Desserts
Want to substitute for sugar? Read about sugar and other ingredient substitutions.
No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
(Serves 8)
The crust can be baked, cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature for one day.
Cookie-Almond Crust
4 cookies (I used Pamela's ginger cookies)
Handful of sliced almonds
About 4 ounces marzipan (mine was hard, so I microwaved to soften)
About 2+ tablespoons coconut oil (use more if necessary) or CF margarine
[Any cookies or nuts would work for this crust. But you may need to add sugar, if you're not using marzipan or lots of sweet cookies.]
Pumpkin Filling
3 tablespoons cold orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons gelatin (from 1 package)
1 cup coconut milk (other CF milk substitute would probably work okay too)
2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large egg yolks
1 (15-ounce) can plain pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cups)
1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Pulse cookies, almonds and marzipan in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about fifteen 2-second pulses (you should have 1 cup crumbs). Add warm coconut oil in steady stream through feed tube while pulsing until crumbs are evenly moistened and resemble damp sand. Transfer crumbs to 9-inch pie plate and spread evenly over bottom and sides; wipe out food processor bowl and reserve. Using flat-bottomed ramekin or dry measuring cup, press and smooth crumbs into pie plate (see illustration, at left). Bake until fragrant and browned around edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
3. FOR THE FILLING: Stir orange juice and vanilla together in medium bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over orange juice mixture and set aside to thicken, about 5 minutes.
4. Combine 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and spices in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until bubbles form at edges; remove from heat. Whisk remaining 1/3 cup sugar and yolks together in medium bowl until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly pour hot mixture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pot with heatproof spatula, until custard is thickened and registers 175 to 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. (When properly cooked, custard should form slight ridge on tip of spatula when bottom of pan is scraped and spatula is lifted.) Immediately pour custard over gelatin mixture and stir until smooth and gelatin has completely dissolved.
5. Puree pumpkin in food processor until smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. With machine running, add remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk through feed tube in steady stream. Scrape sides of bowl and process for additional 10 to 15 seconds. Add pumpkin mixture to custard mixture and stir until completely smooth. Transfer filling to cooled crust. Chill pie, uncovered, until filling is just set, about 3 hours. Cover pie with plastic wrap and continue to chill until fully set, at least 6 and up to 24 hours. Cut pie into wedges and serve.
Party Popcorn
3 ounces popped popcorn, approximately 3 quarts
1 cup salted peanuts
4 ounces CF margarine
16 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 2 cups
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Spray a sheet pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray as well and set aside. Combine the popcorn and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
Melt the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and vanilla and stir until combined. Heat the mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F, approximately 10 minutes.
Pour the syrup over the popcorn and stir to combine. You will need to work quickly because the syrup hardens rapidly. Spread the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Cool completely. Break into pieces and serve immediately or store in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.
Peanut Butter Balls
1 stick (8 tablespoons, 1/2 cup) CF margarine
3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (about 1 lb.)
2 cups of chunky peanut butter
2 cups of GFCF substitute for Rice Krispies (such as Rice Twice)
1 package of GFCF chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients together except for chocolate. Refrigerate for several hours. Overnight is ideal. Form peanut butter mixture into small balls. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip balls into chocolate using small spoon or toothpick. Set on wax paper and let cool.
Makes about 3 dozen peanut butter balls.
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
Combine all ingredients well, form into balls and place on cookie sheet. Cook at 375 degrees for 11 minutes. If you like them a little soft, cook 9 minutes and they will be more “fudgy”, or if you want them crispy, cook them 13 minutes.
Sweet dark chocolate
One square Baker's unsweetened chocolate
one teaspoon xylitol (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon safflower or coconut oil
Heat in a double boiler, stirring until chocolate and xylitol melt and are smooth. Pour into candy molds and refrigerate until set.
Sweet Nutty Popcorn Treats
12 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons unsalted CF margarine
6 ounces semisweet CF chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 cup white CF chocolate chips
Lightly grease a large bowl and place the popcorn in it.
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water and cook over medium heat to the soft ball stage, 235 to 238 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Off the heat very carefully, add the butter (it will boil furiously), stir in the chocolate and vanilla.
Very carefully, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture over the corn, stirring to prevent from lumping. Continue stirring until the mixture is cooled and the popcorn is evenly coated. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine and coat. Turn out onto a silpat or a greased foil-lined sheet pan. Let cool, then store in airtight containers.
Triple Meringue stars
3 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 pinches of cream of tartar, divided
3/4 cup superfine granulated sugar, divided
1-1/2 teaspoons instant-espresso powder
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (3-1/2-ounce) bar 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 tablespoon oil
Equipment: 3 (12-inch) disposable pastry bags; a 1/2-inch star tip
Make vanilla and coffee meringues:
Preheat oven to 200°F with racks in upper, middle, and lower thirds of oven (or use 2 racks and bake in batches). Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat 1 egg white with vanilla (for vanilla meringues) and a pinch each of cream of tartar and salt with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until it just holds soft peaks. Add 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in 2 tablespoons superfine sugar gently but thoroughly.
Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with tip, then dab some meringue under corners of parchment on all baking sheets to secure to sheets. Pipe 1-inch-wide stars (1 inch high) about 1/2 inch apart.
Make coffee meringues using same amounts and procedure as above but using espresso powder (1 1/2 teaspoons) in place of vanilla.
Make chocolate meringues:
Sift cocoa through a fine-mesh sieve and whisk together with 2 tablespoons superfine sugar.
Beat remaining egg white with a pinch each of cream of tartar and salt with mixer at medium-high speed until it just holds soft peaks. Add remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar, a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in cocoa mixture gently but thoroughly.
Transfer meringue to a pastry bag and pipe more stars.
Bake meringues:
Bake, switching position of upper and lower sheets halfway through baking, until dry, crisp, and firm, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Meringues are done when they release from parchment.)
Turn off oven and cool meringues in oven with door propped open about 1/2 inch using handle of a wooden spoon 1 hour, then slide parchment with meringues onto racks to cool completely.
Dip meringues in chocolate:
Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
Stir together chocolate and vegetable oil until completely smooth. Peel meringues off parchment, then dip bottom of each into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer meringues to lined baking sheet, arranging as close together as possible, and when baking sheet is full, freeze meringues just until chocolate is set, about 3 minutes. Remove meringues from freezer.
Cook's notes:
• We used a Wilton 2110/1M star tip for our meringues. An Ateco 885 swirl star tip also works well.
• To avoid stickiness, try to bake meringues on a dry day.
• Dipped meringues keep, layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper, in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 week or frozen, container tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 month. Thaw frozen meringues, still in wrapped container, until container reaches room temperature, at least 30 minutes. (Do not unwrap and open container until completely thawed.)
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