GLUTEN FREE BAKED BEIGNETS + A CHOCOLATE SPREAD

beignet_gf_chocspread2I know, a beignet isn’t a beignet unless it is fried. I agree. Or at least I agreed until yesterday morning. Doughnuts, in general, have always been fried and a fritter should always have fried oil in the recipe. These beignets are the exception!

I have not been baking as much as I have in the past and much of that is owed to me not being completely comfortable in experimenting with the 12-20 different kinds of alternative flours that now reside in my pantry. I can easily follow someone else’s recipe. Some good, many not so good. While I work on recreating several of our family’s favorite cookie and cake recipes, much of it is not worth writing about (or eating). So much trial and error is going on that I, at times, feel a bit insecure when attempting a new recipe. Thus, searching the Internet for interesting ideas has become my latest hobby.

And this past weekend, with a cold, wet, and windy two days, left me no choice but to spend hours looking at recipes, reading blogs, pinning on Pinterest, and printing out numerous recipes to add to the top of my every growing pile of “recipes to make”. Along with some gluten free sandwich bread, a new batch of cookies, gf graham crackers (two different batches without any success), and these baked beignets, I spent a few lovely hours in the kitchen.

Measuring out the dry ingredients for the beignets the night before, makes these an easy weekday morning breakfast. The dough is similar in texture to a thick cookie dough, rather than a “doughnut” batter. With a double failed attempt at graham crackers, I was a bit skeptical. However, after really looking at the ingredients, I felt like these could be a winner. And a winner they are. Served warm with both my new fave pantry staple, chocolate spread, some homemade lemon curd, and homemade jam, I let the kids decide on what flavor they were in the mood for . The chocolate spread won big points and Levi was perfectly happy with a sprinkling of confectioner’s sugar. Accompanied by a protein shake, everyone left for school that morning with big smiles and lots and lots of kisses for the “chef”.

Gluten Free Beignets
adapted from here
yield: 12 beignets

ingredients:
2 1/4 ounces (1/2 cup) sorghum flour
1 1/4 ounces (1/4 cup) sweet rice flour
1 ounce (1/4 cup) tapioca flour
1/2 ounce (2 tablespoons) almond flour
1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 ounces (1/4 cup) plain, greek yogurt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) whole milk

instructions:
• preheat oven to 350*
• grease (with butter) a 12 cup capacity muffin tin.
• in a medium bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients.
• in a larger bowl, beat(I used a hand held mixer ) the softened butter until creamy.
• add the yogurt, egg, and vanilla. beat until incorporated.
• add the dry ingredients and with the mixer on a low setting beat until just combined. add the milk and mix thoroughly.
• using a small ice cream scooper (2 tablespoon), scoop and fill muffin tins.
• bake 11-13 minutes, rotating the pan mid way through baking.
• let cool and then either dust with sifted confectioner’s sugar and frost with chocolate spread (recipe below).

Homemade Chocolate Spread
yield: 4 ounces (1/2 cup)

ingredients:
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 ounce (4 tablespoons) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 ounces (1 cup) confectioner’s sugar
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons hot water (preferably filtered)

instructions:
• in a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter.
• sift the cocoa powder, confectioner’s sugar, and espresso powder together. whisk into melted butter.
• add vanilla and mix.
• add hot water, one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency(I used 3 tablespoons and got exactly what I wanted).

Adblock
detector