Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free, vegan)

Gluten Free & Vegan Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Peppermint Glaze

Ingredients

(makes 10 – 12 cookies)

½ cup brown rice flour

¼ cup almond flour

¼ cup potato starch

¼ tsp xanthan gum

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder*

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp white sugar

¼ tsp molasses (optional)

1 tbsp coconut oil

½ cup coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 or 2 drops of red coloring

1 oz chocolate chips Notes

You can use a pre-packaged gluten free flour blend to replace the brown rice flour, almond flour and the potato starch. Omit the xanthan gum if already in your mix

I sometimes add 1tsp extra of cocoa powder for a stronger chocolate flavor

Directions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

In a mixing bowl add the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Leave out the chocolate chips

Add the molasses (if using), mix and spread it throughout the dry ingredients as far as possible. Add ¼ cup of the coconut milk and the rest of the wet ingredients to the flour mixture. By hand, knead or mix until the dough is slightly sticky but holding together. Add the rest of the coconut milk a little at a time if needed. Fold in the chocolate chips

Scoop rounds of the dough (about 2 tablespoons in size or as preferred) onto a parchment lined sheet leaving a space between each round. If you find the dough difficult to handle, chill for about 15 minutes before shaping. You do not need to make smooth balls.

With wet hands flatten into discs. The cookies do not spread much so flatten to your desired thickness.

Chill the tray of cookies in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes (more if you can, even overnight)

While the tray is in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 375F

When ready, bake for 8-10 mins until the edges of the cookies are set. The top of the cookie in the center should be set but feel soft if pressed.

Cool on a rack and enjoy! Store in an airtight container on your kitchen counter for up to 5 days, (if your kitchen is hot and humid, store in the refrigerator).

Gluten Free, Vegan Bagels (quick and easy recipe)

This recipe delivers every time. For a gluten free, vegan bagel the dough could not be easier to handle. The rise, the shape, the crust, the texture, the color, all beautiful, a baker's dream!

I used a pre-packaged bread mix to make these bagels, you can do the same. A high protein flour blend, like a bread mix is preferred over a cake or cookie baking mix for example.

Follow the recipe without the extended rest if you want bagels more or less right away.

Dry Ingredients

2¼ gluten free bread mix*

1 tsp xanthan gum (only if not in your bread mix)

2 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp egg replacer**

¼ tsp molasses (or less)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1¼ cup water (more by tablespoon)

more oil for shaping the dough

Tapioca starch and or cornmeal for shaping the bagels

Water Bath

1½ quarts of water

½ tbsp brown sugar

pinch of salt

*I used Bob's Red Mill Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix. Results are impressive!

**I used Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer primarily because it contains psyllium husk, which strengthens the dough making it easier to handle and shape. To substitute add ½ tsp baking soda and 1 tbsp flaxmeal.

Directions

Combine all of the dry ingredients in your mixing bowl, mix well.

Add the wet ingredients, start with 1 cup of water. Mix on a low speed to combine. Increase the speed and mix until the dough is “smooth”, holding together and slightly sticky. Add more water if needed a little at a time. This should be a soft dough but not “wet” and shaggy as is the norm for gluten free bread dough. Let the dough rest for about 15 mins. At the end of the rest check the dough to make sure that it is properly hydrated, add a little more water if it is too dry. You can continue with the recipe or cover the dough tightly and allow it to rest for a few hours on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator. This improves the texture and creates a more complex flavor.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper, dust with flour or fine cornmeal. Set aside

Create a floured surface with the tapioca starch to shape the bagels. A silpat mat works great here. Pinch off pieces of the dough, enough to fit in the palm of your hand. This recipe makes about 6 bagels, you can use this as a guide to average the size of the dough pieces.

In a circular motion, roll the dough with the palm of your hands on the floured surface to form a smooth ball. Working with oiled hands helps. Try to get the dough as smooth as possible without adding too much tapioca starch.

You can place the pieces of dough on the parchment lined tray now or after shaping. Leave at least an inch between the shaped bagels. Flatten the dough to about 2¾ - 3 inches in diameter, try to maintain a domed top as you work (the less you flatten the dough the thicker the bagel and the more it will appear domed). The finished bagel will be about 3 ½ inches.

Create a hole in the center of the bagel with your finger. In a circular motion widen to about ¾ to 1 inch in diameter. Set the tray of bagels aside for about 10 minutes in a warm area of your kitchen to proof. The 10 minutes can include the time it takes to setup the water bath. I do not cover the bagels. If necessary, I will spritz the tops lightly with water to keep the bagels from drying out.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees (F)

Prepare the water bath, you want enough depth in your pot to fully immerse the bagels. Dissolve the sugar and sait in the water. Bring the mixture to a boil on medium to high heat. The bagels should have visibly “puffed up” a bit by now. If not wait a few more minutes, but do not leave the bagel to double in size or anything close to that. You are looking for somewhere in the vicinity of a 15% - 20% increase in size. You should be able to flip the bagel into the palm of your hand without it falling apart. If it breaks or falls apart simply reshape it.

Starting with the first bagel that you shaped and working with only 1 bagel at a time, place the bagel in the boiling water bath. Cook on each side for 20 seconds. Using a round skimmer slotted spoon, take the bagels out of the water and return it to the parchment lined tray, flat side down.

