‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas’ is a phrase most people are likely to hear this time of year. Food continues to be at the forefront of every festive occasion; but for some, food this Christmas will look very different. A gluten allergy can limit the variety and amount of festive food. It can even seclude friends and family who can’t consume gluten enriched foods.
But it shouldn’t. From mince pies to Christmas pudding, alternative ingredients are easier to come by than ever. One popular holiday classic is gingerbread.
From men, biscuits and bakeoff-like showcases, gingerbread can be transformed into something that is great to look at and share at festive gatherings with friends and family. While most traditional gingerbread recipes contain gluten, here is an alternative gluten-free recipe which is perfect for both those with intolerances and anyone who needs a reason to bake during the festive season.
Gingerbread on Trays © Deborah Lee Soltesz. Original Via Flickr / Creative Commons Public Domain
Ingredients:
- 70g of butter or coconut oil
- 75g of coconut sugar
- 80ml of maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 210g of buckwheat flour
- 2tsp of dried ginger
- ½ tsp of cinnamon
- ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda
- pinch of sea salt
- decoration of your choice (we suggest icing sugar, chocolate sweets and edible glitter)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
- Melt the butter or coconut oil in a pan over a medium heat.
- Add the melted butter/coconut oil to the coconut sugar and beat together until smooth.
- Then, add the maple syrup and eggs to the butter/coconut oil and beat until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the buckwheat flour, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of sea salt.
- Add the dry and wet ingredients together and combine until they form a dough.
- Roll out the dough to 1cm in thickness and cut into your desired shape.
- Finally put your figures on the lined tray and bake for ten minutes or until thoroughly cook. Leave to cool for at least half an hour.
- Finally, let your creativity loose and decorate your figures.
Let us know if you like this festive alternative to the traditional gingerbread recipe by contacting us on Facebook or Twitter!
Featured Image: © Michael Bentley. Original Via Flickr / Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike License
