Just peachy pancakes and jam (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

July 14, 2024July 14, 2024 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments

A_stack_of_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_pancakes_with_peaches — Just peachy pancakes. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello there. I have 2 recipes for you this month: light fluffy pancakes served with a homemade fresh peach jam, inspired by acquiring some homegrown fresh peaches last July. My then neighbour, asked me in to water his burgeoning garden and greenhouse whilst he was away on holiday, and in return I was able to enjoy the pick of the crop. How lucky was I when I discovered the greenhouse peach tree bearing fruit that was ripening so fast the peaches were literally falling from the tree.

Greenhouse_white_peaches_growing_on_a_tree — Greenhouse white peach tree. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I gathered up the crop and made peach jam for the very first time. Delicious it was too, and, by the way, I did give him a pot when he returned 🙂 The peaches were a very sweet and juicy white variety which peeled very easily without any intervention. I made some this year with firmer, yellow-fleshed peaches and dipped them in boiling water for a few seconds to loosen and then peel away the skins. You can also use a vegetable peeler to do this if preferred. You do need to peel peaches and nectarines for jam making because the skins become very tough when boiled with sugar.

Homemade_peach_jam — Just peachy jam. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Pancakes make the perfect base to enjoy homemade jam, so I am combining the jam and pancake recipes below in case you want to make either or both.

Makes: approx. 1.125kg jam and 12 pancakes

Ingredients

For the jam:

1kg peaches
6tbsp lemon juice
800g granulated sugar (I used 200g demerara sugar and 600g white sugar)

For the pancakes:

175ml plant-based milk
2½tsp lemon juice
150g gluten-free blended self raising flour
30g cornflour (cornstarch)
½tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
50g plant-based butter, melted
1tbsp maple syrup
A little vegetable oil for frying

1. For the jam, wash, skin and chop the peaches. If the peaches are very ripe, then will break up easily. If the peaches are firm, cut them into small pieces. Put the stones to one side and place the peach flesh in a bowl. Mix in the lemon juice.

2. Put the stones on a square of muslin, twist the edges together to contain the stones within, and bash hard with a rolling pin to smash them open. Tie the muslin securely.

Preparing_peaches_for_jam-making — Peach and peach stone preparation. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Transfer the peach and lemon mixture to a saucepan, and heat until steaming and hot, then simmer gently to soften the fruit. If the peaches are very ripe and soft, they will require little or no cooking.

3. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, then raise the heat, add the bag of crushed stones and boil rapidly until setting point is reached – between 104° and 105.5°C.

Making_fresh_peach_jam — Making peach jam. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

4. Discard the stones and leave the jam to stand for a few minutes to thicken slightly, the stir to distribute the fruit pieces and spoon into clean jars and seal straight away. Cool, then label. The jam is ready to eat but will keep for several months if stored correctly.

Spoonful_of_homemade_peach_jam — Jammy spoonful. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

To make the pancakes:

1.First make a buttermilk. Mix the milk and lemon juice together and leave to stand for a for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.

2. Sift the flour, cornflour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the melted butter, maple syrup and buttermilk and gently mix everything together to make a thick batter. Note: as soon as you mix the liquid into the dry ingredients, the raising agents get to work and produce air bubbles. You need to get the batter cooked as quickly as possible in order to make fluffy pancakes.

Gluten-free_vegan_Pancake_ingredients_and_batter-making — Making the pancake batter. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Working quickly, brush a large frying pan or flat griddle pan lightly with oil and heat until hot. Use a tablespoon measure to spoon 2 spoonfuls of batter on to the hot pan to make a thick pool. Add further pools depending on how much space you have in the pan. Cook over a medium heat for about 2 minutes, turn over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until lightly golden and puffed. Either transfer to a dish, cover and keep warm, or cool on a wire rack, whilst you cook the remaining batter.

Cooking_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_pancake_batter — Cooking pancakes. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Serve warm or cold with your favourite toppings. The pancakes will keep for a few days in a sealed container and can be toasted or quickly pan-fried to heat through. They also freeze well.

Gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_pancakes_with_jam_and_fresh_peaches — Perfect peachy pancake portion. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Until next time, happy cooking, and I look forward to sharing another post with you soon 🙂

Homemade tortilla chips (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

May 26, 2024June 10, 2024 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments

Homemade_gluten-free_vegan_corn_chips_and_corn_tortilla_recipe — Homemade corn chips and tortillas.

Hello there. I have a super sunny recipe for you this week which I hope matches the weather where you are (sadly not here today as I type this). I really like tortilla wraps but find the readymade ones a bit on the doughy side. Homemade corn wraps have more texture and flavour, and make a great base for toppings or fillings if you fold them to make taco shells, and are utterly delicious fried as chips.

