IV. Week Four: Holiday Entrées and Sides with Hallie at Daily Bites
V: Week Five: Breakfast and Brunch with yours truly
And this week marks one of my favorite themes of all : DESSERT! It’s being hosted by Maggie at She Let Them Eat Cake.
Be sure to hop over to Maggie’s blog to check out her Gingerbread Cupcakes and giveaway! You can also link up your own GF dessert recipes and leave a comment to enter today’s giveaway. Here’s what Maggie will be giving away:
To enter to win either book, just leave a comment on Maggie’s blog, or link up a recipe of your own!
And now, who’s ready for dessert? I think we’ve waited long enough!
I actually first made this pie quite a while ago (some of you may remember that I posted about it on Facebook), but I’ve been holding on to the recipe, clinging to it like Scrooge gripping his last penny so that I could save it for this very post. Seriously, this is one is a show-stopper, a perfect finale to a holiday meal or any special occasion. And it’s worth every second of the effort involved.
I recently served this to a friend of the HH’s who came for dinner (he’s a typical Standard American Diet kinda guy–McMuffin for breakfast, cheeseburger for lunch, Pringles on the go and pizza for dinner) and he scraped the plate clean, eagerly accepting a second serving. The HH, who is fond of any dessert that’s light, cool and creamy, declared this to be one of my best recipes to date. I think so, too.
The funny thing is, I don’t consider myself to be a “pie person.” There are folks who adore pies; those who dive right in to the filling, virtually ignoring the crust; and, alternately, those who pick away at the pastry indifferent to the oozing cherries or blueberries or glistening apple slices within. I would normally consider myself one of the latter, if I ever ate pie at all. I thought of the filling as merely a “crust delivery vehicle.”
In this case, though, the entire package must be savored, the layers of crust, ganache, mousse and drizzle melding together in one tantalizing confection. The base is a chocolate shortbread crust, adapted from the recipe in Sweet Freedom (revamped to be gluten-free and ACD-friendly). Next is a layer of intense dark chocolate ganache, a perfect marriage of smooth and condensed. The top layer, a serendipitous combination of coconut whipped cream, smooth almond butter and dark chocolate, is so pillowy, rich and creamy that you may need a moment to compose yourself after you take your first sinful bite.
I also experimented with the pie as a torte in a springform pan, with an equally enticing outcome. So no matter what your own preference, you can still enjoy this exquisite dessert.
Depending on which format you choose, you may end up with a tad extra ganache at the end of the process. In fact, I found myself with about 1/2 cup (120 ml) left over after the pie was assembled.
So, what did I do with it?
[Pumpkin Oatmeal Bowl with Chocolate Ganache Swirl.]
Oh, yes. Yes, I did. Maybe I am a pie person, after all.
And here are the desserts that other Gluten Free Holiday participants made today:
And don’t forget. . . I’ve got a Holiday Mega Ebook Sale going on from now until the end of the year–any two of my ebooks (including Sweet Freedom!) for just $10.95! Details or place an order here.
Black Bottom Almond Mousse Pie with Chocolate Ganache Drizzle
This is a perfect dessert to serve at a special occasion, a holiday meal, or any time you want to impress your guests. No one will believe there’s no dairy, eggs, or refined sugar in this amazing confection!
