Savory & Sweet, The Minimally Invasive Magazine

savory & sweet The Minimally Invasive Magazine

gluten-free cookies

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Savory & Sweet, the online magazine from Minimally Invasive! This issue will focus on Christmas cookies, those tempting bites none of us can ignore. Because it’s the way I eat, all of the featured recipes will be gluten-free, but you’d never know it from the delicious flavors and spot-on textures.

The impetus for this issue was the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, which I participated in for the first time this year. I baked up a storm and sent out triple the cookies I should have, but ‘tis the season, right? You’ll find the cookie swap story starting on p4.

Gluten-free baking can be difficult at first, especially if you need to invest in alternative flours, so I like to indulge in cookies that are naturally gluten-free whenever possible. Any egg white-based cookie will fit the bill, and I have two delicious ones for you, starting on p18. And of course, no holiday baking extravaganza would be complete without pralines, which aren’t techinically a cookie, but deserve to be included nonetheless. My dad’s recipe is a little unorthodox, but it produces the best (and most foolproof) praline I’ve had. I hope you enjoy them, too! Find these on p26.

And if sweets aren’t really your thing, how about a savory-sweet cookie featuring blue cheese, walnuts and fig jam on p28?

I hope to put out a new themed magazine every quarter, or lord willing, every month! I’d love to hear from you, too! Visit my blog at chimeraobscura.com/mi and let me know what you’re baking this year. I’m sure it’ll be fantastic!

Happy cookie-ing!

Amy Roth

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap is the brainchild of Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen. It brings together bloggers from around the world to share cookies while supporting a worthwhile cause.

The idea is simple: You sign up and receive the names of three other bloggers to whom you send a dozen homemade cookies each and you receive three dozen cookies in turn from other bloggers. What a great idea, right?

The entry fee is negligible, but pooled together, totalled over $13,000 for the charity Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.

Instead of carefully reading through the directions, I skimmed them and forged ahead, which explains why I sent THREE dozen glutenfree cookies to each person instead of just one. Oh, well. It’s the season for giving, after all. I hope they’re enjoying the cookies as much as I enjoyed baking them.

First up was my favorite — a Molasses Spice Cookie that straddles the line between crispy and chewy. Then, instead of the traditional soft oatmeal cookie, I adapted a recipe for oatmeal lace cookies that had a pleasing crunch around the edges and bowled over anyone who sampled them. The final cookie was a reworking of my favorite pecan macaroon for a Southern touch.

Any of these cookies would make an excellent host/hostess gift or Christmas present for someone who likes a little something sweet. Even after the excess baking, I had such a ball with this cookie swap that I’m already looking forward to next year’s event!

Molasses Spice Cookies adapted from Recipe Girl 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp teff flour 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sorghum flour 1/2 cup tapioca flour 1/2 cup sweet rice flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon psyllium husk 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch of salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter 1 cup granulated white sugar 1 large egg 1/3 cup dark molasses additional sugar for rolling

In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (teff flour through salt). Melt butter in medium saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then lower heat and swirl butter in pan until milk solids turn light brown and smell nutty.

Combine butter and sugar in a stand mixer set to low. Increase speed by one level and blend in molasses, then egg. Add dry ingredients a little at a time until well blended. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least four hours or up to three days.

Preheat oven to 350째F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a melon baller, scoop out a spoonful of the dough, roll it into a ball, then roll it in the additional sugar. Place dough balls about three inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and starting to crackle on top. Cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Oatmeal Lace Cookies adapted from Hippo Flambe 2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup) 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats 1/4 cup sweet white rice flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then lower heat and swirl butter in pan until milk solids turn light brown and smell nutty.

Stir in brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt. oats, flour and spices until well mixed. Turn off heat and add egg, stirring well until batter is thoroughly combined.

Drop batter onto baking sheets in two teaspoon increments. Leave at least two inches of space between cookies, as they’ll spread in the oven. Use the back of your teaspoon to flatten each cookie into a two-inch round.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating trays halfway through baking, until cookies are browned and set.

Cool cookies on baking sheet, or cool for five minutes then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

OATMEAL LACE COOKIES are chewy in the middle and shatteringly crisp at the edges — a perfect combination.

