The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking (20 page)
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Authors: Peter Reinhart
BOOK: The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking
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Portion pancakes onto the pan, using about ¼ cup of batter per pancake and leaving a bit of space between them. The batter should sizzle when it hits the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the first side for about 4 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and the top begins to dry out. Flip the pancakes over and cook the second side for 3 to 4 minutes, until the center is springy when pressed. Serve hot.
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
MAKES 8 TO 10 FOUR- TO SIX-INCH PANCAKES
These fun pancakes are universally loved by kids and adults alike. You can use any brand of sugar-free chocolate chips for these pancakes. If using ChocoPerfection chocolate bars, chop them into pieces.
2 cups (8 oz / 227 g) almond flour
¼ cup Splenda or Stevia Extract in the Raw, or 2 tablespoons New Roots Stevia Sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg (1.75 oz / 50 g)
½ cup (4 oz / 113 g) unsweetened soy milk or other milk
¼ cup (2 oz / 57 g) water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the egg, milk, water, and vanilla together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon just until all of the ingredients are evenly blended into a smooth, pourable batter (see
Using Texture as a Guide
). Fold in the chocolate chips.
Using Texture as a Guide
). Fold in the chocolate chips.
Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. When a few drops of water splashed on the surface sizzle and evaporate quickly, the pan is hot enough for cooking pancakes. Mist the pan with spray oil or put about 1 teaspoon of butter or margarine on the pan and swirl to coat the surface.
Portion pancakes onto the pan, using about ¼ cup of batter per pancake and leaving a bit of space between them. The batter should sizzle when it hits the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the first side for about 4 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and the top begins to dry out. Flip the pancakes over and cook the second side for 3 to 4 minutes, until the center is springy when pressed. Serve hot.
Waffles
MAKES THREE 6½-INCH ROUND WAFFLES
This recipe is very simple to make. However, it does require an electric mixer (or a strong, vigorous arm and a sturdy whisk) to achieve good aeration. Of course, it also requires a waffle iron, though you could make pancakes with this batter if you thin it with a bit of water. Be sure to spray the waffle iron generously with spray oil, and for optimum flavor, use butter-flavored spray oil. One final note: When making the pecan flour for this recipe, grind it as finely as possible—but not so much that you make nut butter!
1 cup (4 oz / 113 g)
pecan flour
pecan flour
1 cup (4 oz / 113 g) almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs (3.5 oz / 99 g)
½ cup (4 oz / 113 g) unsweetened soy milk or other milk
⅛ teaspoon liquid stevia (optional)
Preheat a waffle iron; if it has a temperature control, set it to medium-high or high heat.
Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk vigorously or mix with the whip attachment at medium speed for about 3 minutes, stopping every minute or so to scrape down the bowl; the batter should be foamy. Whisk even more vigorously or mix at high speed for a few seconds to further aerate the batter. The batter should be loose and pourable (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).
Using Texture as a Guide
).
Generously spray both sides of the waffle iron with spray oil. Ladle in enough batter to completely cover the surface once the lid is lowered; the amount will depend on the size of your waffle iron. The batter should sizzle when it contacts the waffle iron.
Cook until the waffle is completely browned and crisp; the amount of time will vary depending on your waffle iron. Repeat with the remaining batter. The batter may stiffen somewhat between making each batch of waffles; if so, add more soy milk to bring the batter back to its original consistency. Serve hot.
VARIATIONS
Pecan Waffles:
Substitute more pecan flour for the almond flour.
Substitute more pecan flour for the almond flour.
Banana Waffles:
Add ¼ to ½ cup mashed ripe banana when mixing the batter, depending on dietary restrictions. For more banana flavor, add ½ teaspoon banana flavoring or extract.
Add ¼ to ½ cup mashed ripe banana when mixing the batter, depending on dietary restrictions. For more banana flavor, add ½ teaspoon banana flavoring or extract.
Blueberry Waffles:
Puree ¼ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries and add them when mixing the batter. Ensure the puree is completely smooth so the berries won’t stick to the waffle iron.
Puree ¼ cup of fresh or frozen blueberries and add them when mixing the batter. Ensure the puree is completely smooth so the berries won’t stick to the waffle iron.
Sweet Potato, Pecan, and Ginger Biscuits
MAKES 12 TO 15 BISCUITS
Pecans and sweet potatoes—what could be more Southern? Be sure to make these delectable biscuits, and when you do, serve them in the traditional Southern way: slathered with butter or your favorite buttery spread and drizzled with sugar-free maple-flavored syrup. Denene, who was raised in the South, watched her mother press down biscuits with the edge of her hand, as described in the method below. However, you can also press the biscuits with a metal or plastic spatula, leave them as balls, or simply drop them from a spoon for a more rustic shape. One last note, just in case you wonder about sweet potatoes (after all, the name does include “sweet”): Although they do have a wonderful sweet flavor, their carbs are balanced by their natural fiber content.