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) powdered pure stevia (I like NuNaturals)
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking powder
3/4 tsp (7.5 ml) xanthan gum
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) virgin coconut oil, preferably organic, at room temperature (not melted)
For the Ganache:
7 ounces (200 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I use Cocoa Camino; I’ve heard that Scharffen Berger is also great)
1/4 cup (60 ml) smooth natural almond butter (I prefer Maranatha, but Nuts to You worked, too)
1-1/2 cups (360 ml)** full-fat coconut milk (from a can), preferably organic (I use Thai Kitchen, which has a high fat content; I can’t guarantee results with other brands)
1/3 cup (80 ml) plain or vanilla rice, soy, or almond milk
1 Tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
40 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia (I use NuNaturals)
2 cups** (480 ml) full-fat coconut milk (from a can), preferably organic (I use Thai Kitchen, which has a high fat content; I can’t guarantee results with other brands)
1 cup (240 ml) smooth natural almond butter (I prefer Marantha; Nuts to You worked well, too)
60 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia, about 1 tsp/5 ml (I use NuNaturals)
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure almond extract
1 level teaspoon (5 ml) xanthan gum
** I used two cans (400 ml or 14 oz) for this entire recipe. Measure out the 1-1/3 cups/320 ml for the ganache; you should have about 2 cups left for the mousse.
Bake the Crust: Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch ( cm) pie plate or 8-1/2 inch ( cm) springform pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Mix the coconut sugar, agave nectar, vanilla and water in a smal bowl and mix to begin dissolving the sugar. Set aside while you prepare the dry ingredients.
In the bowl of a food processor, blend the all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, cocoa powder, stevia, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt until well combined. Add the coconut oil and pulse a few times to break it up, then blend until well distributed (it will look dry and crumbly; this is as it should be). Pour the wet mixture in a ring over the dry and process again until it comes together in a dough.
Press the dough into the pie plate or on the bottom only of the springform pan (if it’s too soft to stay on the sides of the pie plate, refrigerate it for about ten minutes and then re-press; flute edges if desired.) Prick the bottom of the crust here and there with a fork.
Bake in preheated oven for 15-25 minutes, until dry and lightly browned on the edges. Allow to cool while you prepare the ganache.
Prepare the Ganache: Place all ingredients in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot over lowest possible heat. Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary by adding more stevia, a drop or two at a time (you can add more coconut sugar if you like, but unless you continue to cook the mixture, it won’t dissolve and your ganache will be grainy).
Measure out 2 cups (480 ml) of the mixture and pour it over the crust in the pie plate or pan; reserve the rest to drizzle on top of the pie. Place the crust in the refrigerator for at least an hour so the ganache can firm up.
When the ganache is firm, make the mousse: In the container of a high-powered blender (I use a VitaMix), place all ingredients except for the xanthan gum. Blend for 30 seconds to a minute, until everything is well mixed and very smooth. Add the xanthan gum and blend on low speed until incorporated, then blend on high for 15 seconds or so, until the mixture firms up and appears to no longer be blending; this should happen fairly quickly. (If you don’t have a VitaMix, you can still make this, but you will need to make the mousse in two batches as a regular blender will not be strong enough to mix the entire thing at once; this even stresses the VitaMix a bit! Use exactly half of each ingredient in each batch, then proceed as follows).
Turn the mousse into the prepared crust and spread evenly over the ganache (or you can swirl it into a fancy pattern on top if you like). Drizzle as much of the reserved ganache as you like in a random pattern over the top of the mousse. Refrigerate until the ganache and filling are both firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Cut slices from the pie plate, or, to unmold the springform pan, run a sharp knife along the edge before loosening the sides of the pan. Makes 8-10 servings. Store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 5 days. May be frozen (I freeze individual slices on a cookie sheet in the freezer; once solid, I wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then store the wrapped slices in a ziploc bag. To defrost, remove the slices and allow to defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator).
Last Year at this Time: My Way of Eating (my food philosophy, sort of)
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
A little taste of impending spring, this is a variation on the classic chia pudding, or a much fruitier, lighter version of Crimson Mousse I made with strawberries from our organic produce delivery last week. (But calling it “Fluff” makes it sound much more appealing, doesn’t it?) Feel free to use another berry if you prefer.
Strawberry Chia Fluff for Spring
The coconut milk adds richness and creaminess, yet this still tastes like a light dessert, and one that is both cool and refreshing because of the strawberries. One spoonful and you’ll know that warmer weather is on the way.
