Grain-FreeBaking Ideas

for the Holidays

CHRISTMAS

JO WHITTON FOUAD KASSAB SARAH MORAN

Introduction

Since the release of Life-Changing Food in April 2017, thousands of people have been cooking and experimenting with our all-time favourite grain-free dough. Since Fouad came up with this recipe in 2014, he has used this dough for most of his baking; and Jo’s family and our recipe testers all became addicted to it too, while testing for our cookbook! Having released the recipe to the larger Quirky Cooking community, we have seen some awesome creations. As this nutritionally dense dough is relatively easy to make, we feel that there is no reason to miss out on beautiful things like breads and pastries. While most gluten/grain-free breads remind us of cardboard, we feel this dough is even “better than bread”. Many of you have already tried this dough and are looking for other ways to use it. Others may have not have tried it yet and need a little encouragement.

We’ve created this ebook to inspire you to experiment more with this dough and to see what’s possible. Come along and have a look! It’s a delicious journey ahead!

Copyright Quirky Cooking International Pty Ltd 2017

Recipe development team:Jo Whitton Fouad Kassab Sarah Moran

Don’t have a copy of Life-Changing Food?

Get yours here.

Up to date versions of this e-book with any recipe tweaks can be found here.

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Grain Free Dough

You can find the base recipe for this dough in your copy of Life-Changing Food on page 78. The recipes in this ebook will call for a specific weight. Simply make a full batch of the dough, and use what you need for the recipe you wish to cook. The rest can be used in other recipes or frozen, of course.

Tips:• You want to avoid waxy potatoes and instead use varieties such as

desiree, sebago, pontiac, royal blue, sebago and “new” potatoes. Waxy varieties such as kipfler and dutch cream do not work as well.

• Use blanched almond meal if possible. This is almond meal made from skinless almonds. “Wholemeal” almond meal includes the skin and results in a heavier texture, making it less desirable.

• Weigh the potatoes raw, not after cooking.

• Sweet potato can be used instead of potato. The result is wonderful, but not as great as with normal white potatoes. Use the paleo sweet potato variation tips at the bottom of the recipe as shown in your copy of Life-Changing Food.

• Different potatoes have different moisture levels. If your mixture appears to be too dry, add small amounts of water to it and knead. You want the dough to be pliable and slightly sticky, but not too sticky so as to prevent you from comfortably shaping it into a ball by rolling it between your palms.

• Adding butter results in a beautiful, flaky pastry that is perfect for sweeter baking but less suited for bread dough purposes. To make butter pastry, follow the instructions on this page.

Butter Pastry

Makes 1.8kg pastry

Make a batch of Grain Free Dough (page 78), replacing the 50g olive oil with 300g unsalted butter, cubed. In step 3, mix 2 mins/speed 8, using spatula to help combine, until very smooth. If you want a sweet dough, add an extra tablespoon of honey.

Divide dough into quarters (approx 450g each), form rough balls, and flatten each of the balls between two sheets of baking paper. Place into freezer to chill for 20 mins before using.

DisclaimerThermomix® is a registered trademark of Vorwerk International AG (Vorwerk) in Australia & New Zealand and Thermomix® in Australia Pty Ltd (Thermomix® in Australia) is its authorised user and exclusive distributor in Australia and New Zealand of Thermomix® products. Neither company supports, authorises or endorses this e-book.

Page 3

Ham & Cheese Buns

Page 4

Ingredients

500g Grain Free Dough50g butter, room temperature70g gruyere cheese, cubed70g cheddar cheese, cubed100g ham

Also needed:

Large baking trayBaking paper

Super easy to make and worlds apart from stale, gluten-laden supermarket buns, this recipe is a crowd favourite. The addition of the butter to the dough makes for a softer texture and a bigger flavour. These buns are also excellent for school lunchboxes!

Thermomix® method

1. Place butter and dough into TM bowl. Mix 30 sec/speed 5. Remove dough mixture and place in freezer for 15 minutes while you prepare cheese and ham.

2. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Line a shallow baking tray with baking paper.

