If you have a gluten-eating baker in your life, I can’t recommend the cookbook Baked: New Frontiers in Baking enough. It’s a gorgeous book, with over-the-top desserts and photos. Of course, we eat gluten-free, so I can’t exactly follow the recipes, but I can be inspired.

And when I was flipping through this cookbook and saw a photo for Root Beer Bundt Cake, inspired I was! I know the thought of root bear and chocolate might sound a bit odd, but I figured it would have a similar effect as adding coffee to chocolate deserts, it just enhances the chocolate and adds a little flavor; it’s not a competing flavor, it’s more of a complimentary flavor. And bundt cakes…oh how I love a good bundt cake. So today’s recipe is my gluten-free version of this awesome cake. As you might suspect, it goes amazingly well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I can’t say it tastes very much like root beer, it is a great chocolate cake with a subtle hint of root beer at best. Although we loved it, I might add a splash of root beer flavoring next time, just to kick up the flavor a bit. That being said, the flavor of the cake probably depends on the brand of root beer used (and I should mention that you want to check for gluten here, I have heard some brands contain gluten). I just used an inexpensive root beer, maybe a higher end soda would have produced a little stronger flavor, but I doubt it would be too significant.

I have never made the cookbook version, but my gluten-free version is dense, chocolaty, and very good. And the frosting, well, lets just say this stuff is almost too good. When you put the cake and the frosting together, you’ve got a win-win dessert.

It’s especially delicious cold, straight from the fridge with a nice tall glass of milk; maybe even for breakfast if you are having one of those mornings that can only be saved by chocolate.

Root Beer Bundt Cake may not be something you’ve heard of before, but it’s a fun chocolate cake that is sure to be a hit with the grownups and kids alike. In fact it’s so good, it’s what I made for my very own birthday cake!

Root Beer Bundt Cake

• 2 cups root beer (not diet)
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into 1 tablespoon size pieces
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups white rice flour
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sweet rice flour
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten (or substitute with 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce)
• Root Beer Fudge Frosting, optional but delicious!

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat, stirring often, until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool (it doesn’t need to get to room temperature, just cooled slightly, so it’s not extremely hot).
2. Preheat oven to 325. Generously grease (or use a non-stick cooking spray) a bundt pan. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
3. Stir the eggs (or applesauce if using) into the warm chocolate mixture and stir until combined. Add the flour mixture and stir until incorporated (it’s okay if there are a few lumps).  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the center tests clean. Remove cake from oven and run a plastic knife or small rubber spatula around the edges of the cake, making sure that the cake is loose from the pan. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Frost if desired before serving.

Flora Desserts gluten-free egg-free cake, glutenn-free chocolate bundt cake

Homemade frosting is so much better than anything you can buy at the store. And this particular recipe is not only great-tasting, but it is super easy to make.

The flavor of this frosting doesn’t really scream root beer. It’s a smooth, rich and definitely chocolate frosting.

I first made this frosting to go with a Root Beer Bundt Cake, but it would be great with almost any cake or cupcake. And if you have any leftover frosting, it’s perfect sandwiched between some homemade graham crackers.

I have made this in my stand mixer and my food processor and it works great either way. It’s a bit faster to make in the food processor, but I think it takes longer to clean.

Root Beer Fudge Frosting

• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, melted (I melt it in a microwave-safe bowl, in 30 sec intervals until smooth)
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup root beer (not diet)
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. Put all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the frosting is smooth. Alternately, you can make this frosting by combing all ingredients in the bowl of stand mixer and mixing until the frosting it smooth and creamy.

Flora Desserts

I love fudge, however, it’s no secret that it can be difficult to make. Like all candy-making, the weather (especially the humidity) can effect the outcome.

And then there is the temperature and the hard boil vs soft boil stages, using a candy thermometer, etc. It can all be a bit time consuming, and the end result is quite often less than stellar, even if you follow the directions!

So, when I saw this super easy fudge recipe in my Costco newsletter, I had to give it a try. First of all, I have to say that I typically don’t get my recipes, or my eating tips, from Costco, but it was a Paula Deen recipe, so I felt fairly confident it would be a winner. And, it was! With only a handful of ingredients, you can whip up a batch of this fudge in no time. And it was a yucky, rainy day at my house no less!

It’s super smooth and creamy, with plenty of salted peanuts to add some texture and crunch. It’s really the easiest, and quite possibly, the best chocolate fudge I have made.

