Oh, Carrot Cake, how I have missed thee. I have missed your intoxicating cinnamon scent and your addictive sweet taste, your soft crumb and velvety smooth icing. Yes, I have missed you for over three years now. But no longer shall I be wanting, for here you are in all your delicious glory in wonderful gluten-free form. Hallelujah!

Carrot cake is an infamous dessert in my household. It has graced the table of nearly every celebratory occasion including birthdays, Christmases, and even my parents’ wedding. Truly the perfect combination of impressive appearance and addictive taste, our traditional carrot cake is sure to awe every guest and comfort every taster. And thus ever since my diagnosis, it has been my goal to create a gluten-less version of this delectable family favorite. And voilà! This is it.

Brown sugar and freshly grated carrots make this cake incredibly moist, while nutty walnuts offer the perfect textural accent.  The sweetness of this dessert is highlighted by a delicate hint of cinnamon and allspice and complemented by the queen of all frostings: vanilla cream cheese. The frosting is satiny smooth and buttery rich with just the slightest tang to offset the sweetness of the cake. It is the type of frosting you will devour by the spoonful if you aren’t careful. And thus, with this finishing touch, a wonderful cake is transformed into a spectacular dessert sensation! You will never have to go carrot-cake-less again!

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
1 ¼ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups GF Flour Mix*
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (plus extra for decoration)
3 cups grated carrots

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray three 9″ round baking pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.

Beat together the oil, vanilla, eggs, and sugars in a large bowl until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients and spices. Add dry ingredients to the oil mixture and stir until fully incorporated. Add in the nuts and carrots and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Divide batter into prepared baking pans and bake 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pans for at least 15 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, frost and decorate as desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
12 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Beat butter until light and creamy. Add in cream cheese, a few pieces at a time, and beat until very smooth and light. Gradually add in powdered sugar on low speed, adding just enough to reach the desired sweetness and consistency (more sugar will produce a thicker, more stable frosting that is required for decorating). Beat in vanilla until fully incorporated.

*GF Flour Mix
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

Elementary school was such an easy-going and carefree time. At the age of 10, the only major concern in my life was why I didn’t receive the same delicious treats in my lunchbox that my friends did. And which treat in particular was I most concerned about? Hostess® CupCakes. I remember being so jealous of the girls who would pull out those perfectly packaged chocolate cakes from their lunchbox. And I wasn’t even gluten-free at the time.

Can you imagine how it would feel to be a gluten-free 10-year-old? Unable to try any of the tantalizing treats advertised on TV and unable to enjoy any of the delectable desserts eaten by your friends at lunch? Well, not to worry because I have good news! Now even gluten-free kids can enjoy the deliciousness of Hostess® CupCakes. Because everyone deserves a treat now and then (especially those of us who are gluten-free!).

These little cakes are amazing. They are just like the famous Hostess® CupCakes you love, maybe even better. The cake is incredibly moist and devilishly chocolate-y. Most akin to Devil’s Food Cake, these cupcakes are deeply rich in chocolate flavor with a  subtle hint of sweetness . The true sweetness of this dessert, however, comes from an intense burst of vanilla filling pocketed in the center of the cake. Made with marshmallow fluff, the filling adds a brightly sweet note to the otherwise dark chocolate cake. Finally, semi-sweet ganache-like frosting and creamy vanilla swirls top off this lovely treat to give the cake its signature look.

These cakes can be eaten either at room temperature or chilled, depending on how you prefer the topping. Refrigeration allows the frosting and swirls to set to a slightly firmer texture (as seen in the first two photos), making them easier for transport. Serving at room temperature, on the other hand, keeps the glossy look and satiny-smooth texture that truly makes these cakes melt in your mouth. But either way you choose, these cupcakes are guaranteed to please.  So prepare yourself for a delicious treat and a wonderful trip down memory lane, because these cupcakes are sure to bring back the blissful elementary school days of your past. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Hostess Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Bakingdom and The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook
Yield: 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes
1 cup GF Flour Mix*
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups marshmallow fluff

Frosting
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-tin muffin pan with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the first 7 ingredients. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together buttermilk, sugar, oil, and vanilla for 1 minute on medium speed. Turning down to low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 separate additions, making sure the mixture is fully incorporated after each addition.

