Thanks again to everyone sending in questions, either on Instagram or by email. As in my last Q&A post, I'm answering the most common ones in the blog. Keep sending them in!
Which recipes are best for company?
I think any recipe we make for ourselves and our family should be good enough for company. But I do understand that you might want something a little fancier for a special occasion. In that case, I recommend the Impressive Lemon-Almond Cake, Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake, Chocolate Raspberry Torte or Flourless Chocolate Cheesecake.
For a non-cake dessert, Ginger-Berry Sundaes and Balsamic-Glazed Strawberries are always a hit, and so easy to make.
In more casual settings, like coffee in the afternoon, I'll put out biscotti, or any of the cookies. Coconut Delights, Roxy's Favorite Lemon-Coconut Cupcakes, and the Vintage White cake are always popular too. And you can never go wrong with brownies!
Should I use dark or milk chocolate?
For treats where melted chocolate is part of the base of the recipe, I strongly recommend that you use the chocolate I list in the recipe. Milk chocolate has less cocoa and more dairy and fat than dark chocolate. Switching to milk chocolate will change the texture dramatically. If you're a confident experimenter, you can probably make this work by adjusting the flours and leavening agents up and the liquids down. If you're not quite as brave, you'll want to follow the recipe as written.
For recipes where the chocolate is an addition as bits or chips, use whatever you like. I prefer a dark, slightly bitter chocolate - as much as 85% cocoa. But that's too bitter for a lot of people, so I usually use a chopped 70 or 72% bar in cookies, biscotti, Chocolate Chip Loaf and Coconut Delights. If you prefer milk chocolate, go ahead and use it.
Do I have to use silicon baking pans?
No, of course not. But I find that our batters don't stick to them, so my creations come out whole more reliably. That's why silicon pans are on my list of must-have tools for gluten-free baking.
If you use glass or dark metal pans, you might have to change the baking time for a few minutes. If you use my trick for bringing goodies to someone's house or the office - I bake them in the single-use aluminum tins you find in the grocery store - it's generally best to butter the tin.
Find great gluten-free recipes for all occasions in Easy, Tasty Gluten Free. Download it here
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