2/3 cup (160 ml) full-fat coconut milk (the kind in the can)
2 cups (480 ml) sliced fresh or frozen strawberries
2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole chia seeds*
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure almond extract (omit if sensitive)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
15-25 drops plain or vanilla stevia, to taste
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender* (such as a VitaMix) and blend until perfectly smooth. Pour into glasses and refrigerate until cold, 1-2 hours (or just eat it right away if you can’t wait–thinner, but still good).
*NOTE: If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you can still make this, but grind the chia seeds first in a coffee grinder until they form a fine powder; pour the powder into the blender along with the other ingredients.
With the fresh, simple ingredients in this dessert, I thought it would be perfect for Diane’s Real Food Weekly event. Check out all the other real food entries!
[Quick reminder: only two days left to enter the blender giveaway!Click here for all the details and to enter (and another almond milk recipe!)]
[Sometimes, you just want to eat something now. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so easy to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
I’m popping in quickly (well, as much as I’m capable of communicating anything quickly) for a Sunday “hello” and to post this follow up to Friday’s almond milk review. Several of you asked for it, so I thought I’d offer this ultra-easy chocolate almond mousse recipe for y’all! (Okay, so I’m not really from the Southern US. But I just like to say that word, “y’all.” It’s sort of the way Jerry was with ”salsa.” And besides, I figure with an old high school chum and at least a couple of bloggerfriends out that way, I must be a Southerner at heart. Y’all.)
This mousse was my first experiment with the new almond milk I tried. To be honest, I wasn’t 100% thrilled with the result–it was a little too heavy to truly earn the moniker “mousse”–but since you asked for it, here it is. I figure I’ll let you y’all tweak it if you so choose.
The texture is more dense than that of a traditional mousse, yet still fairly light with an intense almond flavor. I was surprised, in fact, at how distinct the almond taste and aroma were given that it contains no added almond extract; soaking the nuts seems to bring out the natural almond essence.
For a smoother mousse, slip off the skins from the almonds after you soak them. I left them on, resulting in a slightly grainy–though not entirely unappealing–texture. The mousse was good on its own topped with some cacao nibs (it would be great with some coconut whipped cream); I also ended up using it as a spread on rice cakes, which was surprisingly good as well.
I’ll be back in a couple of days with the October SOS Challenge kickoff post–expect something special!
Chocolate Almond Mousse (inspired by Ani Phyo’s Almond Frangipane Kream from Ani’s Raw Food Desserts)–suitable for ACD Stage 1 and beyond
Except for soaking the nuts, this recipe comes together incredibly quickly. In a pinch, you could also try using dry almonds, but add a little extra liquid so the nuts will absorb it as the mousse rests in the refrigerator.
1/2 cup (80 g) raw natural almonds
water, to cover
2 Tbsp (30 ml) vegetable glycerin or agave nectar (use glycerin for ACD Stage 1)
pinch fine sea salt
1 ounce (30 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I like Cocoa Camino)
1/2-1 cup (120-240 ml) plain, vanilla or unsweetened almond milk (I used Almond Fresh)
10-20 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to taste
A day before you plan to serve the mousse, soak the almonds in enough room temperature water to cover for at least 6 hours, and up to 12 hours. For a smoother texture, you can squeeze off the almond skins after the nuts are soaked. (I left them on, but would remove them next time, especially if I were to serve this to guests).
Place the almonds in a high-powered blender with the glycerin and sea salt. Set aside.
Place the chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl. Heat the almond milk just until the boiling point, then pour over the chocolate in the bowl. Allow to sit for 30 seconds, then stir until all the chocolate has melted.
Pour the milk-chocolate mixture into the blender with the almond mixture and blend on high until perfectly smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary to achieve a creamy, silky texture. Add the stevia, blend again and taste; add move stevia as necessary. (I prefer the mousse to be bittersweet rather than too sweet). Pour into a bowl or serving dishes and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. The mixture may be piped or scooped as desired; use as a mousse topped with chopped chocolate or cacao nibs, as a topping for other desserts, or as a frosting or spread. Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Makes 4 servings.
