Welcome to my 'simple and yummy' GF cooking: Gluten Free Victoria Sponge!

A Victoria sponge has got to be an all-time favourite! When I first researched Gluten Free recipes I found many to be difficult with lots of weird ingredients, not to mention the extra cost. It’s like everything else, specialised ‘stuff’ appears to have to be seen to be expensive! Well, it doesn’t! So, being a bit tight with the old purse-strings, I set about seeing how simply and cheaply I could make my favourites.

Here’s my recipe for a gorgeous Victoria Sponge, and the only weird and wonderful ingredient is the old xanthan gum!

This recipe can also be made dairy free!

Ingredients

6oz/170g marg

6oz/170g sugar (I use dear old granulated)

3 eggs

6oz/170g Gluten Free SR flour (I use Doves Farm, probably because it’s the only type I’ve seen in my area!!)

¾ teaspoon xanthan gum

Few drops of vanilla extract

Cold water if needed to make a soft dropping consistency (I find water works well with the GF flour)

Soften marg, (this is important as everything is bunged in the mixing bowl together, no faffing with this recipe!!)

Add extract, sugar, eggs, sieved flour and xgum

Beat thoroughly with your favourite utensil incorporating as much air as you can to achieve a light, smooth mixture

Add a little water if needed to make a soft mixture

Rustic oven ready!

Divide between two 7”/18cm greased and baking paper lined sandwich tins

Bake in the middle of a conventional oven at 180^o for 25 mins (check after 20 mins) (slightly less time and temperature for a fan oven)

Sponge is cooked when it is golden brown and springs back when you poke it in the middle

Cool for a few minutes in the tins then turn out onto a wire rack

On the rack!

 When completely cool fill with butter cream and jam.

Dust the top with icing sugar and ENJOY!

Butter cream

A small dollop of butter or marg (dairy free version), icing sugar, a few drops of vanilla extract, a few drops of cream or milk (or dairy free milk or cream), beat well to make a fairly thick consistency!

Mmmmm!!

 I’m sure Queen Victoria would approve!! It was apparently one of her favourite nibbles at afternoon tea, which was created by Anne, Duchess of Bedford. She was one of Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting. As the mid-day meal was getting smaller the poor ladies were experiencing a ‘sinking’ feeling at about four in the afternoon. (We’ve all been there, ladies or otherwise!!) And, so, afternoon tea was invented!! And how thankful we all are!!

Thanks for visiting Annie’s Rustic Oven

Rustic Annie xx

Welcome to 'simple and yummy' GF cooking! Gluten Free Short Crust Pastry!

Gluten Free Short Crust Pastry

Having always prided myself on making super pastry it came as quite a shock to discover that Gluten Free short-crust doesn’t perform as easily as the stuff with the gluten in! (I can hear my late mother at this juncture saying, ‘Self-praise is no praise at all my girl’! But let’s face it, sometimes it’s either that or nothing!!)

After trying various methods, unsuccessfully, for moulding GF pastry into a variety of tins and dishes I was beginning to lose heart (not to mention the realization of how many expletives I had learnt over the years).

The ‘shortness’ of the pastry was a real problem. Trying to pick it up after careful rolling out resulted in it immediately dropping to bits. Grr…

The solution came from an unexpected source! My LTA (long-term-attachment of 40+ years) in actual fact! Noted more for his abilities as a ‘plant operator’ I was, to say the least, sceptical, but felt for the sake of marital harmony I ought to at least give his suggestion a try!

And, hey presto! It works!!

This recipe is for a quiche case, but the basic pastry recipe can be used for any pastry dish!

Gluten Free Short Crust Pastry (Quiche Case)

Waiting for the filling!

 This recipe will make enough pastry to line a 9”/23cm flan dish

Ingredients

6oz/170g Gluten Free SR flour (I use Doves Farm)

¾ teaspoon xanthan gum

Pinch salt

3ozs/85g marg

1 beaten egg

(Plus ¾ tablespoon sugar for sweet pastry)

Rub marg into combined dry ingredients

Mix to a handle-able (so that the mixture just sticks together and is roll-able) dough with the beaten egg, adding a little cold water if necessary

Now here comes the magic bit!

Easy as pie!

Roll out the pastry on a sheet of baking parchment to fit your chosen dish

Lift the paper and pastry together, swiftly and without a swear word in sight, into the waiting dish

Gently mould to the dish's contours and finally smooth out with the floured base of a flat-bottomed glass or similar

Prick the pastry all over with a fork

Line with another sheet of baking parchment, fill with rice and blind bake

Ready for baking!

Bake in a conventional oven for 20 minutes @180^o 

(Reduce time and temperature in a fan oven)

Remove lining and return to oven to dry off for a couple more minutes

Don’t worry if small cracks appear in the case when cooking, the filling can’t get further than the dish!

Trim the pastry edges after the final cooking (and the protruding baking parchment if it offends you)

Top for a pie

If a ‘lid’ is needed for a pie, I roll out the pastry on a sheet of baking parchment, place on a large chopping board or similar flat surface, put it in the fridge for a short time to rest, then when needed the pastry will slide off the parchment onto the top of your delicious pie!! Fool-proof!! Well, if this fool can do it anybody can!!

Happy pastry making!

Thanks for visiting Annie’s Rustic Oven

Rustic Annie xx

     

 

   

Welcome to 'simple but yummy' GF cooking! Cheese Scones!

Gluten Free Cheese Scones

Gluten Free Cheese Scones

This is one of my favourite recipes, and as easy as pie (or scones!)! The scones don’t keep very well, they need to be consumed on the day of making (no problem!), or frozen and thawed out as and when required. (They are especially good warm from the oven! Yum!)(These scones do take slightly longer to cook than ones made with gluten flour.)

For a Dairy Free version substitute cheese for a Dairy Free variety! 

Ingredients 

8ozs/225g Gluten Free SR flour

1 level teaspoon xanthan gum

Half teaspoon sugar

Pinch salt (leave out if using a salty cheese)

Ground pepper

2ozs/50g marg

5ozs/150g mature, tasty cheese, grated

1 beaten egg

Cold water to mix

Combine flour, xgum, sugar, salt and pepper

Rub in marg to breadcrumb stage

Add cheese and mix well

Mix to a soft but handle-able dough with beaten egg, (add a little cold water if necessary)

Knead until well combined

Flatten into a rectangle shape, approx. 1in/2.5cms deep, on a floured surface

Cut into 16 equal chunks

Cut into 16 chunks

Place on a baking parchment lined baking sheet, brush tops with beaten egg or milk

Cook for 10/15 minutes at the top of a conventional oven @ 190^o (check after 10 mins)

Fan ovens will take less time @ 180^o

Scones are cooked when golden brown on the bottom

Slice, butter and enjoy! (Extra good with squidgy cheese!)

Thank you for visiting Annie’s Rustic Oven!

Rustic Annie xx