Pecan Macaroons 1/4 cup organic palm sugar, packed 1 large egg white 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Pinch of coarse salt 1 teaspoon coconut flour 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk together sugar and egg white in a large bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients and allow mixture to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Form dough into sixteen 1-tablespoon mounds and drop each onto sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake macaroons until golden-brown on bottoms and edges, about 15 minutes.

Cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely.

To finish, using a spoon, drizzle melted chocolate over cooled macaroons.

Macaroons will keep, covered, for up to one week.

Put a Southern spin on an old favorite with Pecan macaroons.

N

y l l a r u t a N e e r F n e t u l G You don’t always have to use flour substitutions to reinvent the wheel for gluten-free cookies. It’s just as easy and much more satisfying to rely on foods that are naturally gluten-free.

Egg whites, sugar and nuts can be the gluten-free baker’s best friend.

almond bites 1 cup almond paste 1 cup sugar 2 cups finely ground almond flour 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 3 egg whites, beaten 1 tablespoon apricot jam 1/2 teaspoon almond extract slivered almonds powdered sugar, optional Preheat oven to 300째F and line two bakng sheets with parchment paper. in a stand mixer set to low, mix almond paste and sugar until ingredients start to combine. Increase speed by one or two levels until ingredients are well mixed. Reduce speed, add almond flour and salt, mixing again until thoroughly combined.

Add egg whites, jam and almond extract and beat at medium speed until a wet dough is formed. It will be very sticky.

Scoop out a level tablepsoon of dough and roll into a ball between your palms. Place on prepared baking sheet and continue with remaining dough, leaving about an inch and a half between cookies.

Top each cookie with a pinch of sliced almonds, pressing almonds down into the cookie until cookie flattens into a disc about 1 1/2 inches wide.

Bake at 300째F for 25-30 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheets.

Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar, if desired.

A light dusting of powdered sugar pu

uts these almond bites over the top.

chocolate & cinnamon swiss meringues 3 egg whites (116 grams) 58 grams brown sugar 116 grams sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 175°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a double boiler, combine egg whites and sugars, whisking gently until sugar melts and is no longer grainy. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Starting slowly and eventually increasing speed to high, whip egg whites until glossy and stiff peaks form, about five minutes. Add vanilla extract and continue whipping to combine, a few seconds.

Turn off mixer and remove bowl from stand.

Sift cinnamon and cocoa powder over beaten egg whites and gently fold in until well combined.

Scoop out a spoonful of meringue and, with a second spoon, slide onto prepared baking sheet. Alternately, use a pastry bag with a decorative tip. Meringues don’t spread in the oven, so you can arrange them as close together as you like.

Bake at 175°F for about two hours, or until meringues lift off parchment easily.

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With rum-based vanilla extract, toasted pecans and finishing salt, these pralines are ready for a special Pralines 2 cups white sugar 1 stick butter 16 large marshmallows 1/2 cup evaporated milk 2 cups pecan halves, well toasted 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, homemade if possible finishing salt

Combine sugar, butter, marshmallows, and milk over medium heat, stirring constantly until all ingredients are melted, then add pecans.

Cook, stirring constantly, to soft ball stage, 235-240 degrees F. (I always have better luck at the upper end of the range, for what it’s worth.) Remove from burner. Add vanilla extract and beat vigorously until mixture thickens.

Drop by tablespoon or two onto parchment paper. While pralines are still hot, sprinkle with finishing salt and cool on parchment paper to room temperature.

Pralines will keep, covered, for one week.

occasion.

blue cheese & walnut cookies 3 1/2 ounces mild blue cheese 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp minced rosemary

Adapted from The Washington Post

1/4 teaspoon psyllium husk 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped Good quality fig jam Preheat oven to 325째F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together

For an extra-savory WALNUT COOKIE, substitute one tablespoon of bacon fat for an equal amount of butter and omit the salt.

blue cheese and butter until thoroughly blended.

Add dry ingredients (flour through psyllium husk) and pulse until dough takes on the appearance of coarse meal. Add walnuts and process until a soft dough is formed.

Pat dough into a flat disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Flour rolling surface well, and roll out the dough

to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out rounds with a small cookie cutter. The dough can be rerolled. Transfer to baking sheets, spacing the cookies one inch apart. With the floured back side of a spoon, press lightly to create a slight indent in the center of each cookie. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon of fig jam into each cavity. Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!