Gluten and Dairy-Free Cookies

In the past couple of years, several of our friends have developed severe allergies to wheat and dairy products. Desserts are the most difficult items to find recipes for. I made these last week and they were a hit. No flour, no dairy, and no added fat, other than from the nuts. Easy and I think they are pretty tasty, too. I found them scouting about the web, on a number of sites.

Flourless Chocolate Cookies

3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used the Fry's brand we have in Canada)
3 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
pinch of salt
2 3/4 cups of coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted and cooled
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 T vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 or 4 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

Sift together the icing sugar and cocoa powder to remove lumps. Add salt and pecans and stir to mix. Dump in the egg whites and vanilla and slowly stir to combine. Do not over mix, but ensure that all the sugar and cocoa powder is evenly moistened. 

Spoon batter onto prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of room (2-3 inches) for expansion. Bake for 15 minutes, or until small thin cracks appear on the surface of the cookies. Let cool completely before removing from the paper.

These keep well for several days, but get chewier as the days pass. Not a bad thing, in my opinion. 

The recipe said this will make 12 4-inch cookies, but I made about 25 2-3 inch cookies. Walnuts or almonds could be used in place of the pecans.

Apple Crisp with Custard Sauce

I use the apple crisp recipe from my falling-apart Betty Crocker cookbook, received as a wedding shower gift years ago. It's good, we like it, and I've seen no reason to alter it. 

Apple Crisp

4 cups sliced pared apples
2/3 - 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (I use the lesser amount)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oats
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
1/3 cup butter, softened

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place apple slices in 8 inch square pan (or use individual dishes). Mix remaining ingredients with fingers, until mixture is crumbly, with the butter evenly distributed. Sprinkle over the apples. 
Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with custard sauce.

Crème Anglaise aka Custard Sauce

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping cream) (or use 1 cup of light cream in place of the milk and heavy cream)
dash salt
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat the milk and cream in a small saucepan until just hot. (Steam should rise from the milk, but it shouldn't boil.) Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar with the salt. Add a small amount of the hot milk to the eggs, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Cook, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly - about 175 degrees. The mixture should not boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Strain mixture into a glass or metal bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper onto the top of the sauce to prevent a skin forming. Chill. (Will keep up to 3 days.)

Floating Island

(originally posted on Fabric Paper Thread in January 09)

Have you ever eaten Floating Island? I never had but somehow, the thought popped into my head yesterday. I hankered after a light and white sweet, and this was it. Delicious, with lots of texture - melting smooth crème anglaise, marshmallowy meringue, bitter burnt sugar sauce and crunchy sweet praline.

Although this recipe has a lot of steps, it's not difficult at all. Most of it can (and should be) made ahead, even a day or two. I spent a couple of hours puttering in the kitchen in the early afternoon, then did the meringues at the last minute.

Step One:

Burnt Sugar Sauce

3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
another 1/4 cup water mixed with 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Heat the sugar and 1/4 cup water in small, heavy sauce pan, stirring once or twice until the sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat, not stirring, but swirling every few minutes, until the syrup turns a light caramel. Remove from heat and add the water mixed with vanilla. Be careful as the mixture tends to pop and bubble. Return to heat and stir and cook until caramel reached 230 degrees F (thread stage). Remove 1/4 cup of caramel for the praline (recipe follows). Set the remainder aside to cool slightly, then add the cream and stir until combined. This can be made ahead and then reheated slightly when you are ready to assemble the dessert.

Praline

3/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup of the caramel sauce

Combine almonds and sauce. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or until almonds are toasted. Let cool, then break into small pieces. (I like mine quite fine and smashed them with a rolling pin.)

Crème Anglaise

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
dash salt
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat the milk and cream in a small saucepan until just hot. (Steam should rise from the milk, but it shouldn't boil.) Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar with the salt. Add a small amount of the hot milk to the eggs, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. Cook, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly - about 175 degrees. The mixture should not boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Strain mixture into a glass or metal bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper onto the top of the sauce to prevent a skin forming. Chill. (Will keep up to 3 days.)

Meringues

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat 2 egg whites with a dash of salt and 1/8 tsp cream of tartar until foamy. Then increase the speed and add 1/2 cup of white sugar. Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla. Spoon the meringue onto the baking sheet, forming 6 mounds. Bake for 20 minutes (they will be soft).

To assemble the Floating Islands, pour a puddle of Crème Anglaise onto a dessert plate, place a Meringue on top, drizzle a little Burnt Sugar Sauce over top and sprinkle with a bit of Praline.

Enjoy!