Baking | The Wannabe Chef

Tag Archive: Baking

Gluten-Free Carrot Bread

Written on September 4, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

I’m a sucker for sweet breads. So far this Summer we’ve made banana bread and zucchini bread. That got me wondering what other fruits and vegetables you can bake into bread?

As unglamorous as they are, carrot desserts are some of my favorites; I’ve had carrot cakes at multiple birthdays throughout the years. Some people think they sound too healthy to make a good dessert, but if you slap enough cream cheese frosting onto anything it will taste good, right?

This bread isn’t quite as sweet as a carrot cake or carrot cake muffin would be; I like that because the last thing I need in the morning is a sugar coma. Instead it’s rather spicy with jewels of sweetness from the raisins. You can swap in toasted walnuts for the coconut for a nuttier flavor and added crunch. Of course you can also add white chocolate chips and cream cheese frosting; it’s all about how decadent you want to go.

Gluten-Free Carrot Bread

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 loaf):

1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup tightly packed shredded carrot
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 6oz container plain yogurt
4 extra large eggs
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat together the almond flour and brown sugar to make sure there aren’t any clumps.
Add in the carrots, oil, yogurt, and eggs and mix completely.
Toss in the raisins, coconut, salt, baking powder and spices and mix again.
Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch loaf pan.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the center of the loaf has set.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into slices.

It didn’t take me very long to mix some powdered sugar and cream cheese and spread it onto a hot slice. It didn’t take me long at all.

12 Comments - Leave a comment!

Asian Stir-Fry Rice And Veggie Burgers

Written on August 29, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

The term “veggie burgers” have become an oxymoron these days; veggie burgers have just about everything but vegetables in them. Soy protein, artificial flavors, and wheat gluten—yes. But veggies? Nope. They hardly live up to the health halo surrounding them.

The best thing you can do is make your own. It’s cheaper, healthier, and the possibilities for ingredients are endless. The first time I made these was a complete accident of stir-fry gone wrong. I ended up liking them so much that I made them again. The brown rice makes these filling while the vegetables add a fresh crunch—way better than anything you’ll find in the freezer aisle.

You can get fresh stir-fry vegetables in a package in the produce department, but I like getting the frozen vegetable packs which are usually cheaper and stay fresh until you use them.

Asian Stir-Fry Rice And Veggie Burgers

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 10 burgers):

2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup stir-fry vegetables, steamed
2-3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
2 X-large or 3 medium eggs

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients until the eggs are well beaten and incorporated.
Line or grease a baking tray. With a large utensil, make dense patties on the tray with about 1/3 cup of rice mixture roughly an inch apart from one another.
Bake for 25 minutes on one side, flip, and bake for another 25 minutes. The patties should be cooked enough after 25 minutes that they hold together when you flip them to cook the other side.
Remove from the oven and let the patties cool. When ready to eat, heat them up in a microwave, pan, or on a grill. You can freeze extra patties to thaw later.

Since these have an untraditional flavor to begin with, I’d recommend getting untraditional with the condiments, too. Pineapple relish and kimchi, anyone?

8 Comments - Leave a comment!

Coconut Almond Granola

Written on August 17, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

I’m not sure how I’d live if I were allergic to nuts. Peanuts, coconuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios—all of them; they’ve become a staple in my diet without gluten or meat. And don’t even get me started on all of the amazing things you can bake with almond flour…

Thankfully, I’m not, so I can go on making granola chockfull of all sorts of nuts packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. I’m not one to always use coconut oil(mostly because of the price), but I love how aromatic it is when I do. You can smell all the flavors in this granola as it bakes, from the earthy cinnamon and vanilla to the fruity coconut.

Toasting the nuts adds a much more vibrant flavor to them. The easiest way to do this is in a large frying pan over low to medium heat. It’s easier and more consistent than throwing the nuts into the oven; just be sure to pay close attention to them as they will burn quickly.

Coconut Almond Granola

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups):

2 1/4 cups gluten-free oats
1/3 cup liquid sweetener
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chocolate chips(optional)
1/4 cup dried cherries(optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together the oats, sweetener, coconut oil, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl.
Lay the oats out in a 1/2-inch thick layer on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, breaking up the oats every 10 minutes or so, until they’re toasted and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
While the granola is baking, toast the coconut and almonds together in a large frying pan. Make sure to stop once they’re aromatic and golden and take care not to burn them.
Toss the toasted coconut and almonds in with the granola. Toss in the cherries and chocolate chips as well if using, but make sure that the granola and nuts are completely cool before adding in the chocolate chips or else they’ll melt on touch.
Store in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 weeks

I said that the cherries and chocolate chips were optional but… they’re really not optional; you’re only cheating yourself if you leave them out. Between the rich toasted nuts and sweet fruit and chocolate, I’m always going back for more.

