Supersize Me! GF Brownie Cookies

These jumbo sized gluten free brownie cookies are very decadent and are definitely not Weight Watchers approved! 

The following was adapted from a Donna Hay recipe.

JUMBO GF BROWNIE COOKIES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

350g dark chocolate, chopped

40g butter

2 eggs

2/3 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup GF plain flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon GF baking powder, sifted

Peanut butter frosting

1/2 cup GF icing sugar

1 cup smooth peanut butter

80g butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup mascarpone cream

1. Preheat oven to 180◦c. Place 200g of the chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.

2. Place the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whisk with an electric mixer  for 15 minutes or until pale and creamy. Stir through the flour, baking powder, chocolate mixture and remaining chocolate and allow to stand for 10 minutes.

3. Spoon tablespoons of the mixture onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until puffed and cracked. Allow to cool completely on tray.

4. To make the peanut butter frosting, place the sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 6 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and beat for a further 2 minutes.

5. Spread half the cookies with the peanut butter frosting and sandwich with the remaining cookies.

Makes 6.

Ricotta Pancakes

So we couldn’t help entering another recipe into the Vitarium Gluten Free Bake Off! Keeping to the ricotta theme, we decided to enter our delicious Ricotta Pancakes. Check out our entry.

This is one of our favourite recipes for a delicious breakfast on the weekend and makes a great brunch dish which you might find useful for all the Christmas festivities coming up!

The ricotta used in this recipe should always be fresh. We always use fresh ricotta from Paesanella (and most of their other cheeses for that matter) www.paesanella.com.au

Another handy tip when making these pancakes, apart from using the fresh ricotta, is to always use a metal spoon when folding in the egg whites with the ricotta batter. This will keep the mixture light and fluffy. Make sure not to over work the mixture, as the pancakes will become too tough and dry. 

Ricotta pancakes

1 1/3 cups ricotta

3/4 cup milk

4 eggs, separated

1 cup GF plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

A pinch of salt

50g butter 

1. Place ricotta, milk and egg yolks in a bowl and mix to combine.

2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add ricotta mixture and mix until just combined.

3. Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold egg whites through ricotta batter in two batches, using a metal spoon.

4. Grease a frying pan with a small amount of butter and drop 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan.  Cook over low/medium heat until the pancake is golden on both sides.

5. Serve with your choice of fruit or with maple syrup. Makes approx 10 to 12 pancakes.

Gluten Free Bake Off

We have been busy little bees baking up a storm in our kitchen, because this year we have decided to enter the Vitarium Gluten Free Bake Off! After many tantrums and flour covered surfaces, we finally narrowed our recipe list down to our Buttermilk and Ricotta Sage Scrolls. 

Check out our entry and leave a comment of support! 

The great thing about the recipe below is that you can make so many different variations with the filling. We also love making ricotta, sundried tomatoes and olive scrolls – just substitute the sage with sundried tomatoes and pitted olives. Or if you have a sweet tooth, simply sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the ricotta! 

BUTTERMILK & RICOTTA SAGE SCROLLS

 

3 cups GF self raising flour 

1/2 tsp salt 

80g firm butter, chopped 

1 1/2 cups buttermilk, plus extra for glazing 

200g ricotta 

60g greek fetta 

20g goats cheese 

12 sage leaves 

1. Preheat oven to 220◦C. Grease a 30cm x 20cm lamington tin with butter. 

2. Sift GF self raising flour and salt into a large bowl and then rub in the butter using finger tips. Make a well in the centre and pour in buttermilik. Stir until combined and a sticky dough forms.

3. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Use rolling pin to roll dough out into a rectangle. To make this step easier, place the dough onto a piece of baking paper smeared with oil – it prevents the mixture sticking to the bench when rolling out. 

4. Crumble ricotta over dough and spread with spatula. Crumble fetta and goats cheese over the top of the ricotta layer. Scatter over the sage leaves. 

5. Roll the pastry into a log, using the greased baking paper to guide you. 

6. Cut into 1 inch thick rounds, place scroll-side up into the prepared tin, making sure buns touch. Brush top of buns with extra buttermilk. 

7. Bake for 25-30 mins until scrolls are golden and sound hollow when tapped. Allow to cool & serve.

This recipe leaves you with some extra goats cheese to use up. Here’s a little tip on how to store the extra cheese, simply cut the goats cheese into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Add good quality extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove of garlic (crushed or chopped), light sprinkle of sea salt and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Very decadent but this makes a nice addition to a cheese platter! 

This will keep in the fridge for a while as the olive oil will help preserve the cheese, just make sure all the cheese is submerged in the oil.

www.thegreatvitariumbakeoff.com.au

 

It’s Moustache Season – Movember 2011

The Chaplin, the Handlebar, and the Walrus… there are all sorts of shapes and sizes of moustaches, and in the month of November we see them all. Currently known as Movember, the month where men all around the world grow their moustache with pride, raising money for men’s health. 

The funds raised in Australia go towards the two biggest issues of men’s health today – prostate cancer and depression. All money raised goes direct to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue: the national depression initiative. 

In 2010, over 130,000 Australian Mo Bros and Sistas got on board, raising $25 Million AUD. This year Two Silly Sisters have decided to get behind our fellow Australian Mo Bros and show our support by becoming Mo Sistas. For more information about Movember head to au.movember.com 

Did you know that gluten could affect behaviour patterns? Studies show that symptoms of coeliac can include an inability to concentrate or focus, known as ‘foggy brain’, as well as lack of motivation and irritability. Some doctors think coeliacs, in rare cases, can also be affected by autism, attention-deficit disorder (ADD), attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Studies show that these conditions can improve on a gluten free diet. Have a read of this very interesting article on the link between gluten free diets and mental health.

Please show your support by clicking on the link below and donating to the Two Silly Sisters Mospace 2011

http://mosista.co/TwoSillySisters