Fill muffin liners approximately 2/3 full with batter and bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes in pan before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:
In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Add in vanilla and salt. Mix in the marshmallow fluff, beating and scraping down mixture frequently until fully incorporated. Cover filling and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the frosting:
In a double boiler over gently simmering water, combine butter, chocolate chips, and corn syrup. Stir frequently until all ingredients have fully melted and mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and add in vanilla. Cover and refrigerate frosting for 20-30 minutes, until thickened slightly.

Assembling:
Fill a pastry bag attached to a large writing tip with vanilla filling. Plunge the writing tip into the center of the cupcake and slowly squeeze bag to fill cake. When the top of the cake begins to bulge or you can feel the filling push against the tip, slowly remove the tip from cake. Using an offset spatula, wipe off any filling that peaks over the top and repeat process with remaining cakes. Reserve any remaining filling for later swirl decoration.

To frost, turn filled cake upside down and dip in prepared chocolate frosting, allowing it to coat the top completely. Hold cake upside down above dipping bowl, allowing the excess frosting to drip off before turning cake right side up again. Set frosted cupcakes aside to set for at least 10 minutes.

Using a small writing tip and pastry bag filled with leftover vanilla filling, pipe swirls on top of frosted cake (be careful not to make swirls too tight, as they may run together).

Serve cupcakes at room temperature for a glossy look or chill for a least 30 minutes to allow tops to set.

*GF Flour Mix
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

24 hours. That was the lifespan of this delicious tart. Baked fresh in the morning, this dessert was already half devoured by early evening. And even before this poor little tart could celebrate the one-day mark of its birth, the remaining bits had mysteriously disappeared. Luckily, I was able to steal one tiny sliver for myself, just so I could attest to the deliciousness of this creation. But, in this case, are words even necessary? I think the lifespan says it all. 24 hours, my friends. Grab a piece while you can!

Is there anything quite like fresh summer fruit? Hardly. In my opinion, there is no comparison to ripe locally-grown summer nectarines; the kind with a satiny smooth interior that is bursting with delectably sweet juice. It is a flavor so incredible that it can only be experienced once a year. And thank goodness that time is finally upon us; it is nectarine season. So now that we have such an honorable ingredient, what shall we do with it? Well, this star-of-a-fruit requires nothing less than an all-star dessert to showcase its wonderful qualities. And this is it: Nectarine Almond Tart.

A custard-like almond  filling  enhances, rather than overpowers the fresh fruit flavor in this tart, adding the perfect amount of sweetness to highlight the natural nectarine flavor. It is the perfect tribute to fresh nectarines, or even peaches, pears, or plums if you prefer. Is your mouth watering yet?

Nectarine Almond Tart
Adapted from Bon Appétit, March 2003

Crust
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 Tbsp water
1 cup + 2 Tbsp GF Flour Mix*
2 Tbsp sweet rice flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter, cut into 6 pieces

Filling
1/2 cup packed almond paste
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup GF Flour Mix*
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 ripe nectarines, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 10-inch tart pan with cooking spray and generously dust with rice flour.

For Crust:
Whisk together egg yolks, water, and almond extract in a small bowl. Using a stand mixer, combine flours, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt. Add chilled butter and mix until a crumbly, coarse meal forms. Add in egg yolk mixture and continue mixing until dough comes together in a ball.

Gather dough and place between two large pieces of plastic wrap lightly coated in sweet rice flour. Flatten dough into a 1-inch-thick disc and roll out between plastic wrap until big enough to fit a 10-inch tart pan. Remove top piece of plastic wrap and invert dough into prepared pan. Trim and patch crust as necessary, then gently prick bottom of crust 5 to 6 times with fork. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove crust from oven while you prepare the filling.

For Filling:
Process almond paste and sugar in food processor until paste is finely-ground. Add flour and butter, processing until fully incorporated. Add eggs and vanilla extract and process until smooth (filling will be fairly liquid-like). Pour filling over prebaked crust.

