Archive for Desserts
Holiday Meringue Cookies
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I’ve had so much fun making meringue cookies. There is so much you can do with them. They are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Perfect for most of us. (Of course, if you have a problem with eggs, this isn’t the cookie for you.) They are light and airy, crispy on the outside, a little chewy inside, and oh so yummy.
I’ve already shared the rubber duckies and ghosts I’ve made in the past. Now, I’m sharing some that are more appropriate for this season: Snowmen and Christmas Trees!
Basic Meringue Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:
2 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
food coloring (optional)
1/2 Cup superfine sugar
candy for decorating (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 200° F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites until they become foamy little bubbles. Add the cream of tartar, almond extract, and food coloring. Continue beating at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the sugar while beating until smooth and glossy and stiff peaks form.
- Fill a piping bag with open or large round tip. (I used Wilton disposable decorating bags.) If you don’t have these, you can simply use a zip-style plastic bag and cut the tip off a corner to squeeze out the meringue.
- Next add candy to finish the look.
- Place in the oven and bake for 2-3 hours. (Smaller, thinner cookies will bake/dry out in 2 hours. Larger, fluffier cookies will need more time or they will be sticky on the bottom.)
- Let them cool on the cookie sheets.
- Place them on a plate to serve, or store in an airtight container.
Snowman Notes:
For the snowmen, I started by squeezing out a round shape of meringue for the head then moved to the middle and bottom to finish it.- I used Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips
for the eyes and buttons, and cut up Tootsie Roll Midgees
for the boots. I’m thinking now that I should’ve cut out some hats, too. What would Frosty be without a hat?
- For the “carrot” nose on the snowmen, I used orange colored Jimmies
.
- I was able to make 15 snowmen from one recipe.
Christmas Tree Notes:
For the Christmas Trees, I started squeezing out the meringue at the top of the tree. Then, I made diagonal zigzags to finish the shape.- I tried two different sprinkles for the ornaments/lights on the trees – Rainbow Sprinkles
and Rainbow Sparkling Sugar
. I think I like them best plain.
- For the star/diamond on the top of the tree, I didn’t have any star-shaped candies or sprinkles. Instead I cut mini marshmallows into thirds then covered with yellow sugar for the star/diamond on the tree. I gave the ends a little squeeze to make them diamond-shaped.
- My kids thought the trees needed trunks, so I cut up Tootsie Roll Midgees into quarters.
- I was able to make 20 Christmas Trees from one recipe.
**Be creative and use whatever extra candy you have. These Jumbo Star Sprinkles
More Meringue Cookie Recipes:
- Carol’s Chocolate Cherry Cloud Cookies at Simply…Gluten-Free
- Shirley’s Coconut Meringue Cookies at Gluten Free Easily
- Zoe’s Crispy Crunchy Meringue Cookies made with honey instead of sugar at Z’s Cup of Tea
- Celiac Family’s Rubber Duckies Meringue Cookies and Raspberry Divinity Tarts
- Celiac Family’s Ghost Meringue Cookies
Ghost Meringue Cookies
Raspberry Divinity Tarts
Rubber Duckie Cookies
Review Even More Great Recipes at:
- Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker where you’ll find more gluten-free recipes. The theme this month is chocolate, so you may find lots of GF chocolate recipes this week!
- Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free where you’ll find more great recipes that are a little healthier.
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
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This is a fairly simple, traditional recipe that I put together for our Thanksgiving family gathering this year. I always enjoy sweet potato casserole for the holidays. I usually prefer a crunchy pecan and brown sugar topping, but decided to change it up a little this year. I know some people always look forward to the toasted marshmallows on top. So, this year, I did both. This is now my favorite way to eat them. I’d like to think of this as a vegetable side dish, but really it’s sweet enough to call it dessert. This is the picture I took before baking. Sorry, I forgot to take the “after” shot.
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients:
Main Ingredients:
4 large Sweet Potatoes or Yams, peeled, cooked and mashed (about 4 lbs or 8 cups)
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter, softened
1 TBSP Maple Syrup
3/4 Cup Almond Milk (I used vanilla flavored.)
Topping Ingredients:
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/3 Cup Butter, melted
1 Cup Small Marshmallows
Directions:
- Cook and peel the sweet potatoes, or yams. I like to score the skin on the yams both around the middle and lengthwise. Then I put them into boiling water and simmer until they are fork tender (about 20-30 min.).
- While the yams are cooking, combine the first four topping ingredients with a fork and set aside.
- When the yams are done, remove them from the heat and drain the water. Cover with cold water to cool down. If the skin hasn’t come off already, gently pull the skin off.
- Mash the yams and add the rest of the main ingredients. Combine thoroughly. You may want to beat the ingredients together for a smoother, fluffier texture.
- Spread the yams/sweet potato mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish. (You can cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator at this point, if you are saving for the next day.)
- Then top the yams with the mini marshmallows and pecan mixture in alternating diagonal stripes.
- Bake at 350° F for 30-40 minutes, or until the yams are bubbly hot and the marshmallows are lightly browned.