3. Place gruyere and cheddar cheese into TM bowl. Chop 10 sec/speed 5. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

4. Place ham into TM bowl. Chop 2 sec/speed 5.

5. Place cheese mixture back into bowl and mix 5 sec/speed 3. Set aside.

6. Once dough is sufficiently chilled, remove from freezer and divide into 6 equal portions.

7. Turn each piece of dough into a ball, then flatten with your palms to 2.5cm thickness. Place onto lined baking tray. The dough will expand during baking, so you can either give each bun some space, or you can have more of a pull apart bread by keeping the buns close together.

8. Sprinkle cheese and ham mixture evenly over the surface of each bun. Press down lightly to allow mixture to stick to buns.

9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Tips for Conventional method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Line a shallow baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place dough and butter into a food processor and blend until the butter is fully incorporated into the dough. Place mixture into freezer for 15 minutes.

3. In the meantime, grate the cheese and chop the ham into 3mm thick pieces.

4. Continue with steps 7-11 in Thermomix® Method.

Makes 6 medium buns

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Snapper Pie

Page 6

Serves 2-4

Ingredients

400g Butter Pastry (Page 3)butter to grease dish300g brown onion, peeled and quartered 60g extra virgin olive oil ¼ tsp sea salt100g fish or chicken stock 150g pure cream (not thickened) Freshly ground white pepper500g thick Snapper fillets 2 tsp white truffle oil (optional)1 egg yolk (or 2 Tbsp milk of choice) for glaze

Also needed:

1.4L baking dish (or 3 L baking dish if doubling)Baking paperRolling pinPastry brush

Fouad:This recipe is inspired by an iconic dish at a beautiful Sydney restaurant called The Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay. This was a favourite before I discovered that gluten was so problematic for me, and so we’ve aimed to create something similar using our dough. This is an impressive dish which makes it very suitable for when you have guests!

This pie can serve 4-6 by doubling the recipe. Follow the instructions in the parentheses.

Thermomix® method

1. Roll out butter pastry between two pieces of baking paper to approx 5mm thick. Place into fridge to chill (on a baking tray to keep it flat) while preparing filling.

2. Grease a 1.4L deep pie dish with butter and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 220ºC.

4. Place onions into TM bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5. Remove approx two thirds of the onion from bowl and set aside.

5. Add 20g of oil to TM bowl, and cook 7 min/Varoma/Reverse/speed 1. Remove from bowl and set aside to add back to the sauce later.

6. Return remaining (uncooked) onion to TM bowl, add remaining 40g olive oil and 1/4 tsp sea salt, and cook 15 min/Varoma/speed 1. (20 min/Varoma/speed 1 for double recipe)

7. Add stock to TM bowl and simmer 7 min/Varoma/speed 1/MC off with simmering basket on lid, to reduce by half. (10 min for double recipe)

8. Add cream and simmer 10 min/Varoma/speed 1/MC off with simmering basket on lid, until the sauce is thickened and pale golden. The sauce may stick a little to the bottom of the TM bowl as it reduces, but will clean off easily. (15 min for double recipe)

9. Replace MC and carefully purée 30 sec/speed 5, until smooth and creamy. Add reserved cooked onion and stir through 5 sec/speed 3.

10. Spoon half of the sauce into the baking dish. Place fish fillets into the baking dish, season with salt and pepper, spread remaining sauce over the fish and drizzle with truffle oil if using.

11. Take dough from fridge and carefully remove top piece of baking paper. Invert dough over pie dish and centre over dish. Carefully remove baking paper. With a sharp knife, trim the dough overhanging the sides of the baking dish.

12. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tsp water and brush over the top of the pastry. With a sharp knife, cut 4-5 small slits in the top of the pastry, or decorate as desired.

13. Bake 15-20 minutes at 220ºC, or until pastry is golden and fish is cooked through. Do not overcook as the fish will become tough.

Tips for Conventional method

Chop onions in a food processor or by hand, then saute onions and cook sauce in a heavy based saucepan, stirring as it simmers so that it doesn’t stick. Process sauce in a blender until smooth and creamy, then add reserved onions and continue with recipe.

Storage

Leftovers can be kept in fridge for up to 2 days, but this dish is best served hot out of the oven as the fish will dry out a bit if you reheat it.

