Gluten-Free Recipes

Enjoy these yummy treats from "Blackbird Bakery and Gluten-Free Desserts and Pastries," by Karen Morgan:

Apple-Pumpkin Muffins

ingredients

1 cup sorghum flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2 teaspoons guar gum

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

2 large eggs, beaten

one 15-ounce can solid-pack unsweetened pumpkin*

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced

method

makes 18-24 muffins

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including the sugars and spices, and stir with a whisk to blend.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, pumpkin and vanilla and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times. Stir in the apple. Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the prepared muffin cups three-fourths full with batter and bake for 25 minutes, or until cracked on top and browned on the edges. A wooden skewer inserted into one of the muffins will come out clean.

To store: Place in a sealable container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

*Morgan recommends using organic canned pumpkin, citing it as "less watery than the non-organic variety".

Brownies for Lovers

ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

4 ounces high-quality unsweetened chocolate, such as Scharffen Berger, chopped

2 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, such as Scharffen Berger, chopped

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup almond meal

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup glutinous rice flour

1 3/4 teaspoons guar gum

1 teaspoon kosher salt

5 large eggs

2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

method

makes 16 brownies

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take a piece of parchment paper and using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut 2 inches into each corner (right where the two edges of the paper meet) at a 45° angle. Press the parchment into the greased 9-by-13-inch pan. The slits you cut into the corners will allow you to fit the paper into the pan with perfectly smooth edges.

In a large stainless-steel bowl set over a saucepan with 2 inches of barely simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water), melt the butter and chocolate, being careful not to let the chocolate scorch. Whisk in 1 cup of the sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and stir with a whisk to blend. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs with the remaining 1 cup sugar until the eggs have doubled in volume. Stir half of the egg mixture into the melted chocolate mixture, then stir in half of the dry ingredients. Repeat this process and stir until the batter looks like chocolate pudding. Fold in the vanilla. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the brownies are cracked around the edges.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pain on a wire rack. Lift the brownies out by grasping the two sides of the parchment paper. Transfer to a cutting board and remove the paper. Cut into 16 bars.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days and for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Also, enjoy these delicious peanut butter cookies from Regina Shula, owner of Cafe Cogolulu in Wilton.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

yields 3 dozen

3/4 cup evaporated cane sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 beaten egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix all ingredients together until well blended and smooth.

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Form batter into golf-ball size and place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet covered. Make a cross pattern with the tines of a fork on the top of each cookie. Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Pour a tall glass of chilled milk and enjoy!

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