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Little truffles with surprise: the alternative to Easter eggs

The best part of an Easter egg is definitely opening it to find out what surprise it contains, so I didn’t want to miss out on this pleasure by proposing a mouth-watering dessert that is perfect for a picnic on the first days of spring: my Little truffles with surprise.

Thinking of the perfect dessert for an Easter Monday lunch, perhaps by the sea or surrounded by nature, a bite-sized treat to be eaten without cutlery is definitely the perfect solution. And do you know how my Little truffles with surprise were born? By pure chance with ingredients found in the fridge after my online cooking course on Fantastic Tarts. I recommend not underestimating the surprise effect by putting whatever you like in the centre of the soft mascarpone cream: in addition to my suggestions, give free rein to your imagination to make each bite unique.

Another added value of Little truffles with surprise is that you can prepare the dough even a week in advance by storing it in the freezer! Simply take it out of the freezer a few hours before completing the preparation… in short, a dessert for busy mums.

And if you want to know what my Easter lunch menu is going to be, here it is: Tuna and pepper quiche, Herb-marinated chicken salad and Little truffles with surprise.

Little truffles with surprise

33.15g carbohydrates per 100g of truffles without filling

Ingredients for about 20 little truffles

  • 250g Mascarpone
  • 180g shortbread biscuits**
  • 45g icing sugar*
  • 30g espresso coffee
  • filling to taste: jam*, berries, chocolate cream*, hazelnut cream*, almonds, hazelnuts, dried fruit
  • bitter cocoa powder*

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Blend the shortbread biscuits in a mixer, then mix them with Mascarpone, icing sugar and espresso coffee to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Place the mixture in the freezer to harden and make it workable.
  2. When the mixture is firm, weigh out 25g spoonfuls, flatten them on the palm of one hand and place the filling of your choice in the centre, closing to form a ball.
  3. Place the cocoa powder in a soup dish or small bowl and roll the truffles in it so that they are well coated with cocoa.
  4. Place the truffles in paper cups and keep them in the fridge, taking care to remove them about 30 minutes before serving.

N.B.: to use them for a picnic, keep them in the freezer until the last moment, then store them in a cooler until ready to eat.

Tartufini-close-up

Version with gluten of Little truffles with surprise

Replace gluten-free shortbread biscuits with conventional biscuits; all other ingredients are naturally gluten-free, so no adaptations are necessary.

 

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Spicy Provolone Valpadana DOP: Coconut cream with spicy red wine pears

My passion for cheese stems from my roots and is ignited whenever cheese is the protagonist of an initiative. For this reason, also this year I enthusiastically accepted to participate in the “Choose your taste, sweet or spicy, only from Europe” project in collaboration with the European Commission and the Italian Food Blogger Association to promote knowledge and consumption of Provolone Valpadana PDO.

Spicy Provolone Valpadana PDO in my Valentine’s Day dessert

provolone valpadana DOP

I told you how Provolone Valpadana PDO is produced when I prepared my Savoury Muffinsbut this time I used the spicy version of this cheese to prepare a fantastic dessert that left all my guests literally speechless. For those who do not have time to read about the production process of Provolone Valpadana PDOit is really interesting to know that the sharpness of this cheese is only determined by the use of kidrennet instead of calf rennet: every tiny detail opens up a world of differences in cheese with Designations of Origin!

Why this recipe? Because I wanted to propose a perfect idea for Valentine’s Day, namely a spicy dessert, just like love! And also because I love cheese eaten with pears and walnuts, two very classic pairings that reconfirm time and again that sweet and savoury can give us great taste pleasures.

So I prepared a custard using coconut milk so that this dessert could be eaten not only by those who are gluten intolerant, but also by those who are lactose intolerant because Provolone Valpadana is naturally lactose-free! The other star is pears in red wine, a fragrant winter pampering, the ideal partner for cheese. Finally, I created crunchiness with toasted breadcrumbs and walnuts, which are the most neutral part of the recipe, essential to bind all the elements together in a warm and affectionate hug.

Have I convinced you? Run to buy the ingredients and surprise your loved ones… with just the right amount of sweet spiciness.

