Trifle - No sugar, No grain, No dairy (paleo)

Leah is off sugar for a while and this was made in an effort to prove to her that life really can be great even without sugar.

There are 3 parts to this trifle - cake, coconut cream and lemon cream (plus fruit, of course). I will go through each separately.

Cake: This cake is the rolled cake found on this post by Christy http://6kindsofpie.blogspot.com/2014/05/gluten-free-strawberry-rolled-cake.html (with modifications).

Here are the modifications:

1/2 cup almond flour or a mixture of almond and coconut flour (mostly almond, if you use all coconut flour it is still yummy but kind of like flan)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup maple syrup or agave (or less)

1 tsp vanilla

8 eggs, separated

Otherwise make it like Christy describes. I do not roll it for trifle but cut it into squares or break into chunks. Or you could try to roll it and when that messes up you can still make a nice treat by defaulting to trifle. 

Coconut Cream: 

I can coconut cream (only the cream part, if there is water part - leave that for something else.)

maple syrup 

Whip the coconut cream in a kitchen aid, add maple syrup to your sweetness level. I have been told it whips better if the cream is chilled first. 

As a full disclaimer my kids prefer real whipped cream after all it is delicious, but if I want some cream I make this coconut version. 

Lemon Cream or curd:

Make this recipe: http://6kindsofpie.blogspot.com/2013/04/lemon-cream.html

I always use agave instead of sugar. I have also successfully made it with honey and maple syrup - all very tasty. 

At this point you can either make the trifle in a beautiful trifle bowl or individually on plates or small ramekins. I find build your own works better with my kids .  

Heaven in a Bowl

Heaven in a Bowl is a delicious and pretty simple summer dessert.  I made it today for Jon's birthday.  I like to make most of it in advance and just put it together the day we eat it.

You just need three things:  (1) a batch of Victoria Sponge Cupcakes; (2) two batches of Lemon Cream; and (3) lots of fresh raspberries (about 3 six-ounce containers).

Instructions:

(1) Make the cupcakes (just the cupcakes - no frosting).  When they cool cut them up into 1 inch squares.

(2) Make the two batches of lemon cream.

(3) Layer in a bowl a third of the cupcakes, a third of the lemon cream, and third of the raspberries.  Repeat until you have used up all of your ingredients. 

Lemon Cream

This is delicious and is a little easier to make than lemon curd.

3 lemons

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 stick butter cut into pieces, room temperature

Zest and juice the lemons. 

Put the lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and eggs in a pot and place over medium high heat. Whisk vigorously until thickened and just beginning to boil. 

Pour into a blender and add the butter, then blend until the butter is incorporated and the cream in smooth.

Place in a glass jar or container and let cool and then refrigerate.

You may substitute honey or agave for the sugar. Agave is my preferred choice because it has a more neutral flavor.

Vanilla Cake

Adelaide has been on a cooking spree lately. Today she requested we make a cake. It turned out delightfully well. 

This is adapted from the gluten free and more magazine. 

1 c butter

2 c sugar

Mix together then add 

4 eggs

2 t vanilla

Mix

Alternate the wet ingredients with the dry

2 c sorghum 

1 1/2 c starch

1 T plus 2 t baking powder

1 t xanthan gum

1 1/2 c hot flax milk

350 degrees for 35 min

2 nine inch pans 

We used lemon cream as the filling and buttercream frosting with lemon cream mixed in for the frosting 

In process of kissing the kitchen aid

Sprinkles are very important when baking with Adelaide 

Gluten-free Rolled Cake

This is my children's favorite birthday cake. This is a very easy gluten-free version of a Martha Stewart cake to make because it has so little flour and so many eggs. I also like it because it is not too sweet.  We make it with real whipped cream, with fake whipped cream, with lemon curd, with stabilized coconut cream, or whatever the particular crowd can eat.  As long as there is enough cake, cream, and strawberries, everyone is happy.

1/2 cup gluten-free flour (I usually use rice starch)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

8 eggs, separated

at least 1 pint of cream, whipped after the cake is cool

lots of strawberries (1 quart or more), sliced

Heat oven to 350. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and butter the top side (this is better than buttering the bottom side which I have seen done).