Additional Notes:
- To make ahead: I made this the day before Thanksgiving, skipping step 2 and ending at step 5 the first day. On the morning of Thanksgiving, I took the dish out of the refrigerator and let set on the counter while I worked on step 2 of the directions and preheated the oven. I then finished the baking with steps 6 and 7.
- If the marshmallows don’t brown after 40 minutes, put it under the broiler for a few minutes. But watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn.
Notable Links:
- I’ve linked this recipe to this week’s edition Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.
- For a savory, rather than sweet, sweet potato recipe, try Amy’s recipe for Crispy Sweet Potatoes at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.
Fruit Pizza Dessert
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Every year, we get together with family to celebrate all the summer family birthdays. Most years, each person has already had a birthday cake to celebrate on their special day. So, when we finally all get together with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents, we often do something other than birthday cake for the dessert. Last year, we had chocolate fondue for dessert. This year, I decided to make a dessert pizza with fresh fruit.
It was a busy weekend for us, and I actually decided last minute what I was making, so I took a short cut and used Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix
Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Dessert
Ingredients:
Sugar Cookie Dough (2 Cherrybrook Kitchen mixes, 1 Cup margarine, 1/2 Cup rice milk, 5 tsp vanilla)
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 Cup powdered sugar, sifted
Variety of fruit, sliced (I used 3 kiwis, a pint of strawberries and a handful of blueberries.)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F.- Make the sugar cookie crust. Follow the recipe as usual for the sugar cookie dough. (I combined two mixes with 1 Cup melted butter, 1/2 Cup almond milk, and 5 tsp vanilla.)
- Place the dough on a large sheet of Parchment Paper
and top with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Then roll, or press, out the dough to a 16″ round. Remove the plastic wrap and slide the parchment paper with dough onto a Pizza Pan
or cookie sheet.
- Place the large cookie dough into the oven, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until it starts to brown around the edges.
- Remove the pizza crust from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. The parchment paper will make it easy to slide the crust off the cookie sheet and onto the wire rack.
- Mix up the cream cheese spread by thoroughly mixing together the cream cheese and powdered sugar.
- Once the crust is completely cooled, spread the cream cheese/sugar mixture evenly over the top of the crust.
- Now add the sliced fruit to the pizza. If you are going to make a fun design, I suggest you start in the middle and work your way out to the edges.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until time to serve.
Additional Notes:
We cut our pizza into 16 large servings.- Each Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix
- Feel free to use any variety of fruit: berries, peaches, nectarines, mango, cherries, etc. You can also use bananas, but remember they will brown so add them right before you serve it.
- Want more fruit? Cut thick slices, overlap the fruit, or just pile it all on. Get creative and have fun!
- You can also use canned fruit, but be sure to drain any sauce or liquid completely from it, so it doesn’t make the pizza soggy.
- Some of our family members added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to top their pizza slice. I don’t think it needs any topping, but if it sounds good to you, you may also consider topping with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or a simple glaze.
- You don’t have to make this as a round pizza. Use a baking sheet/jelly roll pan for the crust. Then, cut into squares for serving. Or, halve the recipe, press it into a 9×13 pan, and bake it for about 15-20 minutes.
- This is such an easy dessert to make, it would be a great project for the kids to make.
Notable Links:
- Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Sugar Cookie Mix
- This Gluten-Free Sugar Cookie Recipe from scratch makes about 4 dozen cookies, so you should only need to make one batch.
- Visit Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker for more gluten-free recipes and ideas.
Brownie Pops Flower Bouquet
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My birthday this week didn’t turn out quite like I expected. I was hoping to spend the morning shopping, but instead had a sick child, and ended up keeping both of my kids home from school. But, although cleaning up vomit is not my idea of fun, it ended up being a pretty good day after all. We slept in late and spent the day in our pajamas watching movies, playing lots of games, creating mosaic art projects, and making brownie pops. Since we had the time, I decided to make the brownies into a fun flower bouquet. I thought they turned out so cute, I might just use the idea for a teacher gift at the end of the year.
Brownie Pops Flower Bouquet
What You’ll Need:
One GF brownie recipe (Try Gluten-Free Girl’s recipe or a mix from the Gluten-Free Pantry or Betty Crocker.)
Cupcake Paper Liners
Directions:
- Mix the brownie batter according to the package or recipe instructions.
- Lightly spray the pan with oil. Then, fill the pan cavities 3/4 full and bake at the recipe/package recommended temperature.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until done.
- While the brownies are baking, prepare a vase for the brownie pops. I filled a ceramic vase with floral foam to hold the pops in place. You can cover the foam with tissue paper or wrapping paper to make it look prettier.
- Cut the cupcake papers to make flower petals. Fold the paper liner in half twice, and cut the bottom out. You can also do this with construction paper, but the cupcake liners are quick and easy.
- When the brownies are done, gently remove them from the pan and let them cool on a rack.
- When the brownies have cooled slightly, slide a pop stick into each of the brownies.
- If desired, dip the brownies into melted chocolate or candy and let dry completely before putting on the paper petal ring.
