I make - Gluten-Free Minced Pies 2020

It took me three rounds to finalize the pastry recipe which I'm pretty pleased with. It's light, crisp and with good taste. This year I opted for Mary Berry's mincemeat recipe because I couldn't find fresh cranberries this year. It's a good substitute but personally I still prefer Nigella's version with fresh cranberries. Nevertheless, they are still good mince pies and will do for this year.

Gluten-Free Mince Pies 2020

Homemade Mincemeat (adapted from Mary Berry's recipe):

350 g dried fruits (sultanas, cranberries or currants)
50 g mixed peel
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
50 g butter, cut into cubes
100 g light muscovado sugar
½ tsp mixed spice
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon and 1 small orange
100ml Rum or Amaretto (I used half each)

Pastry:

150 g gluten-free flour (your favorite blend)*
50 g ground oats (aka oat flour or substitute GF flour instead)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (if your blend does not have it)
1/4 tsp baking powder
a scant 1/2 tsp salt
50-70 g icing sugar**
100 g cold butter, cubes
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Zest from 1 orange
1-3 tbsps*** vodka (or just water)

Frangipane filling:

50 g butter, melted
50 g sugar
50 g ground almond
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
Note: The butter, sugar and ground almond can increase to 100 g each if more frangipane is required. There is no need to increase the egg or the almond extract.

First prepare the mincemeat by cooking together everything except alcohol until fresh apple dices become mush and no standing liquid left in the pot. Turn the heat off and stir in alcohol. Cool the mincemeat completely before using. This recipe of mincemeat is enough for 24 mince pies.

Next is to prepare the pastry, combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like fine bread crumbs. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the water-vodka mixture in. Work the dough together with your hand. Add a tablespoon more of the liquid each time if the dough is dry. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour before rolling and cutting out to line a 12-hole muffin tin. The pastry is enough for 12 deep mince pies (without lid) with some scrap left.

Fill each lined muffin hole with 2 teaspoons of mincemeat and top with one teaspoon of frangipane. Bake the mince pies in a muffin tin at 200C for 15 minutes and lower to 175C for another 5 minutes.

*My blend is: 20% Buckwheat + 20% Brown Rice + 20% Millet + 20% Sorghum + 20% Tapioca

**The pastry is actually the same recipe for shortbreads. Should you only want to use half of the pastry for mince pies, 70g sugar turns half of the pastry into shortbread cookies easily with just the right amount of sweetness. Or 50g sugar gives a more subtle sweetness as pie crust.

***I've made this pastry three times and each time needs a different amount of liquid. So my advice would be to check how dry the dough is before adding any liquid. Start with 1 tsp if the dough doesn't seem dry or with 1 tbsp if the dough has loose crumbs at the bottom of a bowl.

2020 weekly - week 48 (36th week of confinement)

22/11/2020, Sunday

My physio routine for the coming week.
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I'd never heard of Stir-up Sunday until this year. It shows that there are still so much to be learned about local traditions!

Instead of making a Christmas pudding, I made some mincemeat for mince pies later. I couldn't find fresh cranberries this year for my favorite fresh fruit mincemeat by Nigella. So I took this opportunity to try Mary Berry's version with butter in it. I am curious about the added butter. So watch this place.

Special Mincemeat by Mary Berry

INGREDIENTS Makes 4 x 370g jars

175g currants
175g raisins
175g sultanas
175g dried cranberries
100g mixed peel
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
125g butter, cut into cubes
50g whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped
225g light muscovado sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
200ml brandy, rum or sherry (I used half amaretto and half rum)

Measure all of the ingredients except the alcohol into a large pan. Heat gently, allowing the butter to melt, then simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

Allow the mixture to cool completely then stir in the brandy, rum or sherry.

Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars, seal tightly, label and store in a cool place.


23/11/2020, Monday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

25/11/2020, Wednesday

One more week before the second lockdown to end. People are cautiously optimistic, I think, because of several good news about vaccines. Well, as long as the current R number can stay close to 1, let's try not to undo the good effort again before the new year.

27/11/2020, Friday

A week of madness is finally behind me. Time to rewind!

I make - Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Finally it's my turn to try the famous Basque Burnt Cheesecake, apparently the hottest dessert of the year at some point. I've long made a mental note to make it but it's when I saw Nigella posted her version that prompted me to the kitchen. Here is her recipe scaled down to two people.

