Hokey Pokey Marshmallow Choc Chip Cookies - Gluten Free

Chocolate chip cookies are one of my favourite things to snack on. However when made with gluten free flour they usually have a bitter after taste or odd texture. I have tried recipe after recipe from the internet and several cook books but none of them ever seem to meet my expectations. I have bought and trialled many different flours, almond meal  and other ingredients but still the same old problem. This is  my original recipe from before I was diagnosed gluten free, over the past 2 years I have made many adaptations and finally come up with a winner! Even when they aren't warm from the oven they are still perfectly chewy with no bitter after taste! To change it up this time i used Crunchie bars which is a chocolate covered hokey pokey (honeycomb) and marshmallows to make them extra special! ENJOY

Ingredients:
115g Butter
3/4 cup Soft Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Caster Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 Egg
1 1/4 cup All purpose Gluten Free Flour (I use healtheries baking mix)
1/4 tsp salt
2 standard crunchie bars, cut into small chuncks (or any hockey pokey bars you like)
150g Dark chocolate, roughly chopped

75g Mini marshmallows (i topped each cookie with 4 or 5, can add more or less on what you are after)
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C and grease or line two baking trays with baking paper. 
Beat butter until pale in colour, add both sugars and vanilla. Cream until light and fluffy, add egg and beat until well combined. Sift in flour and salt, mix until combined before stirring in the chocolate and crunchie/hokey pokey. 

Roll heaped teaspoon sized balls of mixture and place on tray, press down lightly, add mini marshmallows to the top, press into cookie to prevent falling off. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes. 

Pull out when slightly golden around the edges. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes and they are ready to be eaten!!

Vegan, Gluten and Refined Sugar Free Muesli Slice - Honey and Peanut

This is my own creation. I am over buying muesli bars that are high in sugar and very rarely gluten free, when they easily can be. Over the past few weeks, i have made several batches and finally come up with a gluten free, dairy free and vegan slice!! It can also be refined sugar free if you choose not to add it in, I don't usually add sugar and is sweet enough without it. I have based this around an unbaked peanut butter slice and made changes to how i like my muesli bars. I use the peanut butter that is 100% nuts (If you are in NZ the Pics Peanut Butter works well). It has honey and coconut sugar (optional) to slightly sweeten and heaps of raw goodness such as wheat free oats, coconut, seeds, nuts and more. As long as you use the same measurements, you can substitute the nuts and seeds for what you please. This is a very easy recipe that doesn't require many steps or techniques so can be made by anyone. ENJOY

Charlottes peanut muesli slice:

1 cup rolled oats (use gluten free oats if making gluten free slice)

1 cup threaded coconut

½ cup rice flakes

½ cup sliced almonds

¼ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup chopped mixed nuts (i used hazel nuts as i had some spare)

2/3 cup peanut butter (I use Pics peanut butter that contains only peanuts)

3 T honey (use brown rice malt syrup or agave if making slice vegan)

4 T Coconut oil (use 3T butter if making non-dairy free)

1 T coconut sugar (can also use brown sugar), this is optional. I don't usually add sugar and is sweet enough without it.

Add all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Add a peanut butter, honey, coconut oil (or butter) into a saucepan over a low heat until melted. Add sugar and stir till dissolved. Take off the heat.

Stir into the dry ingredient till all is combined (If your slice seems too dry add 1-2T of melted coconut oil). Press into a slice tin. Place in the fridge till it is set. Should take around 2 hours or if you are in a hurry 1/2 hour in the freezer.

Cut into squares/bars and enjoy!

Gluten and Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie with a Coconut Macaroon Crust!

Pumpkin pie is something that has always intrigued me. Here in New Zealand pie is usually always savoury, where as this is not the case in many other countries. We do have apple pie but aside from that no other sweets. Pumpkin pie Is a traditional American Thanksgiving dessert. This is my twist on a sweet pumpkin pie made with a coconut macaroon crust. This is gluten and dairy free. ENJOY

Macaroon crust ingredients:

3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut (may need more depending on the constancy of the egg white.

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tbsp corn flour

1/4 tsp salt

4 egg whites, plus one additional egg white, separated (reserve 4 yolks for filling)

1 tsp vanilla

Pareve pumpkin filling:

2 cups pumpkin puree (Made from half a pumpkin)

1 cup full fat coconut milk

2 eggs, plus 4 reserved yolks from crust

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

Pinch ground cloves

To make coconut macaroon crust:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. In a mixing bowl, stir together coconut, corn flour, sugar and salt until thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 4 egg whites and vanilla until frothy.

Pour egg mixture into coconut mixture and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.

Generously grease a 9 inch pie dish (I used an 8inch cake tin) with non-stick cooking spray and evenly press in the macaroon crust mixture.

Cover edge of the crust with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk remaining egg white with ½ tbsp of water.

When crust has finished baking, remove from oven. Brush crust with egg white to create a seal. After brushing on the egg white, put the protective foil back around the edge of the crust.

Bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes till the crust is golden brown.

To make filling

Cut the pumpkin into even pieces, removing the inside seeds etc and bake for an hour at 180 degrees with a dash of olive oil. Leave to cook and scoop pumpkin from the skin and into a blender to make the puree. I used half a pumpkin, which made 2 cups of puree, may vary depending on the size.

Increase oven temperature to 200 degrees.

Place all of your filling ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy and smooth, about 60 seconds. I’ve found this is the best way to create a smooth, evenly mixed filling. Alternatively, you can pour the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender or a whisk, just make sure all ingredients are very well incorporated.

Pour the mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium for 9-10 minutes, until just starting to thicken and bubble around the edges.

Remove foil from the edges of your macaroon pie crust. Pour the mixture into your prepared macaroon crust and smooth the top with a spatula. This recipes is written for a deep 9 inch pie dish, but you can use it to fill two smaller shallow pie dishes if you prefer. Fill to the top of the crust.

Tent the pie with foil, making sure to leave plenty of space between the surface of the pie and the foil, otherwise you will ruin the top of your pie filling.

Carefully place the pie onto the centre rack of your oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil tent and reduce heat to 170 degrees. Bake for an additional 35 minutes, or until the filling sets and only jiggles slightly. If the edge of the crust is getting too brown for your liking, you can carefully cover the edge of the crust with foil-- just be sure not to touch or mess up the top of the custard.

Turn off the oven and crack the oven door. (i use a wooden spoon to prevent the oven door from closing all the way). Allow the pie to cool slowly in the oven for 1 hour – this will help prevent the top from cracking.

Remove pie from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature (about 3 hours) or chill in the refrigerator before cutting and serving. Keep leftovers refrigerated.