Because we love Halloween, we want treats with no tricks—no hidden problems. SPOOKtacular Gluten-Free Halloween Dessertsis the solution: TO-DIE-FOR desserts that aren’t killers. This year you can give a Halloween party and feed your friends gluten-free, dairy-free treats made with all natural ingredients. Create your own Witchy Carrot Cake Cupcakes or a scary graveyard chocolate cake using alternative flours: quinoa, rice, or millet. The directions are all here. The trick is these gluten-free desserts aren’t frightful at all. They’re nutrition in disguise. They’re delicious and—SURPRISE!—they’re actually good for you!
Review: Having recently switched Ms Grace to basically a Gluten-free, wheat free diet, it has been VERY hard to find recipes for items she has always known and loved, like cupcakes and candy. So when I heard about this book, I knew I HAD to check it out, as I figured many of the recipes could be changed for different holidays, like Christmas and birthdays!
This book is different in that unlike many gluten-free books these days that rely on processed gluten-free flours (which by the way pretty much taste like cardboard), these recipes have all natural alternatives to wheat instead! BINGO! Exactly what we need! The frosting recipes actually rely on confectioners sugar, as they haven't come across a good alternative. Which I can understand (I'll be experimenting with ground cane sugar and cornstarch next week, and will let you know how that works out).
Included are many recipes for the Day of the Dead (like Mexican Catrinas/Calaveras-pecan cookies), in honor of the Barrios' Hispanic heritage, but they could all be adapted to other shapes, if you don't celebrate it, as well as typical Halloween treats (zombie fingers anyone?). Included are cookies, cupcakes, cake pops, pies, truffles and cakes. The directions are clear and they give you plenty of pictures of each step so that even a baking novice can make adorable chocolate spiders with ease!
This book will definitely get me thru all the holidays and I am SO glad it was sent to me, it will be my salvation! Nos I can make treats for Miss Grace's class that the kids will all love, AND that she can eat too! Success!
How about an adorable project you can make with the kiddies this next week, just in time for Halloween? It's a great recipe that can be easily changed out for the upcoming Christmas season too- just swap to reindeer legs, candy canes and Santa's hat! AHA- I TOLD YOU, AN ALL IN ONE BOOK!
Check it out:
WICKED WITCHES (8 – 12 cupcakes)
(CARROT CUPCAKES)
Wicked Witch is our theme for these cupcakes, which we deck out in three distinct forms:
the witch’s legs, her hat, and her broom.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup raw coconut oil or softened butter
½ cup raw sugar (coconut or demerara sugar)
2 table spoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs or 3 medium eggs
1 ½ cups raw, grated fresh carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
(for decoration)
Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe below)
Grass (recipe below)
thin-bladed knife
For fondant other materials needed, see each set of decorating instructions.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C). Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake cases.
2. Sieve the flours, baking soda, salt, and spices into a bowl; mix; and set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, beat the oil or butter, sweeteners, lemon juice, orange juice, and
vanilla until the mixture is light and creamy.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in batches, alternating with the eggs.
5. Stir in the carrots and nuts. Mix well.
6. Pour the batter into the cupcake cases, filling each ¾ full. Bake 15 – 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter, softened (1/2 stick)
6 ounces (170 grams) cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until the mixture is silky.
2. Add the sugar and vanilla, and continue beating. Don’t stop until frosting is perfectly smooth.
Coconut Grass
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz (240 grams) unsweetened coconut
green food coloring
DIRECTIONS:
Mix both together until desired green is achieved for grass.
To Decorate
Once the cupcakes are cool, frost them. The decorating instructions below cover 4 cupcakes for each of the variations, but if you make your cupcakes big, you may have only 8 to decorate. Then you’ll have to decide.
For the Witches’ Brooms, you need to assemble these materials:
2 ounces (60 grams) brown fondant
4 ounces (120 grams) orange fondant
4 lollipop sticks
Begin making the brooms by dividing the brown fondant into 4 pieces with a little left over. Roll and smooth one of these pieces of brown fondant around a lollipop stick.
Divide the orange fondant into four pieces, roll one of them out in a thin rectangle. With a knife, cut strips to about a ½ inch from the edge of the rectangle.
Wrap the orange fondant “brush” around the covered stick and—like magic!—it’s a broom. Wrap a little strip of brown fondant around the base of the broom for detail.
For the Witches’ Hats, you will need to have on hand
5 ounces (150 grams) black fondant
2 ounces (60 grams) orange fondant
Divide the black fondant into 6 pieces, and then shape one of these into a circle and another into a cone. Cut the cone in half and place at the center of the circle. Fold the circle in half. Use the marzipan to add a band around the base of the hat.
Keep a few strips of the orange fondant you used for the broom. Use these on the cupcake as the witches’ hair.
For the Witches’ Legs, to decorate 4 cupcakes, you will need
8 lollipop sticks
2 ounces (60 grams) orange fondant
2 ounces (60 grams) purple fondant
4 ounces (120 grams) black fondant
purple sugar glitter
Roll two long, thin strips in two different colors. If you like, you can add sugar glitter for extra magic.
See not too difficult!
About the Authors
Kanta Barrios, a hatha yoga teacher, and her mother, Manasi Fragoso, are both bakers extraordinaire with a passion for all things healthy and delicious!
Vidura Barrios, brother to Kanta and son to Manasi, was in charge of the editorial aspect of this project. Vidura is the founder of the popular Facebook page “I Love Halloween,” the Halloween CD series Monster’s Halloween Party, and Inner Splendor Publishing.
Want to grab this book this weekend?
It's easy- grab the Kindle version! Just click HERE and you're all set!
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