Makes about 2 dozen tartlets.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a mini tart tin with cooking spray or butter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk, and mix. Use your hands to knead the dough until it hangs together and becomes smooth.
Take a small chunk of dough, roll it into a ball between your palms, and place it in one of the tart cups. Use a pestle (from a mortar and pestle) to press the dough down so that it spreads up the sides of the cup. Repeat until all cups are filled.
Place mini tart tin in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the shells are slightly golden. Remove from oven, press the dough down again if it has puffed up, and allow to cool.
In a medium bowl, mix together mascarpone cheese, cherries, almond extract, and honey. Fill each tartlet shell with the mixture and garnish with the toasted almonds or pistachios.
SHELLS
1 cup quinoa flour mix (page 9)
½ cup almond meal
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons milk
FILLING
1 cup mascarpone cheese
½ cup pitted cherries, crushed into small pieces
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup toasted almonds, chopped, or pistachios
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
In a large bowl, mix together peach slices, raspberries, and cornstarch. Divide between 8 to 10 ramekins.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix the butter in, using two forks, a pastry cutter, or your fingers to incorporate.
Place ramekins on a cookie sheet and divide topping between them. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until topping is golden and bubbly. Cool before serving so that ramekins don’t burn your fingers.
Rather than baking in ramekins, you can bake in a 2-quart casserole dish or a deep pie plate and then scoop into tea cups to serve, as shown here.
5 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¾ cup gluten-free oats
¾ cup quinoa flour mix (page 9)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 stick (½ cup) butter, cut into pieces
Makes about 6 small galettes.
In a food processor, combine flour, almond flour, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar and pulse to mix. Add the coconut oil and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Add cider and 4 tablespoons water, pulse, and then add 1 tablespoon water at a time until dough hangs together. Place a large piece of parchment paper on a flat work surface, form dough into a ball, and place the ball on top of the paper. Cover with another large piece of parchment paper and roll out to about ⅛ inch thick. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
Mix together the maple syrup or honey, ground almonds, cornstarch, and preserves in a small mixing bowl. When the dough is chilled, preheat oven to 375˚F. Cut the dough into circles about 4 inches in diameter and arrange on a baking sheet. Gather dough scraps and repeat.
Spread the dough rounds with the filling mixture, leaving a 1-inch border. Dot with coconut oil, and then arrange a few plum slices on each one. Fold up the pastry edges, pressing lightly to adhere as necessary.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until pastry is golden. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.
Make sure the coconut oil is soft but not liquid when you use it. If it’s too hard, heat it briefly until it softens up. If it’s too liquidy, chill it before use.
PASTRY
1½ cups quinoa flour mix (page 9)
½ cup almond flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons coconut oil, soft but not liquid
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
PLUM FILLING
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
3 tablespoons ground almonds
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup plum, apricot, or raspberry preserves
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 pounds fresh plums, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
Makes about 8 whoopie pies.
Preheat oven to 350˚F with rack in middle. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
Sift cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix until all are combined. Add half the dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Slowly add in buttermilk and continue mixing. When mixture is consistent, add remaining dry mixture and mix until smooth.
Scoop heaping tablespoons of batter onto the prepared pans. Allow about 2 inches of space between each as cakes will spread as they bake.
Bake on center rack for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cakes spring back when touched. Remove from oven and immediately transfer cakes and parchment paper onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
To prepare the filling, beat together the butter, fluff, and sugar. Add the confectioners’ sugar gradually, while beating. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix so all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag with a round tip. Pipe a dollop of filling on the flat side of half of the cooled cakes. Sandwich with remaining cookies.
CAKE
½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
2½ cups quinoa flour mix (page 9)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing 1 cup of milk with 3½ teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar)
FILLING
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Makes about a dozen pop tarts.
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk and mix. Use your hands to knead the dough until it hangs together and becomes smooth.
Line a flat work surface with parchment paper and dust with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface and place another piece of parchment paper over top. Roll out the dough to about ¼-inch thick. Peel away the top piece of parchment paper and slice dough into squares, hearts, or circles. Gather scraps into a ball, roll out again, and repeat until dough is all used up.
Spoon a little jam into the center of the pastry. Place another pastry cut-out on top. Use the back of a fork to seal the edges. Transfer to the lined baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
If you like your pop tarts sweeter, mix up some confectioners’ sugar with a bit of milk or water and drizzle the glaze over the cooled pop tarts.
PASTRY
1½ cups quinoa flour mix (page 9)
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
FILLING
6 tablespoons jam
Makes about 10.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Gradually add the flour and cornmeal, beating at low speed, until all the flour is incorporated. Gather the dough into two balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Heat oven to 375˚F and grease a baking sheet. Place a large sheet of waxed paper on a flat work surface, place one ball of dough in the center, and lay a second sheet of waxed paper over the top. Roll out the dough to about ⅛-inch thick.
Cut dough into 3 x 3-inch squares. Spread a little dulce de leche on half the squares and place a few thin slices of banana on top. Cover with another pastry square and use a fork to seal the edges. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.
Dulce de leche is a South American treat that is essentially caramelized milk. You can find it in specialty stores or online.
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1½ cups quinoa flour mix (page 9)
½ cup cornmeal
1 cup dulce de leche
2 medium bananas
Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Divide strawberries between 8 to 10 ramekins or place in a pie plate. To make the topping, combine oats, cooked quinoa, sugar, and butter and mix. Sprinkle evenly over strawberries. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tops are golden and berries are bubbly.
To make the whipped cream, beat all ingredients together until light and fluffy. Serve a dollop on each serving of crisp.
STRAWBERRY CRISP
¾ cup gluten-free oats
¾ cup cooked quinoa
½ cup sliced almonds
¾ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened
1 pound strawberries (fresh or frozen), hulls removed and sliced
WHIPPED CREAM
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon honey
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
In a saucepan, heat rhubarb and granulated sugar and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the rhubarb starts to become soft. Remove from heat. Transfer to a pie plate.
To make the topping, combine oats, cooked quinoa, brown sugar, and butter and mix. Spread over cooked rhubarb. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is golden.
For a variation, add some hulled and sliced strawberries or peach slices to the rhubarb after it has cooked!
3 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup gluten-free oats
¾ cup cooked quinoa
¾ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Place blueberries in a 9-inch pie plate.
To make the topping, combine oats, cooked quinoa, almonds, sugar, and butter and mix. Spread over blueberries. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until top is golden.
3 cups fresh or thawed blueberries
¾ cup gluten-free oats
¾ cup cooked quinoa
½ cup sliced almonds
¾ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 stick (½ cup) butter, softened
Makes 8 servings.
Preheat oven to 400˚F. Grease 8 six- to eight-ounce ramekins.
In a small bowl combine quinoa flour, quinoa, nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork mix in butter until coarse crumbs are formed.
In a large bowl combine pears and apples. Toss with sugar and flour. Add lemon juice and apple juice and stir until well combined. Place apple mixture in ramekins and top with streusel. Bake for 40 minutes.
This recipe comes from Gluten-Free Quintessential Desserts by Wendy Polisi.
½ cup toasted quinoa flour
½ cup cooked quinoa
¼ cup chopped walnuts or sliced almonds
¼ cup coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons Earth Balance or butter, softened
3 medium apples, peeled and chopped
3 medium pears, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
1 tablespoon toasted quinoa flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup apple cider or apple juice
