Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Mochaccino Scones

Mochaccino Scones for Share Our Strength

I love having a reason to bake things other than that I just feel like baking. Or eating.

My roommate works at the Food Network, and tomorrow they’re having an in-office bake sale to benefit Share Our Strength / No Kid Hungry as part of the GREAT AMERICAN BAKE SALE. My roommate doesn’t really bake.

Hence this post.

I had to figure out something that could be made easily two days in advance since I was once again en transit after Tuesday. And something that would fairly represent what I try to put in my pastries (or keep out of it) while still providing a pleasurable treat.

So I made a gluten and dairy free version of the Lemon Genmaicha scones I made last week, bumping up the lemon flavor in both the scone and the glaze and adding a few drops of the hazelnut extract I finally found at the NY Cake Company store downtown (if you’ve never been, go). Continue reading →

Lemon Scones with Genmaicha Green Tea

March 30, 2011
Jacqueline Raposo
breakfast, brunch, dessert, gluten-free, healthy, recipes, scones, sweet, vegetarian

Lemon Scones with Genmaicha Green Tea Glaze

Years ago a dear friend in college introduced me to Japanese pearl jasmine tea, and we’d sit in her basement apartment drinking out of delicate cups that released an aroma I had never imagined could exist so closely available at my fingertips. Over the next few years I started tasting and buying tea like some people buy wine. I justified the expense because of how healthy this habit is: teas have been shown to provide and help in the absorption of antioxidants, as well as fight certain cancers, reduce blood pressure and help to regulate blood sugar. And when you’ve been living with a chronic illness, healthy habits are what keep your worst symptoms in remission year after year.

I try, in humble thanks, to use my health in small ways to contribute to the healing of others. So I jumped on this Online Bake Sale to Help Japan as soon as I got the tweet. Driving back into NYC yesterday, on a miraculously empty highway, I looked down the Hudson River at the George Washington Bridge a few blocks from my apartment, and was so thankful. As recent environmental and political events continue to show us, many of our current blessings can be taken away from us in mere minutes.

So my contribution to this online bake sale is inspired by those who have been displaced by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear threat in Japan, and the tea that has, over the years, contributed to my health. Continue reading →

Lavender Tea with Lemon Macarons – A Tea Party for a Cause

March 23, 2011
Jacqueline Raposo
dairy-free, dessert, fruit, gluten-free, recipes, sweet, vegetarian

Lavender Tea with Lemon Macarons

The absolute best thing about my recent blogging endeavors – other than baking delicious things on a regular basis and then getting even more personal with them by photographing and writing about them – is online community sites like FoodBuzz that connect bakers and bloggers with fabulous causes and the companies that fund them.

This recipe was inspired by Kelly’s Tea Party for a Cause. “Electrolux and Kelly Ripa are proud to support the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund whose mission is to fund research to find a method of early detection and ultimately a cure for Ovarian Cancer. Electrolux has committed to donate $750,000 to this worthy cause.” (From Kelly Confidential website).

Ovarian cancer is a tricky one for us ladies. The symptoms are mild and often mask as other non-cancer related issues. There is no effective screening test. And while science and early detection are improving the survival rate, this form of cancer is still a real and dangerous threat: “…ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women. The National Cancer Institute estimates 21,850 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the United States in 2010 and about 13,580 women will die from the disease.”

I am a featured publisher on FoodBuzz, and for every Tea-Party recipe created by a featured publisher, FoodBuzz will donate $50 to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund! Thank you, FoodBuzz! This recipe/post will also be eligible for FoodBuzz Top 9 Tea Party Takeover on Friday, March 25th, where 9 of the most delicious posts will be feature on the site.

Please go to Kelly Confidential, and take one minute to select your dresses and tea set for an online tea party! Every time you do so, Electolux will donate $1 to the cause. This is a great thing to do with a little lady in your life!

Lavender Tea with Lemon Macarons

I’ve had a blast playing with recipes for this event, and when my fifth batch of French Macarons came together last night, I knew I wanted this to be my submission. Laced with subtle lavender and tart lemon, these are the perfect little delicate treats to balance on dainty fingers and follow with a cup of tea. And they’re naturally gluten-free and dairy free (depending on the filling), so they’re a treat for those of us with food intolerance.

Now macarons are tricky. This was my fifth and most successful try. Check out my blog posts on A Cup of Macaron and French Macarons Take One for tips on what did not work and what improved dramatically. What I’ll stress here is to let your egg-whites sit for at least 24 hours, covered with a paper towel, at room temperature. This will help some of the water evaporate and the protein build. Also, when whipping egg whites, start on low and increase the speed, and do not overwhip. You want stiff peaks but a glossy batter.

