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Welcome to Special Diets

 

We run a free-to-join web-based club for people with food allergies and intolerances.  We aim to provide you with more choices of:-

If you would like to receive our monthly articles and get access to special offers then go to the Join The Club page and fill in your details.

 

We also offer training in catering for special diets to individuals, catering organisations and restaurants.  See the About Us page.

 

We have developed a Allergy Friendly Recipe Book with details of where to buy ingredients.  See the Shopping page.

 

Navigate around the site using the buttons to the right hand side>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

Best Free-From Biscuits and Cookies

 

This month we have looked at the best biscuits and cookies available to buy, as well as digging out our favourite free-from recipes.  It is often tricky to get a good crunch from a homemade gluten-free biscuit.  I find that the addition of crunchy ingredients helps – try chopped nuts, demerara sugar, quinoa flakes and for a finer biscuit use a little xanthum gum.

 

Best Buys (see sourcing matrix for stockist details)

 

These are our favourite “homemade-style” free-from cookies.

 

 

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Doves Farm Lemon Cookies and Hazlenut Cookies (wf,gf,df,ef,sof) are organic and fair-trade. Both have a great crunch as well as being delicious (as we have come to expect from all Doves Farm products).  See www.dovesfarm.co.uk for more details.

 

Against the Grain Cookies (wf,gf,df,ef,sof) are available in Ginger, Almond, Choc Chip and Berry Delicious.  Light and crunchy.  See www.againstthegrainfoods.com for more details.

 

Farmhouse Products produce a range of gluten-free cookies including Viennese Whirls, Cherry & Almond Shortbread (also df,ef), and Choc Chip and Almond Cookies. They also produce a range of sugar-free cookies including Viennese Whirls and Cherry Shortbread.  Unfortunately they don’t yet produce cookies that are both gluten AND sugar-free!  See www.farmhouseproducts.co.uk for more details.

 

Byron Bay Cookie Company are an Australian company that produce great over-sized chewy-style cookies like the ones found in American cookie stores and coffee shops.  They are available from Johnsons Provisions and a number of good cafés and coffee shops in large towns/cities.  See www.cookie.com.au for more details.

 

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Homemade style free-from cookies are also available from the supermarkets.  We like the cookies from Tesco and Sainsburys (wf,gf,df).

 

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These are our favourite traditional family biscuit/cookie ranges.

 

 

Dietary Specials Vanilla Wafers (wf,gf)  are a big favourite with the children and taste just like the pink wafer biscuits I remember as a child!  See  www.dietaryspecials.co.uk

 

Barkat also make a range of wafers filled with vanilla and chocolate cream (wf,gf), available on prescription and from specialist on-line stores.  They also make ice cream wafers and cones for when the weather warms up….See www.barkat.com .

 

TruFree make a good range of family favourites such as Bourbons and Custard Creams which are widely available (wf,gf – note: these now contain milk).  See www.trufree.co.uk

 

Glutano also make traditional family cream-filled biscuits (wf,gf).  These are available on prescription as well as from specialist on-line stores. See www.glutano.co.uk .

 

Orgran make a range of biscuits that are suitable for those with multiple allergies.  We particularly like their Chocolate Outback Animal Cookies (wf,gf,df,ef) and, for the grown-ups, their Amaretti/ Choc Chip Biscotti (wf,gf,df,ef).  See www.orgran.com.

 

Biona organic hazelnut macaroons (wf,gf,df) are a favourite for accompanying coffee after dinner!  See www.windmillorganics.com .

 

Its Nut Free flapjacks make a good nut-free biscuit alternative.  See www.itsnutfree.com .

 

Recipes

 

Key: wf=wheat free, gf=gluten free, df=dairy free, sof= soya free, sf=sugar free, nf=nut free

 

 

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Iced Shortbread (wf,gf,df,sof)

 

Makes 12

220g /8oz gf flour
200 g/7oz dairy free spread (sof)
85 g/ 3oz caster sugar
60g/ 2oz ground almonds
½ tspn xanthum gum (to improve texture)

1 tspn vanilla extract
Pinch salt

For icing:

280g royal or regular (ef) icing sugar

2 tbspn water & drop of food colour

  • Sift the flour, xanthum gum and salt together.
  • Cream the dairy-free spread, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
  • Fold the flour and ground almonds into the mixture to form a soft dough.  Wrap in clingfilm and refridgerate for 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile make the icing by sifting the icing sugar and gradually stirring in the food colour/water to a good consistency.  Beat until smooth.  Cover the    surface of the icing with clingfilm until needed.
  • Preheat the oven to 180C /350F/ Gas 4.  Grease baking trays.
  • Knead the dough gently a couple of times and roll out to about 0.5 cm thickness.
  • Cut out shapes, place on a prepared tray, and bake for 10 – 12 minutes.
  • Cool slightly on the baking tray to firm up, then move to a wire rack .Ice and  decorate biscuits.  Can be frozen undecorated.