I know technically, fudge season has passed, but who said you can only make fudge in December?

Easy Chocolate-Peanut Fudge

I used dark chocolate chips, but semi-sweet or milk chocolate would also work great! Also, I think you could substitute any nut for the peanuts, if you prefer.

• 2 cups chocolate chips (that’s one 12-ounce package)
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup salted peanuts
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil so that the foil hangs over the edges of the pan; grease the foil with butter, oil, or cooking spray.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate and milk, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until completety melted. Add peanuts and vanilla and stir to combine.
3. Using a rubber spatula, pour into prepared pan, smoothing the top if necessary. Allow to cool slightly and then refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Remove the fudge from the pan by lifting the foil. Peel foil back and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into 64 1-inch pieces. Store in the fridge in an airtight container or bag.

 

*I linked this recipe up to Sweets for a Saturday (the recipes aren’t all gluten-free, but there’s lots of tasty treats to admire anyway).

Flora Desserts, Holidays & Special Occasions gluten free fudge, no marshallow fudge

Dear Readers,

A big “Thank You” for reading my blog this year. I hope you have found my posts helpful in your efforts to create delicious gluten-free meals. I think we are all changing the notion that gluten-free foods have to be bland, boring, and just plain awful. And I sincerely appreciate all the email, comments, and facebook interactions from you all.

As we wrap up 2011, I thought it would be fun to take a look at my blog’s 10 most popular posts this year.

I wish everyone a very healthy and happy New Year!

#10 Pastry Flour Blend

#9 Potato Flour Substitute

#8 No Boil Lasagna Noodles

#7 Apple Muffins with Crumb Topping

#6 Coconut Water Smoothie

#5 How to heat corn tortillas so they'll roll

# 4 Pumpkin Cake Balls

#3 butter pie crust

#2 Homemade Rice Milk

#1 Refrigerator Pickles

Flora Kitchen Extras Best Gluten Free recipes of 2011

The chocolate truffle. Need I say more? Well, probably not, but since this is a blog post, I feel compelled to.

Seriously though, a truffle is basically ganache rolled into a bite-size piece of goodness. They are incredibly rich, amazingly smooth, and really expensive at your favorite bakery or chocolate shop. However, they are really easy to make at home, and a surefire way to impress all the chocolate lovers in your life.

If you have never made a ganache, it is deceptively simple. If you can heat cream and stir, you’re set.

You let the ganache cool, so that it is firm enough to roll and voila, you have truffles. They are remarkably easy, however you can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Well, chocolatey to be exact. Yes, rolling chocolate is a messy job. You could wear gloves I suppose, but I think it would ruin the fun a bit.

I love the flavor combination of chocolate & coconut, so that is the version of truffles I created here. Although there is really no reason you couldn’t substitute your favorite flavoring/extract for the coconut one in the recipe. And of course you could roll the truffles in coco powder or chopped nuts if you prefer.

I have to repeat what all the pastry chef and cookbook authors always say about ingredients, using high-quality chocolate will result in better tasting truffles. It’s true. But in reality, chocolate and cream is hard to mess up. I typically use Guittard brand chocolate (it’s all gluten-free), but I recently encountered some Scharffen Berger chocolate on sale and stocked up; so that is what I used. And, no surprise, they were really, really good.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season. Happy gluten-free baking (and eating, of course)!

Coconut Truffles

If you have coconut oil, that will provide a more concentrated flavor, so I would less (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon or so).

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
• 1 pound bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 cups toasted coconut, gently crushed with your hands, for rolling into
• parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet

1. To make the gananche, place the cream, butter, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, swirling/tilting the pan to cover the chocolate. Let stand about 5 minutes; add the extract, then stir or whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
2. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish (I use a 9×13 pan). Place in refrigerator to thicken; this will take at least an hour (I simply left it overnight).
3. Using a melon baller, small ice cream scoop, or measuring spoon, form the ganache into small balls (depending on preference somewhere between 1/2-1 inch size); you’ll have to use your hands to roll them. Place the truffles on a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. If they are not perfectly round at this point, don’t worry, they will be slightly easier to roll after setting a few minutes on the sheet.
4. After the truffles had all been rolled, I went back and gently re-rolled the ones that weren’t so round and pretty shaped, before giving them a roll in the toasted coconut. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Flora Desserts, Food Gifts, Holidays & Special Occasions chocolate truffles, coconut truffles, gluten free truffles