Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Frangipane Tart

My little girl, Emily, has been asking me for 'Rahhhspberries' all day today. She's never had them before and they just so happened to be on offer in Aldi, so I bought a punnet for her. She put one in her mouth and immediately spat it out, declaring "I don't like that one, Mummy." I don't really like raspberries on their own either, so I decided to use them to make a cake.

Personally, I love raspberry cheesecake, but my fiancé isn't fussed on them and to be honest, I need to start making things he will eat too, otherwise I'll be struggling to get into my favourite jeans! He loves bakewell tart, so the recipe below is a bit of an adaptation on that. The pastry is probably the best one I've made to date - light, crumbly and sweet and it complements the moist frangipane. The raspberries add a bit of zing, and the dark chocolate perfectly finishes the whole thing off! It's gone down well with all three of us, so I'll definitely be making this again!

As ever, make sure you check labels on everything to ensure it's all gluten free.

Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Frangipane Tart

Pastry
100g unsalted butter diced
100g icing sugar
50g ground almonds
1 medium egg, beaten
200g plain gluten free flour plus extra for rolling
Baking beans/uncooked rice

Filling
125g unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
1tsp almond extract
125g ground almonds
2 eggs
100g fresh raspberries, halved
30g Dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 160 degrees and grease a 9inch/23cm tart tin. (I also line it with foil first for easier removal)

To make the pastry, rub the butter and sugar between your fingers to form crumbs. Stir in the almonds and icing sugar and add the egg a little at a time to form a soft dough. Use a little more flour to roll out to a thickness of about 0.25cm. Line the tin with the pastry, gently pushing it to the corners. Trim excess from around the edge and blind bake using the baking beans/rice for 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown slightly.

For the frangipane, cream the butter, sugar and almond extract together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and continue to beat the mixture. Gently stir in the almonds. Place the halved raspberries on the pastry base in circles and then spread the frangipane mixture on top. Bake until golden and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool.

Put the dark chocolate in a sandwich bag and melt in some boiled water. Snip the corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

Caramel Macchiatos are my favourite drink in Starbucks. So much so that on my last visit, I bought a bottle of the caramel drizzle sauce they use on top so that I can make my own imitation versions at home. However,  I've yet to master the milk frother on my coffee machine, as it turns out more like bath foam rather than the silky, thick stuff you can stand your spoon up in at Starbucks. As such, a little drizzle of caramel sauce just sinks to the bottom. Woe.

Anyway, I digress. Because of my homemade latte failure, I've been squirting on the sauce on just about anything else - pancakes, ice cream, my mouth.. and decided to have a play around with a cake recipe based on my favourite drink. It worked quite well! I think a marshmallow creme might work better to imitate the milky foam, rather than buttercream, maybe I'll try that next time!

Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes 

Makes 8 large cakes

125g of margarine
125g caster sugar
125g Doves Farm gluten free self-raising flour
2 eggs
2 tsp of coffee mixed with a tbsp of boiling water, left to cool
2 tsp caramel flavoured syrup (I used this)

Buttercream

150g Icing sugar
50g butter
splash of milk

Caramel Sauce to drizzle over cupcakes

Preheat oven to 190 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl using an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add eggs and 25g of flour and whisk until combined. Add the rest of the flour, the coffee and the caramel syrup and whisk together for a couple more minutes. Evenly spoon mixture into cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes until a cocktail stick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Leave to cool and make the buttercream. Spread a thin layer over the top of the cakes, and then drizzle some caramel sauce over each cake.

Chocolate Salami

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas with many gorgeous gluten free goodies!

I am starting the year as I mean to go on with a blog post. I plan to keep this updated more often, but I think I've said that every year so far, so we'll see!

This is a great recipe to use up some of your leftover Christmas chocolate/biscuits/nuts. It can be kept in the fridge and sliced up as and when you want it. It would probably also freeze well. From this recipe, I made two large 'salamis' and gave one to my boyfriend's dad as we still have so much to get through!

