An increasing number of people are intolerant to gluten or have chosen to remove it from their diets. However by removing gluten you can still enjoy cakes and yummy treats with a few simple tips from Louisa Kiddle who has her very own dedicated gluten-free stall in Loddon farmers market the 4th Saturday of the month. It’s the only dedicated gluten-free stall I have come across – if you know of any more please share them here.
Louisa’s Top Tips
– When using the popular Doves farm flour you will need to use a little more liquid plus a little extra gluten-free baking powder for extra lift.
– Try and incorporate as much air as possible when baking by using a good electric mixer especially when mixing your wet ingredients/eggs.
– I recommend the gluten-free flour that Letheringsett water-mill produce. Bear in mind it is plain/all purpose and you will need to use extra baking powder or bicarbonate. Have a look at their website for a full list of local stockists.
– I often visit Hethersett Farm Shop for gluten-free flours and raising agents but all the supermarkets are increasingly holding good stocks of gluten-free baking products.
– Look for flour alternative recipes that use ground almonds, coconut and polenta instead of flour. These are delicious!
– When using polenta to bake make sure you soak the dry polenta in the juice for at least 2-3 hours so that it absorbs the moisture completely.
– One of my favourite recipes is chocolate brownies using kidney beans and apple – yes you read that right kidney beans!
Louisa’s Kidney Bean and Vanilla Apple Brownies with Vanilla
Louisa has adapted this recipe from a fantastic website The Coeliac Baker that looks at all things gluten-free
Ingredients
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 medium eggs
40 grams cocoa powder
80 grams caster sugar
20 grams black treacle
1 apple, grated or cut in to small chunks
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1 tablespoon cold water
80 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Prepare an 18cm (7″) square cake tin by oiling the base and sides and lining the base with greaseproof paper.
3. Put everything except the dark chocolate, into a food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Fold in the chocolate.
5. Pour into your cake tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Allow to cool completely in the tin and turn out to slice.
Cut into squares and enjoy.
Lemon Drizzle Cake
This is one of my favourite recipes and I sold it on my market to the delight of my gluten intolerant customers and is made with mashed potatoes!
Ingredients
200 gram butter softened slightly
200 grams caster sugar
4 free range eggs
180 grams ground almonds
250 grams mashed potatoes
zest four lemons
2 teaspoon gluten free baking power
Lemon Drizzle
4 tablespoon caster sugar
Juice of 1 large lemon (or two small)
Method
1. Heat your oven to 180C fan.
2. Grease and line a 20 cm deep round cake tin.
3. cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add the eggs beating slowly all the while.
5. Fold in the almonds, mashed potato (cold), lemon zest and baking powder.
6. Pour into your prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
7. In it’s tin take a tooth pick and make a few little holes.
8. Mix the sugar and lemon juice for the glaze together and microwave for three minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.
9. Pour over the cake and let it soak in and go cold in the tin.
10. Let the cake go completely cold before you remove it from the tin and eat with some pouring cream or on it’s own with a nice cup of Earl Grey.
Follow me at BakewithClaire
bakewithclaire 