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Feta & Mint Fatayer

Page 8

Ingredients

600g Grain Free Dough30g flat leaf parsley, washed and towel dried50g fresh mint, washed and towel dried½ of a small brown onion250g firm feta cheeseTapioca starch for dusting, as needed1 egg, whisked, or ¼ cup milk of choice (for brushing onto pastry)1 Tbsp sesame seeds or nigella seeds (or a mixture)

Also needed:

Silicone mat or baking paperRolling pinPastry brushBaking trays

Fouad: Fatayer, pastries similar to Turkish pide, were often on the menu during my childhood. My mother would spend a day baking a great batch of dough into different types of pastries. Some would be sprinkled with zaatar, others would be filled with spinach and onion or labna and onions. Our favourite by far were cheese fatayer and this version has the classic flavour combination of feta and mint. It doesn’t get much better than this! Note that you can make larger pide style pastries if you would prefer.

Thermomix® method

1. Remove stalks from parsley and mint and place leaves into the TM bowl. Chop 3 sec/speed 7.

2. Add onion to bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5.

3. Rinse feta cheese to reduce saltiness. Pat dry with kitchen towels and crumble roughly into bowl. Chop 10 sec/speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and mix 5 sec/speed 3.

4. Place dough on a silicone mat or sheet of baking paper dusted with tapioca starch. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces with a spatula or butter knife. Roll each piece into a long cylinder, then cut into 6 equal pieces. You will have 24 small pieces of dough.

5. Preheat oven to 200ºC and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Set aside.

6. Form a smooth ball with one piece of dough, and flatten slightly. Roll with rolling pin into a wide oval about 10ºCm long, dusting as needed with tapioca starch and turning over in starch to keep it from sticking.

7. Place 1 slightly rounded teaspoon of filling onto the middle of the oval, and roll sides inwards to create a boat shape, pinching ends together firmly. Place onto lined baking trays, and brush pastry with beaten egg or milk. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Sprinkle the filling in each fatayer with a pinch of sesame seeds or nigella seeds.

8. Place trays into oven and cook for approx 15 mins, turning trays halfway through so the pastry browns evenly. Once pastry is golden brown, remove from oven and allow to cool on trays. Serve warm or at room temp. Delicious with a squeeze of lemon!

Tips for Conventional Method

Finely chop onion and herbs. Crumble feta into a bowl and mash with a fork, then mix in the onion and herbs. Prepare fatayer as above.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Reheat in 200ºC oven until heated through.

Makes 24

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Boxing Day Pasties

Page 10

Ingredients

1 large brown onion, halved1 leek, green outer leaves removed, rinsed well & roughly chopped1-2 cloves garlicHandful chopped Italian parsley2 tsps fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves (or ½ tsp dried)1 tsp fresh sage leaves (or ½ tsp dried)3 Tbsp ghee or olive oil150g carrot, cut into 1cm cubes200g sweet potato or pumpkin, cut into 1cm cubes200g potato or turnip, cut into 1cm cubes½ bunch kale or silverbeet, thinly sliced250ml broth (beef or lamb, depending on meat used)1-2 tsp salt (or to taste)½ tsp pepper400g roast beef or lamb, cut into 1-2cm cubes1.2kg Grain Free Dough1 egg, whisked, for egg wash

Also needed:

Baking traysBaking paperRolling pinPastry brush

Does your family have a roast dinner on Christmas Day? This is a great recipe to use up leftover roast beef or lamb, so it’s perfect for Boxing Day. Cook some veggies and herbs in broth and add the leftover roast meat, then use as a filling in our Grain Free Dough to make pasties. They are perfect to take with you on a picnic, or pop them into the freezer once cooked and use them for easy lunches.

Thermomix® method

1. Place onion, leek, garlic and herbs into TM bowl and chop 4 sec/speed 5, or chop by hand. Place into a large, heavy-based pot and add ghee or olive oil. Saute over medium-high heat for 5 mins, stirring, or until soft and starting to brown.

2. Add vegetables and broth and bring to a simmer. Place lid on pot and leave to simmer over low heat for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.

3. Add roast meat and salt and pepper, stir through, then simmer for another couple of minutes with lid off to reduce broth. Once the broth is almost all evaporated, check seasonings and adjust as needed, then remove from heat and cool while you prepare the pastry.

4. Preheat oven to 180ºC.

5. Divide dough into 12 x 100g balls. Roll balls into circles approx 15cm in diameter, 5mm thick. Divide mixture between the 12 circles, only covering half the circle, and leaving room around the edges to seal the dough together.

6. Carefully fold dough over filling and press shut with fingers. Brush each pastie with egg wash, then cut three slits into the top of each one for steam to escape.

7. Bake in 180ºC oven for approx 20-25 mins, or until golden and crisp on the edges. Serve warm or cold.

Tips for Conventional Method

Chop onion, leek, garlic and herbs by hand, then continue with recipe.

Storage

Pasties will keep in fridge for up to 3 days, but are best eaten within a day or two. Reheat in oven. Freeze for up to 2 months, wrapped well so that they are airtight.

Makes 12 pasties

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Lasagne

Page 12

Bolognese Sauce:1 brown onion, halved4 cloves garlic, peeled A large handful fresh basil leaves2 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves only (or 1 tsp dried oregano)½ tsp fresh rosemary leaves (or ½ tsp dried rosemary)60g ghee or olive oil, plus extra to grease dish500g vine-ripened tomatoes, halved150g carrots, quartered1 celery stalk, quartered (including leaves)100g zucchini, quarteredhalf a red capsicum (approx 100g)400g minced beef (or lamb, turkey or chicken)100g thickly sliced mushrooms120g tomato paste1 tsp apple cider vinegar1 tsp honey2 tsp sea saltpepper to taste

White Sauce:500g almond milk (or milk of choice)2 eggs30g ghee or coconut oil1 tsp dried onion flakes1 tsp garlic powder½ tsp honey1 tsp herb salt or fine sea salt40g tapioca starch

Pasta:700g Grain Free Dough, sweet potato variation (or plain)

Optional:200g cheddar cheese, grated50g parmesan cheese, grated

Also needed:33 x 23cm baking dishBaking paperTapioca starch for dusting doughRolling pin

Who doesn’t love lasagne? We’re not fans of store-bought gluten-free lasagne sheets. Often made with corn or some other grain, the result is hard to digest. This recipe was dreamt up by one of our quirky friends, who said it was the best lasagne she’d ever had! We hadn’t even thought of using our dough to make lasagne, but it turned out great.

Bolognese Sauce

1. Place onion, garlic and herbs into TM bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5.

2. Add tomatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini and capsicum and chop 8 sec/speed 5.

3. Add ghee or olive oil, mince, mushrooms, tomato paste, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper to TM bowl. Use spatula to stir ingredients and break up mince. Cook 25 mins/Varoma/rev/speed soft. Serve warm or cold.

White Sauce

Place all white sauce ingredients into TM bowl and cook 7 min/90ºC/speed 4.

Assembling and Baking

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC. Grease a 33 x 23cm baking dish with ghee or olive oil. Set dish aside.

2. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions (approx 230g each). Place one portion onto a large piece of baking paper, and dust generously with tapioca, turning it over to dust both sides. Flatten with hands to form a rectangle, then place another large piece of baking paper over the top of the dough and roll out to a rectangle slightly larger than your dish, and 2mm thick. Remove top piece of baking paper. Trim edges of dough to make it the same size as the dish and cut into quarters to create four pieces of ‘pasta’ dough.

3. Spread a small amount of bolognese sauce into the bottom of the baking dish, to barely cover base of dish.

4. Carefully lift the pieces of dough with a spatula and place them into the dish to cover base.

5. Spread half of the bolognese sauce over the dough sheets, followed by ¼ of the white sauce and ¼ of the grated cheese.

6. Repeat with a second layer of dough sheets following instructions as above for rolling out, followed by the remaining half of the bolognese sauce, ¼ of the white sauce and ¼ of the grated cheese.

Serves 6 to 8

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7. Place a third layer of dough sheets into the dish then top with remaining white sauce and remaining cheese, if using.

8. Bake 35-40 minutes at 180ºC, until bubbling and golden brown. Rest 10 minutes before cutting into pieces and serving.

Tips for Conventional Method

Bolognese Sauce: Chop or grate vegetables, place all ingredients into a large saucepan, and cook on stove top over medium heat for about 20 mins. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking, and add a little water if needed.

White Sauce:Place all ingredients into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. When sauce begins to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and whisk while cooking until thickened and smooth.