Loaded_gluten-free_vegan_corn_tortilla — Loaded and ready to eat. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

A little bit of patience is required to roll the perfect tortilla – I guess that’s why someone invented the tortilla press – but as with everything, practice makes perfect. You’ll see that mine have a raggedy edge, for a neat round edge you’d need to trim with a sharp knife, but I quite like the more characterful look 🙂

The basic wrap is a very simple recipe which I hope you will enjoy trying. Enjoy them warm – they will become drier and firmer as they cool. You can reheat them by popping in the microwave for a few seconds. If you want to turn them into chips, the recipe is further down, below the basic wraps recipe.

Makes: 6

Ingredients

125g gluten free plain bread flour blend plus extra for dusting (Note: bread flour contains Xanthan gum so if you use a standard plain flour, add a little Xanthan gum to make the dough easier to work with)
125g fine cornmeal (Masa farina)
½tsp salt
2tbsp corn oil

1. Put the flour, cornmeal and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Ad the oil and mix in, then gradually pour and mix in about 115ml water to bring the ingredients together into a soft clump.

2. Lightly flour the work top and gently knead the dough for a short time to make a smoothish ball of dough. Form into a neat round, cover lightly and leave to rest for 15 minutes.

Making_gluten-free_vegan_corn_tortilla_dough — Making gluten-free tortilla dough. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Cut into 6 equal wedges. Working on one piece at a time, dust the work top lightly with flour, form a portion into a round and then roll and turn to make an approx. 18cm thin round. You will probably need to slide a palette knife underneath to turn the dough as it gets thinner.

4. Transfer to a lightly floured board and cover whilst you roll out the other 5 pieces in the same way.

Shaping_gluten-free_corn_tortilla_dough — Shaping tortilla dough. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

5. To cook, heat a dry frying pan until hot. Carefully add a tortilla and cook over a medium heat for about 2 minutes until it starts to bubble up. Flip over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until lightly golden and toasted. Wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep them soft and warm whilst you cook the remaining rounds.

Cooking_gluten-free_corn_tortillas — Cooking the tortillas. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Serve the tortillas warm, topped with your favourite salsa or salads. I made up this very simple combination of chopped tomato mixed with canned beans, cooked sweetcorn and a little spring onion, all mixed together with sweet chilli sauce. Pile on top of a freshly made corn tortilla, sprinkle with fresh red chilli and fresh coriander, and add a dollop of vegan mayo on the side 🙂

Sweetcorn_salsa — Corn and bean salsa. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

To make your own corn chips, cut cold tortillas into 8 neat triangles – I found it easier to use kitchen scissors to do this. Pour corn oil into a deep frying pan or saucepan to a depth of about 5cm and heat to 180˚C. Fry a few chips at a time for about 2 minutes, turning in the oil, until crisp and lightly golden. Drain well and season whilst still warm – I used onion salt.

Making_homemade_corn_chips — Cutting and cooking corn chips. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Freshly_fried_homemade_gluten-free_vegan_corn_chips — Freshly fried and seasoned. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

These homemade chips are really the crunchiest chips I’ve ever tasted. They store well for several days in an air tight container (if you can leave them alone!).

Homemade_gluten-free_vegan_corn_chips — Crunchy homemade corn chips. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Until next month, take care and I hope to see you again in a couple of weeks or so 🙂

Simnel loaf cake (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

March 27, 2024March 26, 2024 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 3 Comments

Gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_Simnel_loaf_cake — Simnel loaf cake. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. It’s nearly Easter which is one of my favourite times of the year. Lots of wonderful spring flowers everywhere with longer days and (usually) warmer temperatures. The garden is full of spring bulbs at the moment, and on a rare sunny day last week, I managed to capture some of them in all their bright and bold glory.

Scottish_garden_March_Daffodils_in_the_sunshine — Golden glow. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

My recipe this month is a bake, inspired by Easter and the season, it’s a no-fuss cake mix baked in a loaf tin, flavoured with Chai Masala mix and marzipan. You can use any regular spice mix but if you fancy the Chai blend, here’s a link to making your own from a previous Easter post of mine Chai masala biscuits for Easter (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan)

Key_ingredients_for_Simnel_loaf_cake — Key ingredients and flavours. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I used a white gluten-free bread flour for this recipe but you can use a standard blend and either add your own Xanthan gum or leave it out altogether. The raising agent is baking soda and the liquid is buttermilk which is quick and easy to make at the beginning of the recipe along with a flax egg.

Close-up_of_marzipan_layer_in_a_Simnel_loaf_cake — Marzipan centre. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I have put a layer of grated golden marzipan running through the cake which you can leave out or replace with extra dried fruit pieces if you prefer. The flowers on top are also made from marzipan, but use coloured ready to roll icing if you prefer.

