The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking (17 page)

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Authors: Peter Reinhart

BOOK: The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking
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Make the egg wash by whisking the egg, water, and baking soda together until frothy, then brush the mixture over the pretzels. Sprinkle the coarse salt evenly over the pretzels, then do the same with the sesame seeds.
Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate and bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden brown.
Immediately transfer the pretzels to a wire rack using a metal or plastic spatula. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Garlic Pretzels
MAKES 8 TO 12 PRETZELS
Garlic is probably the most popular add-in for pretzels, whether in the dough or on top. We prefer to mix it in the dough, leaving plenty of space for salt or sesame seeds on the top. Regardless, these are for those who are not afraid of a little garlic breath.
2 cups (8 oz / 227 g) almond flour
½ cup (2 oz / 57 g)
pecan or walnut flour
½ cup (2 oz / 57 g) sesame seed flour
2 teaspoons butter-flavored sprinkles
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic, or 1½ teaspoons granulated garlic
2 eggs (3.5 oz / 99 g)
2¼ teaspoons (1 package) instant or active dry yeast
2 tablespoons warm water (about 95°F, or 35°C)
Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Toppings
½ to 1 teaspoon coarse salt or pretzel salt (optional)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), or for crisper pretzels, preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then lightly mist the surface with spray oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, pecan flour, sesame seed flour, butter-flavored sprinkles, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and garlic and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. In a small bowl, stir the yeast and water together until the yeast dissolves, then stir the mixture into the eggs (no need to wait for the yeast to bubble, because it’s only for flavor, not leavening).
Add the flour mixture to the eggs and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a stiff, playdough-like dough (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).
Mist a work surface with spray oil and transfer the dough to the oiled spot. Divide the dough into 8 to 12 equal portions and form each into a ball. (You may want to oil your hands to prevent sticking.) Gently roll each ball into a strand 10 to 15 inches long and ½ inch in
diameter. If the strands split or fall apart, press them back together; if they’re too crumbly to hold together, put the dough back in the bowl and stir in 1 or 2 teaspoons of water. Form each strand into a pretzel shape
as shown
, then place the pretzels on the prepared pan. They won’t spread, so you can position them fairly close together.
Make the egg wash by whisking the egg, water, and baking soda together until frothy, then brush the mixture over the pretzels. Sprinkle the coarse salt evenly over the pretzels, then do the same with the sesame seeds.
Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate and bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden brown.
Immediately transfer the pretzels to a wire rack using a metal or plastic spatula. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Chapter Four
MUFFINS, SCONES, PANCAKES, WAFFLES, AND OTHER BREAKFAST TREATS

Many of the recipes in this book can serve as breakfast treats. However, some baked goods, such as muffins and scones, are typically thought of as morning treats, so we’ve gathered them in this chapter, along with pancakes, waffles, quick breads (which are, essentially, loaf versions of a muffin), and even a sweet biscuit recipe. But turnabout is fair play, and these delicious creations shouldn’t be limited to morning fare. Enjoy them as a healthful snack whenever you want! As with all of the recipes in this book, feel free to experiment with different nut and seed flours and different ratios of flours.

Here are a
few tips to help ensure success when making breakfast pastries:

• When making the muffin recipes, be sure to line the muffin cups with paper or foil liners or simply coat the muffin tins with a generous amount of butter-flavored spray oil. These muffins tend to be sticky, so if you don’t use liners, you may have trouble getting them out of the pan in one piece.

• When making larger batches of muffins or scones, you’ll have the best results if you bake just one pan at a time. You have the option of baking the second pan after the first one comes out of the oven or chilling the dough and baking the muffins or scones at a later time. If you do bake them later, note that chilled
dough may take longer to bake; if time permits, give the batter an hour or so at room temperature to take off the chill.

• The scones in this chapter have excellent flavor and texture. If you prefer thicker scones, bake them in muffin pans or mini muffin pans, generously misted with spray oil.

• Feel free to make the scones larger or smaller than we specify, but note that you’ll need to adjust the baking time accordingly. Smaller scones will bake more quickly, and larger scones will take longer.

• Pancakes and waffles should, of course, be served hot off the griddle (or waffle iron). The muffins, scones, and other baked goods in this chapter can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold.

• Store leftover breakfast pastries in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months in airtight containers or resealable bags, with a paper towel beneath them to absorb oil.

