Clootie Dumpling Scones

Clootie Dumpling is a traditional Scottish dish served for dessert or fried up with eggs for breakfast. I love it! And, when I saw a recipe for clootie dumpling scones I knew I would love them too! And, since they take about 4 hours less to make than the dumpling itself they are a great alternative! I substituted gluten free flour blend for the all-purpose flour and no one knew the difference!

Clootie Dumpling Scones
(adapted from Scotland National Trust)

3 cups all-purpose flour (or use gluten free flour blend)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. mixed spice*
8 Tbsp. butter
1 small grated apple
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp. molasses
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425F. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and mixed spice -- I use a whisk to make sure everything is evenly incorporated. Cut in the butter and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Dump in the apple and raisins and mix. Add the molasses, two beaten eggs and milk and stir until just mixed. May add another tablespoon of milk if too dry. Knead dough a few times on a floured surface to pull it all together. Pat out until about 3/4 inch thick and cut into rounds. Place on a greased baking sheet (I just use parchment paper on my baking sheet) and bake at 425 for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned on top.



*This is a British staple that contains cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and coriander -- sometimes other spices as well. It gives these scones their "clootie dumpling" flavor. However, you can substitute pumpkin pie spice if you don't have access to mixed spice.

Roman Apple Cake

Roman Apple Cake is a cake from my childhood where "More With Less Cookbook" was a staple in our kitchen. Now I can think of no better cake to bake for any occasion when the weather turns cooler and the apples come in from the orchard. This cake is easily made gluten-free by substituting gluten free flour blend for the all-purpose flour.

Roman Apple Cake
(adapted from More With Less Cookbook) 

1 c. sugar
2 ¼ c. flour (or gluten-free flour substitute)
¼ tsp. salt
3/8 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. soda
½ tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 c. oil
2 eggs
2/3 c. milk
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
3 c. raw apples, peeled and chopped (about 3 medium apples)


Crumb topping:

2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. flour
½ c. chopped nuts (optional)
¼ c. rolled oats

 Combine dry ingredients. Mix together oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined. Add chopped apples. Pour into greased and floured bundt pan or 9x13 pan or muffin tins. Mix together crumb topping and sprinkle over cake. Bake 35-40 minutes (or until done) at 350F.

Portuguese Cheese Puffs

1 cup tapioca starch
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup sourcream

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix all ingredients with hands -- you may need to add a little extra tapioca starch to bring it all together.  Make small balls with floured hands and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes until cheese shreds are lightly browned on the tops of the puffs.

Best served warm.

Makes 12-15.

My Favorite Gluten Free Bread

This is my favorite gluten-free yeast bread so far. It is taken from a book by Bette Hagman called More From The Gluten-Free Gourmet. I usually double this recipe, but I have a large mixer and so that works.

BUTTER-BASTED WHITE BREAD

(greatly adapted from Bette Hagman)

2 cups white rice flour (I sometimes use all brown, or half and half)

1/2 cup potato starch

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

2/3 cup dry milk powder (or 1/2 cup nondairy substitute)

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. Egg Replacer (I use brown rice protein powder for 15g extra protein)

3 Tbsp. sugar, divided

2/3 cup lukewarm water

1 1/2 Tbsp. dry yeast (if doubling, I use a total of 2 Tbsp.)

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 additional cup warm water

1 tsp. vinegar

3 eggs

2 tsp. powdered pectin (found where jam making supplies are sold), optional

Combine the flours, xanthan gum, milk powder, salt, pectin, Egg Replacer (if using) and all but 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. User your strongest beater, not the bread hook or whisk.

Dissolve the remaining sugar in the 2/3 cup lukewarm water and mix in the yeast.

Combine the melted butter with the extra cup of water; add the vinegar. Whisk in the eggs and add the yeast/water mixture.

Turn mixer on low. Blend the dry ingredients and slowly add the wet ingredients. Then, beat at high speed for 2 minutes.

Place the mixing bowl in a warm spot, cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and let the dough rise for approximately 1 hour, or until doubled. (But you don't want to let it rise too much longer than this.) Note: I just leave my dough in the mixer and cover the mixer. By the way, the consistency will be more of cookie dough or thick batter rather than a yeast bread.

Return the dough to the mixer and beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Spoon the dough into greased loaf pans. When I double the recipe, it makes 3 standard size loaves. If you make just one recipe you will have two small loaves or a large loaf and extra dough for rolls. Fill the bread pans 2/3 full. You can bake the remaining "roll" dough in greased muffin tins.

Let the dough rise in the pans until it is slightly above the top of the pan, about 45 to 60 minutes. But, you don't want it to over-rise and start to crack.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Bake the large loaves for approximately 1 hour, the rolls for about 25 minutes. Use an instant read thermometer to measure for 206F. This means the loaves are done!

Remove from pans immediately and cool on a rack. This bread is most soft on the first and second day after baking.

I freeze my loaves and then keep one thawed in the refrigerator to prevent mold.

Favorite Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

from a cookbook by Roben Ryberg

1/4 cup shortening (I use butter)

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cup potato starch

1 cup cornstarch

1 tsp. xanthan gum

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, sugar, and oil. Add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients. Mix to remove any lumps.

Lightly "flour" surface and rolling pin with cornstarch. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut out the dough into desired shapes.

Place cookies on greased baking sheet. Decorate with colored sugar or sprinkles as desired. Bake 8-10 minutes. These cookies will just begin to brown around the bottom.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

My Favorite Rice Salad

Zesty Greek Salad

(adapted from "The Kitchen of the Two Sisters")

3 cups dry brown rice, cooked

4 cups fresh spinach

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 (15 ounce) can black olives, sliced in half

3/4 cup canola oil

juice of 2 lemons (make sure they are fresh to avoid bitter taste)

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

1 Tbsp. dried basil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl (rice should still be hot). Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour over rice mixture. Toss well. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

NOTE: I just approximate measurements but these were the original measurements in the recipe.

Lemon Curd Pavlova

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries
(Gourmet Magazine, Spring 2009)


(Picture shows a double batch)

For meringue:
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temp.
3 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp. distilled white vinegar

Preheat oven to 300F with rack in middle. Trace a 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper and put on a baking sheet.

Whisk together sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until whites hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks.

Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 Tbsp. at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more.

Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer).

Gently spread meringue inside circle of parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center. Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (the inside will be like marshmallow).

Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.

Filling:
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups mixed berries

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-qt heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute.

Lightly beat yolds in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil).

Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.

Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/4 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.

Meringue can be made 2 days ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic. Thaw before serving.

Curd can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.