Coconut Cream with spicy red wine pears

21.23 g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the coconut cream for 4 servings

  • 225g coconut milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 40g sugar
  • vanilla from the pod

Ingredients for the spicy red wine pears

  • 4 Kaiser pears of about 140g each
  • 250g red wine
  • 50g sugar
  • 1/2 star anise berry
  • 2 cardamom berries
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Ingredients to complete

  • 40g breadcrumbs**
  • 30g shelled walnuts
  • 10g butter
  • spicy Provolone Valpadana PDO

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Heat up the coconut milk on the stove and in the meantime whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and a dash of vanilla. When the milk is about to come to the boil, remove it from the heat and pour it over the beaten egg yolks, stirring with a whisk; put the cream back on the heat and let it thicken for a few minutes. Put it aside to cool, then store it in the refrigerator.
  2. Prepare the pears: peel them, leaving the stalks, and place them in a saucepan large enough to hold the pears close together. Pour the wine, sugar and spices into the saucepan, then put the lid on, bring everything to the boil, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Let the pears cool in their cooking liquid, then remove them and allow the liquid to reduce to a caramel-like thickness.
  3. Put the knob of butter in a non-stick pan, melt it and add the breadcrumbs to toast them. When the bread is almost ready, add the walnuts after breaking them up lightly with your hands. Toast for a few minutes.
  4. Assemble the cake at the time of serving. In a deep dish, pour a small ladle of custard and place one pear in the centre of the dish. Using a large hole grater, grate slivers of Provolone Valpadana cheese over the cream and pear; top with the toasted bread and walnuts and the reduced wine sauce. Serve the dessert cold, possibly paired with a small glass of Barolo Chinato or Port wine.

crema al cocco con pere speziate al vino rosso

Version with gluten of Coconut cream with spicy red wine pears

With the exception of the breadcrumbs, the recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so replace the gluten-free breadcrumbs with conventional breadcrumbs.

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Parma Accoglie: Crème brûlé with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

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When something good happens you cannot keep it to yourself, you have to share it and rejoice in it all together. And the project ‘Parma Accoglie‘ is really something beautiful. It is a simple, yet extraordinary way to say thank you to the people who made themselves available to the community during the Covid emergency.

What does the ‘Parma Accoglie’ initiative consist of? Federalberghi Parma in collaboration with Ascom Parma, Consorzio Albergatori Promo Parma, FIPE – Pubblici Esercizi and Parma Quality Restaurant, with the patronage of the Municipality of Parma, have decided to offer a stay of up to two nights free of charge in a local hotel with the possibility of a typical Parma dinner, at a special price, in one of the participating restaurants to health, medical, nursing, volunteer, Civil Defence, Public Assistance and  Italian Red Cross personnel.

Any ideas of what you’ll do while in Parma? In the meantime, here are some shots of the city taken by my photographer friend Francesca Bocchia then I will share some activity proposals with you shortly!

And I hope to contribute to your desire to come to my city through the extraordinary products that have made it world-famous and through a few recipes that you will certainly not find in the city’s restaurants… because you absolutely must try the fresh stuffed pasta and the deli meats and cheese platters!

A land of great products

To tell you about my land, I have decided to propose recipes in which Parmigiano Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma (here is the recipe) are used in an unusual way as I am sure that the ‘usual way’ will be known even to those who are not from Parma!

My ‘obligatory’ starting point is Parmigiano Reggiano, the product I was born and raised with, as my family has been producing it since 1895. It is natural that I adore the product that has accompanied me for as long as I can remember and that has marked the rhythms of my family’s life, but Parmigiano has remained a table companion even after diabetes and celiac disease entered our lives, so it is even more precious to us!

Parmigiano Reggiano contains no carbohydrates and is allergen-free. It is also suitable for those who are intolerant to milk proteins if it is purchased with a maturation of 36 months or more. And to alleviate the guilt in case we are overwhelmed by its goodness and can’t stop ourselves in front of its fragrant slivers accompanied by fresh fruit, bread, nuts or a glass of full-bodied red wine, you should know that Parmigiano is a semi-fat cheese as it is made with half of the milk partially skimmed (find out how)!

My recipe to try to make you forever prisoners of the Parmigiano Reggiano spell and continue to welcome you to Parma? A soft cream enveloping fruit and enclosing it under a crunchy caramelised crust… after all, popular culture has warned us: don’t let the farmer (and us) know how good cheese with pears is!

