Peppermint Vs. Andes - Andes Fudge Cookies

For a while now I've been wanting to make super rich, chocolatey, brownie-like cookies.  And come winter my cravings for mint chocolate cookies start to grow.  But then the question became do I go the route of Peppermint or Andes mints?  So I decided to do a mint cookie bake off...one recipe, two refreshing, cool, minty variations.  In both cookies, the chocolate mixture I use is rich and deep but not too dark.  They have a slight crisp to the outside but a soft, gooey brownie like texture on the inside.  Theses cookies are intense, guaranteed to please any chocolate lover!  I built this recipe after studying about ten or so variations, putting together what I thought would make the perfect cookie and if I haven't made I'm pretty darn close!  You can try both and decide for yourself which on is superior!

This is the Andes Fudge Cookie post.  I added chopped Andes mints to the mix for a cool, refreshing minty taste that hits you right away.  They have that cooling effect of the Andes, with little bits of sweetness from white chocolate chips that add a nice textural difference to the smoothness of the chocolate cookie itself. 

The process to this is pretty much identical to the Peppermint Bark Cookies, but I figured it'd be easier to follow as two separate posts.

Andes Fudge Cookies

Recipe a Jesicakes original
Makes 18-20 cookies

Ingredients

- 1/3 cup split between brown rice and white rice flour*
- 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 4 oz 60% cocoa chocolate, chopped (I use Ghiradelli, 4oz is one baking bar)
- 2 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 oz unsweetened bakers chocolate
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 oz white chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup)

- 4 oz chopped Andes mints (about 18 mints)**

*I used both because I feel like brown rice flour is more substantial than white rice, but also wanted a bit of silkiness from the white rice.  I'm sure if you used one or the other it'd be fine.
**They sell prechopped Andes mints, so if you have those, use about 2/3 a cup.

Peppermint Vs. Andes - Peppermint Bark Cookies

 For a while now I've been wanting to make super rich, chocolatey, brownie-like cookies.  And come winter my cravings for mint chocolate cookies start to grow.  But then the question became do I go the route of Peppermint or Andes mints?  So I decided to do a mint cookie bake off...one recipe, two refreshing, cool, minty variations.  In both cookies, the chocolate mixture I use is rich and deep but not too dark.  They have a slight crisp to the outside but a soft, gooey brownie like texture on the inside.  Theses cookies are intense, guaranteed to please any chocolate lover!  I built this recipe after studying about ten or so variations, putting together what I thought would make the perfect cookie and if I haven't made I'm pretty darn close!  You can try both and decide for yourself which on is superior!

This is the Peppermint Bark Cookie post.  I added crushed Peppermints to the mix for a lingering, warm, almost spice from the peppermint.  The peppermint adds a great crunch within the cookie.  And the white chocolate chips add a creamy, smooth, sweet balance to the peppermint and completes the peppermint bark effect of the cookies.  

The process to this is pretty much identical to the Andes Fudge Cookies, but I figured it'd be easier to follow as two separate posts.

Peppermint Bark Cookies

Recipe a Jesicakes original
Makes 18-20 cookies

Ingredients

- 1/3 cup split between brown rice and white rice flour*

- 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 4 oz 60% cocoa chocolate, chopped (I use Ghiradelli, 4oz is one baking bar)
- 2 oz semi sweet chocolate chips (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 oz unsweetened bakers chocolate
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 6 oz white chocolate chips (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes plus extra, set aside extra.**

*I used both because I feel like brown rice flour is more substantial than white rice, but also wanted a bit of silkiness from the white rice.  I'm sure if you used one or the other it'd be fine.
**I used 6 candy canes which was the perfect amount.

Rolled Sugar Cookies Update

Something so simple can really add to a dessert, especially in terms of presentation.  Something about adding a Hershey's kiss to the top of the sugar cookies I made in my last post made them so much more festive...and made my boyfriend very happy since he's been known to polish Hershey's kisses off like no one's business.  I actually would love to try it with different kinds of kisses...peppermint, hugs, etc.  To make them, follow my last post exactly.  you add the Hershey's kiss with 2 minutes left on the baking time, just long enough to set them into the dough but not long enough to melt them.  It adds a nice touch of chocolate, and let's be honest, it just makes them look pretty darn cute.

Lemony Rolled Sugar Cookies

My friend Jessica came by a few weeks ago asking me to help her make a gluten free sugar cookie for the holiday.  Simple sugar cookies are one of my favourites...sweet, soft and chewy with a bit of crispness from being rolled in sugar before baking.  I found a recipe for Lemon Sugar Cookies from Two Peas And Their Pod that included lemon which I thought would really brighten up your regular sugar cookie.  Personally, when I made sugar cookies in the past I always included cream cheese in them.  It keeps them nice and soft and adds a little bit of sweetness and tartness that wound up pairing nicely with the lemon flavor.  Besides chocolate chip, sugar cookies are a treat that will please almost everyone.  These sweet, light, lemony sugar cookies will be a nice change from heavy winter flavors and meals.