Slice_of_Easter_Simnel_loaf_cake — Easter baking in one slice. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

5tsp fresh lemon juice
185ml plant milk (I used oat milk)
1tbsp ground flax seed (linseed)
200g golden marzipan
115g lightly salted plant butter, softened
150g light soft brown sugar
250g gluten-free white bread flour
¾tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½tsp Chai Masala or other ground spice mix
75g sultanas
Orange food colour gel
75g icing sugar

1. For the buttermilk, mix 2½tsp lemon juice into the plant milk and leave to stand for 15 minutes until thickened slightly. For the flax egg, mix the ground flax seed with 3tbsp water and leave for a few minutes to thicken.

2. Grate half the marzipan and set aside. Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan oven, gas 4.

3. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and mix together until thick and creamy. Stir in the flax egg and then mix in the buttermilk – it will look a bit lumpy and separated at this stage.

Making_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_cake_batter — Making the batter. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

4. Stir in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spice and sultanas and mix until everything is well blended and smooth.

5. Spoon half of the cake batter into the tin and smooth the surface. Sprinkle over the grated marzipan and spread the rest of the batter on top. Stand the tin on a baking tray and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes until risen and firm to the touch – test the centre with a skewer to make sure it completely cooked. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.

Assembling_and_baking_Simnel_loaf_cake — Easter loaf ready for baking. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

5. While the loaf is cooling, make the decorations. Break off a small piece of the remaining marzipan and blend in a little orange food colour gel. I used a 4cm star cutter to make the outer yellow petals of the Daffodils, and a 1½cm flower shaped cutter to make the central orange petals.

6. Roll out the marzipan thinly and cut out stars and flower shapes. You should be able to make 12 of each. Transfer to a lined board until ready to decorate the cake.

Making_marzipan_Daffodils — Marzipan Daffodil decorations. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

7. For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add 2-2½tsp of the remaining lemon juice to make a spreadable consistency, then spread over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Arrange the marzipan flowers on top.

Uncut_Easter_Simnel_loaf_cake — Ready for slicing. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The cake keeps well, and improves in flavour and texture if you make it at least 24 hours before decorating and serving. Store in an airtight container once decorated.

I hope you have a good Easter weekend and enjoy some spring sunshine whatever you are doing. Until next time, thanks for stopping by 🙂

Edible holly garland (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

December 17, 2023December 17, 2023 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 2 Comments

Gluten-free_vegan_shortbread_holly_garland — Happy Christmas! Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Well the festive season is almost upon us, and it’s time to share a suitably Christmassy recipe with you. I’ve turned to an old favourite as the base for my edible holly garland: shortbread 🙂

Simple enough to make, shortbread is much loved by many and a staple bake at this time of year. I’ve flavoured my shortbread with cocoa powder and iced it with peppermint flavoured icing, which make these cute little nibbles a perfect treat to serve as an after dinner alternative to accompany coffee and liqueurs. If you don’t fancy peppermint, try adding orange or lime zest, or enhance the cocoa flavour by adding some cinnamon or vanilla.

After_dinner_coffee_and_cookies — After dinner coffee and nibbles. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

If you are going to display the leaves as a garland you’ll need to bake a good number, so my recipe makes 40, but cut the quantities in half if you just want a few nibbles to serve with coffee. The shortbread leaves can be made a couple of days in advance of serving, but I’d advise not to ice them more than a day before serving as the icing often softens the shortbread.

By the way, I couldn’t find the right shade of green for my biscuits, so I am including instructions for colouring white icing. If you do have ready prepared green icing, all you need do is add some flavour.

Makes: 40

Ingredients

100g lightly salted plant or dairy butter
50g caster sugar
20g cocoa powder
175g gluten-free plain flour blend plus extra for dusting
225g white ready to roll icing
Green food colour gel
Icing sugar to dust
A few drops peppermint extract
75g readymade royal icing or similar white pipeable icing
Red sugar balls or icing to decorate

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Sift the cocoa powder and flour on top and mix well, then bring everything together with your hands to make a firm dough.

2. Lightly flour the surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of about ½cm. Use a 6cm holly-shaped cutter to stamp out shapes, re-rolling the dough as necessary, to make around 40 leaves.

3. Arrange on lined baking trays, prick the tops with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes before baking.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan oven, gas 4. Bake the shortbread leaves for about 15 minutes until firm to the touch. Leave to cool on the trays.

Chocolate_shortbread_holly_leaves — Just out of the oven. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

5. For the icing, knead the white ready to roll icing to make it more pliable. Break it into smaller pieces and add a little green colouring to each piece. Work each batch of colouring into the icing before adding a little bit more. When you have a few pieces of the same colour, blend them altogether into one piece. Although this takes a bit of time, it is much easier than trying to colour a big piece of icing in one go. If things get a bit sticky, add a little icing sugar.