La crème brûlé pronta per essere gustata

Crème brûlé ready to be enjoyed

Parma Accoglie and my recipe for Crème brûlé with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

10.93g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 250g ripe pear (or white grapes)
  • 300g real or vegetable cream
  • 100g milk
  • 50g grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 40g egg yolk (2 yolks)
  • 30g brown sugar
  • ½ lemon
  • ½ vanilla pod

 Preparation

  1. Bring the cream and milk to the boil with the seeds contained in half a vanilla pod. In a bowl, whip the egg yolks until stiff and pour the hot milk over them in a trickle. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and incorporate well.
  2. Cut the pear into small pieces, put it in a non-stick pan with the juice of half a lemon and let it soften slightly, allowing all the lemon juice to dry.
  3. Take 6 mini-mouldsput the pear pieces or cut grapes on the bottom, pour the milk, egg and Parmesan mixture on top and put the moulds on a baking tin containing hot water that should reach halfway up the moulds.
  4. Bake in a static oven preheated to 120°C for 1 hour. Remove and allow to cool, then transfer the moulds to the refrigerator until serving time.
  5. At this point, sprinkle the surface with brown sugar and caramelise it with the special torch. Serve the crème brûlé immediately.
La superficie caramellata della crema

The caramelised surface of Créme brûlé

Version with gluten of Crème brûlé with Parmesan cheese

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

 

 

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Macedonia di pesche con crumble di lenticchie

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Peach salad is a delicious way to enjoy this sweet and soft fruit, enhanced by the contrast with the crunch of the lentil crumble. As I picked peaches from the tree in my garden yesterday, I thought about how I could turn them into a dish that could be used either as a dessert or a fresh breakfast, both perfect versions for hot summer days. Here’s how to do it!

The lentil crumble is a real surprise in terms of its goodness and, at the same time, it allows us to use a pulse flour and almonds in the preparation of a sweet, making it certainly more ‘friendly’ to blood sugar levels.

I invented it a year ago to participate in the Talent for foodcontest, where it had taken me to the finals. This is a slightly simplified version (I removed a few ingredients and changed the proportions) and since then I often use it to top spoon desserts or to mix with the seed mixes that I love to add to yoghurt for breakfast. So, while you are preparing it for peaches, you can double the amount to enjoy it as a snack or many other uses!

Macedonia di pesche con crumble di lenticchie

Peach fruit salad with lentil crumble

      carbohydrates for the crumble 42.75g per 100g

carbohydrates for peaches 6.1g per 100g without sugar

Ingredients for the lentil crumble for 8 servings

  • 55g lentil flour*
  • 55g almonds with peel
  • 3g brown rice flour*
  • 30g whole coconut sugar
  • 20g grapeseed oil or other oil to taste
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 pinch of salt

Ingredients for the peach salad for 8 servings

  • 4 yellow peaches
  • 125g lemon juice (the juice of 2 lemons)
  • 2 star anise berries
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • sweetener* or sugar to taste
  • dark chocolate* (optional)

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Combine the lentil flour, brown rice flour and coconut sugar in a bowl; add the seed oil, egg white and coarsely chopped almonds, then knead with your hands to a crumbly mixture.
  2. Drop the crumbs onto a baking tin covered with parchment paper and bake the crumble in a static oven preheated to 180°C for 10-15 minutes (the time will depend both on the size you gave the crumble and the power of your oven), until the crumble is crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
  3. Prepare the peaches. Put a pan of water on the stove and when it comes to the boil, throw in the ripe peaches and boil them for 3-4 minutes. To check that they are blanched just right, use the tip of a knife or a fork to see if the skin starts to peel away slightly from the flesh. Drain the peaches with a slotted spoon.
  4. Cut the peach skin with the tip of a knife, then the skin should come off very easily. Cut each peach into 4 segments, trying to keep the segments as intact as possible, and place them in a bowl.
  5. Pour the lemon juice over the peaches, add the whole star anise and cinnamon, sweeten to taste with sweetener or sugar, stir, and leave the peaches to gain flavour until the serving time.
  6. When it is time to serve the peaches, take two peach segments for each person and place them in a fruit salad bowl, add the crumble on top and, to taste, top with a sprinkling of dark chocolate cut with a knife and serve.

Macedonia di lenticchie vista dall'alto con ingredienti utilizzati

Version with gluten of Peach fruit salad with lentil crumble

The recipe is naturally gluten free, so no adaptations are needed.