Lemony Rolled Sugar Cookies

Recipe adapted from Two Peas And Their Pod
Made Gluten Free by Jesicakes
Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

- 3/4 cup brown rice flour
- 3/4 cup white rice flour
- 3/4 cup sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (gluten free) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/6oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon (gluten free) vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Say Goodbye to Fall with Pumpkin Flan

This Thanksgiving I wanted to go a little nontraditional while still having the dessert feel like it fit the theme.  I recently celebrated my five year anniversary with my boyfriend Justin in Puerto Rico, and the entire time I was searching for good flan.  Still not sick of it, I decided to take a stab at making my own flan, having only ever made it once before over ten years ago for class when I was in 6th grade (so I probably had lots of help from a parent...and it leaked all over my mother's car...but that's a story for another time).  Originally I planned on making Queso Flan, since it was my favourite we had on our trip, but in honor of Thanksgiving I wanted to find a recipe with Pumpkin too.  This time my flan came out perfectly!  It was silky and creamy, full of spices from the ginger, cloves and cinnamon.  It had the perfect touch of sweetness from the caramel and the pumpkin, and tartness from the cream cheese.  This recipe is sure to impress anyone, and it was just as delicious, yet more complex, than the flan we had in Puerto Rico.  Justin brought it to his office and said it was a huge hit amongst his colleagues.  So if you have some cans of pumpkin still lingering in your cabinet, make sure you try this recipe!

Pumpkin Flan

Recipe adapted from Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy
Made Gluten Free by Jesicakes
Makes 1 10'' pyrex dish, or 4 2-4 cup pyrex dishes

Ingredients for the Caramel

- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup of water

Ingredients for the Custard

- 12 oz can of evaporated milk (I used 2%)
- 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 5 eggs
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp white rice flour*
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp gluten free vanilla
- Boiling Water**

*I used white rice flour because it's mild and ground finely.  Brown rice would probably be okay but possibly affect the texture a bit.  You can also use 1 Tbsp of cornstarch (I just didn't have any)
**You will need a larger container to place your pyrex dishes in.  The flan bakes in a water bath.  I just used a large, disposable aluminum tin.

Gluten Free Cornbread for Thanksgiving

As I mentioned my last post, for Thanksgiving every year since I was in Kindergarten I've been making pumpkin bread and cornbread.  Last week I made my pumpkin loaf recipe gluten free, and today I tried making my cornbread recipe gluten free.  It turns out this recipe is the one on the back of the corn meal bag, but over the years my mom and I had altered this one too.  The result is a rustic, moist yet fluffy cornbread that has just the right amount of sweetness.  And it tastes just like the version with all purpose flour.  It's perfect with cranberry sauce (which I plan to make fresh for the first time for Thanksgiving) or even just toasted with a little bit of butter.  It's simple, easy to make, and a perfect side for your Thanksgiving table!

Gluten Free Cornbread for Thanksgiving

Recipe adapted from Indian Head Corn Meal
Made Gluten Free by Jesicakes
Makes 1 Loaf in a 8'' X 4'' load pan

Ingredients

- 1 cup corn meal
- 1/4 cup sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup white rice flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 3 tsp gluten free baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup + 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 cup of whole milk
- 1 egg, beaten

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Loaf Two Ways

When I was in Kindergarten we were all given two Thanksgiving recipes: one for Corn Bread and one for Pumpkin Bread.  Every year since then, it's been a tradition to make both for Thanksgiving.  Even when we do "nontraditional" dinners (in a family of half vegetarians there is never a turkey), these two dishes are always on the table.  Over the years my mom and I had tweaked with the recipe here and there, and the last few times I've changed a few minor components, but this last time I made it completely gluten free without really altering the flavor.  Also, this recipe doesn't require a mixer or anything.  And after all it was given to me in Kindergarten, so it's so easy a five year old could follow along.  This loaf is irresistible...it never lasts more than a few days.  While eating a little piece of it earlier tonight, I decided next time I want to make cupcakes, I'm going to try using this recipe.  It's moist, but still a bit cakey and not too dense.  It's filled with warm cinnamon and sweet bites of either cranberries or raisins.  And of course the star of the loaf is the pumpkin.

I'd recommend making it one of two ways (or well, three if you count my desire to make them cupcakes!).  The first is as slices as a side dish for your Thanksgiving meal.  It's also great this way year round as a snack or breakfast.  In this version, either cranberries or raisins are good but I think I prefer it with the raisins.  The second is as squares, topped with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting as a dessert.  In this preparation I prefer it with cranberries, and I sprinkle the top with some cranberries as well.  Or if you're like me, you pick one of the two dried fruits, and make half the loaf sliced and uniced, and ice the other half the of loaf for dessert squares!  Either way I promise it you and your guests will be taking seconds! 

Pumpkin Loaf: Two Ways

Recipe a Jesicakes original
Makes 1 Loaf in a 8'' X 4'' load pan

Ingredients

- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs slightly beaten
- 2 cups 100% pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon

- 1 cup of raisins or dried cranberries
*Since this recipe was originally made with flour, if you and/or your guests are not gluten free, just substitute 2 cups of all purpose flour for all the other flours and the xanthan gum.