Gluten Free White Chocolate and Raspberry Muffins

February has been such an incredibly busy month for me, so I’ve very little time to sit down and get this blog written, but I promise I’ve not been neglecting you!

In fact, I’ve been working on perfecting one of my favourite bakes and I’m really excited to finally be able to share with you my recipe for Gluten Free White Chocolate and Raspberry Muffins!

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In the past I’ve struggled to bake the perfect gluten free muffins – often they don’t rise enough or the texture is more like that of a cupcake rather than a muffin, which are supposed to have a much denser texture as opposed to being light and fluffy.  

After a bit of trial and error I have come up with a recipe which I think ticks all the right boxes; the texture was exactly right and the muffins rose enough to create that classic muffin look.

Here are a few golden rules to abide by if you want perfect gluten free muffins:

1. Mix the dry ingredients separately to the wet ingredients – This helps to make sure that the raising agents are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

2. Don’t over mix the batter – Because of the lack of gluten we need something to make the muffins rise, so don’t over work the batter as this can cause the raising agents to work less affectively. Stir the ingredients until just combined and don’t worry about any lumps.

3. Use the right amount of raising agents – I found that baking powder alone wasn’t enough so I also used a small amount of bicarbonate of soda – but don’t use too much or it can leave an unpleasant flavour.

4. Keep chocolate chips in the fridge until you need them – This simple trick stops the chocolate chips melting in the oven and helps them to retain their shape.

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My muffins have an added twist, in that they have a raspberry jam centre but you could use fresh raspberries, if you prefer!

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Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins – GF/DF options
Makes 8

Ingredients:
300g gluten free self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs
75 ml sunflower oil
200ml milk (or dairy free alternative)
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g white chocolate chips, refrigerated (or dairy free alternative)
8 tsp raspberry jam

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/160 C/gas mark 4 and line a muffin tin with 8 muffin cases.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

3. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, milk and vanilla extract until combined then add this to the dry ingredients.

4. Gently mix the ingredients together until they form a batter which is only just combined (don’t worry too much if there are any lumps), then stir through the chocolate chips.

5. Spoon approximately 1 and a half tablespoons of batter into each case, followed by a teaspoon of jam then fill the muffin cases with a further tablespoon of batter, ensuring the jam is fully covered.

6. Bake the muffins for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

7. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving.

Gluten Free Scones Recipe

Scones have always been one of my  favourite bakes. They were the very first thing I was taught to bake at school and are a good bake for baking beginners.

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I used to have a little trouble making good gluten free scones – the end result would often be quite crumbly and couldn’t get them to rise like I wanted.

I’ve discovered that an egg and a little milk is required to help bind the ingredients together – making the dough ever so slightly wetter than normal (but not sticky) helps to ensure that the scones don’t dry out during baking.

Possibly the most important tip is not to roll the dough out too thin, otherwise your scones will end up rather flat –  start off with a little height (at least 3cm) and you’ll end up with nice tall scones.

I chose to make some of the scones with glacé cherries and some without – feel free to leave them out if you’re not a fan, but if you do use cherries, make sure you wash the syrup off them as they can make the scones a bit soggy in places!

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Scones – GF/DF options
Recipe makes approximately 6 – 8 Scones.

Ingredients:
250g gluten free self raising flour
1 tsp big powder
75g butter, unsalted (or dairy free alternative like Stork Baking Block)
40g caster sugar
75ml milk (or dairy free alternative)
2 eggs (one for glazing)
50g glacé cherries, chopped and rinsed (optional)

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 220 C/200 fan C/gas mark 6.

2) In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt.

3) Rub together the butter and flour mixture until you have a breadcrumb like texture, then stir through the sugar.

4) Add an egg and start to bring the mixture together using a wooden spoon.

5) Add the milk bit by bit (you might not need it all) and use your hands to bring the mixture together in a smooth dough.

6) Lightly dust a work surface with flour then roll out the dough to about 3 cm thick – don’t roll out the dough too flat or you will have very flat scones!

