If you, a family member or friend has been diagnosed with coeliac disease, it might seem like all your favourite treats are off-limits. But a new Irish recipe book is set to banish the myth that gluten-free baking is boring.
In Delicious: Recipes From My Gluten-Free Bakery, Denise O’Callaghan shares over 100 tried-and-tested recipes, from crepes to Christmas cake, with inspirational photographs and step-by-step instructions, so that you can still enjoy your favourite breads, biscuits, cakes, tarts and savoury snacks.
Delicious: Recipes From My Gluten-Free Bakery by Denise O’Callaghan is published by Mercier Press and retails at €24.99.
Recipe one
Crunchy flapjacks
This is a scrumptious snack for between meals. Do check that your coeliac is happy to eat pure oats before serving. The recipe makes 12 flapjacks.
175g (7oz) of butter or margarine
100g (4oz) of brown sugar
75g (3oz) of golden syrup
350g (14oz) of pure oats
¼ tsp of ginger
½ tsp of cinnamon
200g (8oz) of dark/milk chocolate
Preheat the oven to gas mark two/150°C/300°F. Grease and line a 23cm x 33cm (9in x 13in) Swiss roll tin with baking parchment.Melt the butter/margarine in a saucepan with the sugar and golden syrup. Heat gently until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the oats and spices.Place the mixture into the prepared Swiss roll tin and press it out evenly using the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown.Break the chocolate into a bowl standing over a saucepan of water on a medium heat and melt, stirring occasionally. While the chocolate is still hot, pour over the flapjacks.Chill in the fridge until they set. Use a hot knife when cutting into 12 squares without breaking the top layer of chocolate.Recipe two
Coconut Biscuits
This is an all-in-one recipe, so a great one when you are caught for time. Makes approximately 18 biscuits.
25g (1oz) of rice flour
50g (2oz) of potato flour
75g (3oz) of corn flour
1/2 tsp of xanthan gum
1/2 tsp of GF baking powder
150g (6oz) of butter/margarine, softened
100g (4oz) of caster sugar
50g (2oz) of desiccated coconut
Melted chocolate to decorate
Preheat the oven to gas mark five/190°C/375°F and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.Blend the flours, then add the gum and baking powder, and mix well. Using an electric mixer, add the butter/margarine, sugar and coconut and beat until they combine to form a dough.Knead the dough briefly, then break off even-sized balls, about the size of marbles. Roll them (if the mixture is sticky dip your hands into potato flour before rolling) to a smooth shape in the palms of your hands. Place on the baking sheets and make sure to place them well spaced apart. Alternatively, you can use a cookie cutter to make different shapes.Bake in batches in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until flecked golden. Leave the biscuits to cool and harden slightly on the baking sheets for about one minute, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. When cool, drizzle with the melted chocolate.Make sure to store in an airtight container to keep the biscuits fresh, that is if they last that long.
If you, a family member or friend has been diagnosed with coeliac disease, it might seem like all your favourite treats are off-limits. But a new Irish recipe book is set to banish the myth that gluten-free baking is boring.
In Delicious: Recipes From My Gluten-Free Bakery, Denise O’Callaghan shares over 100 tried-and-tested recipes, from crepes to Christmas cake, with inspirational photographs and step-by-step instructions, so that you can still enjoy your favourite breads, biscuits, cakes, tarts and savoury snacks.
Delicious: Recipes From My Gluten-Free Bakery by Denise O’Callaghan is published by Mercier Press and retails at €24.99.
Recipe one
Crunchy flapjacks
This is a scrumptious snack for between meals. Do check that your coeliac is happy to eat pure oats before serving. The recipe makes 12 flapjacks.
175g (7oz) of butter or margarine
100g (4oz) of brown sugar
75g (3oz) of golden syrup
350g (14oz) of pure oats
¼ tsp of ginger
½ tsp of cinnamon
200g (8oz) of dark/milk chocolate
Preheat the oven to gas mark two/150°C/300°F. Grease and line a 23cm x 33cm (9in x 13in) Swiss roll tin with baking parchment.Melt the butter/margarine in a saucepan with the sugar and golden syrup. Heat gently until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the oats and spices.Place the mixture into the prepared Swiss roll tin and press it out evenly using the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown.Break the chocolate into a bowl standing over a saucepan of water on a medium heat and melt, stirring occasionally. While the chocolate is still hot, pour over the flapjacks.Chill in the fridge until they set. Use a hot knife when cutting into 12 squares without breaking the top layer of chocolate.Recipe two
Coconut Biscuits
This is an all-in-one recipe, so a great one when you are caught for time. Makes approximately 18 biscuits.
25g (1oz) of rice flour
50g (2oz) of potato flour
75g (3oz) of corn flour
1/2 tsp of xanthan gum
1/2 tsp of GF baking powder
150g (6oz) of butter/margarine, softened
100g (4oz) of caster sugar
50g (2oz) of desiccated coconut
Melted chocolate to decorate
Preheat the oven to gas mark five/190°C/375°F and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.Blend the flours, then add the gum and baking powder, and mix well. Using an electric mixer, add the butter/margarine, sugar and coconut and beat until they combine to form a dough.Knead the dough briefly, then break off even-sized balls, about the size of marbles. Roll them (if the mixture is sticky dip your hands into potato flour before rolling) to a smooth shape in the palms of your hands. Place on the baking sheets and make sure to place them well spaced apart. Alternatively, you can use a cookie cutter to make different shapes.Bake in batches in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until flecked golden. Leave the biscuits to cool and harden slightly on the baking sheets for about one minute, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. When cool, drizzle with the melted chocolate.Make sure to store in an airtight container to keep the biscuits fresh, that is if they last that long. 
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