

Sweet Potatoes are one of the Earthiest vegetables and the additional Sugar in the batter adds even more Earth. The Butter, Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Baking Powder and Spices all contribute the Metal Element. The Egg and Pecans bring in the Water Element. The Gluten Free Flour blend combines Rice Flour with Tapioca Starch adding more Metal and Earth. So, the Fire Element is missing and easily added when you eat the Bread by serving it with Coffee or Tea. And, the Wood Element is missing too, which should probably be added at another meal as this is a great treat for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Gluten Free Scones with Dried Fruit

At the end of 2019, I went to Cornwall with two of my closest friends and had a wonderful time. Who knew that it would be my last overseas trip for over a year? One of my best memories is of going to a wonderful bakery and getting fresh out of the oven Gluten Free Scones. St. Ives was very Gluten Free friendly - they even had fantastic Gluten Free Fish and Chips!  I've been thinking about those scones with the Clotted Cream and Jam ever since, so today I decided to make them and they turned out perfectly! I buttered them since I didn't have any Clotted Cream, and then took my first bite without any jam and it was so good that I just ate the whole thing! I ended up putting Sour Cherry Jam on the second one accompanied by a big cup of English Tea. I was so happy with the recipe that I wanted to share it with you. A few notes: they are best eaten the same day as they are made as they do dry out, although heaping them with Clotted Cream might help. And, traditionally in Devon and Cornwall, they are served with either Raspberry or Strawberry Jam and people there have quite strong opinions on which is better. I used Sour Cherry, which is not usual and I like Ginger Jelly on scones too, so I am definitely considered a rebel!

I added in some Dried Cherries, but you can easily use Raisins, or cut-up Apricots or pieces of Candied Ginger. I made them in the traditional round shape like the ones I had in Cornwall, but you can certainly shape them and cut the into triangles or you can use a scone pan. The way you shape them doesn't really matter. What's important is that scones hot out of the oven,  cut in half and topped with Butte or Clotted Cream and Jam are divine! 

 Gluten Free Scones with Dried Fruit 

1 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (with Xanthan Gum included or add 1 teaspoon)

2 Tablespoons Sugar + a little extra for the top

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

¼ teaspoon Salt

4 Tablespoons unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes

1/3 cup Dried Fruit of your choice 

1 large Egg

¼ cup Milk (I used Oat Milk) + 1 - 2 Tablespoons extra if needed

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

 

Mix together the GF Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder and Salt. Add in the Butter and mix into the flour mixture with a Pastry Cutter or use your finger to break the Butter into little flour-covered crumbles. Add in the Dried Fruit

 

In another small bowl, mix together the Egg, Milk and Vanilla.  Stir into the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add more Milk if needed.  The mixture should be soft and sticky. Let the mixture rests for 10 minutes.  

 

Grease 5 holes in a Whoopie Pie Pan (with 3” indentations) with Butter or cooking spray.  Scoop up a scant ¼ cup of batter and drop into 4 or 5 indentations. Pat down to fill the hole. Or shape them into 4 balls and put onto a parchment lined baking sheet and press down slightly. 

 

Or, pour the dough onto the middle of a parchment lined baking sheet and mound into a circle. Cut into 4 pieces and separate the triangles with the knife to move them apart a little.  Or use a scone pan. 

 

Sprinkle with the extra Sugar (if desired) and place in the oven. Cook for about 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. The triangular scones may take a bit longer.  Serve with Butter, Clotted Cream and the Jam of your choice. 

Five Element Analysis

The Gluten Free Flour Blend that I used is made mostly of Rice Flour, which belongs to the Metal Element and further enhanced by the Butter, Baking Powder and Vanilla Extract.  The Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Starch and Potato Starch in the flour adds even more Earth as does the Sugar. The Egg adds the Water Element and the Dried Cherries contribute the Fire Element and because they are tart, a little bit of Wood too. I served them with even more Sour Cherries in the form of Jam, which is Earth and Wood along with Tea, which is Fire to create a somewhat balanced Tea Time treat!