Storage

Store in fridge for up to 3 days, or in freezer for up to 6 months. Store in fridge for up to 3 days, or in freezer for up to 6 months.

Mince Pies

Page 14

Ingredients

1400g Butter Pastry (Page 3), chilled2 oranges, zest and juice (need 200g juice - top up with water if needed)400g pears (peeled and cored weight), quartered150g apples (peeled and cored weight), quartered100g Medjool dates, deseeded100g raisins100g sultanas100g dried cranberries50g dried apricots, diced50g dried figs, diced1 tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mixed spice 1 tsp vanilla extract50g brandy, optional (use 50g water if not using brandy)Butter to grease tins1 egg (or ¼ cup milk of choice) to glaze dough

Also needed:2 x 12 hole muffin traysSmall star cookie cutterPastry brush

Christmas without mince pies? Has the world gone mad? If you’ve been gluten-free for a while and miss this Christmas favourite, you’re in for a real treat!

Thermomix® method

Fruit Mince

1. Place orange zest into TM bowl and grate 5 sec/speed 7.

2. Add pear, apple and dates to TM bowl and chop 10 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides of bowl.

3. Add remaining mince ingredients including orange juice and cook 20 min/Varoma/Reverse/speed 1.

4. Place in fridge to cool while preparing pastry.

Tips for Conventional Method

Zest orange with a zester, and finely chop pear, apple and dates in a food processor or by hand. Place all ingredients into a saucepan and simmer with lid on for 20 mins, or until mixture is well-cooked and thickened. Cool in fridge.

Pastry

1. Grease muffin trays with butter. Pinch off small balls of dough and press into trays to 3-5mm thick to create the pastry cases for the mince pies. (This is easier than rolling out the dough and cutting circles then placing into tins!)

2. Roll out any remaining dough between two sheets of baking paper, and place on a tray and into freezer to chill. This will be used to cut stars from.

3. Place trays into freezer to chill and preheat oven to 180ºC.

4. Once oven is hot, place trays into oven and cook 10 mins at 180ºC. Remove from oven.

5. Divide filling between pastry cases.

6. Remove dough from freezer and cut out stars. Place a star on top of each pie.

7. Whisk egg and brush over the stars and the edges of the pastry case (or use milk if you prefer). Place into oven and cook 15 mins at 180ºC, or until pastry is golden.

8. Allow to cool in muffin tins. Serve warm or cold.

Storage

Pasties will keep in fridge for up to 3 days, but are best eaten within a day or two. Reheat in oven. Freeze for up to 2 months, wrapped well so that they are airtight.

Makes 24

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Chocolate HazelnutChristmas Tree

Chocolate Hazelnut Christmas Tree

Page 18

Ingredients

Choc Hazelnut Spread (If you want to save time, you can buy Nourishing Bites’ “Heavenly Hazel” spread here in the Quirky store! It’s dairy free, refined sugar free, and delicious!)70g coconut sugar or 50g honey (or to taste)60g hazelnuts, skinless50g dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa)20g cacao powder (optional - omit for lighter chocolate)100g coconut cream or almond milk70g butter or coconut oil

500g Butter Pastry (Page 3)

Also needed:

30ºCm plastic rulerBaking paperLarge baking traySmall knifeRolling pin

You may have seen this recipe getting around on Facebook, made with Nutella (TM) and puff pastry sheets. And you may have been wishing you had a healthy version without all the gluten, vegetable oils and sugar… Well, here it is! Make your own chocolate hazelnut spread or use Heavenly Hazel spread, and add butter to our Grain Free Dough for the perfect buttery, crisp pastry! You can use up any scraps of dough with the remaining chocolate spread by making little scrolls - roll out the dough to 5mm thick, spread with softened choc spread, roll up and slice into 1cm wide scrolls, then bake as below. Delicious!

Thermomix® method

Choc Hazelnut Spread

1. Place coconut sugar (if using) into TM bowl with hazelnuts and mill 10 sec/speed 9.

2. Add chocolate, broken into pieces, and chop 5 sec/speed 9. Scrape down sides of bowl.

3. Add cacao powder (opt), cream or milk, and butter or coconut oil. If using honey, add now. Cook 6 mins/60ºC/speed 3.

4. Pour into a jar and place into fridge to chill.

Tips for Conventional Method

Mill sugar in a blender at high speed, and use bought hazelnut meal. Grate chocolate by hand or in a food processor, place all ingredients into a saucepan, then simmer over medium heat until melted.

