We had some friends over this weekend and the husband/dad and the baby are gluten intolerant. Since the baby is only 5 months old, mom has to avoid wheat as well. Whenever we have this couple over I take it as a personal challenge to make something they can’t easily go to the store and buy or go to a restaurant and have. I’ve made them gluten-free baked ziti and Sicilian chicken before, not to mention the molten chocolate cake (yummy see the recipe below) and the brownies.
This weekend we had them over for the Packer game on Sunday. At 11pm Saturday night our TV died. Long story short, we had to go buy a new TV on Sunday morning. So instead of my original plans, I went with the backup – homemade pizza. I ran to the grocery store at 8:30am and was home by 9:30 so we could go to the electronics store by the time it opened.
As my husband was setting up the new toy – I mean TV – I went to work on the snacks and pizza crust. Namaste makes a great line of gluten-free products. I’ve made their chocolate brownies before – they take an extra long time to cook (much longer than the directions state). The pizza crust is pretty much the same way. I made it according to directions and ended up putting it back in the oven for an extra 5 to 10 minutes to get the crust a little less spongy. The pizza turned out OK, but our friends were touched that we had made the effort for them. As they played a little Wii with my kids, I whipped up a banana bread with some gluten-free flour I had gotten previously at Whole Foods. When they left, I sent a still warm banana bread home with them. I’m wondering if they had any left this morning!
Here are some common gluten-free snacks that are always crowd pleasers:
Veggies and dip
Fruit salad or kabobs
Taco dip with corn chips
Potato chips and dip
Cheese and sausage with rice crackers (try the sesame ones!)
Try this molten chocolate cake for a special occasion – or any day that ends in “y” :)
I use a cupcake pan lined with silicone cupcake liners instead of ramekins. It’s something I already have and works well. I also melt my chocolate in the microwave with short times and frequent stirring. If you have any questions about melting chocolate in the microwave, e-mail me.
Molten Flourless Chocolate Cake
Makes 6 servings (serving size: one 4-ounce cake)
From: Myrecipes.com
Ingredients
4 large eggs
1/2 pound (8 ounces) semisweet chocolate
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Cooking spray
Powdered sugar for decorating
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Place a saucepan of water on high heat. Heat to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
3. In a mixing bowl, crack eggs and warm them over simmering water for 1 minute (hold bowl directly over the water, using a dish towel to protect your hands), whisking constantly.
4. Remove eggs from heat, and whisk for another minute until eggs are very fluffy. Meanwhile, put the chocolate and butter in a large, heatproof, stainless-steel or tempered-glass bowl; set it over the simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl. Let the chocolate and butter melt; remove from heat. Let mixture cool slightly by stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
5. Once slightly cooled, fold the chocolate and butter into the whipped eggs until no more streaks show. Batter will deflate.
6. Spray 6 (4-ounce) ramekins or ovenproof dessert cups with nonstick cooking spray (or use foil cups, or even muffin tins). Fill them 3/4 of the way full and place on a baking sheet.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on how gooey you'd like the centers. Turn the cakes out onto dessert plates, and serve immediately with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
