From thewest.com.au
Popular Melbourne-based food blogger Georgia McDermott is working to ensure those with food intolerances can have their cake — and eat it too.
McDermott — who turned to a gluten-free and FODMAP diet after being diagnosed with a gastrointestinal condition — has used her years of experimenting with recipes in new cookbook Intolerance-Friendly Kitchen.
Whether you’re gluten intolerant, follow the FODMAP diet or are vegan, there is something that won’t leave your insides wreaking havoc in the collection of sweet and savoury recipes from sourdough, tofu and ginger dumplings to brownie cookies.
Here she shares three sweet treats from her new book Intolerance- Friendly Kitchen ($34.99, Penguin Random House Australia).
Vegan chocolate cake
As someone who has been known to eat butter on its own (apologies to all my non-elasticated pairs of pants), I am always in awe of how I almost prefer vegan cakes and muffins. Without butter or eggs, I find that flavours really shine. This cake is no exception: rich and uber-chocolatey, it keeps exceedingly well due to the oil-based batter. Tapioca flour is essential here; in the absence of eggs or gums, it helps keep everything together.
Serves 8-10
Dry ingredients
3/4 cup fine white rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
45g Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp psyllium husk
Wet ingredients
1/2 cup FODMAP-friendly plant-based milk of choice
2 tsp acid (white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice)
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp fresh espresso coffee (or extra boiling water)
3/4 cup boiling water
Vegan chocolate buttercream
100g plant-based butter, thoroughly chilled
1 cup pure icing sugar
45g Dutch processed cocoa
pinch of fine salt
1–2 tbsp FODMAP-friendly plant based milk of choice
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20 cm (base measurement) round cake tin. As the batter is quite liquid, a springform pan isn’t suitable here. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine. In another medium bowl, combine milk and acid and set aside for 2 minutes to curdle. Add the sugar, oil and espresso and whisk to combine. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until a smooth batter. It should feel lightly aerated under the whisk. Add the boiling water and whisk to combine. This will bloom the cocoa and gelatinise the starches in the flours, helping hold the cake together. Pour mixture into prepared tin and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool in tin for 15–20 minutes before gently transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cake is baking, make the icing. Combine the plantbased butter and icing sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer. Use hand beaters or your stand mixer with paddle attachment to beat until light and fluffy. I find this process a lot quicker with plant-based butter. If it begins to melt at any time, chill for 10–15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until combined. Taste and adjust according to your preferences. Once the cake is completely cooled, ice it with the buttercream and serve.
Small-batch vegan blueberry muffins
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These blueberry muffins are quick and easy with all the taste but none of the faff of their regular counterparts. They’re also perfect for anyone with an egg allergy.
Makes 5-7
100g fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tsp caster sugar (if using frozen berries)
½ cup FODMAP-friendly plant based milk of choice, plus extra as needed
3 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 cup fine white rice flour
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp psyllium husk
75g FODMAP-friendly plant-based yoghurt (ideally blueberry flavour)
50g plant-based butter, melted
100g light brown sugar
1-2 tbsp finishing sugar
Preheat oven to 200C. Grease 5–7 holes of a muffin tin (about 80ml or ⅓ cup capacity) with plant-based butter and oil. Using both ensures the muffins won’t stick to the pan. If using frozen blueberries, gently cook them in a small saucepan with 1 teaspoon caster sugar until they thaw and release some juices. Turn off heat and set aside. Combine milk and apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in a medium bowl. Set aside for 2 minutes to form buttermilk (mixture will curdle). Place flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and psyllium in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the yoghurt, melted butter and sugar to the buttermilk and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. The mixture should be about the thickness of the yoghurt, and when left for a minute it should become a little bit light and bubbly. If the batter looks too dry, add a little extra milk. If you’re using frozen blueberries, gently squeeze them to remove excess liquid, because too much blueberry juice will result in grey muffins. Using a spatula, very gently fold in the blueberries (reserving a few for topping). Divide batter among prepared muffin holes, filling each hole about three-quarters full. Top with the remaining blueberries and a sprinkle of finishing sugar, if using. Bake muffins for 20–25 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Set aside to cool in tin for 5–10 minutes before gently transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Scones for everyone
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There’s a time and a place for recipes that avoid high-starch flours. Vegan, gluten-free scones are not one of those times or those places. Second only to croissants, scones have been my biggest challenge to date. While I’m happy to say I’ve cracked the case, I recommend sticking to the flours suggested. The glutinous rice flour and potato starch work like a charm to create a light and fluffy scone without spreading. This recipe also works well with regular butter and milk and a regular egg wash – the butter will only need to chill for 10 minutes or so before proceeding with the recipe.
Makes 5-6
1 cup fine white rice flour
½ cup glutinous rice flour
½ cup potato starch
3 tsp gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon xanthan gum or 2 tsp psyllium husk powder
40g caster sugar
100g plant-based butter (I used Nuttelex Buttery), cubed and chilled in freezer for 30 minutes
¾–1 cup FODMAP friendly, plant-based milk of choice
1 tbsp white vinegar
To finish
1 tbsp FODMAP-friendly plant-based milk mixed with 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
jam and whipped coconut cream, to serve
Preheat oven to 180C. Line the base and side of a 20 cm (base measurement) round cake tin with baking paper. Place the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, xanthan gum or psyllium husk and caster sugar in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Using your fingertips, rub in the chilled butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine 180 ml milk and vinegar to form a buttermilk. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The flour should be completely hydrated and the dough a little sticky. Add a little extra milk if required. Transfer the bowl of dough to fridge for 15–20 minutes to set the butter. Lightly flour a clean, dry work surface with tapioca flour. Place dough on surface and use your hands to form a flat oval, about 7 cm x 10–15 cm long. Using a 7-cm round cookie or scone cutter, cut 5–6 scones from dough, pushing the cutter straight down into the dough (don’t twist), and flouring the cutter between scones. Alternatively, simply cut dough into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to prepared tin. Keeping them snug will help them to rise instead of spread. Transfer scones to freezer for 10 minutes to firm up the butter one last time. Brush the scones with vegan egg wash and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool in tin for 10 minutes before serving. They’re fragile while hot, so be careful! Best served within a few hours of baking and with lashings of jam and coconut cream.
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