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Raspberry panna cotta

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La panna cotta ai lamponi è uno dei dolci più semplici e flessibili che conosca (credetemi!). E’ naturalmente senza glutine quindi perfetta per i celiaci ed è perfetta anche per chi è affetto da diabete avendo l’accortezza di sostituire una parte o tutto lo zucchero con un dolcificante di propria scelta.

Durante l’estate, la panna cotta è un dolce fresco e pratico che potrete accompagnare con salse preparate con qualsiasi frutto di stagione.

Raspberry panna cotta is one of the simplest and most flexible desserts I know (believe me!). It is naturally gluten free, making it perfect for celiacs and it is also perfect for people with diabetes, taking the precaution of replacing some or all of the sugar with a sweetener of your choice.

During the summer, Panna cotta is a fresh and practical dessert that you can accompany with sauces made from any seasonal fruit.

You can also decide to make it more or less rich in fat by playing around with milk and cream: the important thing is that you have a total of 500g when you mix them together, but you can vary their proportions as you like… bearing in mind that if it is called Panna (i.e. cream) cotta, the original recipe certainly expresses its preference.

Preparation will only take you a few minutes, but you have to allow time for the Panna cotta to solidify, so remember to plan ahead if you want to serve it to your guests, perhaps making it the day before so you have less to do at the last minute.

Raspberry panna cotta    

19.64g carbohydrates per 100g raspberry panna cotta with sugar

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 250g milk
  • 250g cream
  • 100g sugar or sweetener* as desired
  • 10-12g gelatine sheets* (follow the instructions given for the product you choose)
  • a bit of vanilla from the pod

Ingredients for the raspberry sauce

  • 220g raspberries
  • 30g sugar or sweetener* to taste
  • 30g lemon juice

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan, add the sugar or sweetener and put everything on the heat, stirring occasionally so that the sugar dissolves well.
  2. Separately, soak the gelatine in water to soften it. When the milk is about to reach the boil, remove from the heat and add the squeezed gelatine while stirring with a whisk. Let it cool down, then fill the moulds you selected. Put them in the refrigerator for a few hours until the mixture becomes thick.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the raspberry sauce. Place the raspberries in a non-stick pan with the lemon juice and sugar or sweetener. Let the raspberries cook for 5 minutes over high heat until they release a bright red sauce. Let it cool down.
  4. Remove the Panna cotta from the moulds and place it directly on the serving platter, decorate it with the raspberries and their sauce either cold or warmed in a microwave or on the stove.

Version with gluten of Raspberry panna cotta

The recipe is naturally gluten free, so no adaptations are needed.

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Gluten-free sweets: Coconut puddings with liquorice flavoured chocolate cream

On these summer days, people look for something cool to quench the feeling of excessive heat, but taste always comes first. Our idea is an alternative to ice cream, a mouth-watering soft dessert with contrasting flavours to savour: Coconut puddings with liquorice flavoured chocolate cream. 

If you like cold desserts, try these Mini cheesecakes.

Coconut puddings with liquorice flavoured chocolate cream

19.57g carbohydrates per 100g coconut puddings without cream

Chocolate flavoured liquorice cream 

30.31g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 200g milk
  • 200g coconut milk
  • 150g fresh cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 50g sugar
  • 50g brown sugar
  • 45g grated coconut*
  • 25g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 1 organic orange
  • almond or hazelnut oil

Ingredients for the liquorice flavoured chocolate cream

  • 50g fresh cream
  • 35g water
  • 30g sugar
  • 25g dark chocolate*
  • 15g bitter cocoa powder*
  • 1 teaspoon powdered liquorice*
  • 6 raspberries