Basque Burnt Cheesecake

360 g cream cheese (two 180g Philadelphia boxes for me), room temperature
100 g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
16 g (~2 tbsps) cornstarch
200 ml sour cream

Preheat the oven at 200C. Line a 15- or 18-cm round (traditional) or loaf tin (my way) with greaseproof paper.

Beat the cream cheese with sugar, salt and vanilla for 5 minute with an electric beater. Add in one egg, beat until smooth before adding another.

Sift in cornstarch and beat the mixture again. Pour in sour cream and give the mixture a final mix. Pour the batter into the lined tin. Rap the tin on the counter top to rid of the air bubbles. Bake at 200C for 35-45 minutes. The kitchen will smell wonderfully caramelly during this time. The baking time varies because of the tin size and the temperature but here are the visual cues: a burnished cake top and jiggling when the cake is shaken. 

Cool completely before serving. Nigella said this cake does not require overnight chilling. Perfect for an impromptu baker like me.

I make - Stollen Scones

My first attempt of making a gluten free stollen didn't turn out well. Good flavor, yes, but the dough is dry. I was disappointed. I eventually threw them away after freezing them for a few months. I rarely throw away food and I feel terrible about doing so. But sometimes that's the only way without wasting my food quota. It will take a long time before I crack yeasted gluten free bread. 

Then I got a good idea from the wonderous world wide web, something called stollen bars. It's more scone/cookie like and it's yeast free. That gives me hope because I think now I make pretty decent (gluten free) scones and secondly it's yeast free. And the result lived up to the expectation! The stollen bites are light, almondy, just have enough fruity bits and sweetness to feel festive. There will be another day for stollen bars but right now I am in love with my stollen scones. 

Stollen Bites (Yeast Free)

300 g gluten-free flour (your favorite blend)*
50 g ground almond
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
4 tbsps sugar
a scant 1/2 tsp salt
80-100 g cold butter, diced (depending on how rich you prefer)
75-100 g marzipan, in chunks**
75-100 g dried fruits and/or candied peels (sultanas, sour cherries, apricots etc)**
150 ml crème fraiche (double cream or milk)
1 tsp almond extract
1 egg

Combine and mix all dry ingredients into a bowl (flour, almond, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, sugar and salt). Rub the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. Stir in marzipan and rub the marzipan chunks into the flour mixture. Then stir in the dried fruits/peels. 

In a jug combine crème fraiche (or milk), almond extract and 1 egg. Use a fork to mix all wet ingredients together. Pour the wet mix into the flour bowl. Use a spatula or a rubber gloved hand to bring the dough together. The dough shouldn't be sticky. If so, a light dust of gluten free flour may help. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven at 200C. Roll the dough out to be of 2cm thickness. Cut the dough into squares or rectangles (mines were roughly 3x5cm). Bake at 200C for 12-15 minutes.

To give the bites an authentic stollen look, brush warm butter on the top immediately after they come out of the oven and followed by dusting icing sugar. This is optional.

*My blend is: 25% sorghum + 25% brown rice + 30% cornmeal + 20% cornstarch

**The total marzipan and dried fruit/peels is between 150 g to 200 g. Feel free to vary the proportions based on preference. 

2020 weekly - week 47 (35th week of confinement)

16/11/2020, Monday

My physio routine for the coming week.

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

17/11/2020, Tuesday

I started my second term of French today and I was yawning the whole time. I know why because I have been bugged by a problem which I can't figure out but still it's embarrassing. I hope to improve my appearance next time. 

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

18/11/2020, Wednesday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

I am restless if I don't have my park run. I guess it's a good sign. So far I have stuck to the routine I devised and no pain so far!

I think I have cracked the problem which has bothered me this week. Sometimes you have to examine the molecule at all angles possible. So happy! 

19/11/2020, Thursday

I am so stressed this week! Worked the whole day nonstop, in fact well into the night as well after dinner. Hope to be more normal next week.

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

20/11/2020, Friday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

I make - Biscoff Inspired Shortbreads

Learning from my first attempt, here is my second and revised recipe for biscoff biscuits. Although my first recipe gave me great tasting biscuits, I found the sugar crystals a bit too big for me (in a cookie). So this time I decided to blend the sugar a bit before adding to the dough. Also, as I learned later, over beating the butter is a cause for cookie spread. This time I don't use a mixer any more. Just simple fingers seem enough for this. And I shaped the dough into a log and cut to slices before baking. Works magic. No more one-piece one-pan cookie.

