Heavenly would not be an overstatement for describing this gluten free tres leches cake. Thank you to centuries of globalization for the dissemination and ultimate perfection of this milk and cream soaked cake. Apparently, after a grand total of five minutes of digital research, I’ve discovered that soaked cakes were popular in Europe in Medieval times (more likely soaked in alcoholic liquids), and that recipes for such cakes were then seen in Mexico starting around the 19th century (though with such an easy cake to begin with, undoubtedly soaked cakes were made by people throughout the Americas after the mid-1400s and recipes were passed down orally). More interesting still, the…
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Graham Cracker Toffee Bars
I have vivid memories of laying out trays full of graham crackers (glutinous ones at the time – this was pre-Celiac-diagnosis and pre-anything-other-than-cardboard-gluten-free-snacks) to make these heavenly graham cracker toffee bars. Toffee has always been that guilty pleasure treat for me – though the real stuff always sticks in my teeth or just about breaks them with that first glass-shattering crunch. That’s why these graham cracker toffee bars are the answer to my life-long desire and the most dangerous cookie-sheet full of goodness you could put in front of me. I definitely almost ate the entire bowl of butter+brown sugar while making them, every time. Now that I’m an adult…
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Lemon Poppyseed Shortbread
Shortbread always used to puzzle me – as a kid it seemed far more exciting to go for something richly chocolate or raspberry or creamy, not a dry square of short bread (what a name!) with no added flavor. Who in their right mind would choose such a thing over a brownie? Very very recently, upon the discovery of incredibly good butter (once you taste it you can’t go back), I reneged on my avoidance campaign of the crumbly British dessert and jumped on the shortbread train. This was particularly helpful as well because shortbread is remarkably easy to make gluten free. Many recipes, Scottish shortbread specifically, even add in…
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Gluten Free Matcha Swirl Pound Cake with Matcha Glaze
Swirls are the name of the game, especially so in this gluten free matcha swirl pound cake. If you’re a fan of the earthy-sweet verdant powder, then you’ll be a big fan of this easier-than-it-looks cake. If you’re not, then forego the green addition and keep it simple with a pound cake bundt cake, or toss in a powder you have more affinity for (say, blitzed up freeze dried raspberries or strawberries?). Up to you – this is a fool-proof pound cake recipe by our very own Kendra Farber, so use it as your buttery, sugar-heavy foundation for whatever flavor pairing gets you saying “thank goodness” at the end of…
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Blue Ribbon Blueberry Cobbler
Does it ever bother you that blueberries aren’t actually blue? Sure, they appear so from the outside, but deep down they’re just a purple mess masquerading as royal blue perfection. Aren’t we all. There’s nothing a good-quality coat can’t hide. This cobbler, though, celebrates the internal mess – it’s actually quite lovely to Jackson Pollock your plate in the deep, runny purples and red-tinged violets of blueberry guts or gaze at the ethereal glow of a fuchsia stained glass pie plate. The neat little circles of topping that crown the entire mess just furthers our affinity for this self-reflection-in-cobbler: lighter, slightly crunchy clouds of biscuity dough that tuck everything in…
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Gluten Free Macadamia and White Chocolate Blondies
All hail the golden-girl (or boy) of the dessert world: the Blondie. While you might be astonished, and rightly so, that anyone would want to make a chocolate-less brownie, don’t pass up these sugar-laden, butter-heavy squares until you’ve given them their proper taste-testing. Gluten free blondies are an old after-school favorite of mine – my grandma used to throw a batch of these into the oven mid-afternoon and drive to pick us up from high school with a few (still warm) bars tucked away in a paper towel between the front seats. Blondies will now forever take me back to those delicious rides home, munching on the melt-in-your-mouth, often-coconut-topped, blondies…
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Vanilla Swiss Roll with Strawberry Balsamic Reduction
Sometimes, a swirl is all you need in a slice of cake – and hopefully a more elegant one than appeared in this one the first time I made it. But hey! Even when it’s a mess, it can taste fantastic (thank the Eton Mess for calling this out by name). Swiss rolls are definitely daunting baking endeavors (if you really want to feel the stress, watch the British Baking Show’s episode on Swiss rolls), but ultimately, they’re a fairly simple dessert, despite the nerve wracking presentation and actual rolling. The lightness of the sponge cake base is perfect for a gluten free dessert because it relies heavily on egg…
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Peach + Plum Crumble
Crumble, crisp, cobbler, a rose by any other name would smell (and taste) as sweet, and while crumbles and crisps and cobblers are actually quite different, they all celebrate the caramelized glory of fresh fruit and buttery toppings in all forms and flavors. This peach+plumb crumble is no exception. Honestly, this one may be toeing the line between crumble and cobbler, though cobbler does specifically distinguish its topping from all the rest as “biscuit” dough, so I think we’re safe here with crumble. While this is a great way to add one final hoorah to stone fruit season, it can be done year round with frozen (and thawed) fruit options.…
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Gluten Free Strawberry Ginger Snacking Cake
Dusky summer evenings or hazy summer afternoons are best enjoyed with friends. And by friends I mean wedges of cake – namely, this gluten free strawberry snacking cake. I realize I’m a bit late to the pool party (unless you’re in the southern hemisphere, in which case, get ready for a summer full of this ruby-studded dream, we’re jealous), but if you happen to pick up a pint or two of the season’s tail-end strawberries, by all means make this cake and enjoy it too. This baking endeavor was inspired by the ineffable genius of Bon Appetit mag, who made it their mission earlier this summer to create THE strawberry…
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Gluten Free Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Balsamic Cherries
I don’t know about you, but upon taking the first bite of any cheesecake, all brain and muscle function seems to slow to a cozy, foggy crawl as I wrap my tastebuds around the unbelievable richness. If you can relate, make sure you’re in a safe, comfortable space before digging into this heap of creamy calories. This is the kind of dessert you either make for a crowd when you’re not sure how the dinner conversation is going to go and you’ve got this up your sleeve to knock all your guests into an instant coma and render the evening a resounding success. Or, you make it ahead of time…
