Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Gluten Free Chocolate Donut Muffins

Gluten Free Chocolate Donut Muffins
Today, I tried a new recipe that I found online for gluten free chocolate donuts or muffins.  Before you look at the ingredients, let me tell you that this is not a "healthy" recipe.  It is a decadent recipe.  One for special people and special occasions.  It does not have gluten, but, it does have heavy cream.  I used Kinnikinick All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix for the gluten free flour.  Also, I halved the recipe, added 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips, and it made 10 small muffins.  The bake time was much longer than the original recipe.  They took 14 minutes, not the 8 minutes it states in the original recipe.  Maybe in a donut pan it takes only 8 minutes.  Hope you like it!

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Chocolate Doughnut Muffins – Gluten Free
Yield:  10 small muffins
slightly adapted from GlutenFreeOnAShoestring 
Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 large egg
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
7 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons milk
drop of vanilla extract

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare muffin tin with 10 paper liners or spray with PAM.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour,  xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt and nutmeg,  Whisk in chocolate chips.
  3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, oil, egg, vanilla, and cream.
  4. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir just to combine.
  5. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin, fill about 1/2 - 3/4 full.
  6. Bake for about 14-16 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
  8. To make the glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together confectioner's sugar, cocoa, 1 teaspoon of milk and the vanilla.  Add a little more milk (1/2 teaspoon at a time) until desired consistency.
  9. Gently pull back paper liners and drizzle glaze over the muffins.
  10. Enjoy!


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut - no gluten, dairy or eggs

chocolate chip cookies with coconut - gluten, dairy and egg free
I've been working on this recipe for over a week and I am finally ready to share.  Today, I made these cookies as bar cookies and sliced them into the triangles you see above.  Of course, you can scoop them into traditional round cookies, too.  This recipe uses rice flour, but, you could use regular all purpose flour if you do not need to be gluten free.  If you don't like coconut, don't try this recipe.  The warm cookies are reminiscent of a Mounds chocolate candy in cookie form.  The golden edges are crispy and the center is a little soft and chewy.  Bake them longer for extra crispy, less for extra chewy.  I know some of you might resist the corn syrup.  But, just like in pecan pie, corn syrup provides that extra special textural component that no other sweetener can do.  And, if you don't want to use the coffee, simply substitute a Tablespoon of whatever liquid you prefer, almond, soy or coconut milk would be great.

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog.  Hope to see you soon.
Love,
Susan

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut (no egg, no dairy and no gluten)
Yield:  12 cookies

3/4 cup rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon corn syrup
1 Tablespoon hot coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together rice flour, baking powder and salt.  Add coconut and chips.  Mix and set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, mix the coconut oil, brown sugar, corn syrup, coffee, and vanilla with a rubber spatula, stir until completely combined.
  5. Stir dry into wet ingredients, using rubber spatula stir until combined.
  6. Scoop the dough into 12 equal portions and press into shape on prepared cookie sheet.  (Or, press dough into an 8 x 8 square pan, lined with parchment)
  7. Bake for 10 – 14 minutes or until golden around the edges.  Cookies will still be soft.
  8. Cool on cookie sheet for five minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. They will crisp up as they cool.  (If baking in 8 x 8 pan, using parchment paper, carefully remove from pan on parchment paper after the 5 minutes cooling time and cut into desired shapes while still warm and soft)