Biscoff Inspired Shortbread Biscuits

80-100 g toasted sugar (to taste), blended to resemble rough icing sugar
150 g gluten-free flour (your favorite blend)*

25 g Teff flour (or gluten-free flour blend

25 g Oat flour (or gluten-free flour blend)

1/2 tsp xanthan gum
a scant 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp baking soda
120 g cold butter, in cubes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp vodka or cold water

Combine all dry ingredients (sugar, flours, xanthan gum, salt, spices and baking soda) in a bowl. Mix to combine. Rub the butter cubes into the flour mixture. Work hard to smear the butter between fingers coated with plenty of flour. Because this is biscuits, we don't want "flaky" here but with butter evenly blended in. I work with a rubber gloved hand. It may take 5-10 minutes.

When you can clump the flour crumbs together, add in vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of vodka (or water). Bring the crumbs together to form a dough. You may need another tablespoon of liquid. 

Shape the dough into a log (for round cookies) or a slab (for rectangular cookies). Wrap it in cling film and chill in the fridge for 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven at 180C. Line a large baking tray.

Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into 5mm slices. The cookies will expand half of its size during baking so keep that in mind when slicing and arranging them on the tray.

Bake the biscuits at 180C for 15 minutes. Rotate the tray half way. Chill them on the wire rack until they are completely cool.

I like to double bake my shortbread type of cookies to be ultra crispy. After first round of baking, I bake them again at 120C for 10 minutes before cooling them down. This is optional.

*My blend is: 25% Sorghum + 25% Brown Rice + 30% Cornmeal + 20% Cornstarch

I make - Cocoa Tahini Banana Bread

Man, I have yet to make one thing from Nigella which I don't like this year. It's not just good, every time it's been wow. This time is Chocolate Tahini Banana Bread. It's gluten free and with low flour content. The taste is light, chocolaty (especially so after a day of resting) and not overly sweet nor banana-y. it just hits the right spot for me. Some readers commented about (the fondness of) fudginess. Yes, there is a feel of fudginess in the middle part of the loaf, not in the brownies type of way though. To be honest, I prefer the end parts of the loaf but we are nitpicking here. This is a great version of banana bread, more for the adults, perfect for me. Although Nigella is not specialized in gluten free baking, I have to say that all her gluten free recipes have impressed me. Would love to see her publish more gluten free recipes.

In my version, I used butter spread, teff flour (instead of rice), skipped the chocolate chips and scattered some crushed biscoff on top. I love the simplicity of the ingredients and the method. This is how I will bake my banana bread from now on!

Cocoa Tahini Banana Bread, adapted from Nigella Lawson

2 large ripe or overripe bananas (approx 250g weighed with skins on / ¾ cup mashed)
60 millilitres vegetable oil (~50 g or 1/4 cup)
50 grams tahini (1/4 cup)
1 large egg (at room temperature)
50 grams caster sugar
35 grams soft dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
60 grams rice flour (or plain flour if you don't need this to be gluten-free)
25 grams cocoa
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
100 grams dark chocolate chips
1 - 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (to sprinkle on top)

Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F. Put a paper liner into a 1lb/450g loaf tin (mine measures 21cm x 10cm x 6cm/8.5 x 4 x 2.5 inches, just to give you a steer) or grease and line with baking parchment.

Peel the bananas, and, either by hand or using an electric mixer, mash them, then beat in the tahini, followed by the oil, then the egg, and finally the sugars and vanilla.

Whisk or fork together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt and slowly beat into the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Add the batter to the prepared tin, smoothing the top, and sprinkle over the sesame seeds.

Cook for 45-50 minutes (35 minutes at 180C did it for me) until risen and firm to the touch, or until a cake tester comes out almost clean; some chocolate chips may make it a little sticky in parts. The loaf may have – indeed, will probably have - cracked on top, but this doesn’t matter.

Let it cool completely in its tin on a wire rack and - if you can bear to wait - once it’s cold slip it out of the tin and wrap it in parchment then foil and leave it for a day before slicing and eating. I understand if this is too much to ask; I confess I don’t always manage to wait.

I make - Biscoff cookies

I followed Stella Parks's recipe. She explained that the distinct flavor of Biscoff comes from caramelized sugar (regular brown sugar here is made with molasses) so I even made my toasted sugar. It's a bit time consuming but the homemade biscoff tastes like the real thing. So pleased, except that my cookies spread so much during my first try. Will shape the dough into a log and slice next time. 

