Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

I made this recipe last year but I totally goofed it up. I forgot to add the yeast. I meant to make them again this year for Christmas because I didn't want to miss out on having cinnamon rolls but time got away from me so I decided I'd wait to make them when I wasn't rushed. I really wanted this recipe to turn out, since their glutened cinnamon rolls came out a little flat I wanted mine to turn out, haha.I am happy to say these came out WONDERFUL! I think they came out more moist that my regular rolls do. I thought I'd whip them out before the New Year because I plan to make this a better year eating wise, I do love my treats but I think I'm good for a while now that I had a couple of these (yes I shared with my family so I wouldn't eat the whole pan!). I topped these with a little (leftover) cream cheese frosting. With The Baking Beauties' recipe these are supposed to be sticky buns, with the gooey caramel glaze, but I skipped that part to have regular rolls.

If you've ever made gluten free baked goods, you know how sticky the dough can be, so keep your hands a little wet and I found using the silpat and dough scraper to roll these helped wonderfully.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
recipe adapted from The Baking Beauties, updated 12/2013

Dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour, I use my fave GF pie crust blend
1 TBL rapid rise yeast
3 TBL white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBL xanthan gum
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix (dry) OR dry milk powder
1 tsp baking powder
4 TBL butter
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp cider vinegar
2 TBL oil (I used Canola)
1 tsp vanilla

Sticky Topping:  
Over low heat, in a small saucepan, heat 4 Tbsp. butter (or margarine), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. corn syrup, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 Tbsp. whipping cream and a pinch of salt. Stir to incorporate. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of a greased pan with high sides (I used an 8" round cake pan).

Filling: 
Combine:
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, very soft
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-2 Tbsp. cinnamon

In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix all dry dough ingredients until combined. Set aside.

Put water and margarine in a glass measuring cup and microwave just until the margarine has melted. Remove from microwave and stir. Add milk, stir. Add other wet ingredients and whisk to combine.

With the stand mixer running (using the paddle attachment), pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Scrap down the bowl if you have to. Allow to mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.

Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it out on a slightly damp counter top, so it covers an area bigger than 8″ x 16″. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of sugar on the wrap. Lay ball of dough on top of that. Gently lay another piece of plastic wrap over the top of the dough. Pat the dough down into a roughly squarish shape. Lift and reposition the top plastic wrap whenever you need to. Roll the dough out (with the plastic wrap on top) to a square approximately 8″ x 16″. (I rolled mine onto a sugared silpat, covered in plastic wrap)

Remove plastic wrap. Spread filling mixture evenly across dough’s surface. Leave 1 1/2″ along one long end without any filling, this is where your cinnamon rolls will be sealed.

Starting along the long end, use the bottom sheet of plastic wrap to lift the edge of the dough and roll it up, forming a long cylinder. Start with the edge that has filling on it, that will be the center of your finished rolls.

Cut the long “cinnamon bun log” into 8 pieces, about 1 1/2″ wide. Place rolls in prepared pan, with cut side up.

Allow the cinnamon rolls/buns to rise in a warm, draft free place for about 30 minutes, or until nearly double in size (I let mine rise, covered with a clean dish towel, in a slightly warm oven for about 1 hr).

Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are a nice golden brown. Cool.

For sticky buns, allow to cool for about 5 minutes before inverting on a serving tray, and let the sticky topping syrup run down over the roll.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounce cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 tablespoon milk

tricky gluten free dough is easier to work with, with wet hands, a silpat and dough scraper oh, and patience


so happy they kept their height!


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enjoy,

Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes: Carrot Cake Cupcakes

I just have to mention these sooo delicious cupcakes I made a month ago (now that I know I'm diabetic, I can only remember these now). If you're gluten free, or not, you will enjoy these. I made these to bring to the Monster Jam truck show and friends met up with us so of course they were passed around. She is gluten free also and just loved them. My kids loved them. Mr. loved them. They were so moist and soft after being baked the night before.

They are the cream cheese frosted carrot cake cupcakes from the cookbook Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes: From-Scratch Recipes to Delight Every Cupcake Devotee - Gluten-Free and Otherwise by Kelli and Peter Bronski (check out their blog too).

