It's all about sweets!

Ice Cream Cone Cakes - gluten free!

Ingredients:
GF flat bottom ice cream cones (Lets Do & Goldbaums brands are GF)
Cake recipe (Chocolate or Vanilla)

Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
½ cup + 1 Tbsp butter
1 ½ cup plus 3 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs + 1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup unsweetened pureed fresh zuchinni, about 3 small zuchinni (or applesauce if you prefer a sweeter cake)
1 ½ cup GF flour mix
½ cup cocoa
1 tsp xanthan gum
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Directions:
Cream together the butter, shortening and sugar until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add all the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth, and pour into greased 8x8 pan.

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes (if you would prefer to make muffins then simply paper line muffin tins, fill 3/4 full and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean).

Frosting (Buttercream or Dairy-Free Chocolate Whip Cream)

Ingredients:
2 cans full fat coconut milk, refrigerated
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 cup  agave or icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
Directions:
Refridgerate the cans of coconut milk for at least 2 days.

Chill your bowl and beaters for at least 30 minutes. Open the cans and carefully scoop out the solid coconut milk into a bowl (reserve liquid).

On low speed, mix up coconut milk solids, then slowly add vanilla and sugar (sweeten to taste). Then beat on high for 1 minute. Turn off and add cocoa, slowly blend until combined, then whip on high for another minute. If cream is too thick add some of the reserved coconut milk liquid.

GF decorations
Directions:
Cover a muffin tin tightly with foil. Make a small slit in the foil over each muffin well, then gently push cone though. This will keep the cone firmly in place so it won't tip over.

Mix cake batter according to recipe instructions, then pour into each cone just a bit over half full.

Bake in oven, at recipe's suggested temperature, for 15-20 minutes, or until done.

Let cool, then decorate as desired.


Mint Chocolate Thins - gluten free

So easy, yet looks so decedant.
Ingredients:
24 of your favorite GF biscuit/crackers/cookies
1 1/2 cups GF semi-sweet or dark chocolate
1/4 tsp peppermint oil (optional)
Directions:
Melt chocolate, then mix in the extract.

Using a spatula or pastry brush, dip the biscuits in the chocolate then wipe off the excess from both sides. Place on a parchment/silicone lined baking sheet, and smooth the top so its fully coated. Chill until set.

Neighborhood Gift: Chocolate Cake in a Mug - not gluten free!

Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

1 mug
4 T. flour
4 T. Sugar
2 T. baking cocoa
1 egg (1 T. dry egg powder and 2 T. of water)
3 T. milk (1/2 T. Dry Powdered Milk + 3 T. Water)
3 T. oil (or applesauce)
3 T. chocolate chips
small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla. Mix again. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug but don’t be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

Chocolate Dessert Cups These are such a beautiful looking chocolate cup, no one will ever guess that you made them (and how!). Ingredients: Small water balloons (these make the perfect size) 1 cup chocolate (semi-sweet or dark) Directions: Blow up (with air only!) balloons as big or small as you'd like your dessert cups to be. Set aside. Heat chocolate until fully melted, then place a small dap of chocolate on the silicone/parchment lined baking sheet to act as a base. Dip the balloon in the chocolate and roll it as high up the sides as you want, then place on its chocolate base. Chill in the freezer until set. Then carefully cut the top off the balloon, and let the air slowly leak out (don't pop it, or you may crack the cup). Then gently pull the balloon out of the cup, and fill with whatever you like. One cup of chocolate should make 4-6 cups, depending on size of balloon used and how thick you dip the balloon.