Homemade Biscoff by Stella Parks 

Toasted Sugar, adapted from Stella Parks

Put 500 g sugar in a metal container (a 26-cm frying pan works for me). Toast the sugar at 160C for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir thoroughly. Put the sugar back to the oven and remove/stir again after another 30 minutes. Do it two more times so that your sugar is toasted for a total of 2 hours. By now the sugar will look like wet sand and golden at this stage. Remove from the oven and keep stirring to help it cool. I find my sugar has the tendency to clump if I don't stir for 10 minutes after it's removed from the oven.

Cool down the sugar completely before bottling.

Biscoff cookie dough

150 g light brown candi sugar, such as Brewer's Best, or deeply toasted sugar (see above)
85 g unsalted butter, soft but cool, about 70°F
3/4 teaspoon baking soda (I used 1/2 tsp, may use less next time)
3/4 teaspoon ceylon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kinako (roasted soybean flour; 1g), such as Shirakiku, optional
1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
Shy 1/8 teaspoon (0.35g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Shy 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/16 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/16 teaspoon ground anise
1 tablespoon tap water (15g)
155 g all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position, and preheat to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine candi or toasted sugar with butter, baking soda, cinnamon, kinako, nutmeg, salt, cloves, cardamom, and anise. Cream on medium speed until fluffy, soft, and pale, about 10 minutes, pausing to scrape the bowl and paddle as needed if the sugar seems dense and compacted at the bottom of the bowl.

While creaming on medium speed, slowly splash in the water a little at a time. Once it disappears into the fluffy butter/sugar mix, reduce speed to low and add the flour all at once. Continue mixing until the dough begins to gather around the paddle.

Turn the dough onto a clean surface, and knead gently to form a ball. Pat into a rectangular shape, then dust with flour, above and below. Roll to a thickness of 3/16-inch (5mm), using a ruler for guidance. Slide an offset spatula beneath the dough to loosen, and brush away the excess flour.

With a fluted pastry wheel, cut the dough into 3/4-inch strips, then cut crossways to form 2-inch rectangles. With the offset spatula, transfer the cutouts and scraps to a parchment-lined half sheet pan, leaving an inch between each piece to account for spread.

Bake until cookies are golden brown, about 16 minutes (mine was done at 8-9 minutes), rotating the pan halfway through if needed to ensure even browning. Cool to room temperature directly on the baking sheet; the cookies will not crisp until fully cool. Enjoy with coffee, and store leftovers in an airtight container up to 1 month at room temperature; the scraps can be ground to use for crumbs and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

2020 weekly - week 46 (34th week of confinement)

07/11/2020, Saturday

The best news from the US for the past four years, my 4-year-long bad dream is about to finish. Thank You!

We celebrated with roast pork belly, Brussel sprouts with chestnuts, pig in the blanket and apple puree. Although it's a planned dry run for St Nicolas day, I confessed that I added pig in the blanket and chestnuts as soon as I heard the news.

08/11/2020, Sunday

Can't believe that I started listening to Christmas music from November this year. Given all the uncertainties and anxiety, I find Christmas music very calming.

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My physio routine for the coming week. 

I promised that I won't tinker my shortbread recipe but I broke my promise. I tried the same recipe with an egg and reducing the butter a bit. It's not as good. It tastes eggy and this sorghum flour blend (40% sorghum+30% sweet rice+30% potato starch) just doesn't work for me. I am gutted. From Now On I Will Stick With My Shortbread Recipe and my usual flour blend.

09/11/2020, Monday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

10/11/2020, Tuesday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

11/11/2020, Wednesday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

I said it before and I will say it again: I love my BUDA people!

12/11/2020, Thursday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine
2. Noon at Park
3. Night routine

With my annual appraisal over, I can go on holiday now. :-)

13/11/2020, Friday

It turned out that two political figures are leaving/have left the office this week. Great news for the people.

2020 weekly - week 45 (33rd week of confinement)

01/11/2020, Sunday

Hello, November. 

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My physio goal for the next two months are two folds: no recurring pain and strengthening gluteus medius. I just need to remind myself. Listen, Me. Before fixing the fundamental issues, there is no point of pushing the running distance. So I've dialed down my running and focus more on the troubled part.

Here is my new physio routine going forward.

