Angela Day
LEMON POLENTA CAKE
180g butter
250ml castor sugar
3 eggs
200g ground almonds
150ml polenta
5ml gluten-free baking powder
a pinch of salt
grated rind of 1 large lemon
30ml lemon juice
SYRUP
45ml lemon juice
30ml icing sugar
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the almonds, polenta, baking powder and salt.
Fold in the lemon rind and juice. Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 20cm square pan.
Bake at 180ºC for 40 to 50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. If the cake starts to brown too quickly, cover it with a piece of foil. Remove from the oven and brush over the syrup.
SYRUP: Combine lemon juice and icing sugar in a bowl and microwave on full power for a minute.
CHOCOLATE BISCUITS
Makes 20
125g butter
125ml brown sugar
1 egg
5ml vanilla essence
190ml gluten-free flour mix (available at Dis-Chem)
125ml cocoa powder
3ml bicarbonate of soda
1ml xanthan gum
250ml white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Sift together the flour mix, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and xanthan gum.
Beat into the creamed mixture. Add the chocolate chips.
Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake for10-15 minutes.
Remove and cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
CARROT CAKE
4 extra-large eggs
250ml castor sugar
180ml sunflower oil
500ml gluten-free cake flour
5ml xanthan gum
10ml bicarbonate of soda
10ml ground cinnamon
5ml salt
750ml peeled and grated raw carrots
125ml pecan nuts, chopped (optional)
CREAM CHEESE ICING
80g butter
125g thick cream cheese
5ml vanilla essence
500ml icing sugar, sifted
Beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale.
Beat in the oil. Sift the flour, xanthan gum, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt and stir into the egg mixture.
Mix in the grated carrots and nuts. Spoon the mixture into a 23cm-ring pan or two loaf tins (22 x 12 cm) sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for 50-60 minutes.
ICING: Cream the butter and cream cheese.
Add the vanilla and icing sugar to make a thick, fluffy icing. Spread over the cooled cake. Decorate with nuts and chopped dried fruit.
BLUEBERRY CRUMPETS
Makes 12-14
250ml millet flour
250ml brown rice flour
15ml gluten-free baking powder
7ml xanthan gum
a pinch of salt
15ml unrefined white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
30ml oil
about 500ml water
125g blueberries
honey or maple syrup for serving
Combine the flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add the eggs, oil and enough water to make a thick batter. Put a little oil in a non-stick frying pan and drop spoonfuls of batter into the pan. Press a couple of blueberries into each crumpet. Cook until light brown on one side, then flip over and cook on the other side. Repeat until all the batter and blueberries are used up. Serve warm, drizzled with maple syrup.
The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.