New Applewood Recipe Site.

It was suggested to me a couple of times to look into another way of hosting my blog as the current one did not view well on a cell phone.  I am currently using Wordpress and have transferred my blog to that site.  If you see any errors or bad links on the new site please let me know.

Our new address is:  https://applewoodrecipes.wordpress.com/


Thank you.
Caroline

Gluten Free Dutch Taai-Taai

My mom made this quite often as we were growing up.  It's quick and easy to make.  I converted it to gluten free and the funny thing is - with this gluten free recipe the texture improves after sitting in the fridge for 3 or 4 days!

Gluten Free Taai-Taai
1 cup honey
1 cup water
1 cup  brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons anise seed -- ground
13/4 cup white rice flour
1 3/4 cup sweet rice flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt.

**rice flours should be the Asian kind as it is not as gritty.  Found in Asian aisle of supermarket.

In large sauce pan bring the honey, water, brown sugar and anise seed to a boil. Stirring occasionally.
Let cool to room temperature.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Spread on greased baking sheet.
Bake at 325 for 30 - 40 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool.  Slice in squares.  Store in sealed plastic containers in fridge for 3 days or longer.  The texture is a bit "gummy" when fresh and improves a lot upon storage.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies

This is another recipe that has converted really well to gluten free.  I've made them for over 30 years with wheat flour and today thought the combination of sweet rice flour and rice flour (asian brands) would work well and it did!

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies - makes 6 dozen 

1 cup butter
1 cup canola oil (or other oil)
2 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups gluten free oatmeal flakes
1 1/4 cups fine rice flour (Asian)
1 1/4 cups sweet rice flour (Asian)
1 cup buckwheat flour (or you could try another whole grain gf flour like chickpea )
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
In large mixing bowl wisk together the dry ingredients.  In another mixer bowl cream the butter, sugars, eggs and oil together.  Add the dry ingredients.  Mix well.  (I use wooden spoon or hands).
Shape into 1" balls and place on greased or parchment lined baking sheets.
Bake at 350 for 12 - 15 minutes until edges are light brown.  Cool.  Remove from sheets.

Gluten Free Perisky - Mennonite Meat Buns

Gluten Free Fleisch Perisky - easy to  make!  Dough handles well and bakes up really nice!

Gluten Free Perisky Filling: - fills 75 4" Perishky.

2 lbs /900grams - lean ground beef

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 cup caramelized onions 

1 1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons rice flour

2 cups water

1 cup fine gluten free bread or cracker crumbs 

Method:

In large sauce pan over medium high heat place 1 cup butter or margarine.  Melt and add ground beef. Fry until the ground beef is nicely browned.  Add the caramelized onion (or soup mix if using) and the 2 Tablespoons rice flour.  Stir well.  Add the water and stir over medium heat until it thickens. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour to reduce liquid.  Stir in 1 cup fine bread crumbs. Remove from heat and let cool.  While cooling make your Perishky Bun Dough.

(If you do not have carmelized onions you can use 2 envelopes onion soup mix and leave out the salt and pepper.)

Gluten Free Perisky Bun Dough: - makes 75 4" Perishky

• 3 cup millet flour
• 3 cup cornstarch
• 3 cup tapioca flour
• 3/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoon xanthan gum
• 3/4 cup butter, margarine (or half butter and half canola oil)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tsp baking powder
• 3 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoon yeast
• 2 cups of warm water plus 1 teaspoon sugar ( or half milk and water)

In a small bowl, mix warm water,  1 teaspoon sugar and yeast and let stand for 10 minutes. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in the  butter with your fingers, until the mix resembles small crumbs. Mix egg and water together with a fork, and add to the dry ingredients, stirring until well incorporated.  Knead the dough until it is uniform - it will only be slightly sticky. This is a fairly firm yeast dough - consistency is a bit like Play-Doh - just a tad softer.   Make into golf ball size balls and form with your Birds Hill Enterprises Pocket Pie Press following manufacturer instructions.  Or, roll and cut into  4" rounds.  Place one teaspoon (slightly heaping) filling on one side of disk.  Fold in half and crimp edge to seal. Bake at 400* for 15- 20 minutes or until light brown.  These freeze well and can be heated up in microwave to serve or placed frozen on baking sheet and heated at 400 for 10 minutes.

Brown your ground beef

1 cup caramelized onion

ground beef and onion mixture with water added

Meat sauce is reduced to this.  Now the bread crumbs are added.

I form mine with the Birds Hill Pocket Pie Press - it flattens, folds and crimps the buns

Gluten Free Dutch Koek - Dutch Spice Cake

I first had this spice cake when I was 16  years old visiting my friends' home.  Their mom made and served it regularly.  My friend became my husband  and for years I also made this spice cake.  On a cold winter morning there is nothing better than the aroma of "Koek" -  Dutch Spice cake baking in the oven.  It was a "tradition" that I sliced off each end of the cake - slathered them with butter and enjoyed alongside my morning coffee.  When my husband was diagnosed with Celiac disease I no longer made this cake.  I tried to convert it a couple of times to gluten free without success.  After baking gluten free for 17 years I have learnt a few things and tried this recipe the other week with great success.  I have made 3 large loaves in less than a week - one to give away and the other to enjoy with our large family.  I have written the recipe using only the two rice flours for those who like simplified gluten free baking. 

My mother-in-law always made a double recipe adding candied ginger pieces to one loaf - one of these days I will have to try that.

Gluten Free Dutch Koek

11/2 cups rice flour (use the fine Asian rice flour found in oriental aisles in the supermarket)

1 1/2 cups sweet rice flour (also Asian found in the same aisle)

1/4 cup buttermilk powder

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon mace

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon canola oil (or other oil)

1 cup Rogers Golden Syrup

1 egg

cold water **amount in instructions below:

prepare loaf pan: The loaf pans my mother, Oma's and mother-in-law used were narrow and long.  The ones I use are: 14 1/2"x 5" x 3"         or 13" 4 1/2" x 2 3/4"..  Line bottom of pan with parchment paper cut to size.

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients together in large mixing bowl.

**In 2 cup measuring cup place the 1 tablespoon oil.  Swish it around to coat the sides (this will make it easier for the syrup to come out).  Add 1 cup Rogers Golden Syrup.  Add 1 large egg to the syrup and oil mixture.  Add enough cold water to reach the 2 cup line.  Stir together with a fork.  Pour over the dry mixture.  Stirring with a wooden spoon.  Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Bake at 350* for 1 - 1 1/4 hours until tester inserted comes out clean.  Cool.  Run a nice around the edges of the pan and turn upside down to remove loaf.  Peel off parchment paper.  Slice of the "cuppies" to enjoy with butter slathered on.  Store in sealed bag in fridge.  Will slice better when cold.  This cake has good keeping qualities and can be kept for a week in the fridge or in sealed bag on counter for 4-5 days.  We serve it in slices with butter spread on.  The texture is improved after getting completely cold.

** Recipe Notes:**

If you like using some whole grain flours use: 1 cup rice flour, 1 cup sweet rice flour and 1 cup buckwheat flour. It gives it a less chewy texture with the buckwheat flour.  

If you want to try the candied ginger you add 1/4 cup finely diced crystallized or candied ginger to the dry ingredients.