Gluten Free Peach Galette

 

While I have been cooking a lot lately, I haven't been feeling very creative so I've been making all my standbys, most of which have been previous posts. However, I recently made a lovely dessert that I thought I would share with you. I had two, big, beautiful Peaches that I had delivered in my grocery order and then I forgot to eat them. They were just a little on the too soft side for eating out of hand, but perfect for making a pie. But, I made a Galette instead. This is  and rustic. When you make one with a regular Pie Crust, it can be baked on a sheet pan. But, when you are working with Gluten Free Pie Dough, it helps to have a little support since you are missing the Gluten that makes the dough elastic. So, I cooked it in an 8 x 8 inch glass pan instead. I used only a little Sugar as I like my fruit to be sweet. You can use more and you can leave it out if you want to. Make sure you toss the Peach slices in some cornstarch or the filling will get too runny. And bake until the crust is golden brown and the Peaches and their juice are bubbling. Oh my, this dessert is good!  

Gluten Free Peach Galette

For Peach Filling:

 

2 large Peaches (equals about rounded cups peeled and slicced

2 Tablespoons or more Sugar

2 heaping Tablespoons Cornstarch

Optional:  pinch of Cinnamon and.or Nutmeg

 

Peel and slice the Peaches. Place in a large mixing bowl and mix in the Sugar, Cornstarch and Spices (if using). Pour into the prepared dough.

 

Gluten Free Pastry Dough

 

1 ½ cups Gluten Free Flour Blend (with Xanthan Gum or add 2 teaspoons)

½ cup cold Butter, Lard or Vegetable Shortening

1 large Egg

2 teaspoons Sugar

½ teaspoon Sea Salt

1/3 cup Ice Water

 

In a food processor (or large mixing bowl), mix together the Flour, Sugar and Salt. Then add in Butter, Lard or Shortening. Pulse until it is incorporated (or use a pastry cutter or two forks). Then add in the Egg and Cold Water and mix until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill until cold (about 30 minutes). 

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch pan. Then lightly dust a cutting board and rolling pin with a little extra gluten free flour. Roll out the dough into a large square of about 10 x 10 inches. Using a dough scraper, carefully pick up the dough and lay into the baking pan. Don’t worry if it cracks, you can fix it by pushing it together once it’s down in the pan. Push the dough into the corners and pour in the Peaches. Pull down the extra dough over the edges of the peaches.

 

Place in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm or cool.  

Five Element Analysis

Peaches are a mostly fiery fruit with their beautiful pink and orange colors (which also makes them a bit Earthy) and because they look like hearts. The Sugar adds in more of the Earth Element. The Gluten Free Flour Blend I use is made mostly of Rice Flour, which belongs to the Metal Element and also some Tapioca Starch, which contributes more to the Earth Element.  The Egg adds some Water. But the Wood Element is not present, so this is a good dessert to serve after a meal that has foods from that element.  

 

Mango Jelly with Coconut Milk

In these strange times of lockdown, a lot of people are craving comfort foods from their childhood.  I recently decided to remake one of my old favorites - Jello with Milk. My family wasn't big on desserts and this is one of the few things that my Father made for us, so there are some happy memories associated with it. And, the other reason I made it is that I realized that my Father died 40 years ago on September 13th, so I made this new version in his honor. 

I've long avoided my formerly loved Red Jello because of my reaction to food coloring and as an adult, I definitely developed a lactose intolerance. So this new version uses natural Gelatin, from either Beef or Pork, or you can use Agar Agar for a vegan option. And, I made the Jelly with Mango Juice and substituted lightly sweetened Coconut Milk. You can make the Coconut Milk as sweet as you like and you can sweeten the juice if you like too. I used superfine Sugar as it dissolves easier and this can easily be made by pulsing regular sugar in a food processor for a bit. If you use regular sugar, you may want to heat the Coconut Milk to help the Sugar dissolve, but be sure to cool it before serving. This recipe can also be adapted using all different kinds of juice. I was going for the tropical flavors and I happened to have Mango Juice in my fridge.  I have to admit that I still absolutely love this dessert!  I miss my Father to this day, but I have so many good memories. Like Proust and his Madeleines, this is one of my good food memories, all grown up!