7) Cut the scones out with 6cm flutted scone cutter. Place the scones on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper then lightly brush each one with beaten egg.

8) Bake the scones in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

9) Leave the scones to cool on a wire rack before serving with jam and clotted cream!

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If you want to keep up to date with my kitchen adventures you can find me on Instagram @titchyton or on my Facebook page.

Gluten Free Rocky Road

During the dark and cold month of January, I am usually found seeking out delicious comfort foods to perk up my mood.

For me, nothing quite beats curling up on the sofa with a good book, a cuppa and slice of my Gluten Free Rocky Road, which is packed full of delicious sweet treats and is certain to banish those winter blues!

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Most traditional Rocky Road recipes are not Gluten Free because they usually include biscuits, so instead of Biscuits I decided to use Nature’s Store Puffed Rice Cereal as a substitute. Puffed rice is 100% Gluten Free and a healthier option than biscuits as it contains no sugar. You can of course use Gluten Free Biscuits if you’d prefer, but I honestly prefer using puffed rice as it still provides crunch expected from Rocky Road.

This is recipe is wonderfully simple and so easily adaptable so if you fancy changing it up, why not use raisins or cranberries instead of cherries? It is also a no bake recipe (perfect if you are feeling a little bit lazy), simply pop it in the fridge and let the magic happen – what’s not to like?

Gluten Free Rocky Road – GF/DF/EF

Ingredients

300g milk or dark chocolate (or dairy free alternative)
125g butter, softened (or dairy free spread)
100g pink and white mini Marshmallows (plus an extra handful for the top)
75g glacé cherries cut in half
25g Rude Health Brown puffed rice
25g almonds
3 tbsp golden syrup

Icing Sugar to dust

Method

1) Grease and line a square tin with greaseproof paper.

2) Melt the chocolate in large heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

3) In a separate pan melt together the butter and golden syrup, then add this to the melted chocolate and stir continuously until all the ingredients are combined.

4) Stir in the marshmallows, puffed rice, almonds and cherries until they are coated in a thick layer of the chocolate.

5) Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and use a greased palate knife to flatten down the mixture down and smooth it right to the corners of the tin.

6) Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on top of the mixture and press down firmly to help tightly pack the mixture into into the tin. Peel off the greaseproof paper and dot across the extra marshmallows.

7) Chill the Rocky Road in the fridge for at least two hours.

8) Use the greaseproof paper to help remove the slab of Rocky Road from the tin, then carefully cut it into equal pieces.

9) Lightly dust the Rocky Road with a little icing sugar and  enjoy!

Rocky Road should keep for up to a week stored in an airtight container, or you can keep it in the fridge if your home is a little warm.

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If you want to keep up to date with my kitchen adventures on instagram, you can find me @titchyton.

Gluten Free Christmas: Kransekake Recipe

For me, every Christmas table should have a showstopper, something extra special which makes the family go “Wow!”

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think there is anything more show stopping than the towering Kransekake Cake which would look simply spectacular at the centre of any Christmas dinner table!
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The Kransekake is a traditional Scandinavian cake which is often served at special occasions including weddings and Christmas celebrations. It consists of 18 almond flavoured rings which are stacked on top of each other to form an impressive tower – If you’re a Marzipan fan, you’ll love this cake!

12360078_984881254917308_60926301423683865_n My Kransekake Design

Although it looks very impressive, it’s actually quite straight forward to make! The rings are made from a dough consisting of ground almonds, icing sugar and egg whites which is shaped to fit Kransekake moulds which can be found at Lakeland.