I first saw chocolate salami on a Nigella Lawson programme and searched for the recipe afterwards. It would seem that most traditional recipes use raw eggs. I know this is perfectly safe, but I always feel a bit funny about raw eggs, so after researching a few more recipes and playing about with different combinations, I ended up with the one below. This recipe could be adapted in so many ways - try just milk chocolate if you don't want it to be so rich, use a flavoured syrup in place of alcohol, try different nuts, biscuits or even dried fruit to create a different texture. You can't really go wrong!

Chocolate Salami

100g good quality milk chocolate
100g good quality dark chocolate
150g unsalted butter
120g sugar
100g cocoa powder
100g hazelnuts, chopped
125-150g crushed gluten free biscuits (I used rich tea)
3 tbsp Cointreau or liqueur or your choice (optional)
Icing sugar to dust
String to 'wrap' the salami
Greaseproof paper

In a saucepan, melt the milk and dark chocolate with the butter, sugar and cocoa powder over a low heat. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the biscuits, nuts and Cointreau. Mix to combine it all and leave to cool for a while, before adding the white chocolate chips. Turn out onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and shape into a sausage. Use the paper to help you shape it smoothly and roll it up tightly, twisting each end. (You could also use the same method to create a few smaller sausages)

Store in the fridge until completely cooled. It should feel quite firm to the touch.

Remove the paper and dust the salami with icing sugar. Tie a long piece of string along the whole thing to look like a real salami (I just improvved this bit!). Use another piece of greaseproof paper to wrap it back up, or store it in an airtight container.

REVIEW: Zizzi

I have been meaning to do a review of Zizzi for a while now, and after eating there last night, there's no time like the present!

Zizzi is a nationwide chain of Italian restaurants similar to Strada, Prezzo and Carluccio's. They boast an impressive gluten free menu which isn't just limited to a couple of pasta dishes and salad. Their website has a separate 'special diets' menu, which lists all the food safe to eat for vegetarians and various allergies. I find this really helpful as you can plan in advance what you might have to eat, and it is particularly useful if you have trouble trusting the knowledge of the staff. They have copies of this menu within the restaurant, so make sure you ask for it when you're seated. Admittedly, when I asked to see it last night, I was told "oh you can have the pasta dishes, we just use gluten free pasta."  This isn't true. Some of the sauces contain gluten and are not safe, and there are more choices than just pasta, so be persistent in asking for the menu if you aren't offered it!

Having eaten at Zizzi before, I already knew what I wanted to order - the Strozzapreti Pesto Rosso. I love chicken pasta dishes and this one is gorgeous. Spiced creme fraiche sauce with spring onions and torn chicken breast. I am slightly confused by their special diets menu, as this dish is not listed as safe for coeliacs anymore, yet it does say it's fine in the allergen table at the back, providing the pasta is substituted.  I asked my server, and again had to ask twice as initially she said "oh it's probably not gluten free anymore then," and only sought confirmation when I explained about the table in the back of the menu. When she returned, I was told it was still fine and must be a printing error, so I'm going to raise this issue with Zizzi and ask them to recheck their menus. It would be a shame to miss out on my favourite meal because of a printing error.  Needless to say, I did order that and was fine the next day, so I'm confident it's still safe.

  My Strozzapreti Pesto Rosso. (Admittedly, it was hard not to
    divert my eyes towards my boyfriend's Rustica Pizza in the background!

Service aside, the meal was really nice. Ironically, I know I'm eating good gluten free pasta, when every mouthful has me doubting whether or not it is actually gluten free! Even my boyfriend couldn't tell the difference, but I was assured by two separate servers that it definitely was. The pasta they use is Doves Farm, and to my knowledge, I've never bought it before but I might have to add it to my trolley next time!

As with most of the gluten free menus at mainstream Italian restaurants, the only thing missing is pizza/bread options. It is understandable why they don't feature, with cross-contamination concerns etc, but it's still a shame as it would be lovely to have some garlic bread with my pasta. Perhaps they will look into some frozen/premade bread as gluten free options continue to expand and improve? I imagine that with Zizzi, it would be difficult, as their pizzas are cooked in a stone fired oven so I would rather know that what I'm eating was cooked separately and definitely safe. Lack of bread aside, the menu at Zizzi is brilliant for coeliacs. Various pasta and risotto dishes, starters (albeit only olives and prawns!), mains, sides and a couple of nice desserts are all safe, so if you like Italian food, you're bound to find something you like!