Arrange nectarine slices on top of filling (avoid manipulating the slices too much, as they will sink in the filling). Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden brown, about 45-50 minutes. Cool 30 minutes, then remove tart from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*GF Flour Mix
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

Florentines. Lace Cookies. No matter what you call them, these cookies are simply fantastic. Simple in their modest lace-like structure and fantastic in their deeply rich butterscotch-like flavor. The perfect accompaniment to coffee and the perfect garnish to silky pudding or creamy ice cream. Eat them as they are, decorate them with dark chocolate drizzles, or sandwich them with melted semi-sweet chocolate. Any way you have it, these cookies are impressive in their simple elegance and addictive in their fantastic taste.

I remember first discovering Florentine cookies at Trader Joe’s many years ago. There they were called Lacey cookies, delicate Florentines sandwiched with melted chocolate. I loved them for their lovely appearance and delicious taste, but had put them out of my mind  since going gluten-free. That is until I ran across a photo of Florentine cookies on TasteSpotting a few months ago. Upon seeing them, I had a surge of buttery longings for those forgotten sweet, crisp cookies. It was time for a gluten-free recreation. And the result came out fabulously. A sweet butterscotch flavor that is nothing short of superb when sandwiched with semi-sweet or dark chocolate. Yum!

A note on shelf life: When freshly made, these cookies are crisp with a very slight buttery chew. As they age over a few days, they will become chewier and more bendable, but still exceptionally delicious. If you prefer crispier Florentines, these should be eaten the same day they are made. Otherwise the shelf life is around 3 days, stored in an air-tight container with parchment placed between the cookies. But believe me, these cookies will probably disappear even before that third day rolls around!

Florentine Cookies
Adapted from Food Network
Yield:  5 dozen 3-inch cookies

1 3/4 cup (5 oz) blanched almonds
3 Tbsp GF Flour Mix*
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
5 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a food processor, pulse the almonds until very finely ground.  In a medium-sized bowl, stir together ground almonds, GF flour, and salt.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cream, corn syrup, and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a rolling boil. Let boil without stirring for 1 minute.  Stir in vanilla, then add to dry ingredients, stirring to combine.  Set batter aside for 15 minutes, or until cool enough to handle (mixture will still be slightly warm).

For 3-inch cookies, scoop out ½-teaspoon-sized amounts of batter and roll into balls. Place on prepared baking sheet, leaving 4 to 5 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading (for larger cookies, scoop out teaspoon-sized balls and leave more space in between on pan).

Bake one pan at a time until the cookies are thin and an even golden brown color throughout, about 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pan after 5 minutes (make sure Florentines are fully browned to ensure a crispy cookie). Remove from oven and slide parchment paper off baking sheet, allowing the cookies to cool completely before removing them from the paper.

If desired, decorate cooled cookies with drizzled chocolate or sandwich two cookies with ½ teaspoon melted semi-sweet chocolate (do not add too much melted chocolate, as it will seep through the holes in the cookie). Allow chocolate to set, and then store cookies in air-tight container at room temperature.

*GF Flour Mix
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

I am a baker. A gluten-free baker. But let me tell you, I really wish I were a Daring Baker. Have you heard of Daring Bakers? It is perhaps one of the most ingenious ideas for a community of adventurous foodies; a group of hundreds of bloggers coming together every month to prepare and chronicle the same exact recipe. But wait, this is not just any blogging community. It is a secretive one. For an entire month participating members are sworn to secrecy regarding their assigned recipe, only to reveal their baking results at the end of the month in one massive internet revelation. Sounds fun doesn’t it?

But like all great secretive communities, in order to be a member you must first agree to a list of specific terms and conditions. For Daring Bakers, the most pertinent of these are 1) you must participate in at least 8 of the 12 challenges in a calendar year and 2) you cannot miss more than 2 consecutive challenges. Not exactly a feasible commitment for an overwhelmed full-time college student. Not yet anyway. So until graduation comes and the insanity of schoolwork subsides, I have decided to live the life of a vicarious Daring Baker. So here it goes. A revisit to the June 2009 challenge: Bakewell Tart.

A Bakewell Tart is a British dessert consisting of a shortcrust pastry, jam layer, and almond frangipane filling. Can you say “yum”? The shortcrust is devilishly buttery-rich, akin to a tender almond-scented shortbread. Meanwhile, the frangipane filling is deliciously soft, slightly sponge-y, and almond-y sweet. What is particularly wonderful about this tart, besides its immense deliciousness, is how versatile it is. Almond is a wonderfully flexible flavor and excellent partner to a variety of different jams. I chose to make my tart my homemade vanilla rhubarb jam, but your options are endless. Try whichever jam tickles your fancy, whether it is cherry, strawberry, or even a more exotic fig or pear. No matter which one you choose, you are guaranteed a ticket to this buttery sweet almond heaven.

Part of the Daring Bakers challenge is to make the assigned recipe exactly as is, without any substitutions or changes. Exceptions are made, of course, for specific dietary needs. So in the spirit of Daring Bakers, that is how I prepared this recipe, minus a few necessary gluten-free substitutions and volumetric conversions. But all right, enough talk. It is time to dig in! Enjoy, my fellow bakers (daring and otherwise)!

Bakewell Tart
Hostesses: Ambrosia and Nectar and Confessions of a Cardamom Addict

Shortcrust Pastry
1 2/3 cup GF Flour Mix*
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cold
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp almond extract
1-2 Tbsp cold water

Frangipane
9 Tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 cup almond meal
2 Tbsp GF Flour Mix*
1/2 cup jam

Decoration
Sliced almonds
Powdered sugar

Prepare the crust:
Sift together flour mix, xanthan gum, sugar, and salt. Using a food processor or the tips of your fingers, quickly cut/rub butter into the flour mixture  just until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract and quickly mix into the flour mixture. While mixing, slowly dribble in the water, adding only enough water to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough (the mixture should come together to form a ball). Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface (if it’s overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatized for about 15 minutes before you roll it out). Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 1/4-inch thickness.

When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to a greased and floured 10-inch tart pan; press in and trim the excess dough (the dough will probably tear some, but just patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits). Place the tarts on a baking sheet line with parchment paper and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Prepare the frangipane:
Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is light and very fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (the batter will appear to curdle, but don’t worry, this is supposed to happen).

After all three eggs are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds, scraping down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour mix. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look and retain its pallid yellow color.

Assemble the tart:
Preheat oven to 400° F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

Spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the frozen pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, when the top is poofy and brownish, remove from oven and sprinkle with slivered almonds. Return the tart to the oven and finish baking for the final five minutes.

Let tart cool completely on a wire rack, then dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

*GF Flour Mix
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

Hello, lovely. Lovely appearance. Lovely taste. Lovely satisfaction. Hello, rhubarb cheesecake.

A classic creamy, rich dessert with a new twist. Or swirl. Rhubarb lovers will rejoice and non-rhubarb fans will convert. Because this creation is fabulous. Rhubarb. White Chocolate. Cream Cheese. Need I say more?

Let us first begin with the epic battle. Baker versus Overabundant Rhubarb Crop. The goal: use up as many gorgeous ruby red rhubarb stalks before time runs out. So what is a girl to do? Rhubarb Coffee Cake: check. Rhubarb Bars: done. Rhubarb Jam: complete. Rhubarb Cheesecake: aha, now this is the exact dessert to win the challenge. And it will surely win you over, too.

It is true that cheesecakes are not cheap. They are rich in cost and rich in calories. But, oh my. This one is worth it. The texture is light and airy when it is cut with a fork but deliciously creamy as it melts in your mouth. Rich cream cheese and sweet white chocolate are contrasted by delicate rhubarb ribbons, which add a bright tang to this otherwise intensely rich treat. Finally, a honey-hinted graham cracker crust contributes one last sweet note to perfectly balance the sweet and tart in this amazing cheesecake.

Love rhubarb or not, this cheesecake is a guaranteed winner. Bon appétit!

Rhubarb Swirl Cheesecake
Slightly adapted from Taste of Home
Yield: 12-14 servings

2 ½ cups thinly sliced rhubarb
1/3 cup + 1/2 cup sugar, divided
2 Tbsp orange juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cups gluten-free graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 cups (16 oz.) sour cream
8 oz. white baking chocolate, melted
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 10-inch springform pan.

