Wow, one year ago? I think I would just break down if I found ut I couldn't eat any of my favorite foods with wheat or oats ( I could live off maple brown sugar oatmeal). I've often wondered about baking gluten free and I see all of those gluten free products on the shelves. Most people online say that they are gross and tasteless, so I feel doubley sorry for people with coeliac. But it's good that you've overcome that, especially by making this tart. It looks absolutely wonderful!
great way to celebrate your coeliac anniversary - delicious tart and the icecream would go so nicely with it
Reading this blog over the past year has been a pleasure to see how well you have coped with a gluten free diet - am glad to hear you are happier now - you should be with all the good food :-)
You could serve this dessert at the finest restaurant Katie...just beautiful. You have made it clear during this year that gluten free isn't a problem for a great baker. So glad that you are feeling healthier...and you will only improve (although how you could improve on this delightful set of desserts I couldn't imagine.
That is one very impressive dessert Katie. I am especially fond of the ice cream tear drop, you clever clogs you ;0) Well done on the first year, I can imagine it would have been quite a challenge in the beginning.
Wow, what a stunning dessert! I'm sure that no-one would have been able to tell that it was gluten free.
I remember you saying when you were diagnosed and wondering if you would still carry on blogging cakes and baking, and how you would manage. I have been stunned over the past year at the creativity you've shown on your blog and the amazing cakes and desserts you have adapted or created. It must be really hard sometimes, but knowing that you're on the path to health and that even though others are eating gluten around you you can make something just as amazing yourself must help.
Here's to many more years of gluten free blogging!
Hi, I'm Nicole Mariana from Romanian Princess. I just came across your blog, and I love it! I'm your newest follower! Please follow me back at: www.romanianprincess.com
Oh well done Katie for making such huge progress on the gluten free baking front and so glad to hear your health has improved. This looks amazing. Your presentation is fantastic, it's a real show stopper and I bet it tastes delicious - especially that ice-cream. Good for you for celebrating.
6 October 2011 at 21:10
[Image]Today’s date will always hold a great meaning for me. It was on this date (28th September) last year that a pivotal life changing event occurred – I was told I had coeliac disease and could therefore no longer eat wheat, gluten, rye, barley and oats in all its weird wonderful and often delicious forms. I remember vividly sitting there as mixed emotions flooded through my mind. Relief, that they had finally found out what was wrong, devastation at the loss of some of my favourite foods, excitement about what this could all mean and bewilderment about where to start.
One year on I am feeling happier and healthier and have only had one big meltdown, rather embarrassing in the cereal isle of my local supermarket. I adore cereal and used to snack on it straight from the box and weirdly enough have found this much harder to give up than bread. I happened to go down the cereal isle one day and was looking at all the different, new and yummy cereals on offer and just broke down in tears. Thankfully it was early in the morning and no one saw me as I cried over a box of cranberry granola. Aside from that, life is good. I currently have a few other health issues brought on by my late diagnosis of coeliac disease, but over time I should be back to fighting fit. Onwards and Upwards is my motto!
[Image]
To celebrate my one year gluten free I decided to make a delicious gluten free dessert and serve it to friends and family without them knowing it was gluten free. I wanted something impressive and indulgent to show that missing gluten in no way means missing out!
I decided on a variation of a frangipane tart, replacing the ground almonds with hazelnuts, using fresh raspberries instead of jam and baking it in chocolate gluten free pastry. As I was on a roll I also made some triple hazelnut ice cream by using ground toasted hazelnuts, hazelnut spread and hazelnut liqueur. I presented this in a dark chocolate tear drop shell and also made a few chocolate pastry batons with the scraps of leftover pastry.
[Image]
The photo of the dish is a little fuzzy as it was dark by the time we sat down to eat, but I was pleased with the results. My favourite part was the hazelnut ice cream which was divine! It had an intense hazelnut flavour with a thick texture from the ground hazelnuts. The hazelnut liqueur added an extra dimension and also meant it stayed wonderful smooth and creamy. Enjoyed by all, gluten free or not!
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C and place a baking tray into the oven to heat up.
Roll out pastry and line 8inch/20cm fluted tart tin. Cut off any excess and place in the fridge until required. Keep any scraps to make the pastry batons (below)
Make sure the butter is soft, then cream it together with the sugar until well combined.
Beat in the egg, followed by the ground hazelnuts.
Pour the hazelnut mixture into the tart case and arrange the raspberries on top, pushing them into the frangipane.
Place the tart on the hot baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden and set.
Serve warm or at room temperature with the hazelnut ice cream and batons.
Serves 8 *Note: If you don’t want to make your own pastry, use standard pre made sweet shortcrust pastry.
Hazelnut Batons
[Image]Reroll any scrapes of chocolate pastry and cut them into thin strips. Place on a baking tray and scatter the top with a little extra caster sugar and ground hazelnuts. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp.
Gluten Free Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry
[Image]225g gluten free flour mix (I used 100g white rice flour, 80g potato flour, 50g white teff flour)
20g cocoa powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
120g butter
1 egg
50g icing sugar
1 tbsp cold water
Method
Have an 8inch/20cm tart tin ready.