Okay, I guess that the chance to win something you like–especially if it involves food you like–never becomes stale (even if the aforementioned foodstuff does). Still, with 2010 barely upon us, I’ve decided it’s time to give the giveaways a break. I love being able to supply freebies to my readers, especially when it involves foods I already like–but I don’t want the whole ”leaveacommentclickheretweetmeFBmeRTmewhydoyouwantthisprizenowpickacommentatrandom” thing to become stale. So, for now I think, it’s time to get back to the core of this (or any food-related) blog: the food!
I must admit that 2009 was a strange year for me, food-wise. Like the wallflower at the prom or Brad’s ghost in his old living room, all I could do was watch from afar (or, actually, aclose) while others indulged in some of my favorite comestibles, from chocolate to wine (ah, Shiraz, how I miss thee!), to portobellos, to peanut butter, to champagne on New Year’s (ah, Segura Viudas, how I really miss thee!). Much of this blog before last March focused on just those ingredients.
And with there being no clear end-point to the whole ACD saga, I’ve decided to proceed as if I will be on the diet indefinitely. (Audible gasps! Sounds of tsk-tsks and sympathetic clucking! Tears of pity from compassionate readers!). In the end, I think it’s better this way.
When I began this anti-candida quest, I assumed it would be for only a few weeks. The universe, clearly, had other ideas. In a way, I am grateful: as long as I’m on this diet, I’m no longer overeating, I no longer binge on chocolate, and I no longer worry about my weight. (Seriously. The current tally is 43 pounds and holding steady; two more pounds lost, and I’ll be at my initial goal weight.) I know from my response to the recent chocolate truffles I concocted–in and of themselves, perfectly acceptable, totally innocuous and stevia-sweetened–that I still have not gained control over my sweets addiction, so I’m embracing any excuse to stay away from sweeteners that spike blood sugar (even if they’re all-natural, like maple syrup or Sucanat).
And in keeping with my lighter diet, I’ve decided that 2010 will be the year to lighten up. To wit:
1) Lighten Up My Weight.Although I’ve now almost reached my goal weight, a quick calculation of my BMI places my goal weight barely within the “normal” range for such things (at 23.7). Since I’m fairly small-boned, I’d prefer to settle smack-dab in the middle range, at around 22. This would necessitate another 10 pound loss. And while I’m still not willing to count points, count calories, count carbs or follow any other type of “diet” (after all, I want to be able to follow an eating plan that I can maintain for the rest of my life), I do plan to focus a bit more on raw foods, fruit and vegetables, and a bit less on fat in my diet for a while to see what happens.
2) Lighten Up This Blog. Not to imply that I’ve been moribund or anything in this space, but I do feel as if the initially carefree, slightly irreverent posts of yore have been lacking lately. Maybe it’s my SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or remnants of the SAD (Standard American Diet) in general. Or maybe I’ve just been sad about the lingering candida. Whatever the case, it seems that humor wandered off a while ago, and must be enticed to return. And so, like Norman Cousins in his hospital bed, I’m vowoing to bring more laughter into my life. As my old high school chum John used to tell me, Don’t take take life seriously–after all, you’ll never get out alive.
Of course, illness is serious business, and I’m not suggesting that anyone be irresponsible (not a grain of sugar shall pass through my lips!)–but I’d like to learn to relax more and perhaps deal with stress and worry a bit more effectively. It makes sense that more laughter and less stress can only be a good thing, especially when study after study has demonstrated that stress itself contributes to disease. And if I haven’t earned a little whimsy at my age, when will I?
So, from now on, I resolve to enjoy more of what makes me smile: time with the HH and The Girls, my friends and family. Watching dopey movies. Going to places I haven’t been before (I think I hear the antipodes calling). Reading books that make me think, and books that make me envy the writer’s craft. Writing more. Moving my body more. Dancing to old records (Culture Club, anyone?). Experimenting in the kitchen more (no, no, with food, silly!). Blogging more.
