Gluten-Free Chocolate Desserts

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder in which the body cannot digest gluten, a by-product of wheat, barley and rye. When it comes to desserts, most traditional desserts rely heavily on wheat flour, and chocolate is almost always a necessary ingredient. But few commercial brands have gluten-free chocolate desserts. Yet, with word spreading about Celiac disease, gluten-free chocolate desserts like cake, brownies and cookies can be made at home for those who have the condition. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Cake

Cakes are a big part of our society, as they are used to celebrate so many different occasions; now gluten-free cakes have arrived that require no flour of any kind.

Gluten-Free Mint Chocolate Cake
Place 1 cup of water and cup cornmeal in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat to low and cover the mixture. Let it cook at that heat until it has thickened, then remove from heat and let it cool for a couple minutes. Stir in cup sweet cream butter, cup of chopped semi-sweet chocolate, and 1 teaspoon each of gluten-free vanilla and spearmint extract until fully incorporated.

Allow mixture to cool completely. Cream cup of sugar and 4 egg yolks (save the whites); once creamed, stir into the chocolate mix. Create a meringue by beating 5 egg whites in a bowl to form soft peaks, then add 2 tablespoons sugar to it. Beat only until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture and bake at 300F for 40 to 45 minutes until the center is set. Allow to cool completely and garnish with a gluten-free frosting or whipped topping and chocolate curls. Layers can also be made with this cake.

Brownies

Brownies are the ultimate chocolate dessert, but a gluten-free diet makes them hard to come by unless a recipe is adapted for those needs. Gluten-free flours are also sold at specialty/health food stores, so they can replace the brown rice flour in the recipe.

Gluten and Dairy-Free Double Chocolate Brownies

Preheat the oven to 350F. Use a gluten-free baking spray to lightly coat a cake pan. Mix together cup brown-rice flour, 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum and 1/8 teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a larger mixing bowl, cream cup unsweetened cocoa powder and cup dairy-free margarine. Stir 1 cup of sugar into the chocolate mix until fully incorporated. Add two eggs, one at a time, to the cocoa mixture, stirring until fully blended.. Add 2 teaspoons of gluten-free vanilla and 1 teaspoon of chocolate extract to the bowl.

Fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until no flour is evident in the bowl. Add cup of nondairy chocolate chips (nuts can be added also, if that allergy is not an issue). Pour this mixture in the cake pan, place it in the preheated oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Powdered sugar or allergen-free frosting can top the brownies once they cool.

Cookies

Cookies seem to be a holiday and year-round favorite. They can also be sorely missed on a gluten-free diet. But there are some great chocolate cookie recipes out there that are also gluten-free.

Double Chocolate Chewy Cookies
Preheat the oven to 375F and spray cookie sheets with a gluten-free nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup sweet cream butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once all the butter is melted, pour it into a mixing bowl. Cream 1/2 cup sugar and 1/ cup brown sugar with the melted butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.

Sift 2 cups rice flour, cup cornstarch, cup Dutch process cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons tapioca flour, 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda together in a separate mixing bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Once the wet and dry ingredients are fully incorporated, stir in 1 cups gluten-free chocolate chips (carob chips can be used also).

Refrigerate the dough for about an hour before baking. Bake cookies for about 14 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through the process to promote even baking. Let them set for a couple minutes on the pan before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool.