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Apple Fritters

Every Memorial Day, for as long as I can remember, our family has gotten together first thing in the morning to visit the graves of our deceased grandparents, great-grandparents, and cousins (and I think there’s a random great-uncle in there as well).  We visit about four different cemeteries.

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We reminisce
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We race around the ‘track’ (road)
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We recover from the running
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We have a picnic of donuts

Yes, a picnic of donuts.  I don’t know how the tradition started, but it’s one we’ve been doing for as long as I can remember.

When I first started on my gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free diet, Memorial Day could be rather depressing. Note: not depressing because of thinking of those that have passed, because I know that I will see them again.  Read about my beliefs here. It would be depressing because of being excluded as a result of my dietary restrictions.  One year I did muffin donuts, but those didn’t quite do the trick.  Last year, I came up with this recipe for Apple Fritters.  

Oh. my. goodness.  

These turned out to be so delicious I had to fight off my family members for them.  Crispy on the outside, fluffy and tender on the inside with big apple flavor.

Apple Fritters
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Fritters
  1. 4 medium granny smith apples, peeled, and diced into 1/4" pieces
  2. 2 cups sorhum flour
  3. 3/4 cup brown rice flour
  4. 1 cup potato starch
  5. 1/2 cup tapioca starch
  6. 1 tablespoon xanthum gum
  7. 2 tablespoons baking powder
  8. 2 teaspoons salt
  9. 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  10. 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  11. 1-1/2 cups apple cider
  12. 1 cup applesauce with 2 teaspoons baking powder
  13. 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  14. 3 cups vegetable oil
Glaze
  1. 4 cups powdered sugar
  2. 1/2 cup apple cider
  3. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
  1. Spread apples onto baking sheet lined with paper towels. Cover with paper towels and gently press on them. The idea is to get some of the extra moisture out so the fritters don't get soggy. Combine flours, starches, xanthum gum, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir apples into flour mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together cider, applesauce mixture, and coconut oil. Stir into flour/apple mixture until incorporated
  2. Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat until 350˚. Use a 1/3 cup measure to put 5 portions of batter into oil. Press each portion slightly with the back of a spoon, this helps the fritters cook through. Fry about 2-3 minutes per side, adjust heat to keep oil between 325˚ and 350˚. Repeat with remaining batter, being sure to heat oil to 350˚ between each batch. Let fritters cool at least 5 minutes before putting on the glaze.
  3. For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until smooth. Top each fritter with 1 tablespoon of the glaze. Let glee set 10 minutes.
Adapted from Cook's Country
Adapted from Cook's Country
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/

Churros GF/DF/EF

I don’t drink, so Cinco de Mayo isn’t considered a major holiday (I don’t even know if I consider it a minor holiday).  Sometimes, I do think about it in advance where I can plan to have some Latin-inspired dishes, and this year was one of those cases.  One of my favorite Mexican desserts is churros.  I love the crispy fried dough, and the cinnamon sugar topping.  Is it possible to have these treats on a gluten-free diet?  Yes!

 

Churros
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Dough
  1. 2 cups water
  2. 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  3. 2 tablespoons sugar
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  6. 6 tablespoons brown rice flour
  7. 1 cup sorghum flour
  8. 1/2 cup potato starch
  9. 1/4 cup tapioca starch
  10. 1-1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
  11. 1/2 cup applesauce mixed with 1 teaspoon baking powder
  12. 2 quarts vegetable oil
Chocolate Sauce
  1. 3/4 cup coconut milk
  2. 4 ounces dairy-free chocolate chips
  3. 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  4. Pinch salt
Coating
  1. 1/2 cup sugar
  2. 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dough
  1. Line 1 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix flours, starches, and xanthum gum together, set aside. In a large saucepan, combine water, coconut oil, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add dry ingredients and stir well until combined.
  2. Transfer dough to a stand mixer and with paddle attachment, beat on low speed until cooled slightly. Add applesauce mixture and beat at medium speed until incorporated.
  3. Transfer warm dough to a piping bad fitted with 5/8" star tip. Pipe dough in 6" lengths, using scissors to snip dough at the tip. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 15 minutes to an hour.
  4. While the churros are in the refrigerator, add oil to a Dutch oven pot and heat over medium-high heat to 375˚. Oil should be 1-1/2" deep. Heat oven to 200˚ (this helps keep the churros warm and crisp between batches). Set wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Line a large plate with paper towels.
  5. Gently drip 6 churros into the hot oil and fry until dark golden brown on all sides, about 4-6 minutes, turning frequently to ensure even cooking. Adjust burner as necessary to keep heat between 350˚ and 375˚. Transfer shurros to paper towel-lined plate for 30 seconds to drain excess oil. Then transfer to wire rack in oven. Continue with remaining dough.
Chocolate sauce
  1. Microwave cream, chocolate chips, and salt in a bowl at 50% power, stirring occasionally, until melted. Stir in vanilla.
Coating
  1. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish (you want to be able to lay the churros down flat in the sugar). Roll churros in the sugar mixture, tapping off excess. Serve warm with chocolate sauce.
Adapted from Cook's Country
Adapted from Cook's Country
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/
 These are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and are so delicious that no one would guess they are gluten-free!

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies GF/DF/EF

I have to say that I am somewhat of a chocoholic, and these definitely satisfy that.  

 As is the case with thumbprint cookies, there is a little labor involved as you have to fill the cookies.  These cookies, however, are definitely worth it.  And nobody will guess that these are  gluten-free and vegan .

After baking, use the bowl of a teaspoon to create a bowl for the filling
After baking, use the bowl of a teaspoon and gently press about halfway down to create a shallow bowl for the filling
Use a small spoon to place the ganache in each of the cookies (I use a baby spoon)
Use a small spoon to place the ganache in each of the cookies (I use a baby spoon)

 

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
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Cookies
  1. 1-1/4 xanthum gum
  2. 6 tablespoons tapioca starch
  3. 6 tablespoons potato starch
  4. 3/4 cup sorghum flour
  5. 1/2 cup teff flour
  6. 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  7. 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  8. 3/4 teaspoon table salt
  9. 2 sticks non-dairy margarine (Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
  10. 1-1/3 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
  11. 3 tablespoons water mixed with 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
  12. 2 tablespoons canned coconut milk
  13. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
  1. 1/3 cup honey
  2. 1/3 cup canned coconut milk
  3. 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  4. 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  5. 4 ounces dairy-free chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand)
  6. 2 tablespoons non-dairy margarine (Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks), softened
Cookie
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚. In a small bowl, whisk together xanthum gum, starches, flours, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl cream together margarine and sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add flax seed mixture, coconut milk, and vanilla; mix until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined (it may take about a minute).
  3. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and then roll in sugar. Place one inch apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are set. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Using a teaspoon or a thumb, push down the center of the cookie to create a slight bowl.
Ganache
  1. Combine honey, 1/3 cup coconut milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until honey dissolves. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Pour honey/coconut milk mixture over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Add margarine, and stir until incorporated.
  3. Spoon ganache into the cookies (I use a baby spoon as it gives me the perfect amount of ganache to fill the cookie, making it less messy). After about 15 minutes, the ganache will set, then you can transfer them to a container where they will keep for 2-3 days. They freeze well too, if you can't eat them all by then (which usually isn't the case with my family).
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
One Fine Tomato http://onefinetomato.com/
 Something that I like to do with these cookies is sprinkle a little bit of sea salt on them, it gives the cookies some added dimension, and makes it a little more fancy.