Baking Gluten-Free Cookies - Conventional, Convection or Microwave - What’s your choice?

Now that I have time to play with my food, I would rather bake food in the microwave or my countertop convection oven.

I don’t like making large batches of anything, so I often bake six and freeze the remainder.  It’s a bit much to heat up the oven or even the counter-top convection oven during hot weather, so I began experimenting with the microwave, since I use it a lot in making meals.

I had some frozen cookie dough from the Orange Scented Double Dark Chocolate Cookies, so I popped a frozen one in the microwave for 60 seconds.  It was the perfect treat!  So I then tried mixing a small amount of a chocolate chip cookie.  The first one was too light for me…. without the browning, so I added cinnamon to color it  a little.

This is a time saver for those with small children….. mix up a batch and microwave one or two when needed.  First test out one or two and always chill and shape the cookie dough!

Cookie dough that works best in the microwave, will puff up and spread a little in a conventional oven.  Of the gluten-free purchased cookie doughs that I’ve tried, all are best baked in the oven. 

I have tried three boxed mixes and was impressed with just one.

This was the best photo from the KAF gluten free cookie mix cookies

If planning to bake any cookies in the microwave, the cookie dough should be mixed with an electric mixer until completely mixed.  Then chill the dough at least an hour.  The dough should be cold when placed in the microwave. Always use a flat parchment paper covered surface. The plate shown was also used.

These are pictures form the microwave on the left and convection oven on the right. The lighter color is a pre-packaged dough that was not flattened.

This picture is the “before microwave" for the previous pictures.

This picture shows the same cookie , microwaved (left) and convection oven (right) 

 

These are the non-flattened pre-packaged balls

 

Pre-packaged flattened a bit

 

Microwaved - not flattened and flattened

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This one was very light, since white rice flour and no brown sugar

Simple Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies – (updated Jan 2014)   Microwave

 

Ingredients

 

Dry Ingredients - Food Processor

1/3 cups sweet rice flour

1/3 cup sorghum flour

1/3 cup Tapioca Flour

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)

1/8 tsp salt, optional

1/2 tsp Authentic Foods Vanilla Powder

1/3 cup granulated Stevia (used Stevia in the Raw)

a pinch of xanthan gum, optional ( if using a flax gel egg, can be omitted)

 

Wet ingredients and Fats

3 tbsp butter, softened

3 tbsp Canola Harvest Margarine (or 70% or more fat margarine)

1 egg

2 tbsp raw honey

1/2 tsp orange or almond extract

 

Add Ins

1/2 cup mini chips (Ghirardelli)

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

 

Procedure

Pulse Dry Ingredients in a food processor two minutes to finish grinding. Beat all of the Wet Ingredients until fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and beat in the Dry Ingredients from the food processor using a hand mixer.  Scrape down beaters and bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips.

 

Oven

Drop dough into 24 portions onto parchment paper covered baking sheets, shape and flatten to 2 inches wide, if baking in oven

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes at 350F until golden brown. Gently, using a flat lifter, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

 

Microwave

Place  balls of dough on parchment paper covered microwave safe flat plate.  Slightly flatten the cookie mound.  Microwave on high 45 to 50 seconds, depending on the size and thickness of the cookie.  Watch the first ones, they  will puff up and start to deflate at around 40 seconds, best to remove from oven at 50 seconds.  Gently lift with a flat lifter to a wire rack to finish cooling about 5 minutes minimum.

  

 

 

  

Tips

The cookies do not brown in the microwave.  If the light color is objectionable, use dark brown sugar as part of the sweetener or 1 tsp molasses for 1 tsp honey

 

 

 

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I have also tried three packaged gluten-free cookie mixes.  This one  works good in the microwave, the other does not.

Cookie dough before chilling - King Arthur Flour Glutenfree Cookie Mix 

These are showing un-chilled dough microwaved in back and convection in front

After the cookie dough is chilled - microwaved - left two

                                                  close-up…. of course I ate one!