In a large saucepan, bring rhubarb, 1/3 cup sugar and orange juice to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir until thickened and rhubarb is tender. Add in 1/2 tsp vanilla and puree sauce in a food processor until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, add butter to graham cracker crumbs until they hold together sufficiently when pinched between two fingers (you may or may not use all of the butter). Press into the bottom of prepared springform pan. Place on a baking sheet and bake 7-9 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, white chocolate, cornstarch, vanilla and salt until smooth. Add eggs, beating just until combined (be careful not to over beat as this will incorporate too much air and cause your cheesecake to crack) .

Pour half of the filling into crust. Top with half of the rhubarb sauce, and cut through batter with a knife to gently swirl rhubarb. Layer with remaining filling and rhubarb sauce, again cutting through top layers with a knife to gently swirl rhubarb.

Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 16 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Place in a large baking pan and add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes or until center is almost set (the top should be slightly golden and still jiggle some; it will continue to set as it cools).

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Cover and chill overnight (if you can wait that long). Refrigerate leftovers.

What would you do for a Klondike^® bar? No, scratch that. What would you do for a gluten-free Klondike^® bar? Remember the taste of a Klondike^® classic vanilla sandwich? Creamy vanilla ice cream nestled between two soft chocolate cookies? The kind of cookies that are firm enough to support the ice cream interior but tender enough to bite into when frozen? And now what if those cookies were made in gluten-free form? Is it possible? Read on.

Who would have thought that a gluten-free ice cream sandwich cookie would be so difficult to develop? Well, apparently it is. I went through at least five trials of different cookies before I arrived at the perfect one. I tried snickerdoodles, chocolate chip cookies, flourless chocolate cookies, and cookie bars. Nothing worked. Wonderfully chewy chocolate chip cookies became rock-hard when frozen. Soft snickerdoodles completely crumbled apart. Oy vey. By my sixth attempt I was getting desperate. The freezer was becoming my arch-nemesis.

But thank goodness I did not cave in, because after five failures came this delicious success. Granted, these cookies are not exactly Klondike^® chocolate cookies. They are slightly firmer than the flexible cookies you are used to, but they are no less fabulous! These cute shortbread-like gems are sturdy, giving an excellent support to any type of frozen filling, but remain magically tender when frozen. They are chocolate-y rich but not overly sweet. And you can enjoy with any type or flavor of sweet ice-cream-type dessert. Try them with frozen yogurt or my personal favorite, frozen custard. Yum.

It is true that you can use a variety of different room-temperature cookies to make ice cream sandwiches, but in those cases the sandwiches have to be eaten immediately. Not these. What is wonderful about this particular chocolate cookie is that because it maintains a tender texture even when frozen, your sandwiches can be prepared in advance and frozen until ready to eat. In this way, you can have ice cream sandwiches made and ready to go for whenever your next ice cream sandwich craving attacks! Potentially dangerous, but certainly delicious!

Gluten-Free Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies
Slightly adapted from Country Living
Yield: 48 cookies or 24 sandwiches

2 cups GF Flour Mix*
½  cup cocoa powder
½ tsp xanthan gum
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ cup + 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour mix, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, salt, and powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, cream butter and add in egg yolks. Mix until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in vanilla and dry ingredients, beating until mixture comes together in a firm dough (be patient, as this doesn’t happen immediately). Divide dough in half, wrap each section in plastic wrap and refrigerate for ½ hour.

To make cookies, roll out dough and cut into desired shapes and sizes. Prick cookies to keep them from rising and bake for approximately 8 minutes. Let cookies cool on pan for a few minutes before moving onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Assembling: If you would like your ice cream to be cut out in the same shape as your cookies, spread softened ice cream in a 9×13″ baking pan lined with plastic wrap. Cover with plastic wrap and refreeze until firm. When frozen, remove ice cream from pan and plastic wrap, cut out with desired cookie cutter, and sandwich between two cooled cookies. Cover sandwich with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.

