Monday 27 June 2011

Whirlwind Weekend!

This weekend has been hectic! Made a whirlwind trip back home to attend my friends hen do,  we headed to Hoxton in London for dinner, cocktails and dancing.  Such a fun night but it ain't easy being gluten free at a Italian pizza restaurant... i fought doughy temptation... got myself home at the very small hours and passed out with a half eaten PB+J sandwich.

On Sunday morning, whilst nursing a sore head, I sewed badges, baked and packaged dog treats to sell at a local craft fair. The weather was gorgeous and HAWT. In the evening me and the pup caught the train back down south as today i started a new job teaching. I'm pretty knackered and ready for bed and a hot cocoa but here's a quick picture round up...
 
  
freshly baked bobbin's bones
the badges
 The Hens!

OH AND I RECIEVED MY DEGREE RESULTS!.... 2:1!!!  YES. I HAVE A HONOURS IN KNITTTING.

Wednesday 22 June 2011

GLUTEN FREE AMARETTO AND CHEERY CHEESECAKES

I was hoping to do a waffley post but so far my waffles still need work, im enjoying the taste tests though non the less!

Whilst doing the weekly shop, strolling around my supermarket, I came across, to my delight gluten free amaretto biscuits, snapped the packet up and ran home,  nibbled a few then it hit me, I realised ... i wanted pudding.... a real pudding. so i present to you my mini gluten free baked cheesecakes! using no/low fat cream cheese makes thsi tastey treat guilt free and my sensitive tummy very happy.

the fresh chopped cherries and creamy vanilla filling go hand in hand with the sweet almond biscuits.  

Bobbin's been keeping a good eye over these baked mini marvels... she doesnt have the most sophisticated palette nor a sweet tooth (she devoured gravy and cheesey rice for breakfast), but i can promise you these are good... too good ...baked 6 but only 2 made it to the photo shoot ;)  no self control but who needs it when these are so low in caloires (75 each).... nutrional info here!

Mini Baked Amaretto Cherry Cheesecake
  •  12 Amaretto Biscuts crushed (2 per case)
  • 200g non fat cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup powder/granulated sweetener
  • 2 egg whites
  •  1/2 cup pitted and chopped fresh cherries
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. line a cupcake tray with 6 paper cases, in each case crumble finely 2 amaretto biscuits
2. in a bowl whish egg whites until soft peaked and fluffy. set aside.
3. in another bowl, mix cream cheese, vanilla extract and sweetner mix until combined and then add cherries.
4. carefully fold in egg whites and spoon mixture into the individual cases.
5. bake at 180C / 350F for 20 mintues. remove from tray and cool on rack.
6. once completely cool place in fridge until chilled. dust with icing sugar to serve.

Monday 20 June 2011

Waffle Ironings.

I have a new toy... a waffle maker. I have been lusting over one of these forever and today is the day my dreams came true. too many flavour possibilities whirling around my head and I have so many book marked recipes in my tool bar, I just don't know which one to start off with but here goes...
 Waffle iron  [on] off
Today is going to be a good day...

Sunday 19 June 2011

Beanie Brownies!

One of the comments on my Chick Pea Blondie recipe inquired about using a different kinda bean/ legume for the base mix... This got the cogs turning and me thinking about the possible yummy variations ...so I took my Blondie recipe and made it even more decadent and chocolaty by using a tin of black beans and adding 2 tsp of good quality cocoa powder to the mix .... Still healthy, but taste oh so more indulgent! ....aaaand gluten free!


CHOCOLATE BLACK BEAN BROWNIES
1 tin of Black beans
1 banana
1 egg
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup sweetener
2 tbsp peanut butter
chocolate chips
Chopped nuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract 

Follow the same directions for the blondies! I also made some chocolate icing to drizzle because my sweet tooth was in overdrive.

Saturday 18 June 2011

Chedder Biscuits for Beebz and me..

 
Ive been baking batches of healthy homemade dog biscuits using my trusty old recipe.  I used mature chedder and carrots this time. as a discerning dog owner its good to know that nothing but goodness goes into Bobbins food and treats, only  the best for my Beebz. I'm going to make some extra dough and male some to sell at a local fate!
 These biscuity dog treats are smelt so good whilst in the oven, I had to make myself a gluten free version using fine cornmeal flour and fresh rosemary.  Served them up warm and buttered with some fresh homemade tom and basil soup. sooo yummy and comforting.

