Guest Post: Autumn Fruit Ginger Pudding by Gluten-Free SCD & Veggie

Today we're wrapping up The Seasonal REAL Food Blog Series with an awesome recipe from Vicky at Gluten Free SCD and Veggie.  I have been following Gluten Free SCD and Veggie for a while now.  It's a wonderful blog filled with yummy, gluten-free, SCD friendly and vegetarian recipes.    

Please make sure to visit Vicky's blog, and while you're there, make sure to check out: Ginger and Lemon Tart, Almond & Butternut Squash Bites, and Grain Free Lemon and Blueberry Cake. 

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When Emily kindly asked me to be included in her Seasonal Real Food Blog Series, I felt so honoured as well as excited because not only have I admired Emily's blog for some time, Autumn is my favourite time of the year as far as cooking is concerned.  The colours of the Autumn foods can be so vibrant and the nutrients they possess are able to perk us all up for the colder months ahead.  I planned to post this recipe idea on my blog a couple of months ago so when Emily asked me to contribute a seasonal recipe, I knew this was perfect.   The pictures show this recipe made with pears but apples and pears together works beautifully and if you pop in some berries, the nutritional value of the pudding increases in leaps and bounds!  Ginger has exceptional healing properties and is well known for it's powers in aiding recovery of colds and flu making it an ideal choice as a spice in cooking at this time of year and it's so warming!

The recipe uses a variation of my Grain Free Plain Sponge Cake Recipe.  You will probably find you have too much cake but it was difficult to split the recipe.  I use one cake and freeze the other for another pudding. 

Autumn Fruit Ginger Pudding

• 1 kg pears or apples, or a mixture of both (about 8) {Emily Note: About 2.2 lbs. for U.S. conversion}
• ½ cup fresh orange juice (or more)
• Honey to taste (optional)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 250 g ground almonds 
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil {Emily Note: I bet this would be delicious w/ coconut oil or pasture butter too - if you use butter, you should use 4 tablespoons}
• 80 ml organic honey 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (alcohol, water and vanilla only)
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• Finely grated rind of 1 small lemon
• Pinch salt

To make the cake :

• Set the oven to 170° C {Emily Note: 338° F for U.S. conversion} then line two 7" sandwich cake tins tins with baking parchment or use 6" square tins. 
• Pour the honey, extra virgin olive oil and vanilla extract into the bowl of a food processor then break in the eggs. Process until combined.
• Measure out the ground almonds, lemon rind, ground ginger, bicarbonate of soda and salt into another bowl and whisk together with a fork or balloon whisk
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients little by little processing on a medium speed until all the dry ingredients have been mixed in.
• Share the batter between the tins then bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the bottom half of the oven or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean and the top is springy to touch.
• Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool further.
• Place on a board and cut into 1" cubes.

To make the fruit filling :

• Peel and slice the fruit. 
• Tip into a pan with the fresh orange juice and cinnamon.
• Bring slowly to the boil then turn down the heat ans simmer for about 20 minutes or until the fruit is soft adding additional orange juice as required.
• Sweeten with honey to taste. 

When the fruit is cooked, tip into a serving dish and top with the cubes of cake.  Serve with your choice of cream.  I made some Vanilla Cashew Cream to serve with this pudding.

{Serves 4-6 people}

Vicky and her family are all vegetarians and live in the North of England.  She started to write her blog, Gluten Free SCD and Veggie, about two and a half years ago having been persuaded by her youngest son to write down the recipes she makes for him.  Her son follows the Specific Carbohydrate Diet which has kept him healthy and symptom free from Crohn's Disease for well over seven years now.  Connect with Vicky on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

Polvorones – Mexican Wedding Cookies w/ Orange Zest (Gluten Free, Egg Free)

These delicious Spanish shortbread-like cookies are common in Mexico and Spain.  In Mexico, they are traditionally served at weddings and special celebrations.   

Little Love’s Waldorf school had a Multicultural Festival a few weekends ago and I made these Polvorones for the dessert table.  We had so much fun making 80 of them!  We actually made 2 versions, one gluten-free and one grain-free, both delicious, but slightly different. 

Little Love making sand art at the Multicultural Festival

Polvorones – Mexican Wedding Cookies w/ Orange Zest 

(Gluten Free, Egg Free)

Equipment:Mixing Bowl, Standing or Hand-Held Mixer, Microplane Rasp Zester or Standing Grater, Baking Sheet/Stoneware Large Bar Pan, Fine Mesh Strainer

·      1 cup pasture butter, room temperature (See Resources)

·      ½ cup organic sugar/evaporated cane juice

·      2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract *

·      Zest of 1 organic orange

·      ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

·      2 cups sprouted brown rice flour (See Resources)

·      1 cup almond flour

·      Organic powdered sugar for dusting

1.    Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2.   In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy.  Add vanilla and mix to combine.

3.   Add remaining ingredients and mix well, just until combined, do not over mix.  Dough will be moist and crumbly, but will come together with hands.    

4.   Make large dough ball with hands (make sure your hands are clean), cut into 4 equal parts with a knife.  Roll dough sections into little balls – each section should make 12 one-inch balls/cookies.

5.    Arrange dough balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheet.  Use a smooth/flat-bottomed floured glass to flatten the balls to about 1/2” thick. 

Little Love helping flatten the cookies with a glass.

6.   Bake about 12-15 minutes or until bottom is lightly golden brown, do not over bake.  Let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Using a fine mesh strainer, immediately dust the tops of the cookies with plenty of powdered sugar. 

7.   Remove cookies from baking sheet and set on a cooling rack to cool. 

Yield: Approximately 4 dozen cookies.

* Variations:  Replace some or all of the vanilla extract with pure anise extract or organic coconut extract for a delicious flavor.