*GF Flour Mix
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch

For many years I confess that I have had one major food fear: canning. Canning seems like an activity  worthy of only a chef well experienced in gourmet food or a medical exert well practiced in sterilization techniques. And I can attest that I am, unfortunately, neither one.

Canning, however, is an absolutely wonderful way to preserve local, seasonal produce. There is absolutely nothing that can compare to a juicy strawberry picked at the height of summer or a tangy rhubarb stalk harvested in early spring. These are the gems we wait all year for. That is unless you practice canning. Canning allows you to preserve these seasonal delicacies at the peak of their deliciousness so they can be enjoyed year round!  How can anyone resist that? All right, so I decided that it was high time I conquered my irrational fear of canning. And let me tell you, the reward was sweet. Quite literally!

As it turns out, canning is not nearly as frightening as it seems. From start to finish, the process took only an hour and the steps could not be any simpler.

1) Prepare the jam.

2) Immerse the empty jars and lids in boiling water for 10 minutes to sterilize.

3) Fill and seal the jars.

4) Return the jars to boiling water for another 10 minutes.

Voilà!  What could be easier? All you need is a pot large enough to hold your jars and some towels to clean up the mess (the water and jam tend to enjoy jumping out of their pots as they boil).

Honestly, if I had known that the process was this simple, I would have started canning years ago. I cannot believe I have been missing out on this insanely delicious rhubarb jam!

Sweet and tart are in the perfect proportion in this wonderful jam. The rhubarb taste is present but not overpowering; it offers a bright tangy note to the vanilla-hinted sweetness. A delicious flavor accomplished by only a few simple ingredients. Eat it on toast, pancakes, crackers…the options are endless!

And with a plethora of home-grown rhubarb in our garden, I am seeing many more rhubarb jams in the future. What is next? Rhubarb with strawberry? Raspberry? Orange? In any case, the future looks, bright, tangy, and delicious!

Vanilla Rhubarb Jam
Slightly adapted from Food in Jars
Yield: 2 pints

4 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 cups sugar
3-4 teaspoons powdered pectin
¼ cup water
½ lemon, zested and juiced
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Prepare a boiling water bath with four half-pint (or two pint) jars. Place lids in a small saucepan over very low heat to simmer while you make the jam (jars and lids must sterilize for at least 10 minutes).

Whisk sugar and pectin together in a small mixing bowl.

In a large, non-reactive pot (stainless steel or enameled cast iron), combine rhubarb, sugar/pectin mixture and water. Bring to a simmer and add the lemon zest and juice. Let it bubble gently for about ten minutes over fairly high heat, stirring regularly.

After approximately ten minutes of cooking, test the set of the jam by dipping a spoon in the mixture and watching how the jam runs off the edge. If the droplets are thick, running together and seeming reluctant to drop off the spoon, the jam is done (note: the jam with set more as it cools). Stir in vanilla extract. Adjust flavors to your personal preference, adding more lemon juice if additional brightening is needed.

Pour jam into hot jars, running a spatula along the sides of the jar to remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar rims clean and apply lids/rings. Process in a hot water bath for ten minutes (don’t start your timer until the water returns to a boil).

Remove jars from water and let cool. Once they are cool enough to handle, remove the rings, test the seals and label the jars. Store them in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

The name “cinnamon roll” conjures images of beautifully risen, golden brown spiraled rounds, the classic look of a Cinnabon^® roll. But making this image translate to gluten-free is challenging to say the least. Those experienced with gluten-free baking know that products that ought to be fluffy and smooth often turn out disappointingly dense and gnarled when they are made gluten-free; not exactly the desired quality of a cinnamon roll. But with a little bit of determination and a great deal of experimentation anything is possible, even a gluten-free Cinnabon^®-like cinnamon roll.

That being said, this recipe is a wonderful first step towards the perfect cinnamon roll. These treats are delicious in flavor: the filling is sweet, fragrant, and characteristically gooey; the vanilla icing is decadently rich and flavorful. The texture, however, is fairly chewy and spongy. When covered in cinnamon filling, the moist, chewy dough is more reminiscent of soaked french toast opposed to bread-like cinnamon rolls. The batter is also fairly sticky, making it difficult to roll into the tight spiral desired. But such qualities can easily be altered by experimenting with the selection and amount of specific flours. And so my work is clearly cut out for me!

