A Gluten Free Delight

Every morning, I drop my daughter off at school and take a walk in a beautiful part of Cape Ann.  I am so fortunate to be living in such a gorgeous area.

 


The water this morning had a sheen to it that I had not seen before, it was such a wonderful place to be.  Unfortunately this image does not do it justice.  With summer just around the corner, it makes me think of strawberries, lemon curd and shortbread, YUM!

 

Even my golden retriever was happy to be there, nothing like an early morning swim on a hot almost summer day!











When I was a child shortbread was not something that we ate in our family, it was something that came in a tin around Christmas time.  I remember not liking it very much. It was a little too rich and for heavens sake, where was the chocolate :).

One time while shopping in Filene's Basement of all places, I found the most beautiful mold for shortbread and I knew I could not leave it behind.  I purchased it and the amount of guests that have come through my home and have had shortbread, I cannot count.  It is always the go to dessert if I have friends coming over.  I know that I can make it quickly and clean my home and pull it off without too much stress :)... that is my kind of dessert. 


There are some desserts that need some good shortbread as a base, I want to be able to make a lemon bar and triple decker bar with a gluten free base and then the bar would work really well for my friends who love these bars but are deprived because of the base.  I have friend who helped me tremendously last year, I would not have been able to attend school without her generosity and big heart.  She  has always eaten my shortbread but is intolerant to wheat but would eat it anyway.  I decided that it was time to find a recipe for her so that she could enjoy this luxury guilt free!   

Research time:  I decided that it was probably best to find my recipe on an British Isle/ Irish website as shortbread is considered to be Scottish and celiac disease is prominent there. I found a lovely recipe online and collected all the ingredients...

Shortbread (Noun)

Type of biscuit (cookie), popular in Britain,traditionally made from one part sugar, two parts butter and three parts flour

I also decided to add some lemon rind

Rice flour, Corn Flour, 
Powdered Sugar, and Butter

Ingredients

100g cornflour

160g white rice flour

8 tablespoons icing sugar

175g butter

Method:

Mix all the ingredients and bake at 150 C/ gas mark 2 for 20-25 minutes

 


I dropped off the finished product this evening and she seems really happy to be my guinea pig today.  I think I am going to try the next batch savory and see how it comes out with sea salt and rosemary, yum!



 
We have decided that it is a little dry so it needs some 
work but overall the crumb was PERFECT!  and it held together lovely.  I just think it needs a little bit of moisture to make it more creamy.  A neighbor dropped by and suggested buttermilk.  I think that will be my next added ingredient.  




I had some for dessert tonight with lemon curd and strawberries and it was lovely.  It just needs that little something to balance it out... enjoy!