Mango Jelly with Coconut Milk

2 cups Mango Juice

1 Tablespoon Gelatin (I used Pork Gelatin)

1 can of Coconut Milk

1 - 3 Tablespoons Sugar (superfine if possible)

Take 1/2 cup of Mango Juice and sprinkle in the Gelatin, whisking to combine. Let it bloom for 5 minutes and it will end up looking somewhat curdled. 

In the meantime, Place the remaining 1 1/2 cups of Mango in a small pan and heat until just before it starts to boil. Pour in the bloomed Gelatin and stir to combine. Pour into a small square or rectangular pan, cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. 

When ready to serve, open the Coconut Milk (and Cream on top) and pour it into a bowl. Whisk in the Sugar, 1 Tablespoon at a time, tasting with each addition, and stir until it is dissolved. Or if using regular Sugar, heat until the Sugar is dissolved and then cool before serving. 

Unmold the Gelatin and cut into cubes. Pour Coconut Milk into 3 - 4 small bowls and add the Mango Cubes on top.

Five Element Analysis

Even though this dessert is not that sweet, it is very Earthy as tropical fruits, both the Mango and the Coconut belong to the Earth Element. However, there is a bit of the Metal Element in Coconuts as well as Coconut Milk is white and Gelatin involves cartilage, which is part of the Wood Element. If you use Agar Agar, you have added the Metal Element. This is clearly not a balanced dish by itself, but adds some Earth to whatever meal you serve it with. 

Rhubarb Compote

One of the things I look forward to in the Spring is Rhubarb. I hear it's quite easy to grow, but I've never tried. I just wait until it shows up a the grocery store and today I got some delivered. I got more than I needed - I ordered 4 stalks, thinking they would be small and they were very large. So, I cut them up and made them into a simple compote that has a number of ways it can be used. 

Remember never to eat Rhubarb leaves, so be sure to trim any of those off. Then just trim and cut the Rhubarb into chunks, add some Sugar and some Water and let it stew for about 10 - 15 minutes. If you like the Rhubarb in chunks, leave it as it is. Or, you can mash the Rhubarb to make it smoother. 

My German Grandmother once told me that for every pound of Rhubarb, you need 1 cup of Sugar. I have friends who like their Rhubarb very tart, but like my Grandmother, I like it sweet too. So you can play with the amount of Sugar to suit your own tastes. You can use this Compote in place of Lemon Curd to make Cookie Bars, you can layer the Rhubarb with Whipped Cream in pretty glasses, or use it to make a Trifle. I like to mash up the Rhubarb a lot and eat it just like it is, kind of like a pudding. - warm or cold. It's so good, so easy and so delicious!

Rhubarb Compote 

1 pound of Rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1" chunks

3/4 - 1 cup Sugar

2 Tablespoons Water

Place the Sugar and Water in a pot and add the Rhubarb. Turn the stove on to medium heat. Cook, stirring until the Sugar melts. Then turn down the Heat and cook for 10 minutes. If you like the Compote to be smooth, mash it with a Potato Masher. Spoon into individual serving bowls and refrigerate or pour into a container and refrigerate to use later. 

Optional: Whipped Cream for serving

Five Element Analysis

Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, as it is the stalks of a big bush. It has a very tart flavor, which makes it part of the Wood Element, but the bright red color brings in some Fire too.  The Sugar adds in a lot of the Earth Element too. So, it's a good dessert to serve with Whipped Cream, which adds the Metal Element. 

Gluten Free Fresh Fruit Cake

I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but every once in a while I just want some Cake. My favorite Cakes almost always have some kind of fruit in them or at least a fruit jam layer. And today, I really wanted Cake!  I recently had some Strawberries delivered, so Strawberry Cake was the one I made. I've made this Cake with many fruits besides Strawberries - Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Nectarines and Peaches all work well. I thought I had already posted this recipe, but I checked and there was only a previous post for a Strawberry Orange Cake, but it's not the one I usually make - so here it is!  

It's a simple Cake made from the usual ingredients - Butter, Sugar, Egg, Vanilla, Milk, Baking Powder and a Gluten Free Flour Blend - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1. Then place whatever fresh fruit you want to use on top. If you like your Cakes sweet, you can sprinkle more Sugar all over the top. About 40 - 45 minutes later, you have a delicious Cake that's not too sweet, so you can feel better about topping it with some Whipped Cream or Ice Cream if you want. I have to admit though, I like it just the way comes out of the oven and I eat it while it's still warm. Yum!

Gluten Free Fresh Fruit Cake

1 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend containing Xanthan Gum (or add 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

4 Tablespoons room temperature Butter

3/4 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Milk (I use Lactose Free)

1 Egg

12 Strawberries, trimmed and cut in half or about 1-1/2 cups fresh fruit

Optional:  1 Tablespoon of Sugar for sprinkling on top

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a Springform Pan.

In a bowl, mix together the Gluten Free Flour, the Baking Powder and the Salt.

In another mixing bowl, cream together the Butter and Sugar until fluffy. Add in the Milk and Egg and stir to combine. Then add in the Flour Mixture and stir thoroughly. Pour into the Springform pan. Then place the Strawberries on the cake, cut side down. 

Bake  for 40 - 45 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown.

Five Element Analysis

A sweet dessert is always an Earth Element food. But, the Strawberries make it a Fiery food too. Other Fruits would bring in different elements. Raspberries are Fiery, whereas Nectarines and Peaches are Fire and Earth. Blueberries or Blackberries would be Water Fruits. The Rice Flour in the Gluten Free Flour Blend along with the Butter and Baking Powder contribute the Metal Element and the Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch and Sorghum Flour add more Earth. The Egg brings in the Water Element too. While you wouldn't expect a cake to be a balanced food, it contains more Elements that I thought it would!

Hawaiian Style Butter Mochi Cake

I made a Butter Mochi Cake for my Master Face Reading Program students last November and I promised I would post the recipe. Clearly, you can see that I forgot to do that until I made it again yesterday.  So here, finally, is the recipe!  For those of you who don't know, Butter Mochi Cake is a Gluten Free Cake made with Sticky Rice Flour or Mochiko. This cake has Butter in it as you can see from the name, but also full fat Coconut Milk. It's a bit like a chewy pudding and it's so good!  It puffs up a lot while cooking and then sinks back down when it cools. 

I got my recipe years ago from a Hawaiian friend I worked with and it's a pretty standard recipe. I weigh the Mochiko instead of measuring it, as it's much more accurate, and I use a little less Vanilla Extract, as I like that flavor to be subtler.  You can also add ingredients like Matcha if you like. It keeps for up to 4 days and freezes well too. t's the cake I often make for family birthdays these days and if you haven't had it yet, you need to make this unusually delicious Hawaiian cake!

Hawaiian Style Butter Mochi Cake

8 ounces of Mochiko (Sticky Rice Flour) - 1 packed cup

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

¼ teaspoon Salt

2 large Eggs

1 cup Sugar

1 can full fat Coconut Milk

4 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1 - 1-1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 inch square pan with cooking spray.  

In a mixing bowl, stir together the Mochiko, Baking Powder and Salt. Set aside. 

In a Food Processor or Stand Mixer, mix together the Butter and Sugar until it is creamy. Then add in the Coconut Milk, Eggs and Vanilla until fully combined.

Add the Mochiko mixture, scraping down the bowl several times. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 60 - 65 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown and springs back very lightly when you press it. Let cool and cut into 12 squares

Five Element Analysis

Because it's a sweet Cake, you know that it's an Earthy food, but surprisingly, there is a lot of Metal in this dessert!.  It comes from the Coconut Milk, the Butter, the Sticky Rice Flour and the Vanilla Extract so it's a great dessert to add to a meal that is missing the Metal Element.

Gluten Free Banana Coconut Bread

As you probably know by now, if you've been following my blog, that I rarely use recipes from somewhere else as is. The exception is always for baking, because it's a science and exact measurements are pretty important. I had some leftover Coconut Milk from making a Thai Curry and I was looking for something to do with it and iI wanted something sweet. I came across a recipe for Banana Coconut Bread on the Cup4Cup website. It turned out so good that I have to share it. This Banana Bread comes out moist and delicious and the Coconut flavor is subtle and the Coconut Flakes actually gives it more texture. This is now one of my new favorite Banana Bread recipes!

Gluten Free Banana Coconut Bread – from Cup4Cup

1 1/2 cups Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3 large mashed ripe Bananas

3/4 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted Butter, melted

1/3 cup Coconut Milk

1 large Egg

1/2 cup Coconut Chips (unsweetened)

Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a loaf pan. Mix Cup4Cup Flour, Baking Soda and Salt into large bowl. Combine Bananas, Sugar, melted Butter, Coconut Milk and Egg in medium bowl. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then, fold in the Coconut Flakes. Pour into the buttered loaf pan and bake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean - about 55 minutes. 

Five Element Analysis

Banana and Coconut are both Earth Element foods and as a sweet bread, this is clearly primarily an Earth food!  The Egg brings in a bit of the Water Element and the Butter contributes the Metal Element. If you serve it with a cup of Tea or Coffee, you will be adding the Fire Element. Then only the Wood Element is missing so be sure to eat some green vegetables some other time of the day!

Carrot Cupcakes

I was in the mood for something sweet yesterday afternoon - it was around tea time and i didn't have much in the house that was already made - no Gluten Free cookies or cakes to be found. So, I just had to make something. I decided to make Carrot Cupcakes as it least it has the perception that it is just a bit healthier since it contains a vegetable!  I also wanted to bake a cupcake that didn't use almond flour for a change so I went with a recipe from Serious Eats (a great food website by the way) and made only enough for 12 cupcakes and frosted it with my own version of Cream Cheese frosting because nothing goes better with Carrot Cake than Cream Cheese frosting. I plan on using this same recipe for Zucchini Muffins as well. Carrot Cake is one of those foods that I am willing to take a Lactaid pill for!  Anyway, the Cupcakes turned out wonderfully. They were light and fluffy and delicious. I ate two and I'm going to have another one (or two) for tea time today!

Carrot Cupcakes adapted from Serious Eats

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour Mix (I used Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 which includes Xanthan Gum)

1/2 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cinnamon 

1 cup Sugar

3/4 cup Vegetable Oil

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 cup Grated Carrot (about 1 very large or 2 medium trimmed and peeled Carrots)

Optional:  1/2 cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Turn oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper.

Mix together the Gluten Free Flour with the Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt and Cinnamon in a bowl. 

In a stand mixer or a bowl with a hand mixer, mix together the Sugar, Oil, Vanilla Extract and Eggs until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the Flour Mixture and mix to combine about another minute. Then add in the Carrot and Walnuts by hand with a spatula.  

Spoon into the cupcake tin and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.  Cool and then frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz stick of Cream Cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Optional:  1 teaspoon Cinnamon for sprinkling on top

Cream together until thoroughly blended. Use to frost cooled cupcakes.