Ingredients

2 egg whites, at room temperature
pinch of cream of tartar
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp dried lavender
zest of 1/2 lemon
4 drops yellow food coloring gel
Filling: I used a pre-made lemon curd from Ina Garten, but I suggest using her recipe if you have the extra time. It’s spot on. And I love her.

Directions

Pulse the almond flour and powdered sugar until blended, then sift twice to make sure all larger pieces of almond are separated out and the flour is blended well.
Add the lemon zest and lavender to the flour and set aside.
Pulse the white sugar in processor until very fine.
In the large bowl of a standing mixer or by hand, start whipping egg whites until foamy.
Add a pinch of cream of tartar, and whip until soft peaks form.
Reduce speed to low, and add the fine white sugar one tablespoon at a time. When fully incorporated, increase speed to medium and then to high, and whip until stiff-peaked. Timing varies on this, and this is where practice makes perfect. Add your food coloring gel when almost completely done whipping.
Sift 1/3 of the flour into the egg and fold in completely. Repeat until all the flour is incorporated. You want to fold in until the batter is smooth, but still light.
Spoon into pastry bag fitted with a large tip (I use between 1/2 and 1 inch, depending on what I grab first).
Pipe 1 inch rounds onto parchment lined baking sheets, pulling the tip to the side so as to not leave a peak mark. I use very thick sheets for this recipe. Double up if needed.
Tap the pan somewhat assertively on the counter to remove any trapped air and help batter to settle.
Let sit for 1/2 – 2 hours, until a shell forms on the top and your finger pressed lightly doesn’t leave a mark.
Now, bakers are completely split on the right temperature for baking macarons. Some bake slowly and cooly at 270-350 degrees. I tried to keep my temperamental oven at around 300 for these, holding the door slightly ajar with a spoon. This way I can keep them in longer to assure that the insides are cooked without browning them on top, which happened with a batch that was drier / baked higher.
Bake in fully preheated oven for 5 minutes, turn the pan, and bake for around 8 minutes more, or until the “feet” of the macaron are a bit sturdier than soft.
Cool on sheets for two minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely.
Fill with prepared lemon curd and refrigerate to harden.
Serve at room temperature with tea. Preferably wearing a skirt. Or at least barefoot.

Please click here to be directed to Kelly's Tea Party for a Cause

Lavender Tea with Lemon, Please: A cup of Macaron.

Le Macaron - I have almost conquered you

I’ve come up with several alternative blog post titles for my recent culinary experimentation:

Egg Whites Are The Enemy

Pardon My, Um, French?

and my favorite

Manhattan Macaron Murder Mystery

Anyone who’s tried to make these little bits of delight in their kitchen has most likely failed at least once. And if you are one of those rare people without professional culinary training that perfected the art of the macaron on the first try, please come over and play with me.

Macarons are notoriously difficult to make. Which means that they’re the perfect challenge for when I’m in the mood to make something complicated that claims all of my attention. Usually I’m in this mood when I’m chewing on something. Figuratively, I mean. I find nothing more calming then browsing recipes, coming up with a game plan, pouring some cheap red wine into an inherited crystal punch cup, and folding almond batter into whipped egg whites. And tonight I’m chewing.

So I decide to go for broke with both bowls of egg whites I’ve had out “relaxing” since yesterday morning. I have two baking events coming up, and while I’ve let myself get down to the wire with my recipes, I’m very excited for the combination of a tea-themed event and an online auction to benefit Japan.

But, oops, I don’t have parchment! Off to the grocer’s.

Ends up, there is no parchment paper to be found in Washington Heights. Evidently tamales and chile recipes don’t call for it. So I grabbed a roll of waxed paper and hoped for the best.

And, yes, there is a HUGE difference between the two. I’ve learned. But what can you do? My philosophy is “making a mess into mmmmmmm”, so I’ve gotta stick by my dusty ways and make do.

And I made macarons! Tinted a delightful spring yellow, pumped with the scent and light flavor of lavender tea in the macaron shell and with a tart lemon curd filling.

I also made a lemon macaron with fresh zest to be filled tomorrow with a lavender buttercream filling. Not quite as close to “there” as these, but getting there.

What is working more and more with each test batch?

The amount of whipping that produces the perfect “stiff peaks” that are neither too marshmallow-y nor overbeaten and borderline dry.
Both processing and sifting the almond flour / confectioner’s sugar.
Folding the almond flour in three batches, sifting each time.
A properly heated oven: I discovered starting around 350 degrees then dropping the heat and holding the oven door open with a wooden spoon worked perfectly.

