Sugar may be the next transfat, at least when it comes to foods we are urged to avoid if we want to follow a healthy diet.
Thats why I was happy when a copy of award-winning cookbook author and beloved baking instructor Peter Reinharts latest book, The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking: 80 Low-Carb Recipes that Offer Solutions for Celiac Disease, Diabetes, and Weight Loss, crossed my desk.
The book is co-authored by Denene Wallace, who started making baked goods and founded Proseed Flour (which specializes in high-protein/low-carb, gluten-free flour) after being diagnosed with type II diabetes and gluten intolerance.
Reinhart and Wallaces healthful recipesdesigned for anyone sensitive to gluten, who is diabetic, or who needs to reduce carbs to prevent illness or lose weightinclude everything from breads and pizzas to cookies and crackers to muffins and cakes to cookies and pies. There are even recipes for pretzels, coffee cakes, and breakfast treats!
Lemon Drops (refreshing lemon-flavored cookies) are made from a few simple ingredients including almond flour, Splenda or Stevia Extract or Stevia Sugar, eggs, melted butter or margarine, and fresh lemon juice and extract. Frost the cookies with luscious Lemon Fondant Icing and youve got a healthy and flavorful treat. Even vegans can partake by following the dairy- and egg-substitution guidelines included in the book.
Interesting (not to mention inspiring) to note that, as a result of writing this book, Reinhart lost 14 pounds and Wallace was able to completely get off insulin.
The busy baking duo offer sources for nut and seed flours, tips on gluten-free baking, and a list of their classes and appearances around the country on their blog.
Just a few of the many good reasons youll want to order a copy of The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking for yourself or a loved one today.
Lemon Drops
Makes about 24 cookies
3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) almond flour
11/2 cups Splenda or Stevia Extract in the Raw, or 3/4 cup New Roots Stevia Sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs (5.25 oz / 149 g)
1/4 cup (2 oz / 57 g) salted butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup (2 oz / 57 g) fresh lemon juice
11/2 teaspoons lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia
Lemon Fondant Icing
2/3 cup powdered erythritol, Stevia Extract in the Raw, or Splenda, or 1/3 cup New Roots Stevia Sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Position 2 oven racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Mist 2 baking sheets with spray oil, or line them with parchment paper or silicone mats and then lightly mist the surfaces with spray oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, Splenda, baking powder, and salt and whisk until well mixed. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, lemon juice, lemon extract, and liquid stevia together until thoroughly blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon for 1 to 2 minutes to make a very thick, sticky batter (see Cooks Hint 2, below). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir for 30 seconds.
Drop the dough onto the prepared pans, using about 1 heaping tablespoon of dough per cookie; alternatively, lightly grease your hands and roll the portions of dough into balls. Space the cookies about 3 inches apart (measured from the center of each cookie).
Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans and switch racks and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are light golden brown and firm to the touch.
Meanwhile, make the lemon fondant icing (which is optional). In a small bowl, combine the erythritol and lemon juice and whisk until thoroughly blended.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 3 minutes. While theyre still on the pan, brush the tops with the icing; alternatively, you can dip the cookies into the fondant to coat the tops.
Put the glazed cookies on a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving (this also allows the fondant to set up).
Cooks Hint 1: Dont try to substitute vegetable oil for the butter or margarine in this recipe. It wont create the same flavor synergy with the lemon juice that youll get with butter or a good-quality buttery spread. We highly recommend using an electric mixer for this recipe, because the dough is very thick and sticky and difficult to stir by hand.
Cooks Hint 2: Thick, sticky dough means that the consistency of the dough will resemble cooked oatmeal or porridge, and it will be sticky. A spatula or wooden spoon will stand straight up when inserted into the center of the mixture. The dough will hold its shape when dropped from a spoon, and is even moldable once transferred to a baking sheet. This description applies to many of the recipes for breads, cookies, hush puppies, and crackers. In some instances, we will say very thick and sticky, which means its even thicker and almost, but not quite, stiff.
Reprinted with permission from The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking by Peter Reinhart & Denene Wallace, copyright 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.
Photo credit: Leo Gong 2012
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