Five Element Analysis

As a sweet dessert, you know automatically that this is part of the Earth Element, but it is even more Earthy as one of the main ingredients is Carrots. The Gluten Free Flour mix is made mostly of Rice Flour which contributes the Metal Element as does the Cream Cheese and Cinnamon and Vanilla Extract. The Walnuts and Eggs bring in the Water Element. Be sure to eat these with some Tea or Coffee to bring in the Fire Element. And either before or after, make sure you have some Wood foods to create balance.  

Chocolate Cherry Pavlova

This is a dessert I made last month when I had guests and I just forgot to post it even though it turned out so well. I had this idea for a while that I should make a Chocolate Pavlova and use Cherry Pie Filling as the fruit on top of the Whipped Cream. I simply add Cocoa Powder to the usual Pavlova recipe and it turned out beautifully!  I grated more Chocolate on top although next time I will probably make Chocolate Curls instead. It ended up having the flavors of a Black Forest Cake and since I have ancestors from that region of Germany, I thought it was an appropriate dessert. I have to add that it was also delicious and Gluten Free!

Chocolate Cherry Pavlova

For the Pavlova:

6 Egg Whites

1 1/4 cups Sugar (superfine if possible)

a pinch of Cream of Tartar (about 1/8 teaspoon)

a pinch of Sea Salt

1/3 cup Cocoa Powder

Turn the oven on to 250 degrees. Cut a piece of Parchment Paper into an 9b inch circle and place on a baking pan.  

In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, beat the Egg Whites, Sugar, Cream of Tartar and Salt together on a medium high speed until stiff peaks form - this can take up to 10 minutes.Then add in the Cocoa Powder very gently and lightly with a spatula until just incorporated

Spoon the mixture onto the Parchment to make an 8 inch Pavlova and smooth the top as best you can  

Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the surface is dry and firm.  Turn off the oven and let it remain in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 1 more hour.

Remove and let cool until ready to use

To Serve:

Top with sweetened Whipped Cream (I used two cups of Heavy Cream whipped with 1/4 cup Sugar) and a 15 ounce jar of Sour Cherry Pie Filling.

Top with Shaved Chocolate Sprinkles from a piece of Dark Chocolate  or shave Chocolate Curls.

Five Element Analysis

As a sweet dessert, this is obviously part of the Earth Element, but the Chocolate and Cherries contribute the Fire Element. The Cherries, being sour give just a nod to the Wood Element. The Egg Whites bring in the Water Element and the Whipped Cream add the Metal Element. So it's a bit more balanced as a dessert than you might expect!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

I much prefer Pumpkin in a cake than in a pie and I wanted to make something Gluten Free, so today I made Pumpkin Muffins. It's based on a recipe from Epicurious and I literally just substitute Bob's Red Mill 1 for 1 Gluten Free Flour for the regular AP Flour. And, I changed the amount of spices as I like Cinnamon more than Nutmeg and Cloves. As with many sweet breads, it is usually better the next day so it will be my dessert after the Thanksgiving meal. I will offer Whipped Cream on the side, but I top these with Candied Walnuts, which is sweet enough for me. They can get very brown in the oven so watch them carefully. They do come out looking a little bumpy and lumpy, but they taste wonderful. If you should choose to make them with regular flour, they will turn out smooth and cupcake like. And, of course, you could also eat them for breakfast. They are full of the traditional Pumpkin Pie Spices and they are delicious!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Candied Walnuts

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 16-ounce can solid pack Pumpkin

3 cups Gluten Free Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill 1 for 1)

1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground Cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground Nutmeg

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional) glazed with 2 Tablespoons Butter, 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar and ½ teaspoon Cinnamon - cook in a small frying pan until you can smell the fragrance of the nuts and most of the sugar syrup has been absorbed.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put cupcake liners in muffin pan.  Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Stir together the Gluten Free flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder and salt into another large bowl.

Spoon batter into muffin pans, top with walnuts and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until the muffins are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Repeat with remaining batter.

Makes 24 muffins

Five Element Analysis

Pumpkin belongs to the Earth Element and this is a sweet bread, so it is definitely primarily Earthy. The Eggs and Safflower Oil add the Water Element and the Spices contribute a hint of the Metal Element and the Rice Flour in the GF Flour brings in even more. The Fire Element is missing so be sure to serve this with some Tea or Coffee and the Wood Element needs to be found in the meal to create a balance.

Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

I’ve been meaning to post more recipes for several weeks now, but life just got incredibly busy. I now have a backlog of recipes to start posting and today I will begin with the sweetest!

When I was a child, I rarely ate cake since I have a Chinese Mother and she didn’t like sweets. I remember her trying to bake cakes with recipes from her neighborhood friends but she never used frosting because she thought it was way too sweet.  I grew up thinking that cake was supposed to be served without frosting and my friend’s birthday cakes were strange with all that frosting on top.  That kind of frosting from a can made my teeth hurt!  That was before I had frosting made from scratch.  Whipped Cream frosting is still my favorite but a homemade Buttercream Frosting is really good too. 

Last month, it was my friend Kelly’s birthday and it occurred on the day of a class. So I made cupcakes for us all. I knew that her Mom used to make Yellow Cake with Chocolate frosting. I also know that her favorite kind of chocolate is Milk Chocolate so I made cupcakes from Gluten Free mix for Yellow Cake and surprised her with Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.  It was delicious. And to satisfy the Dark Chocolate lovers, I grated Dark Chocolate over the frosted Cupcakes. I like to lightly frost cupcakes so there was plenty left to spoon into a bowl for those frosting lovers who spread it on the bottom half of their cupcakes. This recipe was a winner with Kelly and me!

Milk Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

4 – 5 ounces high quality Milk Chocolate

2 sticks unsalted Butter (8 ounces) at room temperature

2 ½ cups Powdered Sugar

¼ cup heavy Whipping Cream

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Optional:  2 ounces Dark Chocolate grated or Chocolate Sprinkles

Place a heatproof bowl over a small pan of boiling water. Add in the Chocolate and stir with a spatula until melted.  Remove and set aside.

In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, put in the softened Butter and Powdered Sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.  Then add in the melted Chocolate, Whipping Cream and Vanilla Extract.  Mix until thoroughly combined. Use immediately or refrigerate and bring back to room temperature to frost cupcakes.

Once frosted, use a microplane grater and grate the Dark Chocolate on top of the frosted cupcakes.

Five Element Analysis

This is a very sweet dessert topping so you know that it belongs to the Earth Element and the Powdered Sugar and Milk Chocolate are the Earthy ingredients although the Chocolate also contributes some Fire.  The Butter, Whipped Cream and Vanilla Extract all belong to the Metal Element.  The Gluten Free Cake mix is primarily made of Rice Flour, which is also Metallic.  So be sure to serve these cupcakes after a meal that is composed of some Water and Wood foods and some Fire foods too.

Gluten Free Banana Strawberry Cake

I used to make this wonderful Strawberry Bread for my son when he was little, but it was very sugary so I didn't make it very often. He reminded me of it the other day and I decided to make a Gluten Free version that was sweetened mostly with fresh fruit. I had two Bananas that were turning brown and I only eat them out of hand when they are still a bit green. That's usually when I make Banana Bread. I also had a handful of Strawberries in the fridge that needed to be used up and that was the inspiration for this cake. I borrowed a recipe from The Loopy Whisk blog, but changed it by adding more Banana and leaving out the Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest and putting in Strawberries instead of Blueberries. I also sprinkled the top with a little Turbinado Sugar (Sugar in the Raw) to give it a shiny and slightly Caramelized surface. My son was so happy as it tasted a lot like both of his childhood favorites - Banana Bread and Strawberry Bread put together. I made it all in one bowl and it turned out perfectly.  I call it a cake because I baked it in a cake pan. I'm just hoping that there is a piece left for tomorrow morning as I think it would be perfect for breakfast!

