3 gluten-free treat recipes

NB. Even if you are buying products you have purchased before, ALWAYS check labels to ensure these are still gluten-free.

Apple cupcakes
Using oil instead of butter, these are made more moist by the fruit in them.
Sift 200g gluten-free flour with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and one heaped teaspoon of (gluten-free) baking powder. Add 100g of soft brown sugar and one large apple (peeled and diced into small cubes). Stir then beat together with 3 tablespoons of syrup and 8 tablespoons of sunflower oil. Spoon into 12-18 fairy cake cases, bake at gas mark 5 (190°C or 375°F) for 20-25 minutes.

Home-rolled pizza
Make the dough by blending 200g gluten-free flour with one sachet of fast-action dried yeast, two tablespoons of olive oil and a large pinch of salt. Gradually add 100-150ml of warm water – a little at a time for a kneadable but not sticky dough. Knead and roll the dough out into two or more thin bases. Leave for 15 minutes, then cover with chopped tomato or tomato pizza topping. Stir in garlic or finely chopped onion with the topping before covering the bases, to taste, but add other fresh ingredients after cooking (bake for around 10-13 minutes at gas mark 7, 220°C or 425°F).

Chocolate brownies
Beat together 2 eggs with 175g caster sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir in 100g gluten-free chocolate then add in 75g gluten-free or rice flour, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon of gluten-free baking powder. Pour into a greased baking tin, then bake for 30 minutes at gas mark 4 (180°C or 350°F). Cut into brownie sizes when cooled.

Savvy tip
When preparing a meal make sure you don’t cross-contaminate. Clean surfaces, avoid wooden boards you have cut bread on before as crumbs might remain in groove in the wood, and use clean pans.