Mix all the flours, icing sugar, cocoa powder and the xanthan gum together in a bowl to combine.
Make sure you butter is soft, if not blast it in the microwave for a few seconds. Add to a separate mixing bowl along with half the flour mixture, the egg and water. Beat with a spoon or spatula to form a paste. (Yes I know this goes against all traditional pastry making!) Add the rest of the flour and bring the mixture together to form a dough, switching to your hands at the end. Knead the dough gently for 1 minute to ensure everything is well combined.
Roll out the pastry between two large sheets of clingfilm to the size and shape of your tart tin, plus an extra 1-2 inches for the sides.
Peel off the top sheet of clingfilm, and use the base sheet to help you flip the pastry into the tin and press it down gently. Trim off the excess. Patch up any cracks with the off-cuts of pastry.
Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Method
Lightly toast some skinned hazelnuts in a dry frying pan until lightly toasted. Use a spice ginger or small food processor to grind the nuts and 20g of the caster sugar until they resemble very fine crumbs. Be carful not to overdo it or it will start to form a paste.
Place the milk, cream and Nutella together in a saucepan and heat until hot but not boiling. Meanwhile, lightly whisk the egg yolks and remaining 80g sugar together until combined. Mix in the ground hazelnuts.
Carefully pour a little of the hot cream mixture over the top of the egg yolks and whisk well. Add the rest of the cream, whisking constantly.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and stir over a low heat with a spoon or spatula for around 5-6 minutes until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Do not let the mixture boil as this will cause it to split and curdle.
Once ready, pour into a clean bowl and stir in the hazelnut liqueur. Leave to cool before transferring to the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours until very cold.
When chilled, churn in an ice cream machine until thick and set, or transfer to the freezer until required.
Serves 6-8
How to made a chocolate tear drop shaped ice cream mould
[Image]Cut a plastic strip from a special chocolate transfer sheet, about 3-4cm high. Coat the side imprinted with the design with melted dark chocolate and form into a tear drop shape, with the chocolate coating facing inwards. Secure with a paper clip and place in the fridge to set for 5 minutes. Once set fill the mould with the still softly frozen hazelnut ice cream and place in the freezer to firm up until required.
Just before serving peel away the plastic outer sheeting, leaving the chocolate shell and imprint surrounding the ice cream. Top with a few extra fresh raspberries
"Raspberry Hazelnut Tart with Triple Hazelnut Ice Cream"
11 Comments -
Wow, one year ago? I think I would just break down if I found ut I couldn't eat any of my favorite foods with wheat or oats ( I could live off maple brown sugar oatmeal). I've often wondered about baking gluten free and I see all of those gluten free products on the shelves. Most people online say that they are gross and tasteless, so I feel doubley sorry for people with coeliac. But it's good that you've overcome that, especially by making this tart. It looks absolutely wonderful!
29 September 2011 at 03:22
great way to celebrate your coeliac anniversary - delicious tart and the icecream would go so nicely with it
Reading this blog over the past year has been a pleasure to see how well you have coped with a gluten free diet - am glad to hear you are happier now - you should be with all the good food :-)
29 September 2011 at 04:29
You could serve this dessert at the finest restaurant Katie...just beautiful. You have made it clear during this year that gluten free isn't a problem for a great baker. So glad that you are feeling healthier...and you will only improve (although how you could improve on this delightful set of desserts I couldn't imagine.
30 September 2011 at 01:16
That is one very impressive dessert Katie. I am especially fond of the ice cream tear drop, you clever clogs you ;0)
Well done on the first year, I can imagine it would have been quite a challenge in the beginning.
30 September 2011 at 17:18
This is just gorgeous. Congrats on such a healthy year!
30 September 2011 at 23:14
Wow, what a stunning dessert! I'm sure that no-one would have been able to tell that it was gluten free.
I remember you saying when you were diagnosed and wondering if you would still carry on blogging cakes and baking, and how you would manage. I have been stunned over the past year at the creativity you've shown on your blog and the amazing cakes and desserts you have adapted or created. It must be really hard sometimes, but knowing that you're on the path to health and that even though others are eating gluten around you you can make something just as amazing yourself must help.
Here's to many more years of gluten free blogging!
1 October 2011 at 18:10
Hi, I'm Nicole Mariana from Romanian Princess. I just came across your blog, and I love it! I'm your newest follower! Please follow me back at:
www.romanianprincess.com
XoXo Nicole Mariana
2 October 2011 at 03:52
I think you have done brilliantly for your first year Kate. The dessert is spectacular!
2 October 2011 at 15:21
Now that is a plate of food that celebrates an important milestone in your life! Stunning looking - the presentation is sooooo beautiful
2 October 2011 at 18:18
look amazing and delicious! gloria
4 October 2011 at 00:53
Oh well done Katie for making such huge progress on the gluten free baking front and so glad to hear your health has improved. This looks amazing. Your presentation is fantastic, it's a real show stopper and I bet it tastes delicious - especially that ice-cream. Good for you for celebrating.
6 October 2011 at 21:10