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Bring milk, coconut milk and grated coconut to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave until the mixture has cooled.
  2. Beat the egg yolks well with the sugars, then add the rice flour while continuing to stir and the coconut-flavoured milk through a sieve (so that the grated coconut is removed). Place everything in a saucepan and over low heat, stirring until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat, flavour with grated orange peel and leave to cool, stirring occasionally.
  3. Whip the cream and finally fold it into the coconut mixture so that it does not lose airiness.
  4. Brush 6 single-portion moulds with almond or hazelnut oil and fill them with the cream. Place in the freezer for about 6 hours.
  5. Prepare a chocolate cream. Dissolve the cocoa in the water, then add cream and sugar and cook over medium heat, simmering for 5 minutes, stirring well with a whisk (the temperature should be between 70 and 80 degrees). Turn off the heat and add the dark chocolate, stirring until completely melted; continue stirring until the temperature has dropped well, then add 1 teaspoon of liquorice powder, stir well and store in the refrigerator.
  6. Take the puddings out of the freezer, remove them from the moulds, place them on a serving plate and wait 30 minutes before serving. When serving, top them with 1 spoonful of liquorice flavoured chocolate cream and garnish with 1 raspberry.
Budino-cocco-crema-cioccolato-liquirizia-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Coconut pudding with liquorice flavoured chocolate cream

 

Version with gluten of Coconut puddings with liquorice flavoured chocolate cream

The recipe contains only naturally gluten free ingredients or ingredients bearing the gluten free wording, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

If you like creamy desserts, also try Mahalabiya a journey through flavours.

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Deliciously gluten-free: Oat and ricotta crumble

You don’t have to use fatty or heavy ingredients to make tasty and pleasant desserts, sometimes all you need is the right amount of imagination and the desire to experiment: this is my Oat and ricotta crumble.

This recipe is a variation of the delicious Ricotta crumbly cake that Francesca Morandin taught us. After playing with the ingredients for a while, here is our favourite version: a light and very special treat. Another example are my Digestives.

Oat and ricotta crumble

 35g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for a 26cm diametre tin

  • 250g oat flour*
  • 170g buckwheat flour mix, brand Petra 5**
  • 150g butter
  • 125g sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3g sodium bicarbonate*
  • 1/2 vanilla pod (pulp)
  • orange zest and salt to taste

Ingredients for the filling

  • 1 kg fresh sheep’s milk ricotta
  • 200g sugar
  • 45g orange liqueur*
  • 1/2 vanilla pod (pulp)
  • lemon or orange peel to taste

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Prepare the crumble by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl obtaining large crumbs. Set aside while preparing the filling.
  2. Put the ricotta cheese in a bowl and mix with sugar and flavourings to obtain a smooth and even cream.
  3. Take a hinged mould having a diameter of 26cm and cover it with wet parchment paper so that it adheres well to the mould. Form a layer of crumbs on the bottom using about half of the mixture, then top with the ricotta mixture and the remaining crumbs.
  4. Bake in a convection oven preheated to 170°C for about 40 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to cool immediately.
  5. Serve the crumble with berry sauce or jam.
crumble-avena-ricotta-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Oat and ricotta crumble

Version with gluten of Oat and ricotta crumble

Replace the Petra flour with 140g wheat flour and 30g buckwheat flour.

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Dairy-free fruit cheesecakes

December is the month of dinners, aperitifs and delicious social moments, accompanied by the desire to wish each other well and celebrate the arrival of Christmas. But delicious doesn’t necessarily mean heavy, and Dairy-free fruit cheesecakes are perfect for those who have to deal with diabetes and coeliac disease, but also for those who are lactose intolerant.

This very simple, yet colourful and tasty recipe is therefore an idea not only for an end-of-meal dessert, but also for a snack or a fun breakfast.

These cheesecakes were also enthusiastically received at the last Parma Ham Festival where the focus was on food intolerances and how to look for solutions to avoid giving up taste and eye catching ideas. And for a savoury snack idea, try the Gluten free potato pizza with olives.

Dairy-free fruit cheesecakes

carbohydrates 13.47g per 100g without chocolate decorations

Ingredients for 12 servings

  • 500g white soy yoghurt*
  • 250g blueberry soy yoghurt*
  • 120g mixed fruit (kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, mango, etc.)
  • 70g sugar coated peanuts* or nut brittle*
  • 30g brown sugar
  • 12 dark chocolate decorations*

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Add brown sugar to the white soy yoghurt and mix well.
  2. Take 12 single-portion cups and place 4 sugar coated peanuts or small pieces of nut brittle on the bottom of each one. Place 2 heaped tablespoons of white yoghurt on top of the base, then a heaped tablespoon of blueberry yoghurt, spreading it so that it covers the light yoghurt: the colour is in strong contrast, so you should see a clear separation.
  3. Decorate each cup with 2 slices of fruit, varying so that they are very colourful and cheerful. Finally, add a chocolate decoration to each cup and serve.
finte-cheesecake-alla-frutta-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Dairy free fruit cheesecakes

 

Version with gluten of Dairy free fruit cheesecakes

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

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Braid with ricotta cheese, apricots and chocolate chips

Today we are going to bake mixing good and tasty ingredients to prepare an equally tasty dessert: Braid with ricotta cheese, apricots and chocolate chips.
A creamy, fresh and delicate filling enclosed in a soft and fragrant short pastry. A mix of flavours that make this dessert a real temptation for every moment of the day. Want another breakfast idea? Try these Rice and buckwheat biscuits.

Braid with ricotta cheese, apricots and chocolate chips

41.84g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry

  • 300g flour mix for bread, brand BiAglut**
  • 150g butter
  • 100g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 100g sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 8g baking powder*
  • 1 pinch of vanilla pod

Ingredients for the filling

  • 400g mixed ricotta
  • 80g dried apricots
  • 20g chocolate chips*
  • 3g powdered sweetener* or a few drops of liquid sweetener*

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Knead all the ingredients for the shortcrust pastry until you obtain a firm, smooth ball. Cover the dough with cling film, then let it rest in the refrigerator for the time needed to prepare the filling.
  2. Mix the ricotta until it is perfectly creamy and lump-free; add the sweetener (or sugar to taste), chopped apricots and chocolate chips, then mix well.
La preparazione della treccia di ricotta, albicocche e gocce di cioccolato

Preparing the braid with ricotta cheese, apricots and chocolate chips

  1. Roll out the shortcrust pastry to form 3 rectangles measuring approximately 25×20 cm. In the centre of the rectangle, parallel to the long side, form a cylinder of ricotta filling. On both sides of the filling, cut the pastry as if forming a fringe. Starting from one end, fold the first two strips of shortcrust pastry, crossing them over each other in a braid-like manner; continue until complete.
La treccia di ricotta, albicocche e gocce di cioccolato prima di essere infornata

Braid before baking

  1. Place the 3 plaits on a baking tin covered with parchment paper and bake them in a static oven preheated to 180°C for about 20 minutes.
La treccia di ricotta, albicocche e gocce di cioccolato pronta per essere gustata

Braid ready to be enjoyed

Version with gluten of Braid with ricotta cheese, apricots and chocolate chips

Replace the BiAglut flour with an equal amount of wheat flour. No other adaptation is needed.

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Tartlets with strawberries

Today we are in the mood for strawberries, their bright colour and inviting taste that goes well with desserts. And here we are with a reinterpretation of the classic shortcrust pastry tartlets, lighter but still delicious: Tartlets with strawberries

The trick?

Simple, the dough is prepared with ‘Zero Butter’, a fantastic all-vegetable substitute of butter.

We can begin!

Tartlets with strawberries

40.5g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for the shortbread

  • 100g wholemeal rice flour*
  • 60g sugar
  • 50g gluten-free cake flour mix, brand Mix C Dolci Schär**
  • 50g almonds, peeled
  • 50g Zero butter* or butter
  • 1 egg
  • 8g baking powder*

Ingredients for the pastry cream

  • 160g low fat milk
  • 50g sugar
  • 15g corn starch*
  • 3 egg yolks
  • a bit of vanilla from the pod

Ingredients for garnishing

  • 200g fresh strawberries

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Grind the almonds in a food processor into a flour and add all the other ingredients for the shortcrust pastry; mix them together to obtain a soft, smooth dough. Cover with cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream: in a food processor or bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is frothy; add the corn starch and vanilla. Meanwhile, put the milk on the stove and bring it to the boil; pour it over the egg and corn starch mixture and stir quickly with a whisk so that no lumps form. Put everything back on the heat and let it thicken while continuing to stir. Let cool by covering with cling film.
  3. Roll out the shortcrust pastry and line tartlet moulds; prick the bottom with a fork and bake in a static oven preheated to 160°C for about 20 minutes. Let them cool down.
  4. Top the tartlets with custard and strawberries.
    Since no gelatine is used to coat the fruit, eat the tartlets on the same day or the next day at the latest.

Crostatine-di-fragole-gluten-free.blog-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Tartlets with strawberries

Replace the gluten-free flour with an equal amount of standard flour.

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