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© 2014 http://retiredwithnoregrets.blogspot.com/

Gluten-free Chocolate Peppermint Crazy Cake

This is the week for trying new desserts, so I can have everyone in the family located nearby eat some of it.   That simply means we all look good with the extra pound or two!

 

Seriously, I wanted to make something different from the previous years with a holiday theme.  Of course we all just love peppermint and it adds something to that sometimes bland dessert.

 

My first ‘semi’ ‘Krazy’ cake (Gluten-Free Chai Crazy Cake) was a success, with minor modifications for gluten free baking. A mixing bowl is recommended rather than mixing in the baking pan.

 

This one was a pure trial and error, because the cake mix is not one of my favorites, but I thought I would give it a try again.  Actually, I have better success with DIY cake mixes.

 

This will work for anyone who is gluten, dairy, egg, and soy free, as the cake mix does not contain those ingredients.  Dairy free chocolate chips would need to be used to remain dairy-free.

 

This is the only cake mix that this recipe has been used with, so far.

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Gluten-free Chocolate Peppermint Crazy Cake (from Cake Mix)

 

 

Ingredients

 

Food Processor

1 16-oz pkg. gluten free chocolate Cake Mix (used Bob’s Red Mill)

1 tbsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp vanilla powder

1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp Coconut Manna (creamy ground coconut) or 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

 

Wet Ingredients

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 1/2 oz grape seed oil

1/4 tsp peppermint oil (be careful, it is potent)

1 cup water – lukewarm, as needed

 

Topping

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (used Ghirardelli)

1/3 cup crushed candy canes – about 3

 

Procedure

 

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Measure oil; add vinegar in the same cup for convenience.

Place Dry Ingredients in food processor and pulse to finish grinding flours and mix in coconut oils.

Place the mixed dry ingredients into a mixing bowl; add all liquids at once, including the peppermint oil.  Whisk it just to mix it to remove lumps.

 

 

 

As a precaution, I rubbed the inside of a 9 inch domed pan with shortening and wiped most of it off.

Scrape the cake batter into the pan, smooth out with a spatula.  The batter will be a little sticky and thick, almost like cookie dough, so shake it gently and smooth lightly as necessary.  Do not press down on the batter.  Top with the chocolate chips, then the crushed peppermint candy.

 

 

 

Bake about 35 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Do a toothpick test, if fine crumbs stick to it, remove from oven.

It is ok to serve immediately from the baking pan

 

 

Servings: 16  (12 to 16 servings)

 

 

Nutrition (as prepared per serving): 201 calories, 8.3g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 88.6mg sodium, 201.3mg calcium, 5.5mg potassium, 29.9g carbohydrates, 2.5g fiber, 27.4g net carbohydrates, 16.3g sugar, 2.4g protein.

 

Notes

Chocolate chips add about 25 calories to each serving, but give a more robust chocolate flavor

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#gluten-free, #dairy-free, #egg-free,  #soy-free #chocolatedessert

© 2013 http://retiredwithnoregrets.blogspot.com/

Gluten-Free Sourdough Yeast Rolls (Baked In a Muffin Tin)

After making a sourdough starter, I decided to try making rolls. Yeast rolls were the best thing I can remember having growing up. There was that good smell during the mornings to wake everyone up!

 

These are made using part DIY mix. I had little bits of different flours and mixes, so I mixed them and added a bit of starch to smooth it out. Cookbook software helps a lot in pointing out how much starch or fiber is in a mix, so it is worth buying, if DIY flour mix is your preference.

 

This batch was baked in a deep muffin tin about the size of a medium-sized hamburger bun. I also baked a few mini buns. The entire recipe makes about 8 of the larger buns. They are the texture of baguettes. After leaving them on the counter for two days, they were drying out a bit, but never crumbly. That is why the description is given as the texture of baguettes or French bread.

 

Near the end, there is an approximation of the breakdown of the DIY mix. This mix works fine for cookies or scones. It is more of a whole-grain mix, which would benefit with the addition of 20% starch for tender biscuits.

