Baking with Gluten Free Flour

There are many alternatives to 'normal' flour, and more and more supermarkets stock them, so there is no reason not to experiment. There are ready made flour blemds, such as Dove's Farm flours in the UK, and there are also single grain flours that you can use as they are or blend yourself. A mixture of tapioca and rice flour often works really well, but adding things such as chestnut flour or a bit of grouond almonds can make more ineresting flours.


A useful tip is to adda bit of xantham gum to the flour, this gives it a better texture, and is a good replacement for the gluten that normally brings elasticity to a dough. Just be caeful not to add too much, or you'll end up with a rubbery dough, which is rather unpleasant. Xantham gum is a powder that can be bought in most supermarkets, either in the 'free from' or the 'home baking' section. Mixing the flour and the xantham gum together before sifting it and using it is essential for a successful result, as otherwise it often clumps and has a heavy texture.


Too much or too vigorous whisking may make the dough a bit rubbery, so be gentle to get the best result.

Weeton's Shop & Cafe

Weeton's in Harrogate, Thursday 30 June 2011

Something about this place captured me as I walked along outside, making me have to go inside and check it out. And I was glad I did, my heart literally leapt with joy as I entered this foodie heaven. The first thing I noticed was the light and airy atmosphere, created in part by the large glass front, and also by the spacious layout and the fact that there were no tall shelf-units in the middle of the room blocking the view throughout the shop. Looking more closely around me I spotted a fantastic range of products; there were oils and vinegars, jams and preserves, freshly baked bread, spice mixes and much more. There was also a deli counter with fresh meat, cheese, cakes and quiches. The meat is from local farmers, and the cheeses from small producers, some from England and some from further afield. The quiches and cakes were made on the premises. At the far end of the shop was a small café. It only has three large tables, seating a total of 22 people, plus a few chairs by the counter, but somehow it worked perfectly well, with a steady stream of customers but no crowding. Customers, some in groups and some alone, sat down and shared the tables, and rather than feeling intrusive as one might think it would, this somehow contributed to the friendly feeling of the place. A place where you can leave your bag while going to the counter to order another drink or more food. A place where you can sit and read your book without feeling rushed, and where the staff smile and are friendly. After perusing the shop and filling my basket with things I didn't need but just had to have, I sat down at the corner of one of the tables with a cup of hot chocolate, made from a fairtrade chocolate lolly immersed in steaming milk. Yummy. Just what I needed on a rainy day. I was going to leave it at that, but at 12 noon they brought out the lunch menus, and since it was lunch-time and my tummy was starting to rumble, I let myself be tempted by the 'Goats Cheese, Red Onion and Beetroot Tartlet', made with fresh baby beetroot in a savoury pastry case, Weeton's red onion marmalade, topped with Bouche log goats cheese, and served with fresh leaves and Weeton's own dressing. With it I had a small glass of the Pinot Grigio Rose Ancora, a refreshing wine that went very well with the food. The tartlet was delicious. It was sweet and fresh at the same time, with the beetroots and cheese melting in my mouth. The taste was intense yet in no way overwhelming. My nearest neighbours at the table, a lovely couple with a wonderful sense of humour, had ordered a sandwich each, and what sandwiches they were; proper large chunky slices of bread, one filled with tomato and mozarella, the other with dry cured bacon, tomatoes and sauce. Judging from the yummy noises that were emitted throughout the meal the sandwiches were definitely a hit. As I sat there pondering my afternoon and the lack of sunshine I came to the conclusion that this was a place I definitely have to come back to. Soon.              

Cooking for Coeliacs

When cooking for coeliacs it's important to remember a few ground rules, or you could very easily end up poisoning someone.

Ingredients
If using shop-bought ingredients, such as chocolate, bakingpowder or sauces, make sure that it is actually gluten free. There are a surprising amount of items that have gluten in them ebven though you wouldn't have thought so. Always read the ingredients list, and see if it states that it is made in a factory that handles gluten.

Cooking Utensilts and your Kitchen
Ensure that your cooking utensils and cooking areaa is clean and not contaminated with gluten. Did you use that sieve for wheat flour and put it back in the drawer without cleaning it properly? It's easily done, but can create great discomfort for a gluten intolerant person, so just double check that both your utensils and kitchen are clean before you start cooking.

Storage of Gluen Free Products
When it comes to storage of gluten free ingredients and products, it's important to prevent cross-contamination. If you've baked two cakes, one glutenous and one gluten free, keep them separate. If you've got a cupboard full of ingredients, and you regularly cook for coeliacs, take care to keep items contaning gluten away from the gluten free ones.

The advice above is all just common sense, but if you're not used to cooking for coeliacs it's easy to forget and to make mistakes. The more you practise the easier it will get, until it is second nature.

Lemon & Lime Fairycakes

Fairy cakes are really good for those occasions when a cake may be too formal, or when finger food is more convenient. These ones are sweet but fruity, and very quick to make - perfect if a friend is coming over to yours without much warning.