6. To add flavouring, flatten the icing and sprinkle with a few drops of peppermint extract, then work into the icing. Repeat until you have the desired amount of flavouring, adding a little icing sugar if the mixture becomes sticky.

Colouring_and_flavouring_icing_with_green_food_colouring_and_peppermint_extract — Making the icing. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

7. Add some colour and flavour to the royal icing and mix well to achieve an even colour. Now you are ready to decorate.

8. Dust the work surface with a little icing sugar and roll out the green icing thinly. Cut out holly shapes using the same cutter.

9. Spread a little smear of the green royal icing over each biscuit and fit a holly icing shape on top.

10. Spoon the remaining royal icing into a small piping bag fitted with a plain writing nozzle and pipe leaf detail. If piping is not your forte, you can score a leaf pattern on the icing using the blade of a small knife.

11. Pipe a little extra icing at the stalk end of the leaves and attach sugar balls or red icing berries. Leave for at least an hour to set before arranging.

Decorating_gluten-free_vegan_holly_shaped_shortbreads — Christmas decorating. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

12. To serve as a garland, choose a large board or flat serving plate and arrange a layer of the shortbread leaves at different angles in a circle, and arrange more shortbreads on top. Add a ribbon bow as a finishing touch just before serving.

Iced_chocolate_shortbread_holly_leaves — Chocolate shortbread holly leaves. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

This is my last recipe post of 2023. Thank you for stopping by and for all your nice comments over the past 12 months. I hope you have a lovely Christmas and I look forward to posting more throughout the new year ahead. Merry Christmas!

Fruit and oat crunchies (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

October 12, 2023October 12, 2023 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Pile_of_homemade_fruit_and_oat_cookies — Fruit and oat crunchies. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. I have something tasty and sweet for you this week. With the weather cooling down here, I have felt more like being in a cosy kitchen rather than the great outdoors. These cookies are an absolute winner if you like a crunchy textured bake. If you can leave them alone long enough, they retain their crispness perfectly when stored in an air-tight container.

Homemade_fruit_and_oat_cookies_on_a_wire_rack — Too tempting to ignore, crunchy homemade cookies. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I made up the dough using my own blend of gluten-free favourite flours but a readymade combination will work just as well. Whether you add fruit or not is up to you – I have just made a batch without fruit, and added some caramel flavouring instead; there aren’t that many left is all I’ll say! Use small pieces of fruit for best results, like currants or dried berries. If you only have larger dried fruit, like apricots or raisins, chop into small pieces before using. This is a really easy recipe so I hope you might give it a go.

Gluten-free_dairy_free_and_vegan_homemade_fruit_and_oat_cookies — Crunchelicious cookies. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Makes: 12

Ingredients

105g plain gluten-free flour blend (I used a combination of white rice flour, tapioca flour and cornflour (cornstarch))
90g gluten-free porridge oats
40g desiccated coconut
¾teasp bicarbonate of soda
115g soft light brown sugar
90g plant butter, softened and cut into small pieces
50-75g small dried fruit (depending on how fruity you want them to be)
25g golden syrup (corn syrup)

1.Preheat the oven to 190°C, 170°C fan oven, gas 5. Line 2 large baking tray with baking parchment. Put the flour in a bowl and mix in the oats, coconut and bicarbonate of soda. Stir in the sugar.

2. Add the butter and work into the dry ingredients until well blended, the stir in the fruit and bind together with the syrup, bringing the mixture together with your hands to make a firm dough.

Preparation_steps_for_making_gluten-free_and_vegan_cookies — Making cookie dough. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Form each into a ball and place on the trays spaced well apart – the mixture does spread during baking.

4. Press each piece of dough gently to make a 6cm round, then bake for about 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Shaping_and_baking_homemade_cookies — Shaping and baking. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Freshly_baked_homemade_fruit_and_oat_cookies — Freshly baked crunchy cookies. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do. Until next time, have a good few days. Best wishes and happy baking 🙂

Almond scone round (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

August 17, 2023August 17, 2023 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Round_of_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_homemade_almond_scone — Freshly baked scone round ready to serve. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello there. I hope the month of August is going well for you. I have a simple recipe for you this week, although it is one that has been challenging me for a while. I do like a nice scone but my attempts to make a gluten-free version of this very familiar and much-loved favourite have been disappointing up until now.

Overhead_jammy_gluten-free_dairy_free_vegan_almod_scone — A simple pleasure: scone, butter and jam. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The recipe below is my best attempt yet and worth a share I think. Adding ground almonds to the mixture helps make the texture more moist, and adding a pinch of xanthan gum helps bind the crumb together. I think I have added too much XG in the past which has made the scones quite hard and dry. I’m not a huge fan of adding XG to my bakes but without it, the mixture falls apart completely. Here’s the recipe and I hope you enjoy them.