Now I’m extra excited to take a macaron baking class with my lady friends and buying the right equipment to make this process easier.

Recipes / details / better photos to come!

Pink Swan Cupcakes

March 13, 2011
Jacqueline Raposo
cake, coconut milk, dairy-free, dessert, gluten-free, recipes, sweet, vegetarian

Coconut Cupcakes with Pink Swan Icing

My roommate is a big movie buff, so she throws a (small) Oscar bash every year, and stylishly serves up food to go along with each nominated Best Picture. To throw my contributions in, I made Irish Cream Filled Carob Cupcakes (for the Fighter, set in Massachusetts, which is all I could come up with) and these light and fluffy coconut cupcakes that I frosted pink and sprinkled with dried coconut, to elegantly mock the hot pink mess of a birthday cake that almost dies an early death in Black Swan.

Yes, the Oscars were two weekends ago already. But I’ve been busy. And I just finished watching the Fashion Police Oscar episode, which put me back in the mood to post these. And I shamefully admit that, thanks to my roommate, I now watch that show when it’s left it on the DVR for me. It’s probably the worst of the shows that I’ve picked up (infrequently) from living with her. But they DID pick Natalie Portman as the “Best Dressed” of the night, so I can justify the “love” part of “love-hating” the show.

Oh, for the antithesis of my love for Natalie Portman in this film / in her Oscar dress and this pink, girly cupcakes, check out Black Swan Pie at Bittersweet Blog.

Now, these are completely gluten-free. And I also made them completely dairy-free because I had some Earth Balance sticks in the fridge and was making a coconut cream frosting, so figured why add dairy in the mix if I didn’t need to?

I love gluten-free baking because it is relatively easy to play with ingredients and get a tasty result – the absence of gluten makes doughs tougher. Which, yes, is what you DON’T want as an end result in certain recipes but which does give you more structure when experimenting. The only reason I didn’t go completely vegan is because of how important eggs are when baking gluten-free: you’re already using a large amount of starch in the flour blend, so replacing eggs with potato starch and water (essentially that is what egg-replacer is) results in a grainy pastry that crumbles easily. Rather simply to remedy when making a treat with, let’s say, almond butter or some sort of fat to help, but not so easy with cupcakes.

You could, of course, substitute regular flour in this recipe for the gluten-free mix, sugar for the xylitol and milk and butter for the non-dairy components.

Oh, and I based this recipe off one from Garret of Vanilla Garlic. I must say, the specific technique produced a fluffy and delightfully almost chewy cupcake. Paired with a rich coconut frosting that I played with until it was right, these were a hit.

Ingredients: Cakes

12 Tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread at room temperature
3 eggs at room temperature
2 1/4 cup gluten-free flour (I used the high-protein mix)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup xantham gum, sugar or sweetener of choice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl, and the coconut milk and vanilla in another
In a third, large bowl, cream the Earth Balance until fluffy, then add the sugar and xylitol and beat until smooth and fluffy
Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly between additions
Start with dry and end with dry. That is, add 1/3 cup of the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Then add 1/2 of the coconut milk and repeat until all ingredients are blended
Fill into 18 cupcake tins
Bake for 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
Cool completely before glazing

Ingredients: Coconut Glaze

1 can of creme of coconut (different than coconut cream)
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup tapioca starch

Directions

Now, I learned through this recipe that there is, indeed, a difference between coconut cream and cream of coconut. I was thinking that I had bought coconut cream, which is essentially a thicker coconut milk, with a higher fat content. When in fact I had bought cream of coconut, which is a gel-like liquid that’s been sweetened with sugar. Not having time to go out and correct my mistake before guests came over, and recognizing that this was simply another dusty opportunity, I blended the ingredients together to produce a delightfully thick glaze. Now, this is not a frosting I, as a person who has hypoglycemia, will eat because it is all sugar (as frostings tend to be). But since the cakes were not particularly sweet, this was a perfect companion. And the coconut flavor came out that much more so in the glaze and therefore brought it out in the cakes. Success!

Phat Tuesday Lobster Dinner

I’ve never read anywhere that a fish dinner during the Mardi Gras / Lenten season couldn’t mean LOBSTER. I mean, wasn’t lobster formerly the poor man’s dish?

Personally, I am not a Christian. But I was raised in a very Catholic family and still have respect for the faith and, particularly, the period of mindfulness that comes with the 40 days before the celebration of Easter. And the gluttony that’s inevitable on the eve of those 40 days.

And I like fish. Acoreans are fishing people. We know how to cook it up.

