Cooking up a Gluten-Free Storm

Last week, in the first of our 'meet the maker' series, we introduced Nikki, our gluten-free chef extraordinaire. Well, Nikki was nice enough to share a recipie with us, so that anyone who would like to try cooking gluten-free, nut-free cakes can have a go. You'd never know that Nikki's cakes are gluten-free. They are nothing like the dry, crumbly things you get in supermarkets, so these muffins are definitely worth a try. Nikki says that they are easy-peasy, so a good thing to start off with. And if it all goes wrong (let's face it, cooking distaters happen to the best of us, er, right?) you can always come and cheer up at the Kiosk with a hot water bottle and some of Nikki's Kiosk-based gluten free delights.

Nikki's Chocolate Orange Muffins

Basic Gluten-Free Muffins:

180g Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp glycerine
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
175g SR GF flour (I use Doves)
1 tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Xantham Gum
130 ml Sunflower Oil
130 mls Milk / Soya milk( If you want them gluten + Dairy free)

Beat sugar, eggs, glycerine and vanilla in bowl for couple of minutes.

Add flour mixture (flour, baking powder, Xantham Gum) and oil and milk until just mixed together (don’t overbeat.)

Divide into Cases (makes 9 tulip cases /12 normal muffin cases)
Bake at 180 C for 18-20 mins.

Add fruit or flavourings of choice. For chocolate muffins substitute 25g flour for cocoa.

Xantham gum and Doves GF flour are both stocked in Waitrose or Tescos. Just in case you don't have any lurking at the back of your cupboard.