Beat 8 egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl for about a minute and then mix in flour and baking powder. Set aside.  Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold whited and flour mixture together with a spatula. Pour onto parchment-lined jelly roll pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes. Prepare a large dishtowel to roll the cake in by sprinkling with flour, powdered sugar, or lightly dampening.  

Invert baked cake onto prepared dishtowel and roll up the short way.  Let cool.

Unroll and fill with whipped cream concoction of your choice.  

Lemon Poppyseed Cake

I love lemons and I love lemon cake. Here is a lovely lemon cake.

1 cup butter, softened

2 c sugar

Zest

Mix until smooth then add:

4 eggs

1/2 t vanilla

Mix then add:

2 1/2 c sourgum 

1/2 c tapioca starch

2 t xanthan gum

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1 c liquid (I used about 3/4 c lemon juice and the rest water)

Poppyseeds 

Mix and put in a bundt pan

Bake at 325 for 45-50 min

It is yummy with lemon curd/cream

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon pie is totally fabulous. Here is a gluten free rendition of it.

1 pie crust, already baked

Filling:
4 large lemons, zested and juiced
1 1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs, separated
3 large eggs
6-8 T butter

Meringue:
4 egg whites, reserved from the separated eggs
1/2 t vanilla
1/4 t cream of tartar
3-4 T powdered sugar

Whisk lemon zest, juice, sugar, 4 egg yolks, and 3 eggs. Cook in saucepan until thickened. Add butter to taste. Pour into precooked crust.

Make meringue. Add cream if tartar and sugar slowly. Swirl on pie.

Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Lemon Tart

This is not really new for the blog, but I love it. First, make Sarah's pie crust, which is really more of a tart dough, and bake it blind. Then make a double batch of lemon cream and pile it on the crust. Four cubes of butter and 8 eggs create this beauty! Admittedly the crust was too much dough for Eleanor's tart pan, so I made those pie crust cookies with cinnamon and sugar on it that mom would always make. Those are pretty much already gone, even before the real deal was sliced!

Victoria Sponge Cupcakes

I am reading the most fascinating book about English Teas.  One popular treat for a tea is the Victoria Sponge Cake.  Here is a gluten-free and dairy free cupcake variation of the Victoria Sponge Cake.  These cupcakes are so soft and delicious that you will want to have a tea party.

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs lemon zest
2 cups of gluten-free flour (I used 1 cup of tapicoa and 1 cup of potato starch)
1 tsp of xanthan gum
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs

Frosting:
3 cups of powdered sugar
4 tbs of coconut oil
1 cup of strawberry jam (I used low sugar homemade jam)
dash of salt

Directions:

(1) In a stand mixer cream the coconut oil with the sugar.  Add the  vanilla, lemon zest, flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.  Add each egg one at a time beating well.  After all of the eggs are in, mix it on high for a minute or two.

(2) In a prepared cupcake pan fill each cupcake about 2/3rds full.  This batter should fill about 12 cupcakes.

(3) Cook the cupcakes in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

(4) After the cupcakes are done pull them out of the pan and let them cool.

(5) To make the frosting first cream the oil.  Mix in the jam and then add the powered sugar.  The frosting will be soft and will drip down the sides of the cupcake.


Princess variation 

Raspberry Sorbet

A lovely non-dairy treat.  Mmmm.

Ingredients:

12 oz bag of frozen raspberries, thawed
2 cups water
1 1/2 cup sugar
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (How necessary is this? I don't know, but about half the recipes I looked at had it, so I put some in.  Definitely didn't hurt.)

1.  Combine the water and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 5 minutes to make a simple syrup.  Cool in fridge.

2.  Press the berries through a sieve to remove most of the seeds.

3.  Combine the syrup, lemon juice and raspberries and keep in the fridge until you are ready to freeze.

4.  Pour into ice cream maker and freeze until ready.  Put into the freezer for 1-3 hours.  Perfect.