This cinnamon roll, although not yet perfect, is definitely delicious. These homemade treats will fill your house with the intoxicating scent of butter and cinnamon and delight your taste buds in spicy sweetness. In a pinch these will certainly satisfy your craving for homemade cinnamon rolls, but the perfect gluten-free cinnamon roll is still out there! And so the search continues!

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls
Adapted from The Baking Beauties
Yield: 8 rolls

Dough
2 ½ cups GF Flour Mix*
½ cup tapioca starch
1 tablespoon active-dry yeast
¼ cup sugar (plus extra 2 tablespoons for sprinkling)
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
¼ cup dry milk powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup butter
½ cup water
¾ cup milk
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Filling
2 Tbsp. butter, very soft
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Vanilla Icing
3  tablespoons  butter, softened
2  tablespoons  heavy cream or milk
½ teaspoon  vanilla extract
1  cup  powdered sugar

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix all dry dough ingredients until combined. Set aside.
2. Put water and butter in a glass measuring cup and microwave just until the butter has melted. Remove from microwave and stir. Add milk, stir. Add other wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
3. With the stand mixer running, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.
4. Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it out on a slightly damp counter top so it covers an area bigger than 8″ x 16″. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of sugar on the wrap and lay ball of dough on top. Gently lay another piece of plastic wrap over the top of the dough. Pat the dough down into a roughly squarish shape. Roll the dough out (with the plastic wrap on top) to approximately 8″ x 16″.
5. Remove top plastic wrap. Spread butter evenly across dough’s surface and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on top. (Leave 1½” along one long end without any filling, this is where your cinnamon rolls will be sealed).
6. Starting along the long end, use the bottom sheet of plastic wrap to lift the edge of the dough with the filling and roll it up, forming a long cylinder.
7. Using a long piece of thread, cut the long “cinnamon bun log” into 8 pieces, about 1½” wide (do this by placing the thread underneath the roll, crossing it at the top, and pulling the threads so they cross each other, pulling it through the dough). Place rolls in greased 9×13” pan, with cut side up.
8. Cover and allow the cinnamon rolls/buns to rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 30 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size (to make a warm environment, heat oven to 175° F and turn off 5 min. before putting rolls in to rise).
9. Bake rolls in preheated 350° F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
10. To prepare icing, combine 3 tablespoons softened butter with cream/milk,  stirring with a whisk. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and stir until blended. Spread frosting over rolls and serve warm.

Chocolate chip cookies (n): a classic American dessert of  sweet, buttery cookies bursting with rich, gooey chocolate chips. Chocolate chip cookies are the classic bake sale item, the classic lunch box treat, the classic remedy for a stressful day. And now the beloved classic has gone gluten-free!

Tasting these cookies may give you a momentary panic attack because surely nothing this good can be gluten-free. Well, actually, it can. And here’s the recipe to prove it.  Classic texture and classic taste combine in these unbelievably delicious gluten-free morsels. Dry and crumbly are attributes you certainly won’t find here! Even the thinnest of these cookie discs maintain their soft and chewy texture, making them the perfect vehicles for sandwiching scoops of rich vanilla ice cream.  And a deep brown sugar sweetness accompanied by wonderful buttery and vanilla overtones make these treats nothing short of addictive.

These are the gluten-free cookies you have been waiting for, the whole package deal: look, taste, and texture all in one. Welcome to cookie paradise; the chocolate chip cookies of your dreams are calling.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Nestlé® Toll House®
Yield: about 4 dozen

2 ¼ cup GF Flour Mix*
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F and grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour mix, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients just until fully incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto prepared baking sheet (in order to achieve a more perfectly round cookie shape, hand-roll dough into balls).

Bake cookies 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on baking sheet before moving onto wire rack to cool completely (cookies are very delicate right after coming out of oven, but they will become firmer as they cool).

Grab a glass of cold milk and enjoy!

*GF Flour Mix
2 cups brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch