Puerto Rican Pastelon & Boston Cream Pie (both GF & Dairy free)

[heron61]

So, I've been doing a lot of cooking of late and have created the first soft cake like gluten free cake I've ever managed (nut tortes are easy, more normal cakes are not), and have also created a version of a Puerto Rican dish called Pastelon. Pictures and recipes behind the cut.



Ingredients
4 ripe plantains (yellow and black, and at least slightly soft) I previously made this with yellow and green/yellow unripe and semi-ripe plantains and the result was OK, but also starchy, too firm, and notably less good.

Mojo
1 TBS minced garlic
1/2 medium-small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin,
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Meat Filling
12 oz ground beef (10% or less fat), ground dark meat chicken, or ground turkey
1/4 cup green olives with pimiento, finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 TBS capers
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS tomato paste
Salt, pepper, and if desired hot sauce to taste.

Topping
4 eggs

Directions
1) Peel plantains and slice them in half crosswise. Then take each half and cut into 3 lengthwise planks of roughly equal thickness
2) Pan fry plantains in oil for 3 minutes on a side, until golden brown and very soft.

3) Process the mojo in a blender or food processor until smooth.
4) Cook ground meat in a pan until starting to brown, breaking up meat as much as possible, add mojo and cook 2-3 minutes. Add all other ingredients and stir until combined, then take off heat.

5) Oil a 7 x 11 glass pan or a 9” square pan and lay down half the plantain pieces to entirely cover the bottom. Beat 2 eggs and pour them over the plantains and then add the meat mixture on top and press it into an even layer on top. Then top with the remaining plantain pieces, and then beat and pour the remaining 2 eggs over them.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes and then let cool for at least 10. Cut into squares and serve, it’s delicious.

Boston Cream Pie (GF & DF)

I just adapted the America’s Test Kitchen Boston Cream Pie to be gluten free, dairy free, and utterly amazing.

Pastry Cream

1. 1 2/3s cups full fat coconut milk
2. 5 large egg yolks
3. 6 TBS white sugar
4. 1 pinch salt
5. 1/3 cup America's test kitchen GF flour blend *
6. 3 TBS dairy free butter (Earth Balance works well)
7. 2 tsp vanilla extract

* I use powdered soymilk instead of powdered milk, and it works great

Directions

1. Simmer coconut milk in a pan
2. In a bowl mix egg yolks, sugar, salt, and flour substitute
3. Add ½ cup of coconut milk to bowl and mix
4. Take coconut milk off heat, add egg mixture, whisk thoroughly, and put back on heat, stirring constantly on low heat for 7 minutes it gets very thick.
5. Remove from heat and whisk in butter substitute and vanilla.
6. Cool in a bowl for at least 8 hours (press plastic wrap on top of the custard to keep a skin from forming)

Cake

Ingredients

1. 7.25 oz white sugar
2. 6.5 oz America's test kitchen GF flour blend *
3. 2.25 tsp baking powder
4. 3/4 tsp salt
5. 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
6. 5 large eggs, separated
7. 1/2 cup water
8. 1/3 cup vegetable oil
9. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10. 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

* I use powdered soymilk instead of powdered milk, and it works great

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk together granulated sugar, flour mix, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in medium bowl. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, water, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add whisked dry ingredients. Mix until thick batter is thick and smooth and let set for 20-30 minutes.

2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar. Whip on high speed until medium peaks form. Add whipped egg whites, one quarter at a time, to batter. Fold, taking care not to deflate the batter, until no large lumps of egg whites remain.

3. Pour batter in 2 8” round cake pans that have been greased and have a circle of greased parchment paper on the bottom.

4. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

5. Let cake cool for at least two hours

Chocolate Glaze

1. 3 oz 72% or higher dark chocolate
2. 1.5 TBS corn syrup or golden syrup.
3. 6 TBS full fat coconut milk

Directions

Heat corn syrup and coconut milk in a microwave proof bowl in a microwave for 1 minute, stir in chocolate until it melts, beat with a mixer until lighter, and let cool while you assemble the cake

Assembly

1. Remove pastry cream from fridge and beat with a mixer until smoother and less firm.
2. Remove both cake layers from the pan and put one on a plate.
3. Top that layer with all the pastry cream
4. Top the pastry cream with the other layer of cake
5. Pour chocolate glaze over the top and let some drizzle down the sides
6. Cool in the fridge for at least 45 minutes (at which time the glaze will be set)

Comments

[lunabee34]

Oh wow. That pastelon sounds awesome. I think I might make the meat filling and eat it over rice.

[fangirl_says]

Boston Cream Pie and it's also dairy-free? COME TO MAMA.

[loligo]

OMG, thank you for a dairy-free pastry cream! I might try this for a birthday or some other special event!

[runpunkrun]

That Boston Cream Pie absolutely looks amazing. Thanks for sharing your photos!

[kathmandu]

Oh, that does sound yummy! Kudos to you for adapting it!