Blueberry-Hazelnut Muffins
MAKES 9 MUFFINS
Hazelnut flour takes these muffins in a delectable direction. And given that both hazelnuts and blueberries thrive in the Pacific Northwest, it comes as no surprise that their flavors have a natural affinity. That said, you can certainly substitute almond or other nut flours for some or all of the hazelnut flour.
¾ cup (3 oz / 85 g) hazelnut flour
¾ cup (3 oz / 85 g) almond flour
½ cup Splenda or Stevia Extract in the Raw, or ¼ cup New Roots Stevia Sugar
⅓ cup (about 1.65 oz / 47 g) almonds or hazelnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs (3.5 oz / 99 g)
½ cup (4 oz / 113 g) unsweetened soy milk or other milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon liquid stevia
½ to 1 cup (2.5 to 5 oz / 71 to 142 g) fresh or frozen blueberries, depending on dietary restrictions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 9 muffin cups with paper or foil liners, then lightly mist them with spray oil (or omit the liners and generously mist the muffin cups with spray oil).
In a medium bowl, combine the hazelnut flour, almond flour, Splenda, almonds, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and liquid stevia together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a smooth, sticky batter (see
Using Texture as a Guide
). Gently fold in the blueberries.
Spoon or scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly among them; the muffin cups should be just about full.
Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for 20 more minutes, until golden brown and firm and springy when pressed in the center.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack.
VARIATION
Blueberry Crumb Muffins:
Before mixing the batter, prepare the crumb topping as directed in the recipe for
Pound Cake with Crumb Topping
. After portioning the batter into the pan, sprinkle the topping evenly over the muffins, then bake as described above.
Almond, Hazelnut, and Raspberry Muffins
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
Although this recipe calls for raspberries, you can use any type of berry for these delightful muffins.
1½ cups (6 oz / 170 g) almond flour
1½ cups (6 oz / 170 g) hazelnut flour
½ cup Splenda or Stevia Extract in the Raw, or ¼ cup New Roots Stevia Sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs (7 oz / 198 g)
½ cup (4 oz / 113 g) unsweetened soy milk or other milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon liquid stevia
1½ cups (about 6.5 oz / 184 g) fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, or more, depending on dietary restrictions (but no more than 2 cups)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper or foil liners, then mist them with spray oil (or omit the liners and mist the muffin cups generously with spray oil).
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, hazelnut flour, Splenda, and baking powder and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, and liquid stevia together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a smooth, sticky batter (see
Using Texture as a Guide
). Gently fold in the raspberries.
Spoon or scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly among them; the muffin cups should be just about full.
Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes, until firm and springy when pressed in the center.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack.
VARIATION
Raspberry Crumb Muffins:
Before mixing the batter, prepare the crumb topping as directed in the recipe for
Pound Cake with Crumb Topping
. After portioning the batter into the pan, sprinkle the topping evenly over the muffins, then bake as described above.
Strawberry-Coconut Muffins
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
The key to this recipe is the generous amount of coconut flour and shredded coconut. In combination with juicy, tangy fruit, it evokes a summer day on a warm tropical island. Below the recipe, we’ve suggested a couple of variations on the theme using fruit other than strawberries, but don’t let those limit your thinking. You can use any kind of berries, and almost any fresh fruit, in these tender, moist muffins.
1 cup (4 oz / 113 g) almond flour
½ cup (2 oz / 57 g)
coconut flour
½ cup (1.5 oz / 43 g) unsweetened shredded dried coconut, lightly
toasted
1 cup Splenda or Stevia Extract in the Raw, or ½ cup New Roots Stevia Sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs (7 oz / 198 g)
1½ cups (12 oz / 340 g) unsweetened soy milk or other milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1¼ teaspoons liquid stevia
1 cup (5.25 oz / 149 g) fresh or frozen unsweetened strawberries, sliced or coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper or foil liners, then lightly mist them with spray oil (or omit the liners and mist the muffin cups generously with spray oil).
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, shredded coconut, Splenda, and baking powder and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, and liquid stevia together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a smooth, sticky batter (see
Using Texture as a Guide
). Gently fold in the strawberries.
Scoop or spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it evenly among them; the muffin cups should be just about full.
Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for 20 to 25 more minutes, until golden brown and springy when pressed in the center.

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