Kransekake Cakes are usually gluten free, although dough is sometimes rolled out in Semolina flour which is not suitable for Coeliacs. For my Kransekake cake, I rolled the dough out in Cornflour instead of Semolina.
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Gluten Free Kransekake Recipe – GF/DF

Recipe inspired by Paul Hollywood’s Recipe from ‘The Great British Bake Off’

Ingredients
500g ground almonds, plus cornflour for dusting
500g icing sugar
4 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
sunflower oil spray

For the Decoration:
2 egg white
500g icing sugar
edible spray glitter
fondant stars (optional)

You will also need 6 Kransekake Moulds (I bought mine from Lakeland)

Method

1. In a large bowl mix together the ground almonds and icing sugar.

2. Add the egg whites and almond extract, then using your hands work the ingredients into a smooth ball of slightly sticky dough.

3. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least two hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 C/180 C Fan/gas mark 6.

5. Spray the Kransekake moulds with oil and dust them generously with cornflour.

6. Dust a work surface with cornflour and split the dough into 6 equally sized pieces.

7. Split one of the pieces of dough into three different sized pieces: one large, one medium and one small.

8. Roll the balls of dough out into pieces which are approximately a finger-width and long enough to wrap round the Kransekake moulds.

9. Place the first piece into the Kransekake mould and pinch the ends together. Repeat with all the other pieces until all the moulds are filled.

10. Place the moulds onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

11. Remove the Kransekake rings from the oven and allow them to set in their moulds – if you try to remove them while they are warm they will break! Once the Kransekake are cool remove them from their moulds and set them aside while you make the icing.

12. To make the Royal Icing, place the egg whites in a bowl and slowly sift in the icing sugar in batches. In between each batch of sugar stir the icing with a wooden spoon or a balloon whisk until the icing thickens up.

13. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round writing nozzle.

14. Before you begin to decorate, sort the rings out into size order.

15. Place the largest ring onto your serving plate (you could use a bit of icing to adhere it to the plate and stop it from slipping around). Pipe a zig-zag pattern onto the ring and place the second largest ring on top. Repeat until all the rings have been neatly stacked.

16. To finish, spray the Kransekake with edible spray glitter. I made mine extra special by covering it in gold stars made from fondant icing.

I hope you all enjoy the Christmas season and have a go at my Christmas recipes this year, which also include my Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies which I posted last Christmas, my Hazelnut Cranberry and Orange Biscotti and my Cointreau Christmas Cake.
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I am taking a well deserved Christmas break, but I will be back in the New Year with plenty more gluten free recipes for you all to try.  In the meantime, why not check out my out my Instagram page or my Facebook page to see what else I get up to over Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  xxx

Gluten Free Christmas: Hazelnut, Cranberry and Orange Biscotti Recipe

It’s December which means one thing and one thing only… IT’S CHRISTMAS!!!

We are only a week into December and my friends have already accused me of Buddy The Elf levels of excitement at least a hundred times… but I can’t help it because Christmas is my favourite time of the year!
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The decorations are up, I’ve made my first batch of gingerbread, I’ve drunk my first mulled wine of the season and I’ve listened to my Christmas playlist on loop for about a week so I can confirm that I am officially in full Christmas mode.
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For me, the best thing about Christmas is the food. I love all the flavours that the season has to offer more than any other time of year and quite frankly it’s not christmas without spicy gingerbread, chewy chestnuts, juicy clementines or even Brussels sprouts!

Following a gluten free diet has never stopped me enjoying Christmas either. If anything, I’ve found more enjoyment in food because having to bake my own festive treats is all part of the fun.

I have tonnes of Christmas recipes which I cannot wait to share with you but I’m going to start with my Hazelnut, Cranberry and Orange Biscotti recipe.
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Since I shared my Cranberry, Almond and White Chocolate Biscotti recipe a few months back I’ve had it in my mind to create a version using more festive flavours for Christmas.

When my family and I arrive home from church on Christmas morning we usually enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with a sweet treat just before opening all the presents. I think this year these Biscotti would be absolutely perfect and I will definitely be making a batch for the big day.
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Hazelnut, Cranberry and Orange Biscotti – GF/DF

Ingredients:
150g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
300g gluten free self raising flour, plus extra for shaping the dough
3 large eggs
150g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped
75g dried cranberries
1 tsp orange zest
2 tsp hazelnut syrup or extract (I used Monin Hazelnut Syrup)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C/160 C fan/gas mark 4.

2. Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the caster sugar, baking powder and flour.

4. Add the eggs, cranberries and hazelnuts then mix until all the ingredients are combined.

The mixture will be slightly wetter than expected so please don’t panic and add more flour. Remember that gluten free flour needs more moisture than regular flour and these biscuits are going to be baked twice – if you add more flour you’ll end up with a very dry dough which will result in an overly dry biscotti that cannot be baked twice.

5. Separate the mixture into two halves and generously dust a work surface with a flour.

6. Spoon one half of the mixture onto the work surface into a rough log shape then dust the mixture with a generous layer of flour – do not knead or roll the mixture but gently use your hands to shape the mixture into a log shape. The flour will stick to the mixture like a coating which will help the log keep it shape whilst allowing the inside to stay soft.
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7. Transfer to the log to a baking tray (you could use a cake lifter to help) then flatten the log slightly so it’s approximately the width of a ciabatta. Repeat the with the other half of the mixture then place the second log on the tray – make sure you leave a little room between to allow them to expand slightly.

8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the biscotti is golden brown. Transfer the biscotti to a wire rack to cool completely. Leave the oven on.

9. Once the biscotti is cool, slice it diagonally across into inch thick slices. Do not attempt to slice the biscotti whilst still warm or it will crumble.

10. Transfer the biscotti back onto the baking tray and bake for a further 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Leave the biscotti to cool completely before serving.
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I can’t wait to show you what else I have planned for Christmas, but if you are looking for more Christmas inspiration in the meantime, why not take a look at my Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies recipe which I posted last Christmas, or, follow me over on Instagram or Facebook to see what else I’m getting up to.

Gluten Free American Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

Today I’m really excited to share with you my recipe for Gluten Free American Style Chocolate Chip Cookies!
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I’ve been having really bad cookie cravings since I caught a whiff of freshly baked cookies wafting out from Millie’s Cookies while I was walking around Westfield a few weeks ago…

I know you can buy gluten free cookies from the supermarket, but they’re not the same! You might think I am being picky, but supermarket versions are rather chunky and crunchy, not soft and chewy like the ones you can buy freshly made from bakeries.

I decided the only thing for it was to make my own and although I haven’t had a proper cookie in over three years, these cookies are exactly like what I remember! They have a slightly crunchy outside and a lovely soft and chewy centre bursting with chocolate chips.
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The trick to making the best chocolate chip cookies to make sure you don’t over bake them. I accidentally over baked the first few which made them a bit too hard, but if you take them out of the oven while they are still quite soft and leave them to set on the baking tray your cookies will retain their chewy centre.

Gluten Free American Style Chocolate Chip Cookies – GF/DF options

Ingredients
175g gluten free self raising flour
100g rice flour
2 tsp cornflour
A pinch of salt
150g butter, melted (or dairy free alternative like Stork Baking Block)
125g caster sugar
75g light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp milk
150g milk or dark chocolate chips (or dairy free alternative)

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flours and the sugar.

2. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, egg yolks and milk. Mix until all the ingredients are combined then fold through the chocolate chips.

3. Wrap the cookie dough in cling film, then chill the dough in the fridge for a few hours until it has firmed up.

4. Heat oven to 180 C/160 fan/gas mark 3.

5. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment.

6. Separate the dough into pieces that weigh approximately 35g each and roll each one into a ball shape.

7. Place the balls of dough on the prepared baking trays making sure you leave room for the cookies to spread out as they bake.

8. Bake the cookies for 12 – 15 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown and will remain quite soft – don’t be tempted to bake them for longer.  If the cookies have puffed up a bit, gently press them down with your fingers a few times towards the end of the bake so you don’t end up with cookies which are too dense and cake like.

9. Leave the cookies to firm up on the baking tray then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Tis almost the season to be jolly, so I will have plenty of Christmas recipes coming real soon. In the meantime, come and follow me over on Instagram or Facebook to see what else I’m getting up to!