No more fretting over insignificant events for me! I mean, will the world end if the HH doesn’t mow the lawn when he says he will (or even within a week of when he says he will)? So what if our lawn resembles the “before” picture in Field of Dreams?The Girls surely won’t mind, as they enjoy gamboling and frolicking in tall grasses. Will my students evaporate if they don’t get their papers back within 3 days? (And at least I’ve never been as tardy as my former prof, Dr. E, who sometimes took six weeks to return essays to us–and when he did, they sported a single comment, sometimes only one word, at the top of the page: “Splendid!” or “Well done!” beside a letter grade. That averages out to approximately one word a day.) Similarly, will the universe implode if I’m stuck in traffic and can’t meet my friend Gemini I for lunch at precisely 12:15 PM, as agreed? Of course not (although traffic does sometimes feel like a black hole).
Wow. I feel lighter already.
3) Lighten Up Your Sweets. A more immediate way to lighten up is with this dessert. Does anyone out there remember Jello 1-2-3? Well, this mousse-like concoction reminds me of the top layer of that treat: exceptionally light and airy, yet sweet, rich, and fruity (even though it doesn’t contain any fruit to speak of, as you’ll see below). The color is vibrant and happy–light-hearted, even–and the flavor is a tantalizing combination of coconut, almond and vanilla, with an enigmatic source of sweetness blended in.
Like so many recipes on food blogs this time of year, this one possesses detoxifying properties as well, since one of its main ingredients is cooked beets (there–I’ve said it. But it doesn’t taste like beets, I promise!). Besides adding that brilliant fuchsia color and a mysterious sweetness to the dessert, beets are also great blood detoxifiers and liver toners. In addition, they’re a good source of fiber, contain cancer-fighting antioxidants, and help reduce inflammation in the body. What other dessert can boast such benefits?
So when you serve this mousse to your friends and family, don’t tell them the secret ingredient. Instead, just present them with a beautiful, fluffy, pillowy dessert. Then you can smile knowingly as you watch them gobble it up. And if they do balk at beets in a confection, well, just tell them to lighten up a little.
Crimson Mousse
Boiling the beets helps to remove any trace of earthy flavor here; what remains is a vague sweetness and stunning hue. I’ve tried baking the beets instead, and while the color becomes even more intense in that case, so does the “beety” flavor; I wouldn’t advise it.
1 medium beet, peeled, diced and boiled until very soft (at least 30 minutes)
1/3 cup (55 g) raw cashews
1 cup (240 ml) full fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole chia seeds, measured first and then ground in a coffee grinder to a fine powder
1/4 tsp (1 ml) pure almond extract
1/4 tsp (1 ml) coconut extract (optional)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
15-25 drops stevia liquid, to taste (will depend on the brand)**
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
pinch fine sea salt
Once the beets are soft, drain them well (you can reserve the liquid for soup or other uses). Place the drained beets and remaining ingredients in a high speed blender* and blend until perfectly smooth, pushing the mousse down into the blades occasionally as necessary. Turn the mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight (refrigerating allows the cashews to absorb some of the liquid and the mousse to thicken). Spoon or pipe into serving dishes and top with coconut whipped cream, if desired. Makes 4 small or 3 large servings.
* I used a VitaMix, but I’m sure this would work in a regular blender, too, if you have patience. In a conventional blender, I’d do it this way: pour coconut milk and all other ingredients except beets and chia into the blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add beets and blend again until perfectly smooth; then add the chia and blend to combine. You may need to blend in smaller batches this way, and then stir the contents together in a bowl before refrigerating.
** You can use agave or maple syrup if you prefer, but make these changes: use 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup, remove about 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of the coconut milk and increase cashews to 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp (70 g) before blending.
Maybe I am a pie person, after all.
