gluten free christmas

These little cookies – described by one friend as tasting like a cookie within a cookie – are really a mixture between a meringue and a cookie. Hence they’ve become known at home, where they’re immensely popular, as Merookies, and are ideal with a cup of coffee after dinner. They are called “forgotten” as, just like the 'Forgotten Pudding' in Nigella Express, they are not baked, but put in a hot oven, which you immediately turn off, leaving the cookies to bake in the fading residual heat overnight. I find it all too easy actually to forget them, and always put a post-it sticker on the oven to remind me they’re in there, so I don’t burn them to a cinder by preheating the oven to cook something else in it the next day. 

Forgotten cookies

free-range egg whites,

fine sea salt

grams/3½oz caster sugar

tsp cornflour

tsp cider vinegar vinegar

¼ tsp ground cardamom

75 grams/2½oz mini dark chocolate chips

75 grams/2½oz pistachios, finely chopped

I have long been a pavaholic but this is my first venture into a fruit-free version. The instant espresso powder (do not use regular instant coffee granules) gives bitter oomph to the sweet, marshmallowy meringue.

Cappuccino pavlova

caster sugar

tsp instant espresso powder (not instant coffee granules)

salt

tsp white wine vinegar

300 milliliters/10fl oz double cream

cocoa powder

I have long been a Pavaholic but this is my first venture into a fruit-free version. The instant espresso powder (do not use regular instant coffee granules) gives bitter oomph to the sweet, marshmallowy meringue.

Cappucino pavlova

Sandwich ginger biscuits with a creamy, zesty filling to make these gluten-free teatime treats that are aromatic with wintry spices - cloves, nutmeg and cardamom

Ginger cookie sandwiches with lemon mascarpone

unsalted butter

golden caster sugar

light brown soft sugar

black treacle

vanilla extract

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

gluten-free flour

ginger

½ tsp ground black pepper

nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

cardamom (the seeds

demerara sugar

mascarpone

lemon curd

To make the cookies, put the butter, sugars, treacle, egg and vanilla in a large bowl and mix together with an electric whisk until smooth and combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients except the demerara. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until a very sticky dough is formed. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 4 hrs.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Roll the cookie dough into balls, about a tablespoon in size, then roll in the demerara sugar. Place on the lined trays, leaving about 2.5cm space between cookies.

Bake for about 14 mins or until just lightly browned around the edges, swapping the trays over halfway through cooking. Allow to cool on the trays for 10 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat together the mascarpone and lemon curd in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain round piping tip. Pipe a layer of the cream onto the base of half the cookies and sandwich together with the other half. Will keep for 3-4 days in a sealed container in the fridge – the texture will turn soft and cakey (this is no bad thing).

Nadiya uses a crisp potato rosti mxture as the base of this cheese and chive quiche. Genius! You could use gluten-free flour to make it gluten-free too.   

Potato rosti quiche

butter

potato (about 325 grams/11½oz), unpeeled and scrubbed

sweet potato (about 325 grams/11½oz), unpeeled and scrubbed

paprika

garlic

tbsp onion granules

grams/1½oz plain flour

free-range egg, plus 1 free-range egg, beaten, for brushing

free-range eggs

150 milliliters/5fl oz full-fat milk

150 grams/5½oz mature cheddar, grated

chives, snipped

salt and black pepper

Spruce up brussels sprouts for Christmas Day with the addition of garlic, lemon and chilli. The result is a flavourful vegan side dish that’s healthy too

Chilli-charred brussels sprouts

brussels sprouts trimmed

olive oil

chilli flakes

lemon

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the brussels sprouts and cook for 4-5 mins until just tender, then drain and leave to cool a little before slicing in half vertically.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and cook until golden but not burnt, around 4 mins. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic and discard. Add the chilli flakes and a big pinch of salt to the oil, then put the sprouts cut-side down in the pan, and leave them to cook for around 10 mins. Don’t be tempted to move them – this ensures that they get some colour. Add the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice, then cook for a few mins more.

Tip onto a large serving platter, top with lemon zest and season. These will hold in a low oven for 20 mins while you get everything else ready.

Top 5 gluten free christmas recipes from across the web

The most viewed gluten free christmas recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Forgotten cookies

Cappuccino pavlova

Ginger cookie sandwiches with lemon...

Potato rosti quiche

Chilli-charred brussels sprouts

Top 5 gluten free christmas recipes from across the web

The most viewed gluten free christmas recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Forgotten cookies

Cappuccino pavlova

Ginger cookie sandwiches with lemon...

Potato rosti quiche

Chilli-charred brussels sprouts

The most viewed gluten free christmas recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine