Gluten Free baked Xmas treats

macb, Dec 2, 7:26am
I would like to make a christmas baked gift for someone who is gluten free. I know nothing about being gluten free and have never made anything gluten free. Recipes or suggestions would be really appreciated. thanks

cgvl, Dec 2, 7:49am
Use Gluten free flour or a mix of rice flour, arrowroot and almond flour.
Make sure you clean down your surfaces really really well and read the labels on your baking powder etc to make sure it doesn't contain gluten or wheat, barley or oats.
I just use my standard recipes but substitute with gluten free flour.
I use the following for all my biscuits, cakes and basic baking. It isn't suitable for making sauces and I haven't as yet attempted to make profiteroles with it.
This book: GF Cookies by Luane Kohnke has a substitute recipe for flour.
Replace 1 cup wheat flour with the following:
2/3rds cup rice flour
3Tbsp potato starch (not flour)
1Tbsp plus 3tsp of Arrowroot/Tapioca flour
¼ cup Almond flour/ ground/meal
¼ tsp xnathan gum or guar gum or leave out altogether
If you double or quadruple this mix you can use less of the gum. Xanthan gum is expensive guar gum is cheaper by far.
Hope that helps. you can use other flours but this mix is the most consistent I have found.

macb, Dec 2, 8:04am
cgvl. Thank you so much.

davidt4, Dec 2, 8:21am
Before you go ahead you should find out if the intended recipient has coeliac disease or is just gluten intolerant. If the former then you will need to take extreme steps to eliminate gluten contamination I.e. don't use any utensils or boards or containers that have come into contact with gluten. This is very difficult.

If she/he is merely gluten intolerant then you don't need to be quite so fussy but do check ingredients like baking powder and vanilla extract to make sure they are gluten free.

autumnwinds, Dec 2, 11:24am
This recipe is for a vegan Gingerbread Men recipe, that is also GF - if you use the GF method fully explained in the link. A tinny bitt fidly, ad if you haven't use aquafaba before, it take a little time to get your head around the idea of using chickpe liquid, reduced, instead of egg, but it's fully explained, and relatively easy if you taak it step-by-step. Even the icing flavourings suggested are vegan/GF.
http://www.lazycatkitchen.com/vegan-gingerbread-cookies/ Another great site for GF Christmas cookies is this one - I highly recommend it. There's 60 choices here - just take the recommendations of the author, she's excellent for GF food, so put your friend onto it, too. https://www.callmepmc.com/60-creative-fun-christmas-cookies/

I have times when gluten stuffs up my system, so I'm don't have coeliac disease, but my body reacts badly to gluten at times, so I have a store of recipes that I use, which is why I recommend these two sites in particular.

If you don't want to make cookies, then I have a really delicious cake recipe next, that ANYONE can enjoy, it's so nice! Again, follow the instructions carefully. and it's so worth it!

autumnwinds, Dec 2, 11:27am
This one is one I've adapted myself, even making an Apple version from the original Mediterranean Orange Cake. Dee-lissssh-us!

Mediterranean Orange Cake (2 days) Gluten and dairy free

23cm tin
3 oranges – cut off tops and bottoms only, simmer gently for 2 hours, drain, puree. Cover and chill several hours or overnight . I do mine, 6 at a time, in a crockpot – high until simmer, then low, for about 4 hours, use one quantity next day, and freeze the other half (weighed as required for the recipe) for another cake).

15g GF baking powder
310g ground almonds
8 eggs (7 works fine if 7’s)
310g caster sugar
flaked almonds
Grease and line tin. Heat oven to 170 C.
Mix baking powder & almonds together.
Mix eggs & sugar together until just combined. Do not beat.
Measure 375g of orange puree, add to eggs along with almond mixture.
Mix gently until well combined. Pour into tin and scatter with flaked almonds.
Bake 60 - 80 min. Cool overnight in tin.

Makes a moist gateau – gorgeous!

Trial has produced a similar cake with Apple.

3 sharp eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 lemon, juice only

Place the apples into a pan with the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on a low heat for about 7-9 minutes or until the apples are soft enough to roughly mash with a fork. Do not over-mash, though. You still want a little bite and texture. Leave to cool.
Use the apple in place of the orange pulp (375 gm) in the above recipe. Can add cinnamon if liked.

macb, Dec 3, 4:16am
Thanks for all your help.

norse_westie, Dec 3, 6:20am
This. A coeliac will thank you with grace but absolutely not chance eating your food.

gennie, Dec 7, 8:24am
I make the med orange cake recipe above several times a year. Excellent recipe.

Other Christmas treats include floretines (sp?) (little and Friday recipe - easy to make with no gluten in them just cream, butter, sugar, honey, nuts, Glace or dried fruit.

I also do a butter crunch toffee (1 c sugar, 220 g butter , 1/4 t salt. Cook in pot on medium heat stirring constantly until peanut butter colour. Pour over a scattered cup of roasted almonds (scattered on a baking tray lined with baking paper ). Cover with chocolate buttons. When melted spread out to cover top of toffee (like icing ). Sprinkle sprinkle chocolate with chopped nuts. Break into pieces when set).

cgvl, Dec 7, 9:46am
you have to be careful with dried fruit and chocolate both can contain gluten, it depends on how they are processed.

ed65, Dec 7, 7:17pm
I'm with norse_westie. It's very kind of you to want to bake something but if the recipient has coeliac disease (CD) then there's a good chance they won't eat what you've made for them. Who wants to risk getting sick, especially at this time of the year? The only people I'd ever accept GF home baking from are my sister-in-law & her daughter, because they have CD too.

gilligee, Nov 26, 9:54am
I agree with this! She will have her food sorted.
There is a worlds choice of presents you can give her.