Assembling and Baking

Makes 1 x 600g tree, plus leftover dough and choc spread can be used for scrolls

1. Once dough is well chilled and the choc spread is cooled and thickened, you can begin. Start by dividing dough into two balls of 250g, then press one ball into a flat square with your hands on a large piece of baking paper. Place another large piece of baking paper on top, and use a rolling pin to roll out to approx 3mm thick. Trim edges to make a 250mm square. Repeat with other ball of dough. (Make sure you reposition paper as needed so that it doesn’t crease into the dough, or you will find it difficult to remove without breaking the dough.) Place squares of dough in paper onto a baking tray to keep them flat, then place into freezer to chill for 20 mins.

2. Once dough is firm, remove 1 square from freezer. Take the paper off the top of the dough. With a ruler and the tip of a knife, lightly score the shape of a Christmas tree on the dough, so you have an outline to spread the choc spread into. The baseline of the tree should be 250mm long and 20mm above the bottom of the dough to leave room for a trunk. Draw in the trunk, approx 60mm wide, under the baseline. (See image 1)

Image 1 Image 2 Image 3

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3. Spread some soft choc hazelnut spread inside the tree outline using the back of a spoon, to approx 3mm in thickness. (See image 2) You’ll only need about a quarter of the batch of choc spread, the rest can be stored in the fridge and used within a few weeks.

4. Place the chocolate tree back onto the tray in the freezer and chill for 20 mins, or until firm.

5. Remove both dough squares from freezer, and take the baking paper off the top of the second square of dough. Turn over and place dough on top of the chocolate tree dough, so that the two squares line up. Remove the baking paper from top of dough. Press dough down gently to smooth, gently feeling the outline of where the chocolate is underneath. Score along the outline of the tree with a knife and ruler, cutting through both layers of dough carefully so you have a chocolate tree sandwich. Remove excess pastry. (Wrap and place in fridge for other uses).

6. Score the trunk of the tree from the tip of the tree in two diagonal lines down to the width of the trunk. (See image 3) This is so that you know where to cut the branch lines to. Replace in freezer to chill again

for a few minutes. 7. Pressing the knife down rather than slicing, begin

cutting pastry to form the branches, following the line of the trunk. Branches should be approx 1cm wide and slightly narrower as you get to the top. If the pastry begins to tear, place back in freezer for 10 minutes until firm again. (See image 4)

8. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200ºC. If you have a pizza stone, place it on the middle rack in the oven, as the pastry will be crisper if cooked on a stone.

9. If you work quickly and the dough is still firm, you can go ahead and begin twisting the branches. If the branches get a bit too soft and squishy, pop it back in the freezer for 10 minutes then try again. You may have to do this a couple of times as you work. Beginning at the base, twist the pastry away from you, trying to get in two turns on the lower branches. (See image 5) Continue moving up the tree, twisting away from you as you go. Towards the top of the tree you may only get a single twist, and the last couple of branches can stay flat.

10. Cut a star out of the pastry trimmings and place on top of the tree. Place tree back into freezer for

40 mins, or until very firm. 11. Remove tree from freezer, brush quickly with egg wash

(opt), and place tray onto hot stone in oven. (See image 6)

12. Bake at 200ºC for 15-18 mins (turning tray around part way through), until pastry is golden. Turn oven off and leave in oven for another 5-10 mins with oven door slightly ajar, to let pastry crisp up a little more. Remove from oven and cool on tray.

13. Can be served warm or cold. If serving cold, wrap well once cooled. (You can also warm it in the oven before serving if you want to serve it hot the next day.)

Storage

Best eaten on day of baking, but can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month, well wrapped to prevent drying out. Reheat in hot oven before serving to refresh pastry.