Maybe I could sneak a couple of slices of bread in my handbag next time?

REVIEW: Penny's Puds

I recently got in touch with Penny from The Litton Larder to enquire about 'Penny's Puds' and she very kindly sent me a sample to review for my blog. I had heard good reviews about them, so I was really excited to try one!

Firstly, a word of warning. Do not save these puddings for a dessert after a large meal unless you're planning to share one, they're very generous portions! They are packaged in a little cardboard tub, with reheating instructions printed on the side which couldn't be easier. Simply place in the microwave for 60 seconds, turn out onto a plate et voila! 

The first thing I noticed was the sauce. I love sticky toffee sauce, and I've been disappointed in the past by other puddings which seem to soak up the sauce and leave none to drizzle. As you can see, there was plenty of sauce on this pudding! And it's amazing; buttery and silky like liquid fudge. The pudding itself is divine. So moist and sticky, while also retaining a light, soft texture, and not crumbly like other gluten free puddings I've tried. I had mine with some vanilla ice cream and half a pudding was more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Penny's Puds can be stored in the fridge until their use by date, printed on the carton. They can also be frozen and reheated without the need to be defrosted, so they're perfect to hide away for when you just need a nice, comforting pudding!

The puddings can be ordered direct from the Litton Larder website. They are £14 for a box of four, with free delivery. They are also stocked in various shops and cafes in and around the Peak District. Take a look at their website for stockists. Penny and her puds also visit various food fairs and Coeliac UK events around the country.

Hands down, this is the nicest sticky toffee pudding I have EVER tried, even before my Coeliac days, and it's clear to see why Penny's Puds are so popular whether you're gluten free or not. I will definitely be ordering more in future!

Red Velvet Cake

I think this is my favourite cake in the world. Bright red, moist sponge with a delicate chocolate flavour, filled and coated with light cream cheese frosting - yum!

I first tried it in New York in 2009, and hadn't seen it anywhere in the UK at that time. It has now made its way over here and I've seen it in several bakeries and cake shops. So far, I haven't had the pleasure to find it in gluten free form. Clearly, the only solution here was to make my own!

This one actually took a bit of trial and error. First of all, I ruined the first cake by cooking it too high, resulting in a soggy middle and a concrete exterior. Then I ruined the frosting by thinking it looked a bit too firm and adding a tiny bit of milk. Don't do this! You will end up with sloppy, but tasty icing.

It is based on a recipe I found on the internet, with a few tweaks to make it gluten free. It uses oil instead of butter because the cake should be very moist. I guess you could quite easily make this cake vegan too by substituting the eggs, cream cheese and butter!

Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

300g Dove's Farm self-raising flour

1tsp gluten free baking soda

300g granulated sugar

2 medium eggs

480ml vegetable oil

1tsp cider vinegar (or any other gluten free white vinegar)

8-10 tsp red food colouring

2 tsp vanilla extract

240ml buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tubs of soft cheese

300g icing sugar

200g butter

1tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 170. Grease/line 3 sandwich tins, or two larger cake tins and wrap the outside in foil. This prevents the cake cooking too quickly at the sides, and also helps to prevent the 'mushroom' effect in the middle of the cake.

Use an electric whisk to mix the sugar and oil in a large bowl. Add the eggs, food colouring, vanilla essence and vinegar and whisk until mixed. Sift the flour and baking soda together, and add to the mixture gradually, whisking to incorporate. Add the buttermilk and whisk on high for a few minutes until the mixture becomes lighter. Divide between your trays and bake for around 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Leave each layer to cool.

To make the frosting, whisk the butter and vanilla extract in a large bowl on a high setting until it becomes light and fluffy. Add the two tubs of cheese and sift in the icing sugar, a bit at a time, whisking until you have a light frosting. Use to sandwich together the layers of your cake and coat the outside.

To prevent getting crumbs in your frosting, spread a thin layer on first to seal the cake.