  

Coconut and Oat Cookies (wf,df,ef,sof)

 

Makes 20

70g/ 2½ oz rolled oats

120g/ 5 oz oatmeal

100g/ 3 ½ oz demerera sugar

50g/ 2oz dessicated coconut

50g/ 2oz gf flour

1 tbspn honey

125g/ 5oz dairy-free spread

½ tspn bicarbonate of soda

1 tbspn boiling water

 

  • Preheat the oven to 150C /300F/ Gas 2, and grease 2 baking trays.
  • In a large bowl mix together the oats, oatmeal, flour, sugar and coconut.
  • Melt the spread and honey  together in a small pan, and add to dry  ingredients.
  • Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the boiling water and add to the ingredients.  Mix well.
  • Shape tablespoons of mixture into a ball, place on the baking trays and flatten slightly (not less than ½ cm to avoid browning at edges).
  • Bake for 8 - 10 mins until golden brown.
  • Leave to cool slightly on baking tray to allow to set, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Wheat-Free Chocolate Cookies (wf,df,ef,sof,yf)

 

Makes 20

200g/ 7oz Stamp Collection Wheat-Free Plain Flour

20g/ 1oz cocoa powder

1 tspn baking powder

170g/ 6oz dairy free spread

80g/ 3oz caster sugar

 

·         Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.

·         Preheat oven to 170C/ 325F/ Gas 3.

·         Sieve together flour, cocoa and baking powder.

·         Cream together dairy free spread and sugar until light.

·         Work in the flour/cocoa mixture until it forms a dough.

·         Roll into walnut-sized balls and space out on baking trays.

·         Press down each ball with the back of a fork.

·         Bake for 5 minutes, then turn oven down to 150C/ 300F/ Gas2.

·         Bake for further 10 - 12 mins (should feel firm - not hard)

·         Transfer immediately to wire rack to cool and harden.

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies (wf,gf,df,sof,yf – nf option)

 

Makes 18

 110g dairy free spread (I use Biona)

65g demerara sugar

20g dark muscovado sugar

60g golden caster sugar

1 eggs

1 tspns vanilla extract

1 ½  tbspn apple puree

155g gf flour

½  tspn bicarbonate of soda

Small pinch salt (optional)

¼ tspn xanthum gum

75g dark df/sof chocolate, roughly chopped

50g walnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

 

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
  • Lightly grease a baking tray.
  • Cream the dairy free spread with the sugars until lightly fluffy.
  • Beat the eggs with the vanilla essence, and gradually add to the sugar mix.  If it curdles keep beating.
  • Add the apple puree.
  • Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and xanthum gum, and gently mix in.
  • Fold in the chocolate and walnuts.
  • Place tablespoons of mixture spread out on the baking tray.
  • Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until golden.
  • Leave to cool on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Egg-Free Fruit and Nut Cookies (gf,wf,df,ef,sof,yf)

 

Makes 20

 

These cookies are easy to make, are egg free, and have a lovely fruity taste.  The combination of the ground rice and the Demerara sugar give a nice crunch.

 

100g dairy free spread

150g ground rice

50g ground almonds

150g grated apple

1 tspn cinnamon

80g demerara sugar

Few drops almond flavouring

Grated rind of 1 lemon

100g dried cranberries

 

  • Preheat oven to 230C/450F/Gas 8.
  • Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
  • Lightly grease two baking sheet
  • Place 10 spoons of dough onto the sheet, spreading them out.
  • Bake for 15 mins until golden – leave on baking sheet to cool for 10 mins then transfer to wire rack to cool completely and set.

  

Peanut Butter Cookies (wf,gf,df – sof option)

 

Makes 18

 

These cookies are really moreish – the quinoa flakes add the “crunch” and the peanut butter adds the “chew” – my favourites!!!

 

60g lightly toasted quinoa flakes

190g gf flour

½ tspn baking powder

½ tspn xanthum gum

80g dairy free spread

200g Demerara sugar

200g light brown sugar

1 egg and 1 egg white

1 tspn vanilla extract

60ml dairy free milk (rice, soya or oat milk)

180g peanut butter

 

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
  • Lightly grease a baking tray.
  • Dry toast the quinoa until lightly golden by placing on foil under a hot grill – keep though or they will burn.  Leave to cool.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder and xanthum gum, and stir in the quinoa flakes.
  • Cream the dairy free spread with the sugars until lightly fluffy.
  • Beat the eggs and vanilla extract, and gradually add to the sugar mix. 
  • Add the free-from milk and the peanut butter.
  • Add the quinoa mixture and blend well.
  • Place tablespoons of mixture 5 cm apart on the baking tray.
  • Flatten with the back of a fork and bake for 8 - 10 minutes until golden but still chewy.
  • Leave to cool on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Eat immediately or freeze.

 

 

 

Product Sourcing

 

Please find below details of where to find recommended products.

 

 

 

 

 

Product

Tescos

Sainsbury

Waitrose

Health Food Shop

Johnson’s

Provisions

Wheat & Dairy Free

Goodness   direct

Biscuits/ Cookies

Doves Farm Cookies

 

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Own Brand Free From Cookies

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TruFree Biscuits

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Orgran Biscotti

 

 

 

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Orgran Outback Animals

 

 

 

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Against The Grain Cookies

 

 

 

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Barkat Cream Filled Wafers

 

 

 

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Biona Macaroons

 

 

 

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Farmhouse Products gf/sf Cookies