Image 4 Image 5 Image 6

Page 19

Mini Beigli

Page 20

Ingredients

1kg Basic Grain-free Dough

Walnut Filling170g walnuts 1 small apple, peeled and quartered (approx 70g) 50g honey1 tsp vanilla extract50g sultanas1 lemon, zest1 heaped tsp cinnamon25g milk (or coconut milk)

Poppy Seed Filling170g poppy seeds75g honey1 tsp vanilla extract50g sultanas1 lemon, zest1 heaped tsp cinnamon50g milk (or coconut milk)

2 eggs, yolks and whites separated and individually whisked (for egg wash)

Also needed:

Baking paperBaking traysPastry brushMetal skewer

Beigli is the most popular Christmas pastry in Hungary. It is traditionally made with two fillings - a dense, rich, bittersweet poppy seed filling, and a filling made from minced walnuts or chestnuts. Although a sweet yeast dough is usually used, we decided to try it with our grain free dough, and the result is delicious! We made the rolls smaller than usual so that they cook through easily, as this is a yeast-free dough and won’t rise much. After baking, the beigli are cooled then sliced into scrolls. The little scrolls with the two fillings look beautiful arranged on a plate - the perfect finger food to take to a Christmas party!

Thermomix® method

Walnut Filling

1. Place walnuts into TM bowl and mill 10 sec/speed 8.2. Add apple and chop 3 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides

of TM bowl and add remaining ingredients.3. Cook 3 min/100ºC/Reverse/speed 2.4. Remove from TM bowl and set aside to cool. The filling

should be a thick, paste-like consistency.

Poppy Seed Filling

5. Place poppy seeds into TM bowl and mill 15 sec/speed 8.

6. Add remaining ingredients and cook 3 min/100ºC/Reverse/speed 2.

7. Remove from TM bowl and set aside to cool. The filling should be a thick, paste-like consistency. If the filling is too thick, add a little extra milk.

Assembling Beigli

1. Divide the dough into 10 x 100g portions. Take one portion at a time (keep the remaining portions covered and refrigerated) and roll out into a rectangle approx 5mm thick between two pieces of baking paper.

2. Spread filling of choice over the dough leaving a 1cm border around the edges. Fold the two sides of the rectangle in 1cm over the filling (leaving the top and bottom edges open), then brush the top edge with egg white.

3. Carefully roll the dough from the bottom edge towards the top edge and seal. Gently turn the beigli sealed side up and ensure the sealed edge is completely sealed, then brush with egg white. Place the beigli onto a baking paper lined tray, sealed side down, cover and keep cool in the fridge. Repeat with remaining dough.

4. Preheat oven to 180ºC.

5. Brush the beigli with egg yolk and place the tray into the fridge until the egg yolk is dry. Brush the beigli with egg white and place the tray into the fridge until the egg white is dry.

6. Using a skewer, poke five holes through the top of the beigli all the way through to the bottom. Do not use a fork as it will stick to the dough.

7. Bake beigli on the middle rack of the oven approx 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Check after 15 minutes at 180ºC and turn baking tray around if need be.

8. Allow beigli to cool completely before slicing.

Makes 10 small Beigli

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Tips for Conventional Method

Walnut Filling: Process walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Place into a large mixing bowl along with the apple (grated), vanilla, sultanas, lemon zest and cinnamon and stir to combine. In a small saucepan on the stove, heat milk and honey until it almost reaches a boil. Pour milk over the ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir thoroughly.

Poppy Seed Filling: Place poppy seeds, vanilla, sultanas, lemon zest and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. In a small saucepan on the stove, heat milk and honey until it almost reaches a boil. Pour milk over the ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir thoroughly.

Storage

Best eaten within a day or two of baking, but can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Apple & Nutmeg Frangipane Tarte

Page 22

Ingredients

350g Grain Free Dough150g blanched almond meal 100g tapioca starch, plus extra for dustingzest of 1 mandarin½ tsp nutmeg¼ tsp salt1 tsp baking powder50g coconut sugar or honey90g high oleic organic sunflower oil (for dairy free) or butter550g granny smith apples (approx 3 medium), peeled, core removed, and cut into 8 pieces eachextra coconut sugar for dusting (optional)

Also needed:

25cm tart panRolling pinBaking paper

We tested this recipe at least 20 times, just to make sure it tasted good. ;) Frangipane is usually a mixture of eggs, almonds, sugar and butter, but we’ve managed to create a completely grain-free, egg-free and dairy-free alternative that has zero compromises! It’s also easy to make and works great for parties.