- If you’re not dipping the brownies into melted candy, simply slide the paper petal ring over the brownie pop and slide a pop stick into one side of the brownies. The stick will help keep the petals in place.
- I made 16 brownie pops with one brownie recipe.
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Additional Notes:
You can really use your imagination to come up with more ideas on this one.
- I cut the edges of the paper liners on some of these to make more-defined flower petals. You could also cut petals out of construction paper or wrapping paper for brighter colors.
- You can dip the brownie pops into a variety of colored candy melts, for a more vibrantly colored flower. Add sprinkles or sugar while the candy is still wet so it sticks.
- Insert the pop sticks into the brownies at various angles, to give the bouquet some variety.
- If you don’t have the pop sticks, try Craft Sticks
or chop sticks.
- You can also make these without the sticks. Scallop the edges of the cupcake papers to look like a flower, but don’t cut out the bottom. Then, just place the brownie bites, flat side down, into the cupcake papers. A plate of these brownie flowers would be a great way to offer a treat at a party. And thanks to the papers, no plates or napkins would be needed.
- These would make a great gift for teacher appreciation, mother’s day, or a flower theme party.
Notable Links:
- Recipe for Gluten-Free Brownies at Gluten-Free Girl are made with brown rice flour and tapioca flour.
- Elana’s Pantry makes Chocolate Chip Brownies made with almond butter and agave nectar, but no flour.
- Emeril Legasse makes Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Brownies made with brown rice flour, applesauce, and banana.
- The Spunky Coconut has Grain-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free Brownies and a Vegan version too.
Chocolate Creme Brulee – Dairy-Free!
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So, if you’ve read my original post about Chocolate Crème Brulée, you’ll know that I discovered this wonderful dessert at the Bonefish Grill. It was so good, I just had to try to recreate it! I thought I did a pretty good job of coming up with a good recipe, though I don’t put in the Grand Marnier that I suspect the restaurant does. It does taste really good, but I find that an hour after eating it, I don’t feel so good. Too much dairy left me feeling bloated and lethargic.
So, when I read that Amy (of Simply Sugar & Gluten Free) was hosting this month’s roundup for ‘Go, Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free’ with a theme of Guiltless Pleasures, I knew what I wanted to submit: A Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Creme Brulee recipe.
So, I started re-working my recipe to use coconut milk instead of milk or cream. Creating baked recipes is never easy for me because I am always distracted or interrupted by the phone, kids, schedules, etc. That means that measurements and directions often get messed up — like when I forgot to put the vanilla in, or when I put in whole eggs, instead of separating them like I intended to do. So, a few trials and errors later, I finally got it done.
It has a rich chocolate flavor and is quite satisfying. It is not as smooth and creamy as the original recipe with cream, but this delightful dessert is definitely a guiltless pleasure for me! I haven’t submitted a recipe for ‘Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free’ before, but I am happy to present this recipe as my new Guiltless Pleasure. It’s not exactly an everyday recipe, but one that is easy to prepare, easier on the tummy, and oh so yummy.
Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Chocolate Crème Brûlée
Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.-can) Coconut milk (Don’t use the “lite” variety.)
3.5 oz. of chocolate (I used a dark bar of 70% cocoa.); finely chopped
5 Egg yolks
1/3 Cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
For sugar topping: 2 Tbsp sugar + 2 Tbsp brown sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Position oven rack in the middle.
- Shake up a can of coconut milk. Then pour it into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. (If shaking the can of coconut milk didn’t blend the cream and liquid, be sure to whisk together until evenly blended.) Once the milk is simmering, remove it from the heat and pour in the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and blended well with the coconut milk.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Pour a small amount of the hot chocolate mixture into the yolks and thoroughly whisk together. Then, slowly whisk in the rest of the hot chocolate mixture. Continue to whisk together until smooth. (It’s important to do this slowly so you don’t cook the egg yolks with the hot chocolate mixture.)
- Whisk in the vanilla, and set aside to cool.
Place four 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups in a baking pan. Fill the ramekins with the chocolate mixture. Then fill the baking pan with water so it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the custard is set. Carefully remove the custards from the water and cool on wire racks. Refrigerate the custards for 6 hours or overnight.- Preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, thoroughly combine 2 TBSP sugar with 2 TBSP brown sugar, breaking up any clumps. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the tops of the custards.
- Broil the custards 2 inches from the heat source for 2-3 minutes to melt the sugar. Watch the custards carefully so that the sugar melts and lightly caramelizes but doesn’t burn. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Additional Notes:
- If you have a kitchen torch, you can use that to melt the sugar instead of the broiler.
- To get the ramekins close enough to the broiler to melt the sugar, I place the ramekins on top of an upside down baking pan and place it on the top rack of the oven.
Notable Links:
- Celiac Family’s recipe for Chocolate Creme Brulee with dairy.
- Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free hosts ‘Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free’ – Guiltless Pleasures!
- ‘Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free’ Blog Carnival schedule at Straight Into Bed Cakefree and Dried
- For more gluten-free recipes with coconut milk, visit Friday Foodie Fix at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.