In truth, it was my father who requested this dinner last week. I was fed lobster for my first birthday in a summer celebration that would quickly become tradition in my family, and my father’s stuffed lobster dinner became a meal I naturally inherited and serve for birthdays and such special occasions. Dad was away for his birthday this year, so tonight was a bit of a post-birthday celebration.

If we were enjoying the summer months I’d serve this with boiled corn on the cob and a salad. But as it’s still frigid in my hometown in Connecticut, I opted for recent favorites Ralph Macchio Dancing Potatoes and, for a little healthy green, Kamui Den Cold Aparagus Salad. Along with too much red wine and a bit of Portuguese corn bread.

Now, like many European cultures, the Portuguese are loose with the amount of their “ingredients”. They don’t measure their amounts and are skilled at utilizing what’s on hand. And there’s a pride in knowing that your particular recipe is yours. And that means it’s yours every time too – as changeable as what’s in your cupboard or what looks best in season.

I often use beer or white wine in this recipe; because I wanted it completely gluten-free and wanted to feature fresh lemon I used neither. Sometimes I include diced onion; tonight I didn’t have any. I completely forgot that fresh parsley makes it sing. I ran out of regular gluten-free bread that I had toasted and dried so I threw in some soft gluten-free corn bread that my dad brought me from Fall River (a mecca for Portuguese on the east coast of the U.S.). I’ve made this recipe two dozen times – always differently.

Tonight, my sister remarked that she liked it better than my dad’s. I take that as a compliment, for this night only, knowing that the recipe, like the seasons and the people who make it, is different every time.

Note: The ingredients are listed PER PERSON. I suggest using these amounts as guidelines and estimating and being creative to taste.

Ingredients PER PERSON

1 lobster between 1.25 – 1.5 pound
1/2 can lump crab meat, with water/juice
1 large piece of bread of choice per person – I’ve used anything from regular sliced gluten-free bread to classic Italian or French bread. Either way, toast it well and allow it to cool completely before mixing.
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice plus one thick slice lemon
1/2 Tbsp hot sauce or salsa, heat depending on company. I used a Portuguese red pepper exclusive to where we get it in Fall River. Any good simple hot salsa works well, or Frank’s Red Hot to taste.
2 Tbsp butter, separated, melted
white wine or beer to moisten – optional
2Tbsp fresh chopped parsley – optional
Other options: minced garlic, minced parsley, sauteed celery, small scallops, lemon zest, lemon or orange rind.

Directions

Lobster Massacre

This is always the hardest part, for me anyway. I used to slice my way easily through and not bat an eye. But the older and more yogic I get, the more difficult it becomes. To the point that I had my father do it for me tonight. And my boyfriend suggested I watch Annie Hall before. Both very useful.

My recommendation for killing live lobsters for stuffing, though, is to use a sharp knife and dive in. Using bare hands or an oven mitt (making sure that their claws are safe with rubber bands – I made that mistake once!), hold the main body back side / tail down and slice sharply from the head to the middle of the body between the rows of legs. Doing so is the fastest way to kill them. Don’t be alarmed if they twitch for a while after – this is purely muscular. Set aside on a cutting board while you prepare the stuffing and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Stuffing

In a large bowl, dump in crab meat. Tear toasted bread with your fingers into a combination of small pieces and crumbs. Add 1 Tbsp melted butter (per person), lemon, hot sauce, parsley, and enough beer or wine to make moist. I actually had no problem tonight not adding any extra liquid, but would have thrown in a splash of the red wine we were drinking if needed. VERY adaptable recipe.

Not for vegans.

Gut the lobsters. I actually find this part easier than the killing. Basically, you want to clean out any soft matter from the insides. I usually run the knife down from the head to the tail so that I’ve split the lobster length-wise, leaving the main shell intact. This way I can easily crack the middle cavity open and take out the digestive and reproductive tracts, which are basically all lobsters have. If it’s gooey, remove it. And maybe say a prayer of thanks for the little guy who’s about to nourish you deliciously.

Fill em and line em up

Distribute stuffing equally amongst lobsters, packing tightly into empty body cavity. Melt remaining butter and mix with a small additional amount of hot sauce if desired. Carefully pour equally into the crack you’ve made in the tail and onto the top of the stuffing. Cover with one slice of lemon.

Cover with tin foil and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until lobsters are almost bright red. Uncover and turn up to broil. Broil for 5 minutes.

Vibrant bright red lobster

Remove from heat, allow to stand a few minutes and serve! There’s a good amount of butter in the recipe and good lobsters don’t need the addition of melted butter with serving. But a nice option would be to infuse some fresh herbs into melted butter. I served this with asparagus salad, roasted potatoes and fresh melon.