Gluten Free Ginger Cake

Autumn is here and as the weather turns colder I look forward to all the flavours the new season has to offer. Gone are the summer fruits, in are the wintery comfort foods and what could be more comforting than slice of warm and spicy ginger cake?

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In my opinion, comfort food should be as fuss free and simple to achieve as possible. My ginger cake recipe is exactly that and requires no advanced techniques – simply mix the ingredients together and bake!

This cake certainly packs a punch and has a very strong spicy ginger flavour, so feel free to use less ginger if you’d prefer a milder flavour.

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Ginger Cake – GF/DF options

Ingredients:
200g gluten free self raising flour
200g light brown sugar
2 – 3 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
55g unsalted butter, melted (or dairy free alternative)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 tbsp black treacle
100ml strong black tea, cooled

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/160 C fan/gas mark 4 then grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.

2. In a large bowl: Mix together the flour, sugar, ginger and bicarbonate of soda.

3. In a separate bowl: whisk together the eggs, golden syrup and treacle.

4. Make a well in the centre of the ingredients, add the egg mixture, melted butter and tea then mix until you are left with a smooth and lump-free batter.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, when the cake is done it should be firm to touch.

6. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave to cool before serving.

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This cake matures really well and tastes even better after a day or two. If you can wait, wrap your cake in some greaseproof paper and store it in an air tight container for at least 12 hours before you tuck in – the longer you leave his cake, the sticker it gets! This cake will be at it’s best for at least 5 days and keeps for up to 7 days, if stored properly in an airtight container.

Coeliac Awareness Week: Gluten Free Cheese Scones

Here in the UK it is Coeliac Awareness Week and to help raise awareness of this important campaign I am posting very simple Gluten Free recipes to help any newly diagnosed Coeliacs get started.

My first post was my Victoria Sandwich Recipe and today I will be sharing my recipe for Gluten Free Cheese Scones.
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Scones are a true classic and a bake that should be in every baker’s repertoire. They are perfect for beginners (they were certainly the first thing I learnt to make) and possible to achieve Gluten Free – you just need to make sure the dough is moist enough!

Gluten Free Cheese Scones – GF/DF options

This recipe makes approximately 8 scones.

Ingredients:
250g gluten free self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
75g butter, unsalted
A pinch of salt
75g mature cheddar, plus extra for the top.
2 eggs (one for glazing)
75ml milk (or dairy free alternative)

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 220 C/200 fan C/gas mark 6.

2) In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3) Rub together the butter and flour mixture until you have a breadcrumb like texture, then stir through the cheese.

4) Add an egg and start to bring the mixture together using a wooden spoon.

5) Add the milk bit by bit and use your hands to bring the mixture together in a smooth dough.

6) Lightly dust a work surface with flour then roll out the dough to 3/4cm thick – don’t roll out the dough too flat or you will have very flat scones!

7) Place the scones on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Lightly brush the top of each scone with beaten egg then sprinkle over a little bit more cheese.

8) Bake the scones in a preheated oven for 15 – 18 minutes until they are golden brown.

9) Leave the scones to cool on a wire rack or enjoy warm with lashings of butter! To refresh the scones, sprinkle them with a little cold water and gently warm them in the oven.

Please don’t forget to check out my Victoria Sandwich Recipe for Coeliac Awareness Week or if you are looking for more inspiration take a look at my Recipes Page.

You can also keep up to date with my kitchen adventures on:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/titchyton/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/titchyton

Coeliac Awareness Week: Gluten Free Victoria Sandwich Cake

It’s Coeliac Awareness Week!

Here in the UK approximately 1 in 100 people suffer with Coeliac Disease, however, due to the fact it is commonly misdiagnosed it is believed that an estimated half a million people are living with undiagnosed Coeliacs Disease every day – something that this campaign is aiming to change.

