I originally wanted to write about a traditional Czech Easter sweet bread. I did bake the bread, and I took pictures of it. But then, I changed my mind. Not only a special flour is needed for the bread, which I think you can not find easily everywhere, but I also wanted to enjoy some leisure time with P. during Easter, and I didn't feel like writing a blog post. I'm truly terribly lazy some days.
But don't worry, I have something better for you today. My first gluten free cookies! These cookies represent my very first experience with gluten-free baking. It wasn't difficult at all, in the end. I have been wanting to bake gluten free something for a while, but I couldn't find any gluten free flour anywhere in our local supermarkets.
Most of gluten free recipes call for amaranth or quinoa flour which I still can't find. What I used for my cookies is a gluten and wheat free plain white flour blend. This flour blend is milled from rice, potato, tapioca, maize and buckwheat.
We spent a couple of nice days with our friends and ate a lot of food during the long weekend. I mean really a lot! I felt like a hot air balloon. Then P. cooked lamb chops with sage and rosemary for lunch on Sunday. I was still craving something sweet, but I wanted to make a light dessert after such a feast. And that was when these cookies came to my mind.
I was very happy with the result. I used all different kinds of nuts I found in my cupboard, and added a quality dark chocolate. The taste was amazing and they were nicely tender in texture. I wouldn't recognise they are made with a gluten free flour. I can honestly say I look forward to trying more gluten free recipes.
Gluten free chocolate and nut cookies
320g gluten free flour blend
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
190g unsalted butter, room temperature
155g golden cane sugar
75g dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
100g chocolate, chopped
40g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
60g pistachios, roughly chopped
60g almonds, roughly chopped
1. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light. Scrape the bowl to make sure the butter and sugar are well combined, and add the eggs one at a time. Then add the vanilla.
2. Slowly add your dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until it comes together.
3. Finally add in all the nuts and chocolate and mix well to combine.
4. Cover the bowl with foil and chill the dough for a few hours.
5. Preheat oven to 175C. Scoop a tablespoon of dough and place it on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