Morning:

1. Warm-up (with weight): toe/heel walk 5 minutes + calf raise/heel drop 5 minutes
2. Single-leg calf raise (with weight): left/right 3 x 1 minute each side
3. Sit-stand exercise (red band): 3 x 20 reps (watch out knees not caving in and with hip slightly above the knees when sitting)
4. Lateral Band walk: 3 x 15 steps each side (red band above the knees)
5. Monster Band walk: 3 x 15 steps each side (yellow band at the ankles), "Maintain the squat and step diagonally forward as if walking, and then walk backward toward the starting position"
6. Single leg squat: 3 x 6 reps each side (this is my weakest part)
    the right leg needs support when doing this exercise. the goal is to do it without support
    the left leg does not need support. the goal is to increase the reps.
7. Sideway leg lift; 3 x 10 reps each side (body weight only)
8. Runner's arabesque: 3 x 10 reps each side (body weight only)
    "standing knee slightly bend with tailbone back so that you hinge at the hip with flat back. Squeeze 
the buttocks during transition."
9. Stretch

Noon at Park:

1. Warm-up:
    Squats: 4 x 20 reps
    Static lunges: 4 x 10 reps each side
    Reverse lunges: 4 x 10 reps each side
2. Running: 4400 meters with 2 segments of 2000 meters
3. Push ups, single leg squats, arabesque, time/weather permitting
4. Stretch

Night:

1. Face-up lying leg raise (body weight): 3 x 15 reps each side
2. Side-lying leg raise (with ankle weight): 3 x 15 reps each side (raised leg toes forwards and leg extending slightly back)
3. Clamshell (with red band): 3 x 20 reps each side
4. Stretch

02/11/2020, Monday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine

2. Noon at Park

3. Night routine

I am pretty pleased with the new routines. I get sweaty afterwards, my glute med feels sore but no pains (knock-on-wood). Let's try to work on this glute med!

03/11/2020, Tuesday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine

2. Noon at Park

3. Night routine

Now I wake up feeling a bit sore at the rear end. I guess it may mean I actually got my glute med to work!

04/11/2020, Wednesday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine

2. Noon at Park

3. Night routine

Last day before 2nd lockdown. I chose to take a long walk instead of my usual park run with a sunny (but cold) weather like this.

05/11/2020, Thursday

Exercises today:

1. Morning routine

2. Noon at Park

3. Night routine

I've never worked so much (and had so many problems!) on my legs. I hope I can see the light of the tunnel soon.

 

I make - Lazy-Day Orange Cranberry Scones

This has slowly become my favorite method of quick scones. Different from last time, I brushed the top with egg yolk for more color and changed to orange and cranberry combo. Buttery with a warming orange scent, reminds me of our trip to Seville, one of my favorite cities.

Lazy-Day Orange Cranberry Scones

Zest from one orange
1/2 cup dried cranberries, soaked in juice from the zested orange

280 g/2 cups gluten-free flour (your favorite blend)*
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (if your blend does not have it)

1 tbsp baking powder
a scant 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsps icing sugar
1.5 cup whipping cream (35% fat minimum)

One beaten egg yolk to brush the top
extra flour to mould the scones

Preheat the oven at 200C. Line a rectangular baking pan. Soak the cranberries with the zest and the orange juice. Overnight is better or at least a few hours.

Combine flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Pour in whipping cream. Stir a few times to hydrate the flour. Drain the cranberries and keep the liquid. Add the drained cranberries to the dough and fold them in until no liquid is seen. The dough is sticky and thick. A rubber spatula and a flexible scraper are helpful. If the dough seems a bit dry, add some soaking liquid in.

Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the scones onto a baking pan. Don't press the dough too tightly in the scoop. Once the scone is "dropped" onto the baking pan, use floured hands/fingers to pat it to a traditional scone shape. Repeat the process until you use up all the dough. I get 11 scones out of this. 

Paper cup option: if you don't want your scones to spread too much (not a problem for me), put them in paper cup cases. 

Brush each scone top with egg yolk and bake for 18-20 minutes. Turn the baking pan half way through. When the scones are out of oven, brush more butter on top. Let cool for 20 minutes and enjoy!

*My blend is: 40% Sorghum + 30% Sweet Rice + 30% Potato Starch. It turned out that I don't like this particular blend. This blend bakes out gooey and not crisp for me. Very odd. I will switch to my usual blend next time.