Walnut and Pear Salad

This is gorgeous. As a gluten intolerant person I struggle with lunches. Always soup for me mainly with the odd sandwich but I try to avoid gluten free bread anyway!

So I thought I would try this. The beauty with this is that you dont need any dressing (which is difficult to find) and can have any cheese with it as well. The flavours and textures are gorgeous together.


Gluten free Pear and Walnut salad

Salad leaves
Cheese (your favourite, most works)
Pears halved and quartered
Walnuts

Combine all ingridients and toss and enjoy!!!

Lemon Freezer cake

Lemon Freezer Cake

This is a lovely cooling dessert and you can add as much or as little of the lemon curd as you like. I wouldnt add the whole jar though! You can also add strawberry or raspberry jam as this also works great!

Ingredients:

1 home made gluten free vanilla cake

1 jar good quality lemon curd

1tsp vanilla extract

600ml half fat creme fresh

6 shop bought meringue nests

Method:

Line the bottom and sides of a 20cm spring form cake tin with baking paper. Slice the Madeira cake into slices around 1" thick and use to cover the bottom of the tin, pushing any scraps into the gaps.

In a large bowl mix the creme fresh with the vanilla before crumbling the meringue nests into the bowl, stir to combine. Spread half of the cream mixture over the cake base and top with spoonfuls of lemon curd, getting the curd right into any nooks and crannies. Cover with the remaining cream and smooth the top with a spoon. Cover the time in cling film and freeze overnight,

Remove the frozen cake and quickly dip the cake into a sink half filled with hot water. Release the tin, place onto a cake stand and decorate with summer berries.

 

 

Coffee Walnut Cake

Coffee Walnut Cake

This is a lovely tea time classic and is absolutly delicious! Very light and moist and walnuts are a lovely addition.

Ingrediants
8oz Butter
8oz light brown sugar
8oz flour
4 eggs
2 tbsp good strong coffee
1 tsp xanthum gum
1 tsp Bicarb soda

For the icing
50g Butter
100g Icing sugar
2 tsp coffee essence
handful walnuts

1. Beat the butter and sugar until light and flluffy before adding the eggs 1 at a time
2. Once mixed well add the flour, bicarb and xanthum gum
3. Add the coffee once it has cooled
4. Place in an oven in any tin, loaf, sandwich or square, at 175oC for about 30 minutes or until light brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Once cooled prepare the icing. Beat together the butter and icing sugar till stiff then add in the coffee essence.
6. Spread on top of the cooled cake before decorating with walnuts either crushed or whole.

Lemon Curd Cake

This can be made into cupcakes or a cake. Its light, fresh and lovely for spring. Here is how to make it!

Lemon Curd Cake

• 350g Gluten Free plain flour , sifted with 140g golden caster sugar and 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp of Xanthum Gum
  
• 2 lemons zested and juiced
• 2 eggs , beaten with 150ml soured cream and 150g lemon curd
• 100g butter , melted
• 300ml double cream , whipped, with 4 tbsp lemon curd stirred in

1. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the flour mix, lemon zest and juice, egg mix and melted butter together with Xanthum Gum.
2. Divide between 12 muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and risen. Cool. Top with the lemon cream.

Mississippi Mud pie the gluten free way

This is delicious! It satisfies the most of chocolate cravings! With delicious fudge sauce and icecream.

Mississippi Mud Pie

1 Packet of chocolate gluten free biscuits - Tru Free bourbons are the best
Some Vanilla Icecream

FUDGE SAUCE

• 150.0g plain chocolate (at least 50% cocoa)
• 142.0ml pot whipping cream
• 3.0 tbsp golden syrup
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 180.0g icing sugar

1. To build the pie, Crush the biscuits and add some melted butter and press into a loose bottom tin. Place in fridge to set slightly for a few minutes.
   

2. To make the fudge sauce, put the chocolate, cream and golden syrup in a small pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate has melted. Stir in the vanilla extract and icing sugar. Cool.

3.Spread 1/2 the cooled fudge sauce over the base of the tart. Cut the ice cream into slices and press them in to make the bottom layer of the pie, filling any gaps with ice cream. Cover with clingfilm and return to the freezer for at least 1 hour.

4. Spread more fudge sauce over the icecream and more icecream over that. Follow this by more fudge sauce and place in freezer for at least 1 hour before serving.

5. Allow to slightly melt before serving. Can be kept for up to 1 week with cling film on the top in the freezer.

Easy simple Tiramisu

Well I love Tiramasu however my husband doesnt and I never make it as its a hassle when only one of you will be eating it.

Anyway not that long ago I was bought a bean to cup coffee machine. The perfect bit of kit to use to make a tiramisu!

I found this recipe and its gorgeous especially for gluten free cooking.

Easy Tiramisu

180g Mascapone cheese
200ml Double or whipping cream
55g Caster Sugar
1 box of Tru Free chocolate bourbon biscuits
75ml Black coffee

1. Prepare the coffee. Dip each biscuit into the coffee and then place into a glass or dish. Pour on a little of the coffee until well soaked.
2. Slightly whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
3. Mix in the Mascapone to the cream and add the sugar. Mix well.
4. Spread the cream mixture over the top of the coffee soaked biscuits and place into the fridge for 2 hours.
5. Add grated chocolate or dusting of cocoa before serving

So simple yet tastes amazing!

Fruity Chocolate Bark

Delicious and so easy and fast. That sounds good doesnt it?

This is a delicious and varied recipe. You can add anything you like to it so dont just stick to this recipe. Have fun.

Fruity Chocolate Bark

1 bar of your favourite chocolate
Handful chopped nuts
Handful chopped dried Apricots
Handful raisons

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler
2. Prepare a tray with parchment paper and measure a square of about 15cm all around depending on how much chocolate you have.
3. Pour the melted chocolate into the middle of the square and spread it out gently to meet the corners so you have a rough chocolate square.
4. Sprinkle with the nuts, raisons and dried apricots.
5. Let set at room temperature then store in the fridge till you are ready to eat.

This goes lovely with a nice cup of tea as a snack and is a great way of getting fruit down your children!

Lovely idea, add some marshmallows, cranberries, Pecan nuts, white chocolate drizzle. The list is endless. Have fun!!