11 Comments - Leave a comment!

Cherry Coconut Pavlova

Written on August 8, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I’ve never heard the word “pavlova” more than in the past month. It’s not a dessert that gets a lot of attention, but for some reason I’ve been seeing it everywhere: At parties we’ve gone to, on the Food Network, and even on one of my favorite blogs. Since it’s a naturally gluten-free dessert, I wanted to get in on the action and make my own.

The only part of the recipe that really ever changes is the base; everyone seems to make their meringue different. I like using powdered sugar for a sweeter and pure white meringue, with a little bit of cream of tartar to help it stay up. I also choose to let it “cook” overnight in a hot oven to get the best texture. When it’s done, the outside should be hard and crispy while the inside meringue is soft like a marshmallow.

The fun thing about this dessert is you can dress the meringue any way. Whip regular cream instead of coconut milk for a more traditional dessert. You can serve it with any fresh fruit that’s on hand or even use a fruit sauce.

Cherry Coconut Pavlova

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 hours(overnight)

Ingredients(Makes 3-4 servings):

2 egg whites
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup coconut cream*
1/2 cup pitted and halved cherries

*To get coconut cream, leave a can of full-fat coconut milk undisturbed in the pantry for a few days. Open it without shaking the can. The cream will be separated on the top from the coconut water, a clear liquid that you can save and use as a sports drink.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Whip the egg whites in a glass bowl slowly adding the powdered sugar and cream of tartar until it forms soft peaks.
Pour the meringue in a mound on a non-stick baking tray. Swirl a utensil on the top of the meringue for an artful effect.
Put the meringue in the oven and immediately turn off the oven. Do not open the oven door. Let the meringue sit undisturbed in the hot oven overnight.
When the meringue is ready, whip the coconut milk in a chilled glass bowl until it forms stiff peaks.
Spread the whipped coconut milk on top of the meringue and garnish with the cherry halves. Serve immediately.

This dessert definitely stops being pretty once you cut into it. That’s ok; it’s delicious enough that no one will notice. The best bites are the ones where you get a little of everything: The sweet meringue, the rich topping, and the tart cherries.

3 Comments - Leave a comment!

Chubby Hubby Cheesecake

Written on August 1, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Cheesecake is kind of a magical food. It’s hard to not love a good cheesecake. It’s sweet and tangy and rich and creamy all at the same time; it’s pretty much the perfect dessert.

I don’t think I’ve ever had Chubby Hubby ice cream(Phish Food is by far my favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavor), but anything with peanut butter, pretzels, and chocolate has to be good. And that’s exactly what this cheesecake is: A slightly salty pretzel crust with a rich peanut butter cheesecake filling and a sweet chocolate ganache. Ben and Jerry would definitely be proud.

The best thing about this recipe is that it’s no-bake(because, really, who wants to bake at all mid-Summer?). Because of that, the filling isn’t as light and airy as a cheesecake with eggs would be. You could use full-fat cream cheese in this recipe but it gets more than enough richness from the peanut butter.

Chubby Hubby Cheesecake

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust:

6oz pretzels(about 2 cups)*
1 stick butter, melted
6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/4 cup liquid sweetener(agave, maple syrup, or corn syrup)
1-3 Tablespoons water

For the filling:

2 8oz blocks Neufchatel or low-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup no-stir peanut butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache:

1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons cream or milk
1 Tablespoon liquid sweetener(agave, maple syrup, or corn syrup)

*To make this cheesecake gluten-free, use gluten-free pretzels. I like Snyder’s of Hanover’s pretzel sticks.

Method:

Pulse the pretzels in a food processor until the crumbs form a coarse flour.
Add in the melted butter, powdered sugar, and sweetener and mix.
Slowly add in water until the dough starts to stick to itself. You may not need any water or you may need up to a few tablespoons.
Press the pretzel dough into the bottom of a cake pan firmly and work it into an even layer.
In a separate bowl, mix together all of the filling ingredients on high until the filling is uniform in color and texture.
Pour the filling on top of the pretzel crust and spread it out in an even layer. Put the cheesecake in the refrigerator until the center sets.
While the cheesecake is chilling, melt the chocolate for the ganache in a microwave or over a double boiler.
Whisk in the cream and sweetener.
Let the ganache cool slightly until it’s about the same consistency as a buttercream frosting. Scoop the chocolate into a frosting bag or Ziploc bag with a corner cut out and drizzle it on top of the chilled cheesecake.
Store in a refrigerator. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Next time I make this I might double the filling so that it’d be about as thick as the Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes that have about enough calories to feed a small family for a week. Gluten-free or not, everyone deserves that in their life from time to time.

14 Comments - Leave a comment!

Dark Chocolate Cherry Zucchini Bread

Written on July 27, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

I love fresh cherries. They’ve been on sale the past few weeks and I’ve been eating them by the pound. As good as cherries are on their own, with chocolate they’re out of this world.

I’d never made zucchini bread before this loaf. Something about a vegetable in a bread doesn’t scream “delicious”. But then again, when you add cherries, chocolate chips, and ganache, what wouldn’t be delicious. I threw a banana into the mix, too, because I thought the fruity flavor would help to mask any taste the zucchini might bring.

Normally sweet breads are loaded with oil. To reduce the oil and pump up the nutrition I swapped in Greek yogurt to keep it most and also full of protein.

If you have a picky eater in the family who might be turned off by specks of green in their bread, just peel the zucchini with a vegetable peeler before shredding it. 2 medium sized zucchinis should yield about 1 cup.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Zucchini Bread

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 loaf):

1 cup shredded zucchini
1 6oz container plain greek yogurt
3 eggs
2 egg whites
1 banana, mashed
2 Tablespoons oil
1 1/3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour(or regular flour)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup pitted and halved cherries

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, yogurt, eggs, egg whites, banana, and oil.
Add in the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and mix again.
Lastly, gently fold in the chocolate chips and cherry halves.
Grease a 9-inch loaf pan and pour in the batter.
Bake until the center of the bread has set and the edges begin to brown—about an hour and 20 minutes.
Wait for the bread to cool before cutting. Garnish with melted chocolate or powdered sugar.

This came out a lot more dense than I anticipated, almost like pound cake(not that that’s a bad thing at all). Like any low-fat bread, I’d recommend eating this within 2-3 days before it turns stale.

8 Comments - Leave a comment!

Gluten-Free Fig Bars

Written on July 23, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

It’s amazing how many gluten-free options there are on supermarket shelves these days. Last I checked there are no less than 3 gluten-free “Oreo” knock-offs. Gluten-free pretzels are my newest addiction; they come in plain, chocolate covered, and yogurt covered(still waiting on some savory flavors). But there’s one hugely noticeable absence from the options: Gluten-free Fig Newtons.

Fig Newtons used to be as good as cookie gold to me, only topped by those maple cookies shaped like a maple leaf. I went into the kitchen recently determined to come out with gluten-free Fig Newtons… or at least something similar.

It’s incredibly hard to get gluten-free dough to be elastic without tons of different flours and gums. Instead, I focused on getting the same flavors in a different form with less special ingredients. These bars have a shortbread crust and a top crumble with strong touches of cinnamon and butter; it’s like a portable fig crisp, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.

Of course you can use any kind of jam to fill these with. Try apple butter for a Fall flavor or mango butter for something more tropical.

Gluten-Free Fig Bars

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup fig jam or fig puree

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, egg, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.
Add in the coconut flour and brown rice flour and work the dough until the flours have been mixed in.
Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan.
Press about half of the dough into a 1/2-inch thick layer in the pan. Use more than half of the dough if you have to; just make sure it’s thick enough to hold together.
Spread the fig butter into a flat layer on top of the dough.
Crumble the extra dough on top of the layer of fig and press it in lightly.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges begin to brown and the top is golden.
Wait for the bars to cool before cutting in. Store leftovers in a refrigerator.

6 Comments - Leave a comment!

Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Written on July 11, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

One of the funniest misconceptions of a gluten-free diet is that it’s a low carb diet.

Hardly.

Yes, eliminating gluten from your diets limits the number of carbs you can eat. And when you’re eating on-the-go you’re limited to options like salads and nuts that are low carb. But at heart most gluten-free eaters are still carb lovers like everyone else, and when given the chance we’ll gladly make a meal out of gluten-free muffins, pancakes, and waffles. And don’t forget the syrup.

Thinking back, I can’t really remember the last time I ate a muffin(because why bake muffins when you can make cupcakes). Banana nut would probably be my favorite, but since we were out of nuts when I made this chocolate chip would have to do. Who could say no to banana chocolate chip anyway?

Don’t have brown rice flour? You can substitute oat flour instead. If you don’t have that you can always make your own by grinding 2 cups of gluten-free rolled oats in a food processor.

Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes a dozen muffins):

1 1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup corn starch
3/4 cup sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
6 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, sift together the brown rice flour, corn starch, and sugar.
Add in the mashed bananas, oil, water, and eggs and stir the batter together.
Add in the cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and mix completely.
Pour the batter into twelve lined muffin tins.
Drop an even amount of chocolate chips onto the top of each muffin.
Bake for about 30 minutes until the tops start to brown and the muffins are cooked in the center.
Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool slightly before touching.

Soft, spicy and studded with chocolate chips. Tomorrow morning’s going to be tasty.

13 Comments - Leave a comment!

Maple Almond Granola

Written on July 6, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

Granola is quickly becoming one of my favorite foods. I’ve been eating it morning, noon, and night. It’s just a matter of time before I buy some oversized glasses and Toms and join a coop.

It’s so much more appealing to make your own because it gives you an endless possibility of flavors. You can have chocolate, banana, peanut granola one morning and maple almond granola the next. And since oats are cheap(well, unless you’re stuck buying name-brand certified gluten-free oats—but let’s not go there), it’s not a meal that’s going to bleed your pockets dry.

The hint of cinnamon in this recipe adds a familiar warmth that doesn’t overpower the other flavors. Make sure to use a tasteless oil like canola or safflower unless you’re looking to add the flavors of coconut or extra virgin olive oil into the mix.

Maple Almond Granola

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 cups):

2 1/2 cup oats*
6 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 Tablespoons neutral flavored oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons shaved almonds

*Make sure these are certified gluten-free if you’re dealing with a gluten allergy.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, maple syrup, oil, salt, and cinnamon.
Lay the oats out in a 1/2-inch thick layer on a baking tray. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the oats are crispy and toasted, occasionally breaking the granola with a fork or other utensil while it bakes.
Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely.
In a separate bowl, combine the granola, raisins, and almonds and toss together until completely mixed.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

You can toast the almonds for an extra level of nuttiness before adding them to the granola. I’d also suggest adding almond extract to the raw oats before baking for a kick of flavor but it’s not necessary.

9 Comments - Leave a comment!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Flag Cake

Written on June 29, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

Happy (almost) 4th of July! I know I’m five days early, but consider this my obligatory patriotic post.

A few weeks ago I went to an American citizenship party for some friends who recently passed the citizenship test. There was grilling and beans and red, white, and blue napkins so of course there had to be flag cake.

A family friend at this party recently had to cut gluten out of her diet; one of her favorite foods is chocolate cake so naturally I knew the cake I made had to be chocolate. I’d never experimented with almond flour and coconut flour in the same recipe but I thought I’d give it a shot. The texture was just like any good ol’ fashioned American sponge cake. You’d never guess it was gluten-free and grain-free.

The frosting also got a lot of praise, too. Then again, how can something with butter, cream cheese, and a pound of sugar not be good?

Make sure to use fresh fruit and to assemble it as close to serving as possible. The more the cake sits out, the more the juices from the strawberries runs into the frosting, and no one wants a runny flag.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Flag Cake

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 9 x 12 cake):

For the cake:

3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
6 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons hot water

For the frosting:

1 4oz stick of butter, room temperature
1 8oz block of cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1lb box of powdered sugar

Fruit topping:

1 half pint blueberries
1lb fresh strawberries

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.
While the chocolate is melting, mix together the almond flour, coconut flour, sugar, and oil.
Mix the melted chocolate into the flour mixture completely.
Crack the eggs into the batter and beat each in.
Add in the vanilla, baking soda, and salt.
Add in the hot water and mix until the batter is smooth and slightly runny.
Grease a 9 x 12 baking pan. Pour the batter in in an even layer.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the center of the cake has set. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before frosting.
Combine the butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and half of the sugar in a large bowl.
With an electric mixer, beat together the ingredients until the sugar is entirely incorporated.
Slowly add more sugar into the mix until all of it is mixed into the frosting.
Spread a few tablespoons of powdered sugar on top of the cake and brush it all around to prevent the frosting from tearing the top of the cake.
Spread the frosting out all over the cake in an even layer and around the sides.
Make a square of blueberries in the top left corner of the cake.
Remove the stem from each strawberry and cut each in half. Lay them out top to bottom in horizontal lines in a flag pattern.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

There were practice American citizenship tests at the party. I scored a 12/20. I think that’s good enough not to be deported, right? Too bad how to make a flag cake isn’t part of the test.

17 Comments - Leave a comment!