Makes 12 fairycakes

100g butter
50ml agave nectar
2 medium size eggs
250g flour (I used Doves Farm plain whte flour blend)

½ teaspoon xantham gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
150ml whole milk
zest of 1 large lime
50ml lemon curd


a knob of butter
granulated sugar


Pre-heat your oven to 190°C.


The butter should be room tempered and soft. Add it to a bowl and mix it with the agave nectar and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and sift them into the butter mixture. Mix well, and add the milk. When you have combined the milk with the rest of teh ingredients and have a smooth dough, add teh zest of your lime, stir, and finally add the lemon curd. Carefully fold the lemon curd into the dough, but don't mix it in comletely, leave it so the there are streaks of it and it makes a marbled effect. This makes the cakes more moist.


Spoon the dough into muffin cases (it's helpful if these are placed in a muffin baking tray, but this is not essential). Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until they are golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.


Leave the cakes in the tin for 5 minutes, and place them on a cooling rack. While the cakes are still warm, use a pastry brush to paint them with butter, and sprinkle some granulated sugar over them. 

Orange and Carrot Cake

Some cakes are very easy to make, this is one of them. I brought this over to a friend’s the other day, and although the instructions had been to bring chocolates it seemed to go down very well.

You could easily use cinnamon instead of cardamom, and ordinary white sugar instead of golden.

2 eggs

180g golden sugar

60g butter

120g flour (I used Dove’s Farm gluten free white flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon xantham gum

⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

180g peeled carrots

zest of 1 orange

butter for greasing the tin

7 tablespoons icing sugar

1 tablespoon orange juice

Pre-heat your oven to 200^oC, and grease a 20cm round baking tin.

Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk with an electric mixer. Melt the butter, and leave it to cool for a couple of minutes. Add the butter to the eggs and sugar, and whisk well. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl, and sift these into the wet mix. Use the electric mixer again until you have a smooth dough.

Grate your carrots and zest the orange, and add these to the dough. Once all the ingredients are well mixed, pour the dough into a greased baking tin. Bake on 200^oC for about 30 minutes, until the cake is baked and a skewer comes out clean when you do the skewer test.

Remove the cake from the oven, and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Leave the cake to cool completely.

When the cake is cool you can add the icing. Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl. Add the orange juice, a little bit at a time, and stir well. You may not need all the liquid, which is why it is useful to add a little at a time. It’s always easier to add more liquid than to rescue the icing when it has become too wet.

Pour the icing over the cake, and use a palette knife to spread it evenly over the cake. Leave it to set before serving.

Creamy Spinach Sauce

Creamy sauces go with lots of things, like jacket potatoes, pasta, or even in a vegetable pie. I had this sauce with my pasta last night, after a very stressful day at work. And it did the trick, I felt a lot better after some comfort food, curled up on the sofa with my book.

The herbs can be varied, as can the flour, you can use ordinary flour, or gluten free flour, or corn flour … the list goes on and on. This works quite well though, it gives an interesting texture.

Serves 2

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons ground rice

450ml milk

a pinch each of salt and pepper

1 mild green chilli (seeds removed)

80g wensleydale cheese with onion and chives

100g spinach

6 large leaves of fresh basil

1 sprig of fresh thyme

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the ground rice, and stir well. Gradually add the milk and whisk until you have a smooth liquid. Add the salt and pepper to taste, and let the liquid boil for a few minutes so that it thickens. Finely chop the chilli, and remove the seeds (or leave them in if you prefer a hotter taste). Add the chilli to the sauce.

Grate the cheese and add it to the sauce. Add the spinach and herbs a few minutes before the sauce is ready to be served. You don’t want to let the spinach boil for too long, as it looses its texture and becomes soft. If you serve the sauce while the spinach is still slightly crisp it gives a much more interesting texture.

Asparagus & Artichoke Risotto

Risotto is one of those things that is very easy and quick to make, and yet deliciously yummy.  It’s a perfect comfort food for rainy days, and even works well in warm weather, served with a glass of chilled wine. 

Serves 2

1 tablespoon butter

2 small shallots

1 clove of garlic

150g Arborio rice

160g asparagus

200ml white wine

120g artichoke hearts

900ml vegetable stock

100g parmesan

a few sprigs of fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a sauté pan or wide saucepan. Finely chop the shallots and garlic, and add to the butter. Sweat the shallots until they are soft and golden. Add the rice, and stir well until the rice has a slightly glossy look. Chop the asparagus into 1cm long pieces, and add to the shallots. Add a little bit of vegetable stock, and stir. As the rice soaks in the liquid, gradually add more, little by little.

Once you have added about half the vegetable stock, add the wine, and then continue to add stock. It will take about 30 minutes or so before the rice is cooked. When the rice is almost done (test the softness, it should be soft but not mushy), add the artichoke hearts. You can get jars ready cooked ones in olive oil in most supermarkets.  

When the risotto is ready to be served, add about half the parmesan, and stir it in. Serve the rest of the parmesan and the parsley with the risotto.