Seasonal GF treats

Carluccios sell a small gf panettone. I've got one and hidden it!! I've always been so envious of the smell when dh toasts his for breakfast.

Use Dove flour and you can make anything, just about.Mince pies, cakes, yule log.

Thanks both
Kitty are there nuts in your panettone?
I will check first to make sure he likes panettone as I don't think he is keen on nuts.
However I have just read ingredients on our classic (not gf) panettone and there is no mention of nuts.
Enjoy your treat!

Lemon great I have googled Dove flour just what I need.
GS and I can now make his daddy some treats from the Dove recipes.

Good luck
Dove flour tends to need a bit more fat or liquid generally than normal flour, but gives good results and is sold in most supermarkets.

I thought Dove flour was a typo

Apologies for a quick thread-hijack Cherry

lemon Do you have any success with making gf dumplings? Mine sink without trace despite using SR gf flour and a pinch of gf baking powder

It isn’t actually made from ground up doves nina

Have you tried adding beaten egg Squiffy ?

I watch the Anna Olsen baking programme sometimes, and today she made some flourless pies and tarts. She has recipes for flourless cakes too
www.youtube.com/results?search_query=anna+olson+flourless+cake+recipes+

I bought some gf pastry in Tesco - it was where the other ready pastries were in the chill cabinet.
So far I haven't tried it but I am hoping I can make some 'home-made' mince pies.

I always choose Dove flour but you would not be grateful for my home-made gf pastry

Black cake which I am going to attempt this time using this recipe but with some added spice and using gf flour:
www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/c/caribbean-black-cake.html Other recipes available.

Don't eat and drive!

The one I tasted was iced (not marzipanned) with white fondant icing which I don't normally like but it was very good indeed.

That’s a good idea lemon, thank you

I bought some GF shortcrust pastry but thought it was tough.

My recipe for sweet shortcrust (enough for 1 doz mince pies) is 200grms GF plain flour, 1/2 tspn xantham gum, pinch salt, 50grms lard, 50grms block margarine, 1 med egg, 1 tbspn sugar and approx. 2 tbspns cold water.

Rub the fat into the flour, salt and xantham gum until it resembles breadcrumbs, add the sugar, stir in the beaten egg then carefully add the water as you don't want the dough too wet or it will be tough.

It rolls out easily if you don't overwork it.

I'm making a batch this afternoon for the freezer and a large GF panettone which should be big enough to share with DD and DGS who is coeliac.

Morrison's advert mentioned GF mince pies. Haven't tried them yet but I'm now using Tesco GF plain flour with my own baking powder for sultana scones; needed less milk for mixing the scones which I'm enjoying eating, though to be honest I find all GF baked goods a bit 'powdery' in the mouth so need lots of tea/coffee when consuming. Intend to try my hand making GF shortcrust pastry at the weekend. I'm just wondering whether you are more likely to have a 'soggy bottom' with pies than is the case using ordinary flour. Has anyone experience of this?

You are less likely to have a soggy bottom, tessagee as the problem with GF baking is you need to retain moisture to prevent a dry and 'chalky' texture - that's why a mixture of fats gives better results than butter which makes a tougher pastry.

It's important to add xantham gum as in the absence of gluten this helps the flour retain moisture. The quantities needed for various products is on the tub. I always add an egg to pastry as well for the same reason.

It's all a bit trial and error to begin with but it's worth it as I find bought GF products expensive and disappointing - apart from Tesco's GF sponge cake mix which is excellent!

Wow Thanks everybody
I am feeling inspired
A visit to Tesco in the morning.
Then a trial run with all your recipes.
Not the best cook in the world
but fingers crossed we can make something edible for DGS daddy.

My panettone doesn't contain nuts!!

Marks and Spencer’s have some gluten free treats, the mince pies are very sweet though.

Has anyone mastered the art of GF vegan pastry? My OH just said (in a loud voice) "why are these mince pies like concrete?" I don't think I'll be able to shift the rest of them.

Genius make shortcrust pastry ready to roll, it’s available in Tesco in the free from fridge area, Sainsburys have puff pastry in their free from fridge area. We haven’t tried Sainsbury’s one but the Genius is perfectly edible!

Lots of ready made Christmas goodies in all the supermarkets now

Thank you Merlotgran for your advice. Haven't been able to get Xanthan Gum locally or in Liverpool which is the only city within reasonable travel distance. This added to my babysitting duties with flu ridden children has meant that no home baking was done after all. I'll get online and see what I can buy after all the Christmas razamatazz is finished.

Thank you Merlotgran for your advice. Haven't been able to get Xanthan Gum locally or in Liverpool which is the only city within reasonable travel distance. This added to my babysitting duties with flu ridden children has meant that no home baking was done after all. I'll get online and see what I can buy after all the Christmas razamatazz is finished.