Thermomix® method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC.

2. Line the bottom of a 25cm tart pan with baking paper. Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 27cm circle. Remove top sheet, turn over carefully into pan and press in, then remove top sheet. Press the dough into the sides of tart pan.

3. Place almond meal, tapioca starch, mandarin zest, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and coconut sugar (if using) into TM bowl and mix 15 sec/speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl.

4. Place honey (if using) and sunflower oil or butter into bowl. Mix 8 sec/speed 4. If using butter, further blending may be required to incorporate butter into mixture.

5. Place mixture into the tart and spread evenly.

6. Place apples in a circular pattern (see photo) on top of mixture and press down firmly until the apple is half submerged into mixture. Sprinkle with extra coconut sugar if using.

7. Bake for 30 minutes at 200ºC. Carefully remove from tart pan and place on cooling rack. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Tips for Conventional Method

Mix almond meal, tapioca starch, mandarin zest, nutmeg, salt, baking powder and coconut sugar (if using) in a food processor or by hand until evenly combined. Do not overmix. Add honey and butter/oil and mix until incorporated. Do not overblend. Continue with recipe.

Storage

Best eaten within a day or two of baking, but can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

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Fried Apricot Pies

Page 24

Ingredients

500g Grain Free Dough340g whole dried apricots, preservative and vegetable oil free230g water10-30g honey or coconut sugar*2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil½ tsp ground cinnamonTapioca starch for dusting, as neededCoconut oil for frying

Also needed:

Large frying panSilicone mat or baking paperMetal spatulas or forks

*Note: Add sweetener to taste, depending on how sweet your apricots are. Sweetener can be omitted.

Jo: Fried Apricot Pies are a popular Southern American treat which I have ‘healthified’! These were a family favourite when I was growing up. I would often come home from school to find my mum just taking a fresh batch of pies out of the frying pan for afternoon tea. No wonder my friends often followed me home! Apricot pies are perfect for taking on a picnic. Surprise the kids with freshly fried pies after school and they’ll love you forever!

Thermomix® method

1. Place apricots and water into TM bowl and cook 20 mins/100ºC/rev/speed soft for TM31, or 15 mins/100ºC/rev/speed soft for TM5. Water should be absorbed and apricots soft once done. Keep an eye on them towards the end of the cooking time and add a little more water if needed.

2. Add honey or coconut sugar (if using), butter or coconut oil, and cinnamon. Chop 15-20 sec/speed 4, to make a chunky jam consistency. Remove to a bowl and set aside to cool a little while you prepare dough.

Assembling and frying pies

1. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Pat a ball of dough out with your fingers on silicon mat or baking paper dusted with tapioca starch, to make a circle about 14 cm in diameter. Move to the side and repeat with remaining dough balls, until you have all circles ready to fill.

2. Divide filling between circles of pastry, approx 1 ½ Tbsp of filling per circle, spreading filling on one half of circle to within a centimetre of edge.

3. Moisten edge of pastry with a little water, then fold over filling, pressing edges down gently to seal. Use a fork to press edges together. (If fork sticks to dough, dip into some tapioca starch.)

4. Pour some coconut oil into the frying pan to 5mm deep. Turn to med-high and heat oil until a tiny piece of dough dropped into the oil sizzles and bubbles

straight away. Turn heat down to med-low. (If using a cast iron pan, you will need the heat very low so as not to burn the pies.)

5. Place a few of the pies carefully into the oil, taking care not to crowd the pan so they are easy to turn over. Cook until golden on one side, approx 5-10 mins, moving pies around in pan so they brown evenly. Turn pies over carefully once browned on one side, using two metal spatulas or forks. Continue to cook 5-10 mins on other side until golden.

6. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

7. Continue with remaining pies, adding a little more coconut oil to pan if needed to keep it to approx 5mm deep.

8. Serve warm or cold. Can sprinkle with a little coconut sugar if desired.

Tips for Conventional Method

Place apricots and water into a saucepan and simmer, stirring, until water is absorbed and apricots are soft. Place into a food processor and add remaining filling ingredients. Chop roughly to form a chunky jam

consistency.

Storage

Best eaten on the day they are made, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat either in a frying pan or in the oven.

Makes 10 pies

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