Inside this recipe you'll find:
sugar
oil
vanilla
eggs
carrots
coconut
pineapple
Artisan GF Flour Blend {in book}
xanthan gum
baking powder
baking soda
cinnamon

This book has tons of different cupcake and frosting recipes. I'm going to have to figure out how to make them diabetic friendly because I have my eye on a few more recipes. =)
If you are gluten free or know someone who is, this book would be a gift.

this is a personal review

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enjoy,

Frosted Zucchini Brownies

The gooey frosting photo sold me on these! But really, these were a hit, zucchini and all! At first I didn't tell them and no one knew, but when my oldest saw me talk about them on Facebook, the secret was out. lol. We all liked these, and I will be making them again!

*I wanted to add that when you make the batter for this, it will be dry and crumbly. Just pat it into the pan and once baked, it'll be gorgeous brownies!

*I am now making the frosting first and setting it in the fridge to chill and set up more while the brownies back and cool. The frosting will be runnier frosting, don't expect a butter cream texture.

*1/2014: I have made these successfully gluten free, see recipe.

Frosted Zucchini Brownies
from blogchef

Chocolate Frosting-

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
½ cup milk (could use 1/4 c.)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup canola oil
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour ( I used 2 C. of my gluten free flour blend)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh zucchini (shredded)
½ cup chopped walnuts,optional

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make the frosting- In a small saucepan over low heat melt together the cocoa powder and margarine. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, with a mixer, blend confectioner’s sugar, milk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in the margarine/cocoa mixture, allow to mix for a couple of minutes. Set in fridge to chill and set up more. Spread over cooled brownies, allow to set up (I placed mine in the fridge for a couple hours) then cut into squares. The longer these brownies sit, the thicker the frosting will become.

Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking dish. (I lined with parchment)

In a large bowl mix together oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until well blended. In another bowl combine the flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. A little at a time stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. The batter will be dry and crumbly, don't worry. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, lightly press.

Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool before frosting.

UPDATE:

1/21/2014, I made a gluten free version, swapping the flour. It came out just as wonderful!

For the frosting today, I used 2 TBL less milk and added a little bit more powdered sugar. It's still runnier, but works. I just sliced the brownies and added some frosting before serving. 

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Chocolate Cherry Strawberry Ganache Cake

We celebrated our oldest's 13th Birthday the other week, and I always ask what kind of cake they'd like. She chose a chocolate cake with strawberries and cherries and chocolate frosting. Here's what I came up with. A rich chocolate cake with a whipped cream & fruit filling with ganache poured over each layer. I used the same chocolate cake as the Oreo cake and the filling as well but with fruit instead. I attempted to do a "poke cake" and have ganache go into each layer, but my pokes weren't big enough to fill them much, next time. As I was piping the ganache on top, my bag exploded and Whoops!! haha! This cake was SO good, very rich and chocolaty.

Chocolate Cake
by Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. Hershey's Cocoa
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9-inch round baking pans, lining with parchment.
-Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
-Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes.
-Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).
-Pour batter very carefully into prepared pans.
-Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
-Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans and place onto wire racks.
-Remove parchment and cool completely.



For filling:
1/3 c. whipping cream
2 tsp powdered sugar
small dash vanilla extract
1/4 C. ea. Chopped fresh strawberries and jarred cherries, drained (if not fresh, pitted)

-Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.
-Gently fold in the chopped fruit

Ganache I made x2 (will have extras)
single batch from Joy of Baking

8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Stir with a whisk until smooth.

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Frosted Zucchini Bread Muffins

I turned this Zucchini bread recipe (found here ) into frosted muffins. Muffin/cupcake shapes are more appealing than sliced bread, are they not? At least for my kids. This has been my go to recipe for zucchini bread for the last oh, 5 years? I froze some non frosted muffins for the kid's school lunches, they'll thaw in time for snack or lunch. They all loved these!

Zucchini Bread Muffins

3 eggs

2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour
2 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini
3 teaspoons vanilla
Ground almonds for garnish

Beat eggs and sugar, add oil and spices, and blend. Add dry ingredients, flour and zucchini, and mix. Stir in vanilla. Scoop into greased muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes for regular size muffins, 11 minutes for mini muffins. Allow to cool frost with cream cheese frosting, sprinkle with nuts.
This gave me 12 regular muffins + 19 mini muffins, OR 1 loaf + 24 mini muffins.
 
 
Cream Cheese Frosting
 
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 C butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
1-2 TBL milk
 
Combine all until smooth. Frost muffins.
 
 

mini muffins, so cute!

enjoy,

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