Almond Sweet Rolls Gluten Free

I am so pleased to share this recipe with you.

The rolls are wonderfully light and fluffy and the taste is exceptional .

I was rewarded by my granddaughter's reaction with her first bite ,
"Oh, my goodness, these are SO good !" and my gluten loving husband said... 
"These are miraculously good!"         I had to smile, didn't I ?

These keep well, they are still soft and good the next day.

Almond Sweet Rolls

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 1 1/2 tbsp reg. yeast
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp almond flavoring
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup millet flour 
• 1/3 cup white bean flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• sweet rice for handling dough
• 1 egg white
• sesame seed or poppy seed (optional)

1. Mix sugar and gelatin, add warm water and yeast - let proof
2. Beat butter and sugar, add egg flavoring and warm milk
3. Blend well together dry ingredients
4. Add dry ingredients all at once to liquids , blend on low , then beat on high for 2 minutes.
5. Turn dough out onto counter sprinkled with sweet rice ... Work in enough sweet rice (I use about 1/4 cup) to make the dough just barely not sticky (on the outside, don't try to work the flour into all the dough) It is important to keep dough as soft as possible.
6. Pat dough into a 13 or 14 inch circle -- using a pizza cutter dipped in sweet rice flour, cut circle into 16 equal segments.
7. Starting at the wide end of each segment roll up ending at point - dipping fingers into sweet rice flour if dough is sticking.
8. Brush tops (I find it easier to use my fingers rather than a pastry brush) with whisked egg white.
9. Optional -- sprinkle tops with poppy seed or sesame seed
10. Place rolls on parchment lined cookie sheet and let rise in warm place about 1/2 -3/4 hour.
11. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Carrot Cream Cheese Whoopie Pies

If you enjoy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, I think you will love this pretty little sandwich cookie that will fit perfectly with your Easter or Spring dessert menu.  If you think children will rather enjoy some butter icing between the layers. .go ahead and fill with the icing of your choice.

Make them ahead during the week and store them in the freezer.  Since they have a cream cheese filling, do not store them unrefrigerated.

The cookie is sweet but is balanced with the cream cheese filling.

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamed honey
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup finely grated carrots (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup solid packed dates (chopped very fine)
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons creamed honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
2. In a food processor or mixing bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and honey until creamed.
3. Add the egg, honey and lemon juice.  .pulse until creamed or mix with beaters.
4. Add the dry ingredients and the carrots and dates and pulse until just combined. .or mix with beaters.
5. Refrigerate batter for 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 convection or 375 regular bake.
7. Using a small ice cream scoop to keep the cookies even in size, drop 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
8. Bake until browned.
9. Remove to a cooling rack.
10. Combine the cream cheese, the 3 tablespoons honey and the 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice until creamy and smooth.  (using the food processor makes this a quick job)
11. Divide the cookies in half.  Put one teaspoon of cream cheese filling on a cookie and top with its twin.
12. Sift some powdered sugar over all the cookies while they are still on the rack.
13. Freeze in a single layer and then store in a covered container in the freezer or overnight in the refrigerator.

Baked Rice Custard

This is my husbands favourite dessert.

His mother made it often and always baked it in this enameled pan.

She was a great cook and taught me how to make many of the comfort foods

we Mennonites enjoy.

This is a baked custard - quite different from rice pudding which is made on top of the stove.

• 1 cup cold, cooked rice (leftovers work well)
• 1 cup raisins (sultanas, washed)
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoom vanilla

1. Mix cooked rice and raisins in a buttered 6 cup casserole dish.
2. In another bowl, beat eggs with a whisk
3. Continue whisking the eggs as you add the milk, sugar, vanilla and salt.
4. At this point you can warm this milk mixture to lukewarm in the microwave. Do not let it get hot. This is only to speed up the baking time.
5. Pour over rice and raisins.
6. Place casserole in a pan of hot water (water should come up the side of the casserole dish to a depth of 1 inch)
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1/2 hour or until mixture is hot.
8. Turn oven down to 275 degrees F and continue to bake. Check often to see when it begins to thicken around the edges. Then stir mixture gently to distribute rice and raisins.
9. Total baking time will be somewhere between 1 and 1 1/2 hours depending on how cold your milk was.
10. Continue to bake until a knife inserted into the middle of the custard comes out clean.
11. Do not overbake.
12. This is good either warm or cold.

Lemon Cream Sponge Cake

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom."

Charles Dickens

This recipe came from a community church cookbook from St. Catherines Mennonite Church and the recipe contributor was Betty P. I have changed things a wee bit with the sugared almonds and making the filling from a mix. I will post the recipe with the Lemon Filling, but a Lemon Pie Filling mix works just fine too.

