Gluten Free Pear Clafoutis

I wanted to make cupcakes yesterday for November’s Go Ahead Honey it’s Gluten Free challenge, however I learned that I had already missed the deadline. (Sad day!) I was still keen to bake something, so I thought that I would try something new from one of my newer cookbooks: Gluten Free Gourmet Desserts and Baked Goods. (Or you can see a Google Book Copy.) Everything seriously looks so delicious in this book – I bought it because of the pictures, not the recipes. It also taught me that gourmet == french cuisine. I must live under a rock as I didn’t know that before.

One delightful looking picture caught my interest: something called Pear Clafoutis. I had no idea what clafoutis was – the author gives it the translation of fruit cobbler. Wikipedia gives a better answer:

Clafoutis is a baked French dessert that is typically made by baking fresh fruit (traditionally cherries) and a batter, halfway between a Yorkshire pudding/pancake batter and a custard ^[1], in a baking dish. – Wikipedia

And what can I say? Regardless of how one describes it, it was delicious. And very simple!

Gluten Free Pear Clafoutis

2/3 c. each of almond flour, brown sugar and rice flour
3 eggs
1 c. rice milk (I used Ryza)
3 pears, peeled and sliced
Sprinkle of cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400C.
2. Oil a glass or earthenware cake or loaf pan. (I used a glass loaf pan)
3. Combine almonds, sugar and rice flour in a bowl.
4. Add eggs.
5. Mix in rice milk, a little at a time.
6. Fold fruit into batter.
7. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
8. Bake for 30-45 minutes until set.

I’m not sure if you’re supposed to eat it warm or cold, but both tasted good!

Bohemian Rhapsody?

I know that my posts have been lacking in serious content for the last while, but my excuse is that I’m using all my brainpower for school. So, instead, I’ll leave you with something entertaining that one of my friend’s posted on facebook:

Gotta love the Muppets, hey? Did anyone else watch their Christmas special with Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock as a kid or not so kid?

You know I’ve been spending too much time on my design project when…

… I find this to be cute, hilarious and all around awesome:

This gem is courtesy of UOP

Oh, propylene, how I love thee. (Sometimes.)

Saturday Snapshot ala Amanda

Today’s saturday snapshot theme from Amanda over at Teasingly Diverse is: Love.

My friend and her newborn baby.

Enough Said. 🙂

Vancouver Island in November

This past weekend was reading break (where we had more than 4 days off!), so Heather and I headed out to Vancouver Island. I know, you must be thinking that I’m crazy because it appears that I don’t travel anywhere else. I guess I don’t, but I love Vancouver Island and our three days away didn’t disappoint!

We got to witness so many fantastic waves that had I watched every good wave show we saw, I would have done nothing else.

We visited an old growth forest and there were pumpkins… all along the side of the road. It was quite random but very happy.

We went for tea at The Empress Hotel in Victoria. If you have a chance and have money, I highly recommend it because look at all the (gluten free!) goodies that you get:

They have the most delicious lemon curd. Ever. Even if you dislike lemons, you’ll like it. It’s that good.

And for you gluten-a-tors, this is the spread you get:

Just a word of warning – when you’re on vacation, don’t comment that you’ve had surprisingly good weather for two days in a row because it will rain for the rest of the time and you’ll find out that your rental car has a tendency to hydroplane while it’s pouring in the dark. Not that it happened to us.

What did you do this weekend?