Makes 1 round; serves: 6

Ingredients

150g gluten-free self raising flour
50g ground almonds
¾tsp gluten-free baking powder
⅛tsp or a large pinch xanthan gum
50g salted plant-based butter
1tbsp caster sugar
A few drops natural almond extract (optional)
Approx.75ml plant-based milk
15g flaked almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, 200°C fan oven, gas 7. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the ground almonds, baking powder and xanthan gum. Mix well.

2. Rub in the butter until well blended and stir in the sugar. Add a few drops of almond extract, if liked, and gradually mix in between 50 and 60ml milk to make a softish dough.

3. Turn on to a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until smooth. Roll or press into a 15cm round, neaten the edge and score into 6 equal portions.

6_steps_to_make_gluten-free_dairy_free_almond_scone_round — Making and shaping scone dough. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

4. Transfer to a non-stick baking tray and brush the top lightly with the remaining milk. Scatter with the almonds and bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and lightly golden.

5. Stand for 10 minutes then re-cut the indents and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for about an hour before pulling apart to serve. Best served slightly warm.

Baking_homemade_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_almond_scone_round — Glazing and baking. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Delicious spread with soft butter and topped with homemade jam. Best eaten on the day of baking but scones freeze well for enjoying later on.

Close-up_on_peach_jam-filled_gluten-free_vegan_almond_scone — Jammy scone. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon. All the best for now 🙂

Macaroni pies (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

May 13, 2023June 12, 2023 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 3 Comments

A_plate_of_gluten-free_dairy-free_homemade_macaroni_pies — A plateful of pies. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. Before I moved to Scotland, I had never heard of a macaroni pie before. I soon learnt that, along with a whole range of other flavours, macaroni pies are familiar fayre in the hot cabinet of most Scottish baker’s shops as a popular takeaway treat. If you prefer to eat your pies at home, head for the chiller cabinet at the supermarket and you will find a wide selection of pastry pies to choose from. Traditionally made with a hot water crust pastry shell and filled with a thick, creamy macaroni and cheese sauce filling, the macaroni pie certainly makes a substantial and very tasty snack.

Close-up_on_a_homemade_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_macaroni_pie — Macaroni pie up close. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

A few years ago, I wrote a pie book called Comfort Pie I made my own version of the macaroni pie as part of a collection of recipes influenced by pastry dishes from all over the world. Several years later, I thought it was about time I give my recipe a bit of an upgrade and I have developed a gluten-free and vegan version which I have to say is pretty tasty.

Inside_a_homemade_macaroni_pie — How do you like yours? With or without sauce? Images: Kathryn Hawkins

There are a few steps to the recipe, but it can be made in stages if you don’t have the time to get the pies made and baked on the same day. The pies are made in steel rings which I appreciate aren’t an everyday piece of kit but a great investment if you do like pie making. If you don’t have the rings, you could adapt the recipe to make smaller pies in muffin tins.

Steel_pie_rings — Steel baking rings. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The recipe is broken into 3 different parts, and I have included a lot of pictures to help explain the different sections. I do hope you might give the recipe a try and, if you do, I hope enjoy them.

Makes: 4

Ingredients

115g free-from macaroni

For the sauce:

15g plant-based butter
15g gluten-free plain flour
200ml plant-based milk (I use oat milk)
4tsp yeast flakes
½ teasp onion salt

For the pastry:

25g plant-based butter
25g white vegetable fat (such as Trex)
215g gluten-free plain flour (I used Doves Farm Freee flour)

For the topping:

6 cherry tomatoes, halved
2tbsp free-from dry white breadcrumbs
½ teasp onion salt
½ smoked paprika
20g plant-based butter

1.Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the macaroni for 9-10 minutes – slightly under-cook the pasta so that it doesn’t go too mushy during baking later on. Drain well; leave aside.

Uncooked_and_cooked_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_macaroni — Raw and cooked macaroni. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

2. Next make the sauce. Melt the plant butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Remove from the heat and blend in the plant milk. Return to the heat, and cook, stirring, until the mixture boils and thickens. Simmer for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and stir in the yeast flakes and onion salt.

3. Stir the cooked macaroni into the sauce. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with a layer of baking parchment – this helps prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool, then chill until required.

Making_gluten-free_dairy_free_vegan_macaroni_and_sauce — Macaroni pie filling. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

4. For the pastry, put the plant butter and vegetable fat in a saucepan and pour over 125ml water. Heat gently until melted, then bring to the boil and add the flour all in once go. Beat the mixture quickly, turn off the heat and continue to mix vigourously until a dough ball forms in the saucepan. You may find it easier to let the mixture cool slightly, then bring the pastry together with your hands.

How_to_make_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_hot_water_crust_pastry — Making hot water crust (pie) pastry. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

5. Arrange 4 x 9cm diameter, 4cm deep steel pastry rings on a baking tray. Divide the pastry into 4 equal pieces. Work on one piece at a time, keep the other portions covered in foil. Roll out a piece of pastry to an approx. 16cm round and carefully transfer to a pastry ring.