Hot Milk Sponge Cake

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour sifted with
• 2 tsp. baking powder and
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup of hot milk
• 2 tbsp. butter melted in the milk
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Beat eggs till foamy, add sugar gradually, beat til thick and lemony.
2. Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Add lemon juice.
3. Gently stir in the milk and melted butter.
4. Bake in two greased 8" pans at 375 for about 20 minutes or til golden brown.
5. Leave in pan for five minutes and then cool on a cooling rack.
6. Slice each layer in half
7. Put lemon filling between layers and dust with icing sugar, or decorate it with whipped cream.
   

Lemon Filling

• 2 1/2 tbsp. corn starch
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp butter

1. In a double boiler, blend together corn starch and sugar, add boiling water, stirring all the time, until it is clear, about 10 minutes.
2. Beat egg, lemon juice and rind. Stir into the cornstarch mixture.
3. Cook 3 minutes. Beat in butter. Cool.
   Or just make your favorite Lemon Pie filling.
   
   

Whipped Cream icing

1. 2 cups whip cream, whipped and sweetened to taste.
2. I add a stabilizer for this cake called "Whip-It by Dr. Oetker. It just helps to keep the whipping cream firm for decorating. Two packages are enough for 2 cups of whipping cream.
3. Take 1/2 cup of whipped cream and add it to the cooled Lemon filling.
4. Layer Lemon between all the layers
5. Decorate the cake with the remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with sugared almonds, around the edges.

Sugared Almonds

• 1 cup of slivered almonds
• 2 tbsp. sugar.

1. Gently stir over medium heat till sugar melts and caramelizes over the almonds
2. Cool and sprinkle around the cake.
3. (this is not a high rising cake, so don't worry if the volume isn't what you are used too).

Bread For the Journey

Easter Song

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

That we can be born again.

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

“Christ is risen from the dead.”
~

The angel up on the tombstone

Said “He is risen just as He said.

Quickly now,

Go tell His disciples

That Jesus Christ is no longer dead!”
~

Joy to the world,

He is risen, alleluia,

He's risen, alleluia;

He's risen, alleluia!
~

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

That we can be born again.

Hear the bells ringing, they're singing

“Christ is risen from the dead.”
~

The angel up on the tombstone

Said “He is risen just as He said.

Quickly now,

Go tell His disciples

That Jesus Christ is no longer dead!”
~

Joy to the world,

He is risen, alleluia,

He's risen, alleluia;

He's risen, alleluia!

Alleluia!
~

Words: Keith Green 

Matthew 28:6-7

English Standard Version (ESV)

⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

Christ is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

Happy Easter Everyone!

Looking at the Easter Table

At this time of year I like to go and look for the first signs of spring . . .  even in the wild . . . tiny bright green leaves or delicate buds of all colors making their first appearance.

A few sprigs in a vase can add a simple, yet beautiful look to the table.

One Easter I used a bunny shaped chocolate container to cut out some large cookies

and they added some fun.

I rolled them out slightly thicker than the small cookies and baked them until golden around the edges. I let them cool on the cookie sheet for fear of breaking them.

I've been asked for the icing recipe and, although I gladly share it, it's not one I  measure.

Start with about 2 Tbsp of soft butter or margarine in a 4 cup measuring cup or bowl. 

Then add about 2 cups of icing sugar (confectioners sugar) and a few Tbsp of milk. 

Stir well and adjust to a consistency that spreads nicely ... 

adding more icing sugar or milk, as needed. 

For piping, make sure it's not too runny. 

Spread on cookie and let air dry a few hours until set. 

I froze these cookies and thawed them, leaving them to air dry,

 as the icing thawed out wet and then dried again.

Another way to make a pretty centerpiece is to display sugar cookies in a basket.

Behind this bunny, you will notice the Paska used as a centerpiece.

I got that idea from Ellen.

Still another way to use Paska in a decorative way, before it  disappears,

 is to make Paska in cupcake tins and put them in little cupcake baskets or holders.

I hope these ideas inspire you today.

You can find the sugar cookie recipe here

and Lovella's Paska recipe here

Good Friday

On this Good Friday let us pause to remember God's great sacrifice in sending His only Son to die for our sins.  Because of His obedience to the Father, His willingness to take on the limitations of humanity and the sins of the world, we are assured of absolute forgiveness and glorious life after death.  We will rise with Him from the grave and live eternally.

The following hymn not only describes what Christ suffered but expresses so well my gratitude and love for Him.

 O sacred Head, now wounded, 
 with grief and shame weighed down, 
 now scornfully surrounded 
 with thorns, Thine only crown: 
 how pale Thou art with anguish, 
 with sore abuse and scorn! 
 How does that visage languish 
 which once was bright as morn! 

 What Thou, my Lord, has suffered 
 was all for sinners' gain; 
 mine, mine was the transgression, 
 but Thine the deadly pain. 
 Lo, here I fall, my Savior! 
 'Tis I deserve Thy place; 
 look on me with Thy favor, 
 vouchsafe to me Thy grace. 

 What language shall I borrow 
 to thank Thee, dearest Friend, 
 for this Thy dying sorrow, 
 Thy pity without end? 
 O make me Thine forever; 
 and should I fainting be, 
 Lord, let me never, never

 outlive my love for Thee. 

Text: Anonymous; translated by Paul Gerhardt and James W. Alexander
Music: Hans L. Hassler, 1564-1612; harmony by J.S. Bach, 1685-1750 

Two Sauces for Baked Ham

On Easter Sunday, a traditional Mennonite meal includes Baked Ham, Plumamous, Zwiebach, either scalloped potatoes or potato salad and Paska - of course. 

I remember the long tables set up in my Grandma's basement, loaded with wonderful food.
There was lots of happy noise as the adults visited and we children ran up and down the stairs, excited to be with our cousins.

A favourite condiment for the baked ham at our house is Mustard Sauce.
 It is sweet, creamy with just a bit of bite and compliments the ham to perfection.

Mustard Sauce

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon butter

1. Mix dry ingredients first.
2. Beat 4 eggs until lemon coloured and fluffy.
3. Gradually add dry ingredients and vinegar.
4. Microwave at high for 1 minute.
5. Stir well.
6. Continue to microwave at one minute intervals (I often use a lower power), stirring each time until mixture thickens but is still creamy. You will need to watch it carefully that it does not overcook. Do not allow it to bubble. When it overcooks it loses its creamy texture.
7. Stir in butter and cool.
8. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with baked ham.
9. Store any leftovers in the fridge. This is also delicious spread on ham or sausage sandwiches.

The second sauce is a favourite of our oldest son's. Because of the raisins in it I prefer to serve it when Plumamous is not on the menu.

Raisin Sauce

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons. cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water (you can use some of the broth from the ham as part of the water. Just be aware that it will be somewhat salty)
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup sultana raisins (washed)
• Juice and rind of 1/2 a lemon or orange
  Add liquids and stir well.

1. Blend dry ingredients in glass bowl or pot.
2. Stir in raisins, juice and rind.
3. Microwave at one minute intervals, stirring each time or cook over medium heat on stove.
4. Cook until it thickens and begins to bubble.
5. Serve warm with baked ham or roast pork.

Plumi Moos

I chose this recipe for this Easter weekend because Plumi Moos was often served along side a ham dinner on Easter Sunday in many Mennonite homes. This may bring back some memories around your family Easter table. I remember eating this at my Grandma Janzen's house. You can serve this 'fruit soup' warm or cold. It's a really nice addition to a potluck or buffet table. 

Ingredients:

• 10 cups water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup prunes, cut in half
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup dried apples, diced
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, cut in half
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Method:

1. In a large pot bring water. Add all the chopped fruit. Turn to a slow boil and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Shake together cornstarch and remaining water until you have a smooth paste. Stir into water and fruit. 
3. Add remaining ingredients and continue cooking at a slow boil until fruit is soft, and the moos begins to thicken slightly. The total cooking time should be no longer than 30 minutes.

Plumi Moos can be served immediately, or re heated later. You can let this fruit soup cool down and then place in a sealed container in the fridge to get really cold. A nice serving suggestion is to place moos in a large glass serving bowl with little fruit nappies to dish it into. 

Paska Buns

Every family has their own traditional Paska recipes they love. My mother makes a citrus flavor Paska. A friend of mine uses saffron in her recipe, another Cardamon and of course we all love the famous Paska by Lovella. Each recipe delicious yet different.This is my sister by love's recipe using potatoes and potato water but no citrus. I prefer to make Paska Buns instead of loaves for the simple reason that we are not tempted to eat the whole loaf.  Each bun has lots of icing and sprinkles, what is not to love about that.  This dough is easy to work with, ending with a soft and tender bun. I got 92 buns from this batch. Thanks for sharing your family tradition with us Patty.

• 3 tablespoon traditional yeast
• 3 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

In a very large mixing bowl combine the yeast and sugar in the water and give it a stir. Let it rest for 10 minutes until you have a nice foam.

• 2 medium potatoes peeled and diced 
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups melted shortening
• 2 cups milk
• 10 eggs, beaten
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• approximately 16 cups flour

1. Cook the diced potatoes in the cups water. Mash and let cool. (Or put it in the blender for no small chunks of potato).
2. Heat the milk, sugar and vanilla til very warm to touch.
3. Add the beaten eggs and pour it into the potato water and milk mixture.
4. Add the liquid ingredients to the yeast bowl.
5. Add 6 cups of flour to make a paste.
6. Let this mixture rest and rise for 20 minutes.
7. Add remaining flour to make a soft dough. You may need a bit less or more depending on the humidity that day. 
8. Knead for about 10 minutes until dough is no longer sticky but soft.
9. Let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
10. Form into buns and let rise about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
11. Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.