SO yummy!

Happy Phat Tuesday!

Ralph Macchio Dancing Potatoes (Perfect Roasted Potatoes)

March 9, 2011
Jacqueline Raposo
brunch, dairy-free, easy, gluten-free, recipes, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Ralph Macchio Dancing Potatoes

Disclaimer: I do not, actually, have a crush on my boyfriend’s friend, who we’ll call Ralph Macchio. The real Ralph Macchio is on my mind because I want him to win the crap out of Dancing With the Stars next season – though I’ve never seen an episode. But really. The Karate Kid?! My Cousin Vinny? Heck, he was even adorable on Ugly Betty! Let’s go Macchio!

Anyway, the pseudo Ralph Macchio has excellent taste in colorful shirts. And despite my incredible desire to be lazy on Sunday we enjoyed 90 minutes of YogaX together, where I melted into several Warrior series and cursed the phrase “Yoga Belly” before we went out in the rain for sake and sushi. Ralph can cook, and (possibly to appease my desire to have a partner in the kitchen) my boyfriend put us together a few weeks ago when he was visiting to make brunch for some friends. And in single moment of delicious, crisp, buttery potato perfection, Ralph reminded me of the state of bliss potatoes reach when you’ve taken the time to par-boil them properly before roasting.

So I made them tonight to go along with Phat Tuesday dinner after a long day. And my little sis wanted the recipe. And so I reminded her that I have a blog for that purpose. Then she remarked that my holiday header is gone… showing that she hasn’t actually been on this site since Christmas.

Family is awesome! Truly. It was a delightful night of food and conversation, and sinfully crispy potatoes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Yukon Gold or white potatoes per person
scarily delicious olive oil
freshly cracked sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
your combination of any of the following: garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil, dried oregano, white pepper, dried lemon etc.

Directions

Peel and cut your potatoes into wedges about 1 – 1 1/2 inches big. While doing so, place a large pot of water on to boil with a good amount of salt (I used about a tablespoon) and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
When the water is at a good boil, drop potatoes in and cook about 5 minutes, until a fork just pierces into them but they’re still very firm. Immediately strain and allow all water to fall off.
Coat a medium baking dish (I used a classic Pyrex glass dish) with about 3 Tbsp Olive Oil (one that rocks your world) and toss potatoes in to coat.
Add freshly cracked salt, pepper and seasonings to taste. If you’re not sure what to try, I recommend grabbing a premixed spice blend – they’re easily available now and usually mixed pretty classic-ly.
Roast in preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Turn heat up to a broil and broil for 5-8 minutes until golden.

Eat the crap out of them.

Kamui Den Cold Asparagus Salad

March 7, 2011
Jacqueline Raposo
easy, gluten-free, healthy, savory, vegan, vegetarian

Kamui Den Cold Asparagus Salad

It was a long weekend, full of way too much fun with good people and delicious food. And at the end of an exhausting Sunday, where I had gotten drenched by the NYC rain too many times, sort-of enjoyed THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU and muscled my way through YogaX (the yoga version of P90X a visiting friend shames us by doing daily), I wanted to “eat the crap out of some sushi”.

Enter Kamui Den. The best thing about eating sushi there is that the sushi is not the best thing on the menu. It is delicious – buttery soft with lots of ginger and mild wasabi on the site – but it’s the appetizers that win. Lotus Root salad, picked vegetables, tempura so light you can see the texture of the vegetables before you bite into them. And a simple cold asparagus salad that my boyfriend boldly proclaimed to be the best asparagus he’s ever had.

Thank god it’s a simple dish. The boyfriend can’t cook to save his life (sadly I think that’s a completely true statement) but the visiting friend (Tim) is an extremely able man in the kitchen. We agreed that the most likely way to replicate the dish is to flash boil the asparagus and then douse it in a cold water bath before drizzling on the simple sauce of lemon, oil, salt and pepper. Tim also pointed out to salt the crap out of the water – literally, so that it tasted like the Arctic. I knew it would help bring out the color of the asparagus, but didn’t know how much salt it takes to season vegetables in the boiling state.

This morning I hit the train to Connecticut and stopped by my brother’s place, where he left me some Brussels sprouts and asparagus in exchange for checking in on his cat (it’s sort of endearing that he knows leaving me his unused vegetables does really make it that much easier to get a favor out of me). While my laziness enticed me to stick to my millet/lentil/get-my-tush-in-the-office plan, the desire to learn how to make this for someone I care about won over.

And it’s really simple. Really. As in, he can make it.

Maybe.