Friday, December 11, 2009

Snowy Morning with Scrumptious Crumpettes




I started today thinking about how you never know where life will take you. I am from California. Ambition pulled me to New York City for school and a career and my husband's job moved me to Pennsylvania. When I first heard "Pennsylvania" I thought "this is going to be interesting." Little did I know what the past 11 months would be like. I look out the window this morning to see a blanket of snow. I think back to living in New York City and what this morning would be like if I still lived there and we had this much snow. I would be probably be a little miserable, dreading the day ahead and sloshing through "dirty snow" to try and catch a cab to work. About 2 cabs would probably get stolen from me before I'd get one and I would be cursing each person that took those cabs from me. This morning in Pennsylvania is different. I get up, see the snow and see the beauty in it. Winter is really here and now I have been through all Pennsylvania seasons. I pour myself a cup of hot coffee and look out the window onto the backyard to see the bunny rabbit's small paw prints in the snow and I smile.

A couple of months ago a good friend asked me what my idea of happiness was. For some reason I pictured Snow White baking pies and singing and dancing with all of her little critter friends in the forest. Perhaps that is what happens when you "grow up Disney?" Hmmm… I think that would make me happy... but wait I can’t have gluten so that means NO GLUTEN which means NO PIES & NO BAKING & NO SINGING IN THE FOREST WITH CRITTERS! Luckily I have learned that is not necessarily true thanks to innovative gluten-free bloggers, chefs, and food companies out there which make our lives a little easier which is why I started this little blog- Gluten Free Crumpette. It’s my attempt to help people out there just like me live happily ever after in our own little gluten- free world.

Now, onto the food - that is really why you are here right? 

How could my first recipe not be a gluten-free crumpet? Or as I like to call them…

Scrumptious Crumpettes

1/3 cup + 2TBSP white rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
¾ tsp xantham gum
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
2 eggs
3 TBSP sour cream
1/3 cup cottage cheese (make sure gluten free)
¼ cup water
½ cup unsweetened Almond Milk – I use Almond Breeze

1) Heat skillet over medium heat and spray with a gluten-free cooking spray (preferably canola). Also spray egg rings or crumpet rings and place on skillet.

2) Whisk all dry ingredients together in small bowl.

3) In a separate medium size bowl, beat eggs & sour cream. Add cottage cheese then milk and water.

4) Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet until incorporated. The batter should be the consistency of a thick pancake batter.

5) Spoon batter into egg rings (about 3/4 full) as they will rise slightly. Let cook until the tops start to look dry. You can slide a thin spatula underneath to check them.

6) Once they are a medium golden brown on the bottom, remove the egg rings and flip the crumpettes.

7) Cook on other side until medium golden brown. They should be spongy and little doughy but also crispy on the outside.

8) Serve warm with butter, jam or syrup. Makes 8 Scrumptious Crumpettes! To reheat, it is best to toast them in the toaster or toaster oven.

And what goes better with Scrumptious Crumpettes than fresh jam? About 2 months ago, I made Gluten Free Girl's Raspberry Vanilla Jam which is AMAZING and I highly recommend you try it if you haven't. This month, the raspberries didn't look so hot at my market so I tried something a little different. The blackberries at the market were beautiful so I made a blackberry- vanilla jam, and it is really, really good.


Blackberry Vanilla Jam

4 cups of blackberries
1 TBSP vanilla bean paste or 1 whole vanilla bean
2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup sugar

1) In a small saucepan, bring orange juice and the vanilla bean to boil (split and scrape vanilla bean into orange juice adding both the shell of the bean and the little vanilla specks to the oj)

2) After the orange juice has reduced (about 15 minutes or so) add all 4 cups blackberries and bring to boil.

3) Reduce to simmer and stir occasionally for 2 hours

4) Remove the bean and store in a tupperware like container for up to 30 days in refrigerator.

There is a lot you can do with this jam, from glazes or sauces on pork, to pb& j sandwiches (on gf bread of course). Try shaking a ½ tsp of the jam with vodka for a blackberry vanilla martini!

I hope you enjoy these and I look forward to sharing more with you soon!

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