Category Archives: Gluten-free

Five-Ingredient Flourless Brownie Bites

Chocolate, Gluten-free, Muffins, Wine and Unwind April 17, 2023 Leave a comment

Our Backstage Baker is now in San Diego!  Just temporarily, though . . .

He closed “The Collaboration” in February, took a quick break, and then jumped right into his new show “Destiny of Desire.”  Now, he’s out in San Diego at the Old Globe Theater putting it up there. 

“Destiny of Desire” is billed as an “Unapologetic Telenovela in Two Acts.”  Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson (I show my age by first knowing him as Buddy Bolden in “Jelly’s Last Jam”) and starring an array of Broadway stars (Bianca Marroquin and Mandy Gonzalez among others) you can read more (and get your tickets!) here.

And even though James is thousands of miles away from his kitchen, he was still able to host the first of many Wine and Unwinds with this to-die-for super-simple recipe.  (It is gluten free but decidedly not vegan.)

Please enjoy!!

 Five Ingredient Flourless Brownie Bites 

Ingredients:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate (chopped). More for melting and drizzling if desired.

1/2 cup butter

1 cups sugar

3 large eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F

1. Line a 24-count mini muffin tin with liners and grease generously. (NOTE: Don’t think you can just grease the tin. The bites will NOT come out. Follow the directions and use the liners!) 

2. In a double boiler (aka a bowl over a pot of boiling water) add the chocolate and butter. Whisk until the chocolate and butter has melted and the mixture is unctuous and smooth.

3. Add the sugar, followed by the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Add the cocoa powder and mix until you get a thick brownie batter.

4. Evenly distribute the batter amongst 20-24 of the greased mini muffin tins. I actually got 30. It will depend