Prompt: FREE SPACE

[runpunkrun]

It's December and ANYTHING GOES* here at gluten_free!

Have a gluten-free question, comment, request, suggestion, update, victory, confusion, or failure? Have an article or resource to share? Just want to do a quick product recommendation? Just want to post a gluten-free link and flee the scene?

Pop into the comments and do your thing. Content can be about GF stuff or the comm itself. Feel free to chat amongst yourselves!

*Just make sure your comments follow the community guidelines and don't contain unsolicited medical advice or details about your health.

Comments

Gluten-Free Kitchen, by Catherine Atkinson

[runpunkrun]

Gluten-Free Kitchen: How to Enjoy Pasta, Breads, Cakes, Cookies and More on a Gluten-free Diet; a Practical Guide for Healthy Eating with 165 Recipes:

I didn't write up a review of this cookbook because it is Very British and I'm not, but it's worth checking out if that's something you're into. It covers a lot of ground in the baking area. It uses several custom flour mixes, and has a few dairy-free recipes.

I saved a couple of the sandwich bread recipes to try out, and I made the focaccia but I think my yeast was tired? it came out very flat, like, much flatter than the picture would suggest, but it came out well enough that I think it's worth trying again with new yeast...or a smaller pan.

[rafiwinters]

I do have a question. I have what seems like it should be a really really really good and tasty recipe for hazelnut sugar cookies, but it only gives the ingredients. I can figure out how to assemble the ingredients to make the batter, but there is nothing about how long to bake them or at what temperature. Weird and annoying... (It does mention wheat flour, but I can just sub in some GF flour blend or other.) Any thoughts on temperature or timing?

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/hazelnut-sugar-cookies

[indywind]

My best guess is to use the Standard Formula For Most Cookies:
Place the oven rack(s) on the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F / medium while you're assembling the dough (it should probably be a thick dough with texture like modeling clay, rather than a batter), roll the dough to 1/4" thick and cut out shapes, optionally sprinkle on sanding sugar, place on cold pans with 1/2" or more between the cookies and bake until lightly browned at the edges (and on the bottom when you flip one over to check), somewhere between 8-15 minutes depending on things like what kind of GF flour you use, its moisture content, and how accurate my guess about oven temperature was (and how accurate your oven thermostat is).

These do look good! If I try them I'll let you know what I do and how the result comes out.

[rafiwinters]

Thank you! I haven't made cookies in so long I'd pretty much forgotten how. (What's that you say? Look it up in The Joy of Cooking? Duh... lol!)

ETA: it looks like runpunkrun has confirmed what you said! Cool.

[runpunkrun]

I found a full copy of the recipe with instructions in the Wayback Machine. Looks like indywind was right on the money.

OMG! Thank you!

[rafiwinters]

Excellent! I have now saved the recipe and complete instructions. Eager to get this started. I think my hazelnut flour is expired by now (I originally found this recipe last year around this time) but I can go and get it new pretty easily.

Re: OMG! Thank you!

[indywind]

If it's been kept on a cool, dry place (or better, refrigerated or frozen) it's probably still good to use a year later. Smell/taste test will tell -- if it smells and tastes hazelnutty and not stale or musty, no need to spring for a new batch. If it's lost the delicious hazelnut scent and tastes like sawdust, you can try to revive it by toasting: spread the amount you need for the recipe in a thin layer on a rimmed oven-safe pan and put in an oven preheated to 100-180F for 15-20 minutes or until it starts to smell toasty. If it smells hazelnutty toasty, you're good to go. If it smells unappealing when toasted, it won't hurt you to eat but it won't make delicious cookies either (might still be good in rustic bread or granola bars where its flavor is less important).

Which reminds me, I should make a batch of homemade granola bars to make sure I still remember how, then write up the recipe to share here. thanks for the (unintentional) prompt!

Re: OMG! Thank you!

[rafiwinters]

I looked for the hazelnut flour in my baking cupboard and there wasn't any in there. I think I probably threw it out when it went past the expiration date. Good to know about keeping it in fridge. :)

Re: OMG! Thank you!

[runpunkrun]

They sound delicious. Good luck with the new recipe!

Re: OMG! Thank you!

[rafiwinters]

I'll try and remember to post about them when I've made them.

OMG another thought--make them, and then spread them with Nutella.

Re: OMG! Thank you!

[runpunkrun]

Yesss, you could make some with cutouts, like linzer cookies!

Re: OMG! Thank you!

[rafiwinters]

I just ate breakfast, but you're making me hungry again.

[indywind]

::applauds runpunkrun's internet searching skills:::

[runpunkrun]

I was like, "What kind of a recipe doesn't have instructions?? Ahhh, yes, a paywalled one. Let us go back in time."