BAKING BACKWARDS: gluten fre

Last minute NYE dessert recipes (gluten-free)

11:55 AM

I get it, its nearly New Year's Eve and you want something sweet to round out the night. Make one of these easy desserts to ring in a...

11:55 AM

I get it, its nearly New Year's Eve and you want something sweet to round out the night. Make one of these easy desserts to ring in a delicious New Year.

SOMETHING CHILLED...

Raw Key Lime Cups
If you like sweet and tart desserts or key lime pie, this easy recipe is perfect for you NYE celebration.

Fruity Nice Cream Sundae
Sweet and tart, this easy to make dessert can be made in minutes in your food processor with fruit from your freezer.

Chilled Chocolate Peppermint Parfait
This delicious and decadent raw dessert is easy to make but make it a few hours ahead so it has time to chill.

SOMETHING BAKED...

Cardamom Apple Cookie Crumble
Sweet, spicy and easy to prepare, this Cardamom Apple Cookie crumble puts an Indian twist on Apple Crisp.

Wholegrain Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chocolate chip cookies are fairly low in fat, vegan friendly and delicious.

SOMETHING NO-BAKE...

PB Mousse Jars with Chocolate Shell
These are so easy to make, cute for guests and irresistible if you like chocolate with peanut butter.

SOMETHING RAW VEGAN...

Raw Donut Holes
These little bites of bliss are irresistible, easy as pie to make, and raw vegan.

Raw Avocado Chocolate Mousse
This version of chocolate avocado mousse took me years of experiments to perfect.

SOMETHING STEAMED...

Steamed Chocolate Molten Cakes
These little chocolate molten cakes are made in your steamer. They come out light and chocolatey with a molten chocolate centre in minutes.

SOMETHING GRAIN-FREE...

Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
These chocolate chip cookies are so delicious and free of grains.

Grain-Free Elvis Muffins
These delicious banana, peanut butter and chocolate chip muffins are perfect for New Year's day. They are flourless but you'd never know it!

Grain-Free Tuxedo Cupcakes
Rich, chocolaty, fluffy and light with a vanilla cream frosting, these cupcakes are all dressed up to party.

Spooky Tart RECIPE VIDEO for Halloween (Chocolate tart with caramel web, gf vegan)

5:04 PM

What are you up to for Halloween? This year I think I'll be going to a costume party. Any outfit suggestions? Whatever I en...

5:04 PM

What are you up to for Halloween?

This year I think I'll be going to a costume party. Any outfit suggestions?

Whatever I end up wearing I'll likely be bringing this delicious Spooky Tart. A double chocolate tart with a butternut squash caramel "web" topping! You'd never suspect it was vegan and gluten free.

The tart should look familiar. Its very similar to my last recipe for a Harvest Chocolate Tart with a few key changes like the addition of a creamy Butternut Caramel drizzle. Its the perfect Halloween treat in my mind -- chocolatey, caramely and pleasing to the eye. This is a pie that's hard to resist -- unlike so many Halloween recipes out there that look pretty disgusting to me -- 'no, I'll skip the eye ball pie, thanks. Ditto on the bloody pudding.'

If you have kids, this pie may be the healthiest thing you can convince them to eat this week! It hides about 6 cups (6 WHOLE CUPS!) of butternut squash! The crust is made primarily of whole grain brown rice flour as well. Yes, there is chocolate involved, but in my mind the good outweighs the bad and its Halloween!

Make this pie for your friends, your kids, your enemies or just yourself.

Oh ya! I made a video for you to see how I make it. Check it out, recipe follows as well.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL WHILE YOU'RE AT IT!

SPOOKY TART (DOUBLE CHOCOLATE TART WITH BUTTERNUT CARAMEL WEB)

CHOCOLATE CRUST

1 1/3 - 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
5-6 tbsp coconut sugar
4-5 tbsp solid coconut oil
Pinch pink salt
3-4 tbsp raw cacao powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Add all the crust ingredients (Only add 1 1/3 cup of brown rice flour and 3 tbsp of cacao powder at first) to a food processor and pulse until a crumbly mixture forms. Pulse in the cold water (a little splash at a time) until a semi firm but not very dry dough forms (should feel similar to play-dough and have a slight sheen). If your dough gets too wet, add extra flour and cacao and pulse again to incorporate. Taste and add extra sugar if desired and pulse a few times again to incorporate it. Press the dough into a 9-10" non stick shortcrust tart shell by hand. Prick all over with a fork and bake in the center of the oven (350F) until crisp. Cool to room temperature on stove-top while you prepare the filling.

CHOCOLATE FILLING

4 cups butternut squash, cubed and steamed until tender
3 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp vegan chocolate chips
5 tbsp coconut cream (skimmed from can of coconut milk)
3 tbsp maple syrup
Pinch of salt (not too little as it really brings out the chocolate flavor)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp raw honey OR brown rice syrup (to keep it vegan)
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
Stevia to taste

Puree together the squash and coconut oil in food processor. In a small pot, melt chocolate chips and coconut cream together over low heat, stirring well as you melt. Add to the quash mixture and puree in your food processor. Add remaining ingredients (except stevia) and puree. Taste and add stevia (a little at a time, blending and tasting) to achieve your desired sweetness.

Once filling is blended and smooth and sweetened to your taste, scrape filling out of processor into the middle of your cool tart shell. Spread out evenly to the sides. Chill in freezer to set firm then store in the fridge to keep firm but sliceable. Slice and serve.

BUTTERNUT CARAMEL SAUCE (FOR WEB TOPPING)

1 1/3 cups squash for caramel
1/3 cup pitted medjool dates (soaked a few minutes in 1/3 cup boiling water)
Pinch salt
Pinch of Cinnamon
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Discard the date water. Add everything to food processor and puree until smooth. Add some boiling water (about 1/3 cup) slowly while you blend. Once smooth, blend in:

3tbsp coconut milk or coconut cream
3 tbsp liquid sweetener (maple or rice syrup or coconut nectar)
Pinch of stevia
1 beta carotene capsule or dash of turmeric powder (for orange hue)

Once pureed, transfer sauce to a squeeze bottle. Squeeze out to create a large spiral shape on top of chocolate filling. Using a toothpick or chopstick to create a web pattern. Chill in freezer to set, then store in fridge.