Thursday 16 June 2011

Gluten free Orange and Cranberry nutty biscuits.

This week I have been working as a Teaching Assistant at a primary school. Its been great gaining some classroom experience before i start work for real in September.  I have loved every moment! from listening to them read, getting messy with glue and cardboard and dancing around in P.E. The children are adorable, attentive and so eager to learn.



I have also enjoyed the Home time... the satisfied feeling of completing a full days work walking Bobbin then collapsing on the sofa for the evening with dinner and some trash t.v. 

Last night on my walk home all i could think about was a cuppa english tea and a buttery biscuit to dunk...
Gluten free Orange and Cranberry nutty biscuits.
I used a recipe from one of my new gluten free cookery books!
I reduced and adapted the printed recipe using polenta and ground almonds as the base. this biscuits packed alot of flavour. (oh and i accidentally used GF bread flour which sorta affected the crunch... but its the flavour that counts right....RIGHT....just make sure you wake up a bit and read the packaging)

1/4 cup polenta
3 tbsp ground almonds
2 tsp gluten free flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp melted margarine
orane zest
1/2 tsp orange essense
2 tsp dried cranberries
1/2 tsp xanthum gum

  • Prepare a baking tray with baking paper or spray with oil. place polenta, almonds, flour and powders in a bowl.
  • Pour in essence, honey and butter and bring together, mix in cranberries and combine until a dough ball in formed.
  • Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes
  • Pre heat oven to 180 C/ 350 F
  • Roll out dough and cut out  rounds and place them onto the prepared tray.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, remove from tray and transfer to cooling rack... 
  • Boil kettle... make hot beverage of choice... and get dunkin'

Sunday 5 June 2011

GLUTEN FREE ZINGY LEMON CURD CUPCAKES


 
As promised earlier in the week, here is my recipe for the Gluten free cupcakes I baked and devoured for my birthday!
 Generously decorated with a lemon butter cream and filled with lemon curd centre for an extra surprise zesty hit!
 Ingredients for Gluten free lemon cupcakes
  • 125 g butter, softened
  • 125 g caster sugar
  • 1/2 large lemon, finely grated zest only
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 150 g plain gluten free flour mix (I used Doves)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1tsp xanthum gum
  • 6 tbsp Quality Lemon curd (the cheap stuff is usually full of rubbish!) 
For the lemon butter icing
  • 75 g butter or margerine, softened
  • 175 g icing sugar, sifted
  • 1/2 large lemon, finely grated zest only 
  • juice of half a lemon 
 Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ gas 4. Line a 6 hole muffin tin with large paper cases.

2. Cream the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add the sugar and grated lemon zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, then sift in the flour gum and baking powder and fold into the mixture. Alternatively, whiz all the ingredients together in an electric food mixer.

3. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until risen and golden. When cooked, the centre of each cake should be slightly springy to the touch. Remove the cakes from the tin and put on a wire rack to cool before you ice them.

4. For the lemon butter icing, cream the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon or hand-held electric beater until very soft. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat into the butter, along with the lemon zest and enough lemon juice to soften the icing to a spreadable consistency.

5. When the cupcakes are cool, cut out circular holes from the top and  centre and remove 'lid' and set aside. spoon out a little bit of cake and drop in a dollop of good quality lemon curd. 

6. Replace top and decorate with butter icing, extra zest and sprinkles!!
 

Thursday 2 June 2011

Happy Birthday to me...

makin' a wish for more cakes on my third birthday
 Fast forward 20 years and I'm still surrounding my self with cupcakes. Yep, yesterday i turned 23. and i celebrated with some birthday baking in the morning...
Gluten free zesty cupcakes with a lemon curd centre and butter cream icing!

 Heaven! Recipe will be posted tomorrow!
In the afternoon Mr. Bake n Beebz whisked me to the park for a surprise outing...
Boating on Stanbrough lakes! It was a beautiful warm summer's day and i had so much fun, couldn't get the knack of that rowing, though, the only place we were going was round in circles, so left all that hard work to harry and sat back, enjoyed the view and splashin' the duckies. After, we walked beebz and ate, perfect day.