Wheat free test kitchen!

I have always been a huge lover of wheat, especially in deliciously soft bread and light and fluffy cakes!

But every so often I think I am eating too much, so decide to give it up/cut down for a spell.

A handy side effect of this is it forces me to experiment more with wheat free baking! (something I've always neglected.)

I decided to trial 3 gluten free recipes (two cookies, and a chocolate cupcake).

For the first batch of cookies I followed a Chocolate Covered Katie recipe here, using oat flour (which I made by blending oats).

The result was a soft oaty cookie, which was quite tasty!  One of my taste testers (Lee) said it was kind of like a hobnob!

For the second batch of cookies I wanted to try something a little different...chickpea cookies!

This is something I've seen on Pinterest a few times, and I've always been curious to try. I was reminded of them by a photo of chocolate chip chickpea muffins on Instagram (on Chocolate Covered Katie's account).

I couldn't find a cookie recipe I liked, so I adapted CCK's recipe to make cookies (by omitting the baking powder and cooking on a cookie tray!) 

I was really pleased with these cookies. They use apple sauce in place of some of the oil, and they feel like a protein packed snack when you eat them.

I gave them to a couple of people to try, and neither could guess they contained chickpeas!

They were quite soft, almost "cakey" cookies, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of them :)

(I even dipped one in my yogurt!)

Next was the cupcakes.

I've tried making gluten free cupcakes before, and have never been overly impressed with the results.

This time I thought I'd try a recipe from Ms Cupcake:The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town.

The recipe was actually for a cake rather than cupcakes, but I halved it and made into 12 cupcakes.

(my reason for not just trying one of her gluten free cupcake recipes was I didn't have any xantham gum which was called for in most of those recipes.)

I was happier with these cupcakes than I have been with my other attempts, but my taste testers had mixed views.  Two of my friends who love chocolate cake thought they were great, but my friend Carol (the harshest cake critic!) thought they were very dry.

They're definitely drier than my usual cupcakes.  More springy" and less "crumby". I think baking without eggs AND without dairy AND without wheat is always going to be a challenge.

I wonder if you have to be a true gluten free vegan to fully appreciate these kind of cakes!

I'm sharing the recipe for the chickpea cookies (with kind permission from Chocolate Covered Katie). If you make them be sure to see if people can guess the secret ingredient!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats 

400g can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed 

2 tbsp apple sauce

1 and 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil 

1/2 tablespoon vanilla 

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3-1/2 cup chocolate chips 

1/4 cup walnuts pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 350f (175C), and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Whizz the oats in a blender until they're pretty much powder.

Add the chickpeas and blend again until they've purée'ed down.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. 

Dollop the cookie dough evenly onto the baking tray.

Distribute the chocolate chips evenly amongst the cookies by pressing them into the tops. Add walnut pieces if using.

Bake until the cookies no longer look wet, about 10-13 mins. (check regularly for doneness!)

Once out of the oven leave on the cookie tray for 5 minutes (to help them firm up), then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Date and Pecan things!

Raw bites, Sugar Free and Wheat free Cookies and  Pecan Crumble Muffins!

 I love the combination of dates and pecans! Especially if they are lovely soft, squishy dates!

Here are some things I have done with them recently...

Date and Pecan bites
1,The simplest kind...put pecan inside date. Eat! (yum!)

2, Slightly more effort-blend dates and pecans, roll into balls, and coat in chopped pecans!

Soft date and oat breakfast cookies. No added sugar, no wheat, no added fat, no soya!

150g soft dates such as medjool or deglet

50g of pecans, plus a few extra.

100g apple sauce

50g oat flour (made by grinding oats in a blender)

40g whole oats

Preheat oven to 175 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Blend 50g oats to flour.  Set aside.

Blend dates, add pecan nuts and blend again until fairly smooth. Add apple sauce and oat flour and blend again.

Tip mixture out into a bowl, and stir in oats and a few extra chopped pecans.

Form into 12 blobs and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 mins. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 mins, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.

Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.

Date and Pecan cake or muffins

-To make as a sponge bake in a lined 8" tin at 180 C for 30 minutes.

-To make as muffins bake at 175 C for 15-20 minutes.

• 
  
• Sponge 
• 1 cup soya or almond milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 2/3 cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup wholemeal plain flour (or more plain flour).
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup muscovado sugar (or more granulated sugar).
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

200g dates

1/4 cup water

Crumble

• 1/2 cup plain flour 
• 1/2 cup wholemeal flour (or more plain flour )
• 1/4 cup soft brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup oil  or melted margarine

If making a cake either grease the tin or line with baking paper.  If making muffins put muffin cases in the baking tray.

Chop dates and cook in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water for 10 mins or so, stirring often until the dates are softened slightly.

Preheat oven to 175C-180C.

To make the crumble, mix all of the crumble ingredients with your finger tips, until the mixture is..well, crumbly. If the mixture is too wet add a little extra flour. 

To make the cake..

Sift flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk vinegar into the soya milk. Whisk in oil and sugars. (make sure sugars are well mixed, and that no lumps of brown sugar remain).

Make a well in the bowl of flour, and add milk mixture.  Stir with a spoon or spatula until no dry flour remains.  (But be careful to not over-mix.)

Spoon the mixture into cake tin or muffin tray.

Spoon cooked dates evenly over the cake mixture. Sprinkle on the crumble mixture.

-Bake muffins for 15 mins and test with a toothpick. If the middle is still gooey set a timer for 2 more minutes and check again, then at further 2 minute intervals if needed until they are cooked. Once done remove from tray and cool on a cooling rack.

-If making a cake, bake for 30 minutes, and test with a toothpick. If the middle is still gooey set a timer for 5 more minutes and check again, then at further 5 minute intervals if needed until the cake is cooked. 

Delicious served warm with ice cream!