 

 

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Gluten-Free Sourdough Yeast Rolls (Baked In a Muffin Tin)

 

Baked in a smaller muffin tin

Baked in a larger muffin tin

 

Ingredients

 

Dry Ingredients

1 cup DIY Gluten Free Flour Mix (¹see below mix used)

1/2 cup Namaste Perfect Flour Blend

1/2 cup Pamela's Artisan Flour Blend

1/4 cup Yeast Starter (Gluten Free)

1 tsp baking powder ( just in case your yeast fails)

1 tsp yeast

2 tbsp dried milk powder

1/4 tsp sour salt (citric acid)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

 

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cups water (plus  a tablespoon more or less, depending on the stiffness of the batter)

4 tbsp grape seed oil

1 egg

2 tbsp whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 tsp vinegar

 

Procedures

 

Prepare and place the Dry Ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Start mixer on low.

 

Mix together all of the Wet Ingredients. Gradually add the Wet Ingredients to the mixing bowl.  While continuing to run, slightly push down any Dry Ingredients needed from the sides or the mixing bowl.  Once all Dry Ingredients are mixed in, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

 

Grease your pan(s) with shortening.

 

Scoop the dough into the prepared pan(s). Smooth out a bit, using a spatula or your wet fingers.

 

Cover with greased plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise to double, about 45 to 60 Minutes. About 10 minutes nearing the end if rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.

 

 

 

Bake the large buns 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown.   The smaller ones take about 20 minutes, but watch them carefully as the oven temperature may be off a bit.

 

Remove from pan and place on serving plate.  Allow cooling slightly before cutting.  Below is a picture of a roll being cut as soon as it came out of the oven.

 

 

Store in an airtight container up to three days on counter or wrap refrigerate or freeze.

 

 

 

 

This simply shows the thickness and that it can be used as a sandwich bun.

 

 

Makes: 8  hamburger-bun sized rolls

 

 

Nutrition (per roll): 212 calories, 8.5g total fat, 1.5g monounsaturated fat, 4.9g polyunsaturated fat, 0g trans fatty acids, 1.2g saturated fat, 28.7mg cholesterol, 96.5mg sodium, 13.1mg calcium, 43.5mg potassium, 16.9mcg folate, 32.9mg phosphorus, 12.3mg phytosterols, 0mcg lycopene, 2.9mcg selenium, <1mg thiamin, <1mcg vitamin b12, <1mg vitamin b6, 2.2mg vitamin c, 2.2IU vitamin d, <1mg zinc, 30.8g carbohydrates, 1.8g fiber, 29.1g net carbohydrates, 2.5g sugar, <1g fructose, <1g galactose, <1g glucose, <1g lactose, <1g maltose, <1g sucrose, 3.7g protein, 0mg caffeine.

 

Tips

This recipe is suitable for minis buns or baguette style loaves

 

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Gluten Free Flour Mix ¹-  this is about one cup

1/4 cup Montina Flour - Amazing Grains

2 tbsp Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Mix

2 tbsp brown rice flour

1 tbsp sorghum flour

1 tbsp millet flour

1 tbsp oat flour

1 tbsp sweet rice flour

2 tbsp potato starch

1 tbsp tapioca flour

1 tbsp arrowroot starch

1/4 tsp ground fennel seed (or additional 1/4 tsp ginger powder)

1/8 tsp ginger powder

 

Procedure (required)

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, pulse until mixed.  Store in a sealed jar in a cool place

 

It takes a long time to grind the Montina flour, so process at least 5 minutes, sift with a fine sieve, regrind remainder another 5 minutes, resift.  If only about a tbsp is left, just throw it out.

 

Nutrition (per cup): 438 calories, 99.6g carbohydrates, 5.9g fiber, 93.7g net carbohydrates, 7.1g protein.

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© 2013 http://retiredwithnoregrets.blogspot.com/