"Hot coffee and cold winter mornings are two of the best soulmates who ever did find each other."- Terri Guillemets
There a lot of great cooks in my family, but very few great bakers. My kitchen exposure in the day was limited to the use of pans and stove tops. Very seldom did anyone really bake. One of my aunts used to make "mango float" which is really just layers of graham crackers, sweet thick cream and mangoes. I'm not sure how much baking that required, possibly none. Another aunt made this decadent blueberry cheesecake when I was 7 years old. That was the first and last time I've ever had that dessert (it was delicious, but I don't think my aunt baked it again). My grandmothers were fantastic cooks, but when it came to dessert, they liked the old fashion way - a lot of stirring over a fresh fire.
But I do remember watching one of my cousins make this chocolate concoction. There was the melting of the chocolate. Creaming the butter with sugar. Sifting flour and cocoa powder. There was the waiting as the dough chilled in the fridge. The rolling into balls and then covering with powdered sugar. Then, obviously, the baking bit. It would be so warm in the kitchen when the oven was on, but the chocolatey scent in the air always got me excited. Finally, it's almost time to eat.
The oven scared me a lot of though back then and perhaps throughout my teens. I was always afraid I'd end up burning myself or burn whatever it is I was baking and a fire would start. I had all these fears, some irrational, some possible if one isn't careful. When I did start to bake, I thought of my cousin and her passion for baking. If she can handle the oven, why couldn't I? I'm a fast learner, right?
My cousin baked "crinkles" and though I've never actually baked her version before, I thought I'd be able to make my version that's close to the original yumminess. All vegan and gluten-free, too!
When one cookie isn't enough...
Vegan, Gluten-free Crinkles
Makes 30-35 cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup chocolate (I used Enjoy Life Foods mega chunk chocolate)
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup fruit puree (I used pear puree, but applesauce would work, too)
- Confectioner's sugar
Simmer water in a saucepan (bain-marie), filling halfway. Transfer chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and place the bowl on top of the saucepan. Make sure that the water doesn't reach the bowl. Stir the chocolate with a spoon until melted. Once melted, set aside.
In medium bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. In another bowl, cream the butter and coconut sugar together. Once mixed thoroughly, add the fruit puree of choice and mix again. Pour the melted chocolate and mix.
Pour the dry ingredients with the liquid and mix until the batter is thick and there are no lumps. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Whilst the batter is in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheeting with parchment paper. Pour some confectioner's sugar in a shallow bowl.
Once the batter is chilled, you can start rolling into balls of about an inch in diametre. Coat the balls with confectioner's sugar. Make sure there's a thick layer as the sugar will be absorbed as the cookie bakes.
Put the balls on the cookie sheet, ensuring that there's enough space between the cookies. Bake for 10-15 minutes (mine baked for 12 minutes). Once baked, let cool on the sheet and then transfer on a wire rack.
Enjoy with coffee or hot mylk! xx
- 18:48
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