Energy Bars – Nut Free, Gluten Free, Sugar Free

4 March 2018 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

Seeing the recipe for these Energy Bars in a Gluten Free Magazine, I wanted to give them a try as I have a few “athletes” in my house so figured these would be handy for pre or after training and for hunger pangs on the run.

What’s wonderful about them is you can make them Nut Free, they are naturally Gluten Free and if you leave out the maple syrup, they are basically Sugar Free too

I made them without the maple syrup because I wanted to see how they worked with the zest of an orange and some cinnamon to help the flavours and I felt they are lovely. If you have a sweet tooth or prefer a sweeter snack, then by all means add a good tablespoon of maple syrup.

Personally we love nuts so I did add a selection of natural nuts to give them a different flavour and if you can do that, try it as they are lovely.

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Gluten Free Almond Bites

2 February 2018 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

We’re big fans of anything almond flavoured at cozebakes HQ and when they are gluten free, it’s a bonus for us with two coeliacs to cater for. The added issue of a preferred low sugar diet can complicate things sometimes but this recipe seemed to have lots of potential.

Initially I doubled the quantities as it seemed a very small amount to spread out in a 20cm square tin. Personally, I’ll be making these again and just dropping scoops of the batter onto a baking tray rather than what the original recipe suggests. Either way, they are really, really delicious. As per usual, I reduced the original sugar quantities and think they are lovely but if you like a good sweet kick, then check my suggestions in the ingredients.

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Meringue Roulade – Gluten Free

29 December 2017 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

A great dessert recipe that’s always a big hit any time of the year and this one uses ground almonds which gives it a really nice texture. It’s so easily adaptable to any flavours you like and also for each season and your imagination is all that will stop you!

A meringue roulade is much quicker than it’s cousin the Pavlova and can be made on the day it’s needed. It takes about 20 minutes to get into the oven, 30/35 to bake and the same to cool and then you can keep it wrapped in the fridge till needed or dress up for serving. I’ve never known anyone to refuse a slice of roulade when presented, so it’s a great one to have in your baking repertoire. Please don’t be worried about rolling it. It’s far more difficult in your head than in reality!

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Coconut Macaroons – Gluten Free

14 November 2017 ~ cozebakes ~ 2 Comments

If you want to make something really delicious in a very short time, then these macaroons are the answer. You can make them in different shapes and sizes depending on the occasion but they never fail to please!

Just 3 simple ingredients (well four if you count the chocolate drizzle on top) and 10 minutes to put together with 18 in the oven. That’s it! The fact they’re gluten free is a bonus!

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Spiced Apple Cake – Gluten Free & Low Fat

27 September 2017 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

This delicious and low fat cake comes from the Hairy Bikers. It contains low fat milk and sunflower oil so no butter and for a large 23cm cake, only uses 100g of demerara sugar which you could substitute for an organic variety which is less refined.

I converted it to a Gluten Free version so everyone at home could enjoy it and it worked really well. The other bonus of this lovely recipe is that it freezes well so you can cut in half or in slices and keep for when you desperately need a slice of cake to help sort out the woes of the world. Defrost thoroughly and heat up in a low oven or in the microwave. It’s perfect served hot or cold and will keep fresh for several days once you wrap it in tin foil.

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Iced Lemon Polenta Mini Cakes

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18 April 2017 ~ cozebakes ~ 1 Comment

A very delicious gluten and wheat free recipe full of gorgeous lemon flavor and topped with a fabulous lemon icing. These Iced Lemon Polenta Cakes look so dainty and lovely. Topped with an edible viola each, you will have a perfect Afternoon Tea treat for you and your guests.

They do have a more crunchy texture due to the polenta and some people find this different but it’s a good different 🙂

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Raspberry, Blueberry & Lime Drizzle Cake – Gluten, Wheat & Dairy Free

10 April 2017 ~ cozebakes ~ 3 Comments

Where do I start about this gorgeous recipe? It’s impossible to tell the difference between this and a cake made with traditional ingredients and I’ve made enough to know. I’m always dubious about people claiming their cakes made with all sorts of strange ingredients taste exactly as a normal one as I’ve yet to have that experience, but this recipe delivers and how.

You can keep it dairy free using a dairy free or soya spread but if not, just use Stork. The flour is Doves Farm which I always use and it’s gluten and wheat free, comes in both self raising or plain.

If you’re going to try gluten and wheat free baking, then you will need to have Xanthan Gum in your larder. It’s essential to hold together cakes and pastry and stop them from crumbing. It’s easily available in most supermarkets and mine is the Doves Farm one.

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Gluten Free & Dairy Free Healthy Banana Loaf

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3 February 2017 ~ cozebakes ~ 2 Comments

Talk about throw it all in the bowl and go …. this recipe is exactly that! Crazy how quick it all comes together and it’s in the oven before you know it!

You can use honey or maple syrup but I replaced these with agave instead and again you can choose walnuts or pecans, whichever you like best … or both!

As there’s no flour in the recipe, only ground almonds, I would be careful about adding dried fruits as there’s a good chance they will sink to the bottom. Let the bananas do the talking! Originally 2 bananas were called for but I added in another half to help bind it together and then sliced the remainer and placed on top. I sprinkled a teeny bit of raw can sugar on the slices just to finish them off.

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Gluten Free Apple Cake

16 January 2017 ~ cozebakes ~ 1 Comment

This recipe originates from Jo Wheatley of Great British Bake Off fame. It’s a family favourite passed down from her aunt. As I live with a coeliac who loves anything with apple in it, I wanted to adapt this one so everyone could enjoy it. It worked out really well and is a very easy, straightforward and delicious cake. It’s crying out to be served with some custard or cream (your preference) and could be dressed up to make it a little bit special by adding a caramel topping.

There is another Apple Cake recipe on cozebakes if you prefer to make that, just search for Apple Cake and it will show up 🙂

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Cinnamon Apple Cake – Gluten Free

29 November 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

I could wax lyrical about this amazingly comforting and delicious Cinnamon Apple Cake but it does all the talking for itself. Considering it’s a gluten free recipe, the lightness and moistness of the cake is such a welcome surprise.

I reduced the original sugar quantity as ground almonds are quite sweet and the totally delicious cinnamon sugar topping is heavenly and doesn’t need extra sweetness to fight with it.

Read on for a real comfort food experience …

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Cranberry & White Chocolate Gluten Free Cookies

26 November 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

These went down a real treat with all the tasters and disappeared very quickly. I made half the original recipe thinking it might be too many but next time, I’ll be making the full batch! They make an ideal gift too!

I froze about 6 of them just to see how they behave and what I found worked was to let them defrost and then give them about 5 minutes in a moderate oven (150C) – just gave them a fresh feel. Remember to put a piece of parchment between each cookies before freezing.

These cookies are pretty irresistible and it’s an easy enough recipe to adapt so you can add your own favourites to it such as pecans, macadamia or other nuts. You can leave out the white chocolate and add milk or dark chocolate. Lots of options to explore so definitely a keeper!

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Banana Walnut & Chocolate Chip Gluten Free Loaf

18 November 2016 ~ cozebakes ~ Leave a comment

Such an easy and quick recipe to put together and enjoy with your morning cuppa or for a treat in the middle of the afternoon! Really do you need an excuse at all?? 😉

I’ve adapted the original recipe from the Good Food files as not everyone likes a strong banana flavour and I substantially reduced the sugar from the original recipe as ripe bananas are very sweet on their own plus the addition of chocolate chips make this plenty sweet for everyone’s tastes.

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