Gluten free recipes: Perfect for Halloween
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Each recipe is gluten free, with vegan swaps available, meaning there will be a sweet treat for everyone to enjoy.
Gluten Free Honeycomb Cinder Toffee with Chocolate
Equipment: 23 x 18cm/9 x 7” baking tray, saucepan, spatula, sugar thermometer (optional), parchment paper and mixing bowl
Ingredients
Honeycomb
1 tsp FREEE Bicarbonate of Soda
½ tsp vitamin C
300g granulated sugar
150g golden syrup
Chocolate Topping
150g plain chocolate
Method
Honeycomb
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Hide AdLine a 23 x 18cm/9 x 7” baking tray with parchment or insert a baking liner, making sure it is at least 5cm tall on all sides. This is important as the hot honeycomb may froth and needs to be safely contained. Put the tray next to the cooker.
Sieve the bicarbonate of soda and vitamin C into a bowl and put this next to the cooker.
Put a heatproof spatula next to the tray and bowl.
Measure the sugar into a saucepan and shake it so that the sugar evenly covers the base of the pan.
Drizzle the golden syrup evenly over the sugar.
Start to heat the pan very gently without stirring.
When the sugar and syrup start to look runny, carefully swirl the pan.
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Hide AdSimmer on a gentle heat, swirling occasionally, until all the sugar has dissolved and small bubbles start to appear.
If using a sugar thermometer, put it into the pan and watch until the temperature reaches the soft crack stage, 140°C/275°F.
OR watch the pan as it simmers gently for about 5-8 minutes, until the bubbles become much bigger and the syrup turns a golden, amber colour.
Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the prepared bicarbonate of soda over the syrup.
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Hide AdUsing the spatula, stir to combine as the mixture starts to bubble vigorously.
Immediately pour the frothing mixture into the prepared tray.
Leave the honeycomb to set where it falls and avoid spreading it out as this can deflate the air bubbles.
Leave the honeycomb to cool away from all drafts and steam.
As soon as the honeycomb is completely cold store it in an airtight tin.
Chocolate Topping
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Either pour over the top of the cold honeycomb or break the honeycomb into pieces, dip them into the chocolate and leave to cool on parchment paper.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Makes 1 pumpkin pie
Equipment: 20cm/8” round tart or flan dish, ceramic baking beans, 2 x mixing bowls, parchment paper, oven tray, food processor and pastry blender
Temperature: 220˚C, Fan 200˚C, 425˚F, Gas 7 for roasting the pumpkin. 190°C, Fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas 5 for cooking the pastry case
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Hide AdCooking time: Sweet Pastry 10-12 minutes + 4-5 minutes and Pumpkin Pie 30-35 minutes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Purée
350g pumpkin
oil, for tray
Gluten Free Sweet Pastry
100g FREEE Plain White Flour
1 tbsp icing sugar
¼ tsp FREEE Xanthan Gum
50g butter
1 egg
1-2 tbsp orange juice
butter, for dish
flour, for dusting
whipped cream, to serve
Pumpkin Pie
75ml evaporated milk
50g sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 egg
2 tsp mixed spice
Method
Pumpkin Purée
Pre-heat the oven if roasting the pumpkin.
Chop the pumpkin into small pieces, put the pieces onto a lightly oiled oven tray and bake for 40 minutes until soft. Or put the pumpkin pieces into a pan of water, simmer over a medium heat until soft and drain.
When cold enough to handle, remove and discard the pumpkin skin, and put the pulp into a food processor.
Pulse the pumpkin into a smooth purée.
Gluten Free Sweet Pastry
Lower the oven temperature to 190°C, Fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas 5.
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Hide AdRub some butter around the inside of a 20cm/8” tart or flan dish.
Put the flour, icing sugar and xanthan gum into a bowl, stir to combine then sieve into a mixing bowl.
Chop the butter into cubes and add them to the bowl.
Using a fork or pastry blender, work the butter cubes and flour together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Break the egg into the bowl and stir to combine, adding just enough orange juice to make a slightly sticky dough.
Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
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Hide AdUsing your hands, gather everything together to form a soft ball of pastry dough.
Dust the work surface with flour, put the pastry in the middle and sprinkle it with more flour.
Roll out the pastry into a circle 5cm/2” larger than your dish and lift it into the dish OR simply press the pastry into the dish using your fingers.
Cut away any pastry that hangs over the edge of the dish.
Prick the pastry all over with a fork. Lay a large piece of parchment paper over the raw pastry, making sure all the edges are covered.
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Hide AdScatter the ceramic baking beans (or rice or flour) over the parchment paper, spreading them evenly over the surface.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper and contents off the pastry.
Return the pastry to the oven and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
Pumpkin Pie
Put the milk, sugar, maple syrup, egg and mixed spice into a bowl and beat together well.
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Hide AdAdd this to the pumpkin in the food processor and pulse until smooth.
Pour the filling into the prepared pastry case.
Bake for 30–35 minutes.
Delicious served warm or chilled with some whipped cream.
Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Layer Cake
Makes 1 layer cake
Equipment: 3 x 20cm/8” round loose bottom cake tins, electric beaters, 3 x mixing bowls and saucepan
Temperature: 180°C, Fan 160°C, 350°F, Gas 4
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients
Sticky Toffee Cakes
225g stoned dates
1 tsp FREEE Bicarbonate of Soda
250ml boiling water
225g butter (or vegan butter)
200g soft brown sugar
3 eggs (or 3tbsp FREEE Chickpea Flour + 6tbsp water)
225g FREEE Self Raising White Flour
3 tbsp black treacle
oil, for tins
White Chocolate Filling
500g mascarpone (or 400g vegan cream cheese + 100g vegan cream)
200g white chocolate (or 100g cashew nut butter + 100g icing sugar + 2tsp vanilla extract)
Toffee Topping
150g brown sugar
100g cream (or vegan cream)
100g butter (or vegan butter)
Method
Sticky Toffee Cakes
Pre-heat the oven.
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Hide AdChop the dates into a bowl, add the bicarbonate of soda and stir in the boiling water. Allow to cool then blend into a purée.
Rub some oil around the inside of three 20cm/8” round, loose bottom cake tins or insert baking liners.
Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and break the eggs into the bowl, one at a time and beat until smooth. If you are not using eggs, add chickpea flour and water and beat well.
Beat in half the flour then the black treacle followed by the remaining flour.
Add the cold date puree and mix well.
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Hide AdDivide the mixture between the three prepared tins and smooth the tops.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Turn the cakes out to cool on a wire rack.
White Chocolate Filling
Put the mascarpone into a bowl and loosen it with a fork.
Break the white chocolate into another bowl and microwave for 40-50 seconds. Stir gently to ensure all is melted.
Stir the chocolate into the mascarpone.
Divide the mixture between the three cold sponges, smoothing it out to the edges.
Pile the cake layers on top of each other.
Chill the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Toffee Topping
Put the sugar, cream and butter into a saucepan, bring to a vigorous foaming boil and cook for 90 seconds while stirring.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the topping cools and thickens.
Spoon the syrup over the top of the cake, allowing a little to dribble down the sides.