Gluten/Dairy free baking. Trial 1

Introduction:

Today begins another series of baking experiments: Gluten free baking

Three of my coworkers have gluten allergies and have sparked this new endeavor. The challenge with baking gluten-free is finding other methods to replace the elastic nature and texture which gluten brings to a recipe.

For my first recipe to explore this gluten-free variable I chose a quick and easy bread sticks recipe (because who doesn't love bread sticks?) Trial 1. was the control group: gluten-free flour, but no additional attempts to supplement the missing gluten molecules.

Proceedure:

Ingredients:

1.25 cups gluten-free flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

0.5 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup margarine (softened)

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons margarine, melted

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 
• Add softened margarine and water and stir to form a soft dough
• Roll out until approximately 0.5 inch thick see Fig 1.
• Cut into breadsticks. 
• Add melted margarine to 9" x 13" pan. Place breadsticks in the margarine. see Fig 2.
• Bake at 450 degrees F for 14-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. see Fig 3.

Figure 1. rolling out glutenless dough

Figure 2. bread sticks ready for baking

Figure 3. Finished product

Results and Observations:

The dough was very stiff, brittle, and crumbly like shortbread, but otherwise was buttery and delicious as normal. My three non-gluten coworkers enjoyed the bread sticks, so the end product was a success and trial 1 should serve well as a control group for future trials. I will keep you posted on my progress.

From fresh pumpkin to purée Trial 2: Baked

Introduction:

It is once again Autumn and this means pumpkin flavored foods of all kinds (especially baked). The challenge living in France is that canned pumpkin does not exist, but fresh pumpkins like the one in Figure 1. are sold everywhere. 

My current experiment is determining how to turn fresh pumpkin into a viable pumpkin puree for soups and baked goods. There are a variety of methods proposed: boiling, baking, and microwaving. Trial 2. is baking.

see Trial 1. here

Figure 1.1 The pumpkin test subject

Figure 1.2 Pumpkin with baguette for scale

Procedure:

• Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out guts. See Fig 2. (Save seeds for roasting. See Fig 4.)
• Place on baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil (see Figure 3.)
• Bake at 375^oF (approx 190^oC) for about 1.5 hours or until soft)
• Allow to cool
• Scoop out flesh and mash/blend until smooth

Figure 2. cut and gutted

Figure 3.

Figure 4. seeds for roasting (future post to come)

Results and Observations:
The end result from the baking produced a purée better suited for baked goods than the waterier purée  from boiling the pumpkin. Baking took longer than expected, around two hours, and I cut the pumpkin halves into quarters to facilitate faster baking (see Fig 5.) Once scooped out and blended, the pumpkin purée turned out well (see Fig 6. for how much purée was produced from one pumpkin).

I have already used the purée for pumpkin snickerdoodles (recipe to come). Any excess pumpkin will be frozen for later baking adventures.

Figure 5. Halved halves

Figure 6. The finished product ready to be used or frozen for later

Baking Fresh Sweet Potatoes

Introduction:

Because such Fall favorites as sweet potatoes and pumpkin are essential for much of my upcoming baking, and because they are not available in canned form here in France, I have decided to learn how to bake my own in order to have them as an ingredient in my near baking endeavors.

This post is how to turn raw sweet potatoes into sweet potato purée fit for use in casseroles and other Fall recipes

Figure 1. Raw sweet potatoes

Procedure:

• Wash sweet potatoes and place in clean oven sheet
• Do not poke or pierce with a fork. When I described the idea of poking a potato before baking it to some French friends they said they had never heard of such an idea. It's not terrible if you have already poked the potatoes, it's just not French
• Place in an oven preheated to 400^oF (approx 204^oC or 200^oC if your oven is as non-precise as mine) for 45 minutes
• Verify the tenderness of the sweet potatoes by now piercing with a fork. (see Fig 2.)
• Skin sweet potatoes and mash with a potato masher (see Fig 3.)

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Results and Observations:
The sweet potatoes turned out great. Baking was easy, and the skins peeled off effortlessly once the sweet potatoes were done. The potato masher left the purée more fibrous than one may want for baked goods, but a blender would resolve this issue.

I say this experiment was a success!

From fresh pumpkin to purée Trial 1: Boiled

Introduction:

It is once again Autumn and this means pumpkin flavored foods of all kinds (especially baked). The challenge living in France is that canned pumpkin does not exist, but wedges of fresh pumpkin like the one in Figure 1. are sold everywhere. 

My current experiment is determining how to turn fresh pumpkin into a viable pumpkin puree for soups and baked goods. There are a variety of methods proposed: boiling, baking, and microwaving. Trial 1. is boiling.

Figure 1. Pumpkin wedge. Baguette for scale


Procedure:

• Peel pumpkin and chop into approx 1 inch/3 cm cubes. See Figure 2.
• Place in pot of boiling water. Pumpkin will float
• Boil until soft
• drain and cool
• mash/blend using a potato masher or blender. See Figure 3.

