Gluten free desserts can be delicious, even if you don’t follow a gluten-free diet. With the right recipes and ingredients, you can make tasty cookies, cakes and pastries of all kinds. I put together a collection of some of my favorite gluten free desserts to satisfy whatever you are craving. (Recipe for Pavlova below).
Gluten Free Desserts
Flan is a creamy custard that is bound by lots of whole eggs and can be silky smooth if baked just right. The trick is to bake it in a water bath until it is just set like jello, then take it out before the proteins in the eggs cook too tight and get rubbery. It is super simple, but takes knowing what to look for.
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Aran Goyoaga's new book Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple includes this amazing recipe for meringue cake with roasted apples. I made it as written, except I did mine with pears. Aran has graciously allowed me to share her recipe with you.
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The texture of crème brûlée is like velvet, because it is made with egg yolks, which make it rich and creamy. Unlike it's custard cousins, flan and creme caramel, the crème brûlée doesn't get inverted, so it doesn't need the strength of the egg whites to hold its shape. It is made in a shallow ramekin, so it can be partnered with just the right ratio of burnt sugar. The gossamer thin layer of caramel cracks like glass, but the contrast to the custard below is the perfect yin and yang of the pastry world. In truth creme brûlée is so simple to make, despite its reputation of the opposite.
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Delicate and brittle on the outside with rich buttercream or ganache in the middle, macarons are not as difficult as you think. You can color them for any occasion and they're just beautiful, delicious and fun. Note: This recipe does require a scale, otherwise there is too much variability in the measurements to come out well.
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These Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies from Stephanie Meyer’s The 30-Minute Paleo Cookbook are the ultimate snack to satisfy. They are super decadent and rich with flavor because they are made with almond butter. The cookies, like everything Stephanie creates, is gluten-free, in fact, these have NO flour at all and can also be made vegan.
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A pavlova is a study in perfect imperfection. It bakes into a delicate, smooth shell that collapses in the middle, begging for any manner of filling.Watch me make this on Instagram!Want to try mini pavlovas? You can watch me make those too.
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This recipe is just a combination of sugars and gelatin—simple as that. You can keep the marshmallows pure or play with flavored extracts and fun colors. They store for weeks in a dry spot. Anytime you come home after braving the cold, just make up some hot cocoa and float a bit of happiness on top.
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This apple crisp can be in the oven in less than 30 minutes and emerges bubbling, crisp and the perfect landing place for a scoop of ice cream. My topping typically has rolled oats, but this time I wanted the toasted almonds to be the clear star, so I used oat flour instead of the old fashioned oats and all-purpose flour, making this crisp entirely gluten-free (and vegan).
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This is like the most elegant brownie-cake you've ever had. That really doesn't do it justice, but you know that fudge texture of a perfectly baked brownie, where the top has a nice crust and the inside is smooth and rich? This is that, but even better and somehow lighter. I gilded the lily with candied hazelnuts.
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Flourless chocolate torte is a long-standing tradition on Passover. I have made several variations, but this one is far and away the most popular. It is made of several layers of a flourless chocolate-almond cake and bittersweet ganache. I make the whole thing without dairy, for those who keep to kosher laws, and you’ll never know the difference. It is one of the few times I use margarine and cream substitute and I promise it is absolutely divine.
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This is a super simple and quick chocolate mousse recipe you can whip up at the last minute. The bit of crunch in the middle is fantastic and the mousse is rich and delicious, with a perfectly torched toasted meringue topping.
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This lemon-lime mousse is tangy, a touch sweet, and light. The fresh strawberries lend a perfect balance of flavor and texture to the dessert.
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Inspired by Claudia Flemming's book, The Last Course: The Desserts of Gramercy Tavern from Random House, frozen Orange-Blossom Honey Mousse is topped with Blood Orange Sorbet to create my idea of the perfect creamsicle and then topped it with a Rosemary and Orange Meringue.
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A semifreddo is a cross between ice cream and mousse, but doesn't require any special equipment to prepare. The texture is smooth and luxurious when allowed to sit at room temperature until it just on the verge of melting, but still partially cold, hence the name.
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These peanut butter cup meringue cookies are a delight and hit the flavor and texture profiles just right. They are just the right balance of sweet and salty, like a peanut butter cup candy, but with the ethereal quality I love about meringue. This recipe was graciously shared by Rebecca Firth from her book The Cookie Book!
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The tartness of the curd in these lemon-lavender meringue tarts is a perfect match for the sweet meringue. The lavender is a great touch.
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These fun orange creamsicle pops could not be easier to make! They get dressed up with a bit of chocolate and some fancy sprinkles.
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This is one of those desserts that looks magical and stands so far above the rim of the vessel that it seems to defy reason and gravity. It's really only three elements blended together (passion fruit curd, meringue and whipped cream), then frozen into an elegant semifreddo in the shape of a baked soufflé. The texture is a cross between an airy mousse and ice cream.
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What could be better than picking your own apples and making baked goods and applesauce with your bounty? When making applesauce, I like to use a variety of apples, so the sauce has a mix of tart, sweet, firm, and softer apples. It makes the applesauce taste better and have a more interesting texture.
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This strawberry fool is made with strawberry coulis, homemade lemon curd, whipped cream, and a fresh strawberry garnish. What's not to love?
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This Sweet Corn Ice Cream is truly brilliant. The taste of corn can be easily overpowered, so keep it simple. Nothing more than a bit of sugar, a touch of honey, lots of cream and a dash of vanilla. Inspired by Melissa Clark's recipe at the New York Times.
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Wonderful Pavlova demo
Thank you, Thank you for this gluten free collection! Can’t wait to make these!