Gluten Free Banana Strawbery Cake (based on The Loopy Whisk)

2 medium ripe Bananas, mashed

1/3 cup melted Butter

2 Large Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup Gluten Free Flour (I used King Arthur)

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

Pinch of Salt

1 cup of cut up Strawberries

For topping:  2 teaspoons Turbinado Sugar (can also use regular Sugar)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a square cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the Bananas, Butter, Eggs, Vanilla and Sugar. Add in the Gluten Free Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt. Stir to combine thoroughly and pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the Strawberry pieces and press them down lightly into the batter. Sprinkle with the Turbinado Sugar and place in the oven. Cook for about 30 - 35 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown and springs back lightly when touched with your finger. Cool before serving. The flavor actually gets better after it sits a bit.

Five Element Analysis

This is a sweet dessert so it is naturally an Earth Element food and the Bananas add even more Earth. The Butter, Vanilla Extract and the Gluten Free Flour made primarily from Rice brings in the Metal Element. The Strawberries contribute the Fire Element. So this is a good dessert to serve with a dinner that is primarily composed of Water and Wood foods, like Fish and Vegetables. Remember a light meal will leave more room for this lovely Cake!

Cherry Clafoutis - Gluten Free

Cherry season is just starting here in Washington and I’m getting a bit impatient for the best Cherries to show up. So, I ended up buying some of the first Cherries I found at the Farmer’s Market and they just weren’t fully ripe. So, I will wait until next week to get some better ones as I like to get them fresh from the growers. And, whenever I have fruit that is underripe or a little overripe, I cook it. So, I decided to make a Cherry Clafoutis. This is one of the desserts that I used to love to make during summer and just haven't thought about making it since I've gone Gluten Free. 

For those of you who don’t know, Calfoutis is a French dessert that is like a cross between a flan and a cake and I think it tastes like a Dutch Baby Pancake. It is usually made with dark red Cherries with the pits left in to give it a bit of almond flavor. I don’t like having to pit cherries when they are already in my mouth, so I add just a bit of Almond Extract instead. I used Soy Milk although you can certainly use regular Milk. You can also add other stone fruits, cut up and even Blueberries, but then it is called a Flaugnarde. After it comes out of the oven, it falls slightly and is dusted with Powdered Sugar and served warm.

I was so pleased at how my Clafoutis turned out and I thought it was beautiful with Queen Anne Cherries, although dark red Cherries are a bit more dramatic looking. It also tasted just like it was supposed to – delicious!  If there’s any left after you serve it, Clafoutis is also very good for breakfast! 

Cherry Clafoutis – Gluten Free

3 Large Eggs

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

1 ¼ cups Soy Milk or Regular Milk

2/3 cup Sugar

1 cup Gluten Free Flour (I used King Arthur Gluten Free Multi Purpose)

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

½ teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

½ teaspoon Almond Extract

3 cups pitted fresh Cherries

1 heaping Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

Turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Butter a deep dish glass pie pan. In a bowl, mix 2 Tablespoons of the Sugar with the pitted Cherries.

In a mixing bowl, combine the Soy Milk, the remaining Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Vanilla and Almond Extracts and Flour. Whisk until mixed – it should feel like pancake dough. 

Pour into the prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Then turn down the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for another 15 – 20 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown and the Clafoutis is springy to the touch.  Remove from oven and cool. Sprinkle with Powdered Sugar sifted through a metal strainer before serving. Serve warm if possible. 

Five Element Analysis

Well as a dessert, you know this is primarily an Earth food, but the Cherries bring in a good amount of the Fire Element and the Extracts, Gluten Free Flour, Butter and Milk contribute quite a bit of the Metal Element too.  So this s a very good dessert for a meal with Seafood or Pork Sausages as the main dish and green vegetables as the side to bring in the Water and Wood Elements for a balanced Five Element meal.