Figure 2. Peel and chop into cubes.


Figure 3. Mash/Blend boiled pumpkin

Results and Observations:

The boiling went much faster than I expected (15-ish minutes). The pumpkin was more difficult to drain than I anticipated. It worked out because I was making soup (even so the soup was a bit watery), but next time I would be sure to drain the cooked pumpkin more. Perhaps using cheese cloth and allowing more time post-boil would produce a better puree. 

I will report on my future findings.

Fruits Rouges (trial 2) and euro-adaptaions

 Figure 1. products of Fruits Rouges Scones Trial 2.

Today I conducted my second trial of the fruits rouges scones recipe. I also made a chocolate chip scone "control" batch to help demonstrate what variables are may be due to our European context (quality of ingredients, conversion error switching from Fahrenheit to Celsius) versus the intrinsic nature of fruits rouges.

Trial 1 of fruits rouges (red fruit) scones yielded blog-like scones. My hypothesis is that it is a byproduct of the fruits added water content. If so further testing and research will be needed to properly adjust the recipe.

Trial 2
Variables used:

• 1 cup, not the 1.5 cups of trial 1, fruits rouges was defrosted and drained before being added to scones
• Chocolate chip "control group" scones were also baked. See figure 2.

Observations:
Fruits rouges scones were less purple and "blob-like" than trial 1, though still somewhat "blob-ish". The reduction, defrosting, and draining all had positive effect upon the scone outcome. Using only 1 cup of fruits rouges made the scones less "tangy". 

The control group turned out as desired (see figure 2.), seeming to demonstrate that "blob-like-ness" is an effect of the fruits rouges and not our European setting.

Overall Trial 2 was an improvement upon Trial 1.

Note:
I have also provided a few conversions in my scones recipe for use in a European setting so you don't have to (really it's so I don't have to keep doing it every time)

1/2 C butter is 113 grams
400^oF is approx 204^oC (200^oC if your oven is as non-precise as mine)

Original recipe here

figure 2.  Chocolate chip "control group" scones 

Fruits Rouges Scones

 Today I made "fruits rouges" (red fruits) scones. Fruits rouges is a common French ensemble, whether as a frozen berry mix, ice cream flavor, or an infusion (the French term for herbal tea).

Experimental Procedure:
The recipe is yet another variation on my chocolate chip scone recipe: link here
Instead of using chocolate chips or a mixture of chocolate chips and fruit as I have with previous versions, I used a 1.5 cups of frozen fruits rouges.

Observations:

I am not sure why this batch came out rather "blob-like" in shape, possibly from extra moisture in the fruit, possibly from an improperly heated oven. The purple color makes it harder to determine when the scones are fully cooked, and although I baked these scones for 18 minutes perhaps I should have baked them longer.

The lack of chocolate and the tangy/tart flavor of  fruits rouges resulted in the scones not being sweet. Thankfully this can be remedied with a little powdered sugar. See figure 1.

figure 1.

6 Layer/Magic bars in France: the joys of speculoos

In college 6 layer bars/Magic bars/other regional names for this dessert of glory was my go-to dessert for group events.  They are always a crowd please-er and embarrasingly easy to make.  Seriously the hardest step is crushing a package of graham crackers.

For my second dessert attempt in France I made them, but had to make a few modifications due to availability/lack of availability of ingredients, namely graham crackers.  Instead I used speculoos cookies (see Figure 2. below).  If you have not had speculoos in its may forms of joy and wonder, get on a plane and come to France or the Netherlands (speculoos is originally Dutch, one of the many glorious Dutch contributions to the world).  Or beg someone you know in France to mail you some.


Ingredients:
1/2 250g stick of butter (see Figure 1.)
350g speculoos cookies
200g shredded coconut
397g (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
400g dark chocolate

Bake Time: 25 minutes

Directions:

• Prehead oven to 176°^C (350°^F)
• Crush speculoos into tiny bits (see Figure 3.)
• Melt butter and in bowl combine with speculoos (Figure 4.)
• Pour into pan and spread evenly (Figure 5.)
• Add coconut (Figure 6.)
• Chop chocolate into small bite-size pieces (Figure 7.)
• Add chocolate
• Pour sweetened condensed milk onto pan, making sure to evenly spread and avoid pouring on the sides of the pan. (Figure 8.)
• Bake 25 minutes
• Allow goodness to cool
• Enjoy!

Figure 1.  1/2 250g butter

Figure 2.  Joy and glory

 Figure 3.

Figure 4. melted butter

Figure 5. form crust

Figure 6.

Figure 7.

Figure 8.

Observations:
Dessert was once again hit with the crowd
Speculoos makes life and everything better
Chopping chocolate by hand was a lot of work
Potato masher was a great tool for pulverizing the speculoos
Using butter or non-stick spray would help with crust sticking in corners and edges