FREEE by Doves Farm have shared their favourite recipes for tasty gluten free Christmas treats; Gluten Free Chocolate Christmas Pudding, Gluten Free Chocolate Yule Log, a Gluten Free Christmas Fruit Bread, and Gluten Free Star Mince Tarts.

Gluten Free Christmas Fruit Bread

 Free from gluten, soya, wheat and nuts

Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

1 orange, rind and juice

150g mixed dried fruit and peel

2 eggs whites (or 25g FREEE by Doves Farm Gluten Free Organic Chickpea Flour + 100ml water

50g butter, melted (or 4 tbsp coconut oil)

3 tbsp honey

pinch salt

275ml water

350g FREEE by Doves Farm Gluten Free White Bread Flour

2 tsp Doves Farm Quick Yeast

1 tsp cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

Equipment

15cm/6” deep round cake tin

Temperature

220˚C, Fan 200˚C, 425˚F, Gas 7

Cook time

55-60 minutes

Method

Grate the orange rind into a bowl, add the juice, dried fruit and peel and stir to combine. Cover and leave to stand for at least 2 hours.Line the base of a 15cm/6” deep round cake tin with parchment. Line the sides with a double layer, twice the height of the tin. Check the lined cake tin will fit into your oven and pre-heat the oven.Put the egg whites (or chickpea flour + water), melted butter (or oil), honey, salt, and water into a jug and whisk them together.Measure the flour and yeast into a large mixing bowl, sieve in the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine.Add the prepared egg liquid mixing to a smooth, thick batter.Stir in the prepared fruit.Tip the dough into the prepared tin and smooth the top.Cover loosely with parchment and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (60/90 minutes).Bake loosely covered with the parchment for 55-60 minutes.Cool on a wire rack.

Gluten Free Star Mince Tarts

Free from gluten, egg, soya, wheat and nuts

Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

PASTRY

200g FREEE by Doves Farm Gluten Free Plain White Flour

100g butter (or vegan butter)

6 tbsp cold water

FILLING

200g mincemeat, gluten free

1 tbsp apricot jam, warmed

Equipment

12-hole tart tray, round and star shaped pastry cutters, pastry brush

Temperature

180°C, Fan 160°C, 350°F, Gas 4

Cook time

30 minutes

Method

Pastry

Put the flour and butter into a large bowl.Use a fork or pastry blender to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Avoid using your fingers for this.Stir in enough of the water to bring the pastry easily together into a soft, slightly sticky ball of dough - it will appear a little wet but will absorb the liquid while resting.Cover the pastry with parchment or cling film and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.Grease a 12 hole tart tray with butter and pre-heat the oven.Take two thirds of the pastry and roll it out between two pieces of floured cling film or parchment until it is the thickness of a pound coin.Select a pastry cutter or cup a little bigger than the holes of the tart tray and press it into the dough to make circles.  Lift the circles on to the prepared tray.

Filling and topping

Put a teaspoon of mincemeat in the centre of each tart.Roll the remaining pastry out between two pieces of cling film or parchment and press the star cutter into the dough to make star shapes.Gently place these over the mincemeat.Bake for 25 minutes.Remove the tart tray from the oven and brush the pastry stars with a little apricot jam before cooking for a further 5 minutes.

Gluten Free Chocolate Christmas Pudding

Free from gluten, egg, soya, wheat, dairy and nuts

Suitable for vegetarian and vegans

Ingredients

PUDDING

25g glace cherries

100g dates

100g raisins

25g currants

5 tbsp oil

6 tbsp water

1 tbsp black treacle

50g plain chocolate

100g FREEE by Doves Farm Gluten Free Brown Bread Flour

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp mixed spice

TO FLAMBÉ

3 tbsp rum

Equipment

1lt/2pt pudding basin, tin foil, greaseproof or parchment paper

Temperature

Microwave 850 watts

Cooking time

4 hours

Method

Pudding

Chop the cherries and dates into a large mixing bowl, add the raisins, currants, oil, water and treacle. Cover and leave the mixture to stand for at least 2 hours or overnight.Rub some oil around the sides of a 1lt/2pt pudding basin then cut two circles of greaseproof or parchment paper the size of the top of the pudding basin.Grate the plain chocolate into a bowl, add the flour, cocoa and mixed spice and stir to combine. Stir in the soaked fruit mixture.Pour everything into the prepared pudding basin, pushing it down and smoothing the top.Cover the top of the puddings with the prepared paper circleSpread tin foil over the top of the pudding basin, tucking it in well around the outer rim.Place the pudding basin in saucepan, then fill with water until it is half way up basin.Put the lid on the saucepan and boil for 4 hours, check regularly, adding extra boiling water to maintain the water level. If using a pressure cooker see the manufacturer’s instructions.Carefully remove the pudding and cool, without removing the foil or greaseproof paper.Store the pudding until required, for up to a month.

Serving

Before eating, remove and refresh the foil and paper layers.Place the pudding basin in a saucepan, fill with water until it is half way up the basin and steam for 1 hour or see pressure cooker instructions.Alternatively remove the foil and paper, spread plastic wrap over the top of the pudding basin and make some holes in the top. Microwave on full power for 3 minutes, leave to stand for 1 minute then microwave on full power for a further 2 minutes. Check that it is heated through.Remove all foil, paper and plastic wrap, place a plate on top of the pudding basin and carefully invert the pudding.Serve warm.

Flaming the Pudding

Put the warm Christmas pudding on a heatproof plate.Measure the rum into a small saucepan and warm it over gentle heat without letting it boil.Remove the pan from the heat, tilt it sideways and carefully ignite the fumes with a match or lighter. Immediately pour the flaming liquid over the pudding.Before the flame subsides, tilt the plate and spoon any liquid back over the pudding.

Gluten Free Chocolate Yule Log

Free from Gluten, Soya, Wheat, Dairy, Nuts

Suitable for vegetarian and vegans

Ingredients

CAKE

35g cocoa

5 tbsp boiling water

5 eggs

125g caster sugar

125g FREEE by Doves Farm Gluten Free Self Raising White Flour

FILLING

175g icing sugar

125g butter, softened (or vegan alternative)

TOPPING

100ml cream (or vegan alternative)

200g milk chocolate (or dairy free chocolate)

1 tbsp icing sugar

Equipment

32cm x 23cm Swiss Roll Tin

Temperature

200°C, Fan 180°C, 400°F, Gas 6

Cooking time

13-15 minutes

Method

Cake

Line a 32x23cm Swiss roll tin with parchment and preheat the oven.Put the cocoa and water into a bowl, mix until smooth then set aside.Break the eggs into a large bowl and beat really well.Add the caster sugar and beat for two minutes.Sieve the flour into the bowl and beat for another two minutes.Add the prepared cocoa mixture and beat for a further minute.Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out to the edges.Bake for 13-15 minutes.Leave the cake in the tin for two minutes then gently tip it out onto a tea towel, gently roll it up into a cylinder and leave to cool.

Filling

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, add the butter and beat together until smooth.Gently unroll the cold sponge, spread the butter cream evenly over the inside and roll it up again without the tea towel.

Topping

Put the cream into a saucepan, bring it to the boil then remove it from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth.Cool the chocolate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally as it thickens.Spread the chocolate over the cake. Drag the prongs of a fork lengthways through the chocolate to create texture.Chill until set.Sieve a little icing sugar over the cake before serving.

All of the recipes are courtesy of FREEE by Doves Farm; the #1 gluten free flour brand in the UK* (recipe credit https://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/freee)