2 cups (8 oz / 227 g) almond flour
1 cup (4 oz / 113 g)
pecan flour
pecan flour
½ cup Splenda or Stevia Extract in the Raw, or ¼ cup New Roots Stevia Sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon salt (optional)
2½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 egg (1.75 oz / 50 g)
1 tablespoon sugar-free maple-flavored syrup
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly mist a baking pan with spray oil or line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat and then mist the surface.
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, pecan flour, sweetener, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and ginger and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the egg, sweet potato, and syrup together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a stiff, playdough-like dough (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).
Using Texture as a Guide
).
Oil your hands and gently form the mixture into small balls, using about ¼ cup (1½ oz / 42 g) of dough for each. Place the balls on the prepared pan, spacing them about 3 inches apart (to allow space for pressing down). Once all of the batter is formed into balls, rub some oil on the pinky-side edge of your hand and press down on each ball with the oiled part of your hand twice, forming a crisscross shape and slightly flattening the balls.
Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch.
Immediately transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool for 3 minutes. Split and serve them while still warm.
Cooking Yams or Sweet Potatoes
Although yams and sweet potatoes are not technically the same vegetable, they are often used interchangeably by unknowing consumers. Fortunately, they are both wonderful and highly nutritious, so either will work in these biscuits.
There are a number of ways to cook yams and sweet potatoes that you intend to mash, including microwaving, boiling, or baking them in the oven. But our favorite method is steaming, which preserves the most nutrients and tenderizes them beautifully. First, peel the yam or sweet potato (one is probably more than enough for a single batch of biscuits, but it never hurts to have extra, either for more biscuits or for serving with a meal). Cut it into 8 to 10 chunks, as equal in size as possible. Fill a medium pot with enough water to come to the bottom of a steamer insert. (If you don’t have a steamer insert, boil the yams or sweet potatoes directly in the water, but don’t cover them—fill the pot with no more than 1 inch of water so they will steam and boil at the same time.) Place the prepared chunks in the steamer, cover the pot with a secure lid, and bring the water to a boil, lowering it to a simmer as soon as it boils. If not using a steamer, stir the pieces after 5 minutes to prevent sticking to the bottom. Steam for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of your chunks, until the pieces are buttery soft and a fork pressed into the center of a piece slides through easily. Remove the pot from the heat, and carefully drain the pieces in a strainer or colander and let cool. You can use the cooked yams or sweet potatoes as soon as they cool to room temperature, or store them in the refrigerator in a covered container until you are ready to make the biscuits, removing them an hour ahead to take off the chill.
Nutty Zucchini Bread
MAKES 1 LOAF (10 TO 12 SLICES)
In this recipe, a number of interesting ingredients come together to create a unique quick bread that’s moist and complexly flavored. As with most of the recipes in this book, you can substitute other nut flours to create your own variations, but in this case the coconut flour is key to the flavor and texture, so try to keep it in the mix. This bread is wonderful when toasted and served with butter, a high-quality buttery spread, or apple butter.
½ cup (2 oz / 57 g)
walnut flour
walnut flour
½ cup (2 oz / 57 g)
coconut flour
coconut flour
½ cup (2 oz / 57 g) hazelnut flour
½ cup (2 oz / 57 g) brown or golden flaxseed meal or hemp seed meal
1 ¾ cups Splenda or Stevia Extract in the Raw, or ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons New Roots Stevia Sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs (3.5 oz / 99 g)
½ cup (4 oz / 113 g) unsweetened soy milk or other milk
¼ cup (2 oz / 57 g) salted butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (7.25 oz / 206 g) shredded or grated zucchini, firmly packed
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom of a 4½ by 8-inch or 5 by 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, then mist the pan with spray oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the walnut flour, coconut flour, hazelnut flour, flaxseed meal, sweetener, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until well mixed. Stir in the walnuts. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter, lemon juice, and vanilla together. Stir in the zucchini. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a thick, sticky batter (see
Using Texture as a Guide
). Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Using Texture as a Guide
). Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes, then rotate and bake for about 45 more minutes, until golden and springy when pressed in the center and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully turning out the loaf. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before slicing and serving.
Mini Banana-Nut Breads
MAKES 8 MINI LOAVES
Banana bread is a perennial favorite, and this version capitalizes on the natural flavor pairing of pecans (both in flour form and chopped) and bananas. Sunflower seed flour adds yet more flavor, along with valuable nutrients. Don’t be tempted to bake this bread in one big loaf; the batter is dense and doesn’t get enough support in a full-size loaf pan. Besides, small loaves have the advantage that you can store them in the freezer, individually wrapped, and bring them out as needed. Because they’re small, they’ll thaw in less than an hour.
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