With a light hand, brush the top of the bagel with oil. Sprinkle on your desired topping (I mixed poppy and sesame seeds). Continue boiling and dressing your bagels, working from the first to the last bagel you shaped (you could boil all of the bagels before dressing)

When finished, place the tray in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 degrees (F). Bake for another 5 - 8 minutes, the bagel should be nicely browned by this time. I would sometimes flip the bagel at this point and allow it to brown for about 3 -5 minutes more. The bagels will firm to the touch and sound hollow when tapped if they are fully baked.

Transfer the finished bagels to a wire rack and cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. If you are going to have the bagels about an hour or so later, you can leave the tray of bagels in the oven or a warming drawer on a low keep warm setting.

Wrapped tightly and frozen is the best way to store the bagels.

Gluten Free, Vegan Garlic and Olive Couronne

A traditional crown bread (couronne) uses a different method for shaping. Gluten free dough, without further enhancements, is not strong or elastic enough to manipulate in that manner. You can however with a bit of creativity make and shape a believable end product. Read on, get inspired, make your own crown or wreath shaped bread!

Gluten Free and Vegan Garlic and Olive CouronneGluten Free and Vegan Couronne

Ingredients

¼ cup almond flour

1 cup brown rice flour

½ cup potato starch

¼ cup tapioca starch

½ tsp xanthan gum

1½ tsp instant yeast

2½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp brown sugar

¼ tsp salt (see notes)

2 tsp nutritional yeast flakes (optional)

½ tbsp olive oil

½ - ¾ cup warm water (105-115°F)

1 tsp vinegar

3–5 cloves of garlic minced

¼ cup of sliced olives (see notes)

tapioca starch for shaping the dough

Notes

You can sub the flour, starches and xanthan gum with an equivalent amount of a GF bread flour mix i.e. 2 cups

The brine in which the olives are soaking is often salty. If it isn't, you can add an extra pinch of salt. If you are in doubt use only the ¼ tsp suggested in the recipe

If you are using olives from a jar and the brine contains oil, omit the oil from this recipe.

Directions

Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, mix well

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, start with ½ cup of water. Leave out the olives and the garlic. Knead or mix the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Add more water, very little at a time, if needed. Saturate the dough just enough so it is soft but not as wet as regular gluten free bread dough since the olives will add moisture when it is added later

Cover the bowl with cling wrap or other and set aside in a cool place to rest for about an hour. This step is optional, I have found that resting the dough improves the texture of the finished loaf. Allowing the dough to slow rise overnight in the refrigerator is also an option. Most artisan bakers agree that slow fermentation produces a more developed flavor

Prepare a round baking tin 7” or 8” in diameter. A smaller baking tin means larger buns and a smaller crown.

Prepare a floured surface to shape the dough. You will also need a round oven safe dish to create the shape in the center of the crown. I used a ramekin wrapped in parchment paper

Separate the equivalent of about ½ cup of dough, set aside, keep covered

To the rest of the dough add the olives and garlic. Mix well to distribute the olives and garlic evenly throughout. The dough should be a bit sticky but fairly easy to handle. More moisture will give the bread a better crumb, too much will make it difficult to shape and to maintain the shape. Add only as much water as you are comfortable with, at least until the dough feels sticky to the touch

Divide the dough into 7 pieces. Shape the pieces into smooth round balls. Place the dough rounds into the baking tin and around the dish in the center, spacing them as easily as possible. Cover with lightly greased cling wrap and set aside. Working with lightly oiled or flour dusted hands helps

This is where you can get creative in terms of finishing your crown design. This is what I did, you can modify at will

Pinch off pieces of the dough you set aside, 7 pieces about ½ tablespoon each. Roll each piece into a ball. Place the rounds in between the buns, connecting the buns to complete the ring. The rounds are not meant to fill the length of the gaps completely. Use water as the glue to stick the pieces in place

Roll the remainder of the dough into a circle,1/4” thick or less. Cutout a dounut shape that is large enough to form a ring to clear the dish in the center and to partially cover the crown shape. This is meant to further bind the crown and keep it together as one piece. Again, for this and the step that follows, use water as the glue to stick the piece(s) in place

Finally with the remaining scraps cut out small squares (about 1¼”). Turn the squares on the diagonal in a diamond shape, placing them in the gap between each round. Pinch the top of each diamond backward to create the “spikes” on the crown

The important thing here is to find creative ways to connect the buns, forming the crown shape. You can decide what works best for you

Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for an hour or more

Toward the end of the rise preheat oven to 350°F. Add a dish or tray of boiling water at the same time you are placing the bread in the oven. You can further spritz the interior of the oven with water just before you close the oven door. In whatever way you can try to create steam which will produce a crackly crust

Lightly dust the “outer rim” of the crown with flour (like brown rice or cornmeal flour). When the oven is ready, bake the crown for 25 minutes. The finished buns will be golden in colour and sound hollow when tapped

Place the crown onto a rack and allow to cool. Brush the inner rim with a little oil. Serve when ready. If you are making ahead, cool the bread, wrap it tightly and store in the freezer