6. Mould the pastry to fit inside the ring, then trim away any excess to neaten the top edge. Continue to make 3 more pastry cases in the same way. Leave to cool before filling. You can chill the pastry at this stage, ready to cook at a later time. Use this pastry when it is warm. As it cools it becomes dry and brittle and will be impossible to mould. You can warm the pastry carefully, by heating for a very few seconds in the microwave to make it more pliable.

Lining_steel_pie_rings_with_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_hot_water_crust_pastry — Making the pie cases. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

7. When you are ready to cook the pies, preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan oven, gas 6. Spoon macaroni filling into each pastry case to fill them to the top.

8. Arrange cherry tomato halves on on top of each. Mix the crumbs, paprika and onion salt together and sprinkle a little over each. Dot the tops with a little plant butter. Bake for 35 minutes until thoroughly hot, crispy and golden.

9. Stand for 10 minutes before removing from the pastry rings. Serve the pies hot or warm, sprinkled with chopped parsley. Accompany with sweet chilli sauce or tomato ketchup. Alternatively, leave the pies to cool completely on a wire rack, then chill until you are ready to reheat them the next day. They will also freeze very well.

Filling_and_topping_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_macaroni pies — Filling and baking the pies. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Homemade_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_macaroni_pies_just_out_of_the_oven — Pies on a cooling rack. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

I’m feeling rather peckish after writing up this week’s post. I do love a good pie, and I think this hot water crust pastry is one of the most successful gluten-free pastries. Until next time, I hope you have a good few days until my next post. Thanks and best wishes 🙂

Raspberry and almond pastries (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

April 15, 2023April 15, 2023 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ 7 Comments

Homemade_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_rough_puff_pastry_raspbery_and_almond_pastries — Homemade raspberry and almond pastries. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. I hope you have had a good Easter holiday. I had intended to post this recipe before the holidays began, but time ran away with me. I have had a few days away visiting family and friends, and now I’m back home and ready to post again.

Close-up_of_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_raspberry_and_almond_pastries — Up close on raspberry and almond pastries. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

One of my first blog posts was a recipe for gluten-free rough puff pastry. It has had many hits but I am always looking for ways to tweak the recipe. Here’s the original if you are a newcomer to my blog: Gluten-free rough puff pastry (with dairy-free & vegan variation) The latest version of the recipe uses my favourite combination of gluten-free flours and also adds psyllium husk to the dough. The latter makes a much more silky dough which is very much easier to roll and shape. If you don’t have the individual flours, just use a ready blended plain flour. I also use all plant butter in this version. However, whilst the dough is quite puffy and light, it has lost some of the flakiness of the original recipe. I guess it’s up to personal taste which version you prefer and for what purpose you want to use it.

Gluten-free_dairy_free_vegan_raspberry_and_almond_pastries_dusted_with_icing_sugar — Pastries with a light dusting of sugar. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

The pastries tasted pretty good though despite the lack of pastry layers. The texture of this latest pastry is crisp and chewy, and I am pleased with the flavour. If you do compare the 2 recipes yourself, let me know what you think, and which you prefer. By the way, the recipe makes twice as much pastry you need for making 4 pastries so you can freeze the other half to make something else at a later date.

Makes: approx. 625g pastry. Use half the pastry quantity to make 4 pastries

Ingredients

For the pastry dough:

70g cornflour (corn starch)
60g tapioca flour
60g white rice flour
60g glutinous rice flour
½tsp salt
2tsp psyllium husk powder
150g plant butter, cut into small pieces

For the pastries:

100g marzipan
60g raspberry jam
1tbsp oatmilk
1tsp carob syrup
20g flaked almonds
Icing sugar to dust
Fresh raspberries to serve

1.Put all flours in a large mixing bowl with the salt and psyllium husk powder, and mix together until well blended. Stir the butter into the flour to coat each piece in flour.

2. Gradually stir in between 260-275ml cold water until the mixture comes together to make a soft, very lumpy dough. Turn out on to a lightly floured work surface and roll the dough into a flat, roughly rectangular shape approx. 35cm x 12cm.

Gluten-free_flour_mix_and_psyllium_husk_with_plant_butter_pastry_dough — Pastry ingredients and making the dough. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

3. Now the rolling and folding begins. The aim is to consistently roll out the pastry to the same dimensions, and then to fold it, turn it and seal it in the same way each time; this is how the pastry layers form. Fold the top one third of the pastry down and the bottom one third up and over the top pastry; twist the pastry round so that the open edge is facing to the right, and gently press the 3 open edges of the pastry together with the rolling pin.

4. Repeat this rolling, folding, turning and sealing 3 more times and then chill the pastry for 30 minutes. The mixture will be sticky but try to refrain from dusting with too much flour as this will dry the texture of the pastry.

5. After chilling, repeat the rolling, folding, turning and sealing another 3 times, working the pastry each time in the same direction. You should now begin to feel that the fat is more blended into the flour. Chill the pastry for a further 30 minutes.

6. Repeat the process 3 more times and you should see that the fat pieces have practically disappeared. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before using. From start to finish, you should aim to roll and fold the pastry 10 times.

7. Cut the pastry in half, and use half to make the pastries – wrap and freeze the other half for later use. Roll out the pastry to make a 24cm square. Trim the edges as necessary.

Rolling_and_folding_gluten-free_vegan_rough_puff_pastry — Rolling and folding rough puff pastry. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

8. Cut the pastry into 4. Working on 1 square at a time, starting cutting 1cm inside the edge of one side as if about to cut out an inner square. Just before you reach the centre point, leave a 1cm space of uncut pastry then continue the cutting down the rest of the side. Repeat this cutting on the other 3 sides, and then cut the other pastry squares in the same way.

9. Knead the marzipan; cut into 4 and shape each piece into a small round to fit in the centre of each square. Top with jam. Bring the corners together in the centre of the pastry.

Gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_rough_puff_pastry_being_shaped_into_individual_raspbery_and_almond_pastries — Shaping the pastries. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

10. Place on a lined baking tray. Chill for at least 1hr before baking.

11. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 220°C, 200°C fan oven, gas 7. Mix the milk and syrup together and glaze the pastries. Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake for about 20 minutes until risen and lightly golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

Glazing_baking_and)serving_gluten-free_dairy_free_vegan_raspberry_and_almond_pastries — Glazing, sprinkling, baking and dusting. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Single_serving_of_gluten-free_dairy-free_vegan_raspberry_and_almond_pastries — Single pastry. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I hope you enjoy the pastries. It is a bit of a long recipe this week, but if you do have the time, the pastries certainly make a lovely treat. As the for pastry update, my jury is out on which version I prefer but I will keep adapting and reposting any progress I make. Until next time, take care and best wishes 🙂

Upside-down ginger apple cake (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

November 17, 2022November 17, 2022 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Ready_to_slice_upside-down_ginger_apple_cake — Upside-down ginger apple cake. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello again. We’re well into the season of Autumn now, and it wouldn’t feel complete if I didn’t share an apple recipe with you. It has been a bumper year for apples in the UK. Back at the end of last month, the old apple tree in the garden was groaning with fruit, and on a dry, bright day, it was finally time to relieve the tree of all its fruit.

Homegrown_Scottish_Lord_Derby_apple_harvest_2022 — Lord Derby apple harvest 2022. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

With the very sunny and warm summer we enjoyed here, the apple crop was much sweeter than ever before, so as well as being used in cooking, the apples make good eaters this year. There were far too many for one household to cope with, I am pleased to say that several local families in the town were able to enjoy a bag full this year.

Serving_of_ginger_apple_cake_with_ginger_syrup — Ginger apple cake with ginger syrup. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

On with the recipe. The main preparation for the recipe is the apples, after that there is only a very simple cake batter to make. I picked out the smaller apples for my tin. If you have larger apples, you may want to slice them into quarters or thick rings rather than simply cutting them in half.

Make the cake the day before you want to serve it because it will benefit from a few hours keeping. The flavour and texture will improve greatly overnight. The recipe makes quite a large cake, but it freezes well so you’ll have plenty for another day. Serve warm as a pudding with custard, or cold as a comforting cake.

Serves: about 10

Ingredients

Finely grated rind and juice 1 lemon
approx. 9 small cooking or eating apples
2tbsp stem ginger syrup (I used the syrup from the jar)
125g plant butter
125g treacle
125g golden or corn syrup
125g light soft brown sugar
250g gluten free plain flour
250g gluten free porridge oats
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
4tsp ground mixed spice
75g chopped stem ginger
175ml oat milk or other plant-based milk

1.Put the lemon rind to one side. Add the juice to a bowl of cold water. Peel and core the apples; cut in half and place in the lemony water to help prevent browning. Leave aside until ready to assemble the cake.

Steps_to_show_how_to_prepare_apples_for_cake_making — Preparing the apples for cake making. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

2. Put the butter, treacle, golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan, and heat gently to melt. Mix well then leave to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C fan oven, gas 4. Line a 20 x 30cm tin with baking parchment and drizzle the base with ginger syrup. Drain the apples, pat dry with kitchen paper and arrange over the bottom of the tin – see above.

4. Put the flour, oats, baking soda and spice in a bowl. Mix together and make a well in the centre.

5. Pour in the melted ingredients and add the reserved lemon rind and chopped ginger. Carefully mix everything together along with the milk, then spoon over the apples making sure they are covered.

6_steps_to_making_gluten-free_vegan_ginger_cake_batter — Making the ginger cake batter. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

6. Stand the tin on a baking tray and bake for about 50 minutes until firm to the touch. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Turn out on to a large sheet of baking parchment. Wrap carefully and store in an airtight container overnight to allow the flavours to develop.

Freshly_baked_upside-down_ginger_apple_cake — Just out of the oven. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I mixed some of the ginger syrup from the jar of stem ginger with plain carob syrup and drizzled it over the cake to serve.

Close-up_of_homemade_ginger_apple_cake — Up close on ginger apple cake. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

That’s me for another week. Until next time, happy baking 🙂

Chocolate cherry fudge brownies (gluten-free; dairy-free; vegan)

August 12, 2022August 12, 2022 ~ My virtually free-from kitchen ~ Leave a comment

Cake_stand_of_chocolate_cherry_brownies — Homemade chocolate cherry fudge brownies. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Hello there. I hope you are keeping well and managing to stay cool in this very hot summer. The temperatures have been exceptional here in the UK and all over Europe which is great if you’re on holiday but not so good if you’re working. The garden is looking quite different this year due to the heat; many of the flowers are fading much more quickly than in previous years.

Scottish_wild_cherry_trees_laden with_fruit — Scottish wild cherry trees. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

Last weekend, in an effort to stay cool and enjoy the outdoors at the same time, I went for a walk in some local woodland. I was looking to see how long it would be before the hedgerow blackberries (brambles) would be ripe enough to pick – I don’t think it’s going to be a good year for brambling sadly. Quite unexpectedly, I came across several wild cherries trees, completely untouched by birds, and laden with fruit as far as the eye could see.

Wild_cherry_harvest_August_2022 — Wild cherry picking. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

I was completely unprepared for foraging. I had no bag other than the small holster bag I was using to carry a water bottle. Cherry trees are enormous in the wild, but there were quite a few fruits on the lowest branches and I was able to fill my bag with just under 1kg of fruit. The cherries were the sweetest, juiciest I have ever tasted. Such an unexpected treat. Apparently, it has been a bumper year for cherries because of the hot weather, but I am still amazed that the birds hadn’t been interested in them. If only I had gone walking with a ladder! 🙂

Ripe_wild_black_cherries_being_pitted — Pitting ripe cherries. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Back at home, I pitted the cherries. The firmer ones were easier to pit using my faithful old Italian cherry pitter, but the ripe ones I sliced and pitted using the tip of a sharp knife. Some went in the freezer, others were cooked in a crumble for tea, and the rest went into this week’s recipe.

Chocolate_brownies_baked_with_wild_cherries — Wild cherry flavoured fudge brownies. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Easy to make, just a bit of advanced prep – you need to line a cake tin and make up a flax seed egg replacement mixture. Then, you are good to go. The brownies keep well but in this warmth, I kept them in the fridge to stop them going too soft and sticky. They also freeze perfectly. Eat them as a sweet treat but they are also good served with more fresh cherries or compote and ice cream for dessert.

Portion_of_vegan_chocolate_cherry_brownie — Chocolate cherry brownies, gloriously fudgy. Image: Kathryn Hawkins

Makes: 16

Ingredients

175g dairy-free dark chocolate (I used 54% cocoa – if you use darker chocolate, omit the cocoa powder and add an extra 25g flour)
150g lightly salted plant butter, cut into pieces
25g ground flax seed
200g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
75g gluten-free plain flour
25g cocoa powder
140g pitted cherries, halved (approx. 170g whole)

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C, 150°C fan oven, gas 5. Line an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment.

2. Put 150g chocolate in a heatproof bowl with the butter and melt gently over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove from the water and cool for 10 minutes.

3. Make up the flax egg by mixing the flax seed with 110ml cold water and leave to stand for 5 minutes until thickened.

Stages_in_making_flax_egg — Flax egg preparation. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

6_steps_to_making_chocolate_brownie_batter — Preparing chocolate brownie mixture. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

4. Mix the sugar and flax egg into the melted chocolate along with the vanilla paste, then add the flour and cocoa powder and stir well until everything is well blended.

5. Pour into the prepared tin and scatter the cherries on top. Bake for about 1 hour until the mixture is set in the middle – initially the mixture rises round the edges leaving the centre molten but after a longer time in the oven, the centre firms up. Leave to cool in the tin.

Baking_brownie_batter_in_6_steps — Baking brownie batter. Images: Kathryn Hawkins

6. Remove from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Cut into 16 squares – you may find it easier to chill the brownie before you cut it as the texture is quite soft at room temperature.

7. Melt the remaining chocolate. Put the brownie squares on a board and drizzle each piece with a little chocolate. Leave to set before serving. Best stored in the fridge.