To help raise awareness of this fantastic campaign, this week I will be posting very simple Gluten Free Recipes starting with my Victoria Sandwich Recipe.

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Victoria Sandwich is one of those really classic bakes. This week I will be all about those classic favourites that people don’t want to miss out on just because they are on a Gluten Free diet. I also hope these recipes will inspire any newly diagnosed Coeliacs to get baking!

Gluten Free Victoria Sandwich – GF/DF options

Ingredients:

Sponge:
150g caster sugar
150g unsalted butter (or dairy free margarine)
150g gluten free self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder (check it’s gluten free)
2 large eggs
3 – 4 tbsp milk (or dairy alternative)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling:
Strawberry jam
Icing sugar, to decorate.

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180 C/160 C fan/gas mark 4.

2) Grease and line two sandwich cake tins.

3) In large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

4) In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.

5) Add the eggs one at a time along with a tablespoon of flour to stop the cake mixture from splitting – make sure each egg is fully combined before adding the next one.

6) Fold in the remaining flour, milk and vanilla extract until all the ingredients are fully combined.

7) Divide the cake mixture between the two sandwich tins and smooth it to the edges using a palate knife.

8) Gently tap the tins on the work surface to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake is golden on top – the cake is ready when it is firm to touch.

9) Turn out the cakes onto a wire rack to cool.

10) To assemble the cake: place one of the cakes onto a serving plate and cover it with a thick layer of jam. Place the second piece on top then dust with icing sugar for a lovely finishing touch!
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Please check out www.coeliac.org.uk to see how you can get involved with Coeliac Awareness week or share this recipe with your friends to help to spread the word.

You can also keep up to date with my Gluten Free adventures by following me on Instagram or on Facebook.

Gluten Free Easter: Vanilla Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Easter Sunday may only be one day away but there is still enough time to get baking some delicious Easter treats.

Today I am going to share with you a recipe which is so easy to whip up at the last minute and requires very few ingredients: Vanilla Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing.
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The recipe is so simple and easy to make – just be sure to chill the cookie dough for a few hours to make it easier to handle. You can make the cookies your own by choosing different shaped cookie cutters and by decorating them however you fancy!

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They would also make a beautiful Easter gift for anyone you know who isn’t keen on chocolate!

Vanilla Sugar Cookies – GF/DF options

Ingredients:

For the cookies:
150g sugar
150g butter
130g rice flour
150g self raising gluten free flour
1 egg
1 tbsp milk (or dairy free alternative)
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Royal Icing:
1 egg white
250g icing sugar

Method:

1) In a large bowl, mix the gluten free flour and suagr until combined.

2) Rub in the butter until you have a bread crumb like texture.

3) Add the egg and vanilla essence and start to bring the ingredients together using a wooden spoon.

4) Tip the contents onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to work the ingredients into a soft dough.

Tip. Don’t worry if the dough seems a little sticky as it will be refrigerated which help it to firm up – don’t be tempted to add more flour!

5) Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for at least and hour.

6) Preheat the oven to 170 C/150 fan/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

7) Dust a clean surface with rice flour and roll out the dough using a rolling pin.

8) Cut out the cookie shapes with your chosen cutters and transfer them to the prepared tray using a palate knife.

9) Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the biscuits are firm and a light golden brown – be sure to keep an eye on them as they could quickly over-bake.

10) Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool.

11)  To make the Royal icing, place 1 egg white in a bowl and slowly sift in the icing sugar in batches. In between the batches of icing sugar, stir with a wooden spoon or a balloon whisk until the icing thickens up, it is now ready to be used. Transfer the icing into a piping bag, if you are not using your icing straight away cover the bowl with cling film to prevent air getting to it which will cause it to harden. If you wish to decorate the cookies in different colours, simply add a few drops of food colouring to the icing.

12) Decorate the cookies however you fancy!

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You can see what else I’m getting up to over Easter  over on Instagram or on my Facebook Page.

I hope you all have a lovely Easter weekend and eat plenty of Chocolate!