Tag Archives: gluten free

Pistachio Macarons (To be revisited)

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Wow… my last post was in 2014. Now that’s some serious procrastination. I’ve been procrasti-baking of course, but haven’t got around to taking photos or posting anything on this. This blog post was meant to be about gingerbread men that I made in December 2015… but let’s just say it’s a bit far gone and I’ve forgot the recipe!

(Ok… So, I wrote that previous paragraph about a year ago… I’m a disgrace!)

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I’ll admit I’m quite an amateur when it comes to making macarons but I’m determined to eventually perfect them. Now when I made these about a year ago (oops…) they worked out quite well. I even think I still have some of the buttercream in the freezer… which I now realise I should really throw out.

According to my draft from last year, the recipe I used is from The Extraordinary Art of Cake. But… I have a vague recollection that I used a different buttercream recipe. I figured despite my forgetfulness and procrastination, I’d post the photos I took at the time and come back to this later!

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To be continued…

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Oat & Raisin Cookies

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If I’m making cookies, usually the decision whether to add chocolate or not is not even questioned. In this case however, it really isn’t needed. (I know – blasphemy!)

These are seriously addictive; you can’t just have one. Go on, I dare you.

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Ingredients:
170g butter
100g brown sugar (demerara or light brown sugar)
100g caster sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla
220g self-raising flour (I used GF)
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground mixed spice
¼ tsp nutmeg
250g oats
100g raisins
30g desiccated coconut

This recipe was a bit of an experiment of adding a bit of everything. If in doubt, I tend to put coconut in everything. I’m sure adding chocolate, nuts or anything else would work too.

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Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter with both sugars. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.

Sieve in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground mixed spice and nutmeg. Whisk until incorporated.

Beat in the oats, then add the raisins and coconut. (I’m sure you could try adding in anything else here: chocolate, cranberries, nuts, etc.)

Shape the cookies and flatten slightly. I’d say I used about a tablespoon of the mixture per cookie… probably more. Use your best judgement.

Put them in the oven for about 10-15 mins. They will be pretty soft when you take them out so you have to leave them to cool for about 10 minutes before trying to take them off the parchment. I was impatient and tried to take one off immediately. I thought my experimental recipe had gone horribly wrong but they sorted themselves out after a few minutes.

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Got milk?

Lemon & Strawberry Poppy Seed Pancakes

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After seeing this on Pinterest, I knew I NEEDED to make these. Every time I looked at the picture, the urge to whip up some pancakes became stronger. I couldn’t resist any longer.

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I love lemon. I love strawberries. I love pancakes. What could go wrong? Except for maybe a potential gluten-free flour disaster – it has a mind of its own.

The original recipe is from Creme de la Crumb.

For the Syrup:
200g(ish) strawberries
150g sugar
100ml water
1 tbsp honey
½ tsp vanilla

For the Pancakes:
210g self-raising flour (I used GF)
10-15g poppy seeds
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
50g sugar
240ml buttermilk
½ tsp vanilla
1 egg
150g strawberries

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Directions: 
To make the syrup, add the strawberries, sugar, water, honey and vanilla to a pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves and then blend the mixture until smooth. Place syrup back on the heat to thicken while making the pancakes.

Combine the flour, poppy seeds, baking soda and salt.

Whisk together the lemon juice, zest and sugar. Add in the buttermilk, vanilla and egg – whisk until smooth.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Whisk together. Dice the strawberries and fold into the mixture.

Heat a pan, grease with butter and begin!

My first few pancakes were a disaster until the pan heated up – and no, there aren’t any photos of them. They should take about a minute on each side.

Serve with the strawberry syrup and strawberries.

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P.S. You will have a ridiculous amount of syrup left over. Unless of course you drown your pancakes. Even still, I don’t know if it’s possible unless you actually drink it.

You now have my permission to stuff your face.

Coconut Pecan Brownies

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Three words: Coconut. Pecan. Brownies. What better way to kick start my blog than with this recipe!

1.11I may have a slight obsession with coconut, pecans AND of course brownies, so when I stumbled upon these beauties about 4 years ago from The Craving Chronicles I was itching to test them out. And yes, I found this recipe through procrastination (Stumble Upon). Who ever said procrastination was a waste of time? I could literally spend hours salivating over the photos from Theresa’s blog. Make sure to check out the foodgawker gallery, although you may need something to wipe the drool from your mouth after you do. I can’t begin to describe just how amazing these golden, crunchy yet gooey brownies are. Don’t hesitate! You need to get up and make these right now. I mean it. Reeaaaddddyyyyy? Go! You won’t regret it.

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After I first made these, I was hooked. Addicted – as was everyone else who ate them. These chocolaty delights are now my go-to dessert, and are often requested (or demanded) to be present for special occasions.

Makes 24-32 *(may vary depending on greediness)

For the Brownie Base:
170g salted butter
240g caster sugar
55g cocoa powder
85g self-raising flour
2 large eggs

For the Coconut Crust:
397g tin condensed milk
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g desiccated coconut
100g pecans
150g chocolate

As wonderful as the original recipe was, I made a few adjustments and changed the measurements from cups because that’s just how I roll. Roll? Mix? Whisk? You get the idea.

The original recipe says to use unsalted butter and salt, so I usually cut out the middle man and use salted butter. Laziness at its finest!

I generally use Odlum’s Tritamyl flour so my wheat intolerant mother can enjoy them too. It’s a gluten free flour and substitutes for wheat flour very well in most recipes – unless you’re making bread, maybe. Or waffles. Or most things with yeast.

And as for the coconut M&M’s that Theresa uses, yeah, well that’s just not happening in Ireland… If the glorious day comes when I can find them, maybe I’ll give it a go. For now it’s good ‘ole Dairy Milk (a staple food group in the average Irish diet).

I am a firm believer in using chopped chocolate over chocolate chips – bigger chunks, more substantial etc. This is not a debatable discussion in my opinion: Chunks > Chips.

1.14 Directions:
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a 9×13 inch tin, or any other similar rectangular tin, with foil or parchment and grease.

I’m lazy, so this is all getting done in one bowl. Melt the butter and whisk in sugar.

Then whisk in eggs to make a thick batter. Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and whisk to incorporate.

Pour the batter into the baking tin and put in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Leave brownie layer to cool slightly while preparing the coconut crust layer and lower the oven to 175°C.

Still using the same bowl as the previous step, whisk the condensed milk and egg. Add in the vanilla.

Chop the chocolate into chunks. Cut or break pecans. (Note that breaking pecans by hand is extremely satisfying.) Add this and the desiccated coconut to the mixture and stir together.

Spread this mixture over the brownie layer, covering the entire surface of the brownies.

Back in the oven they go for around 20 minutes to get the top crust a nice golden colour.

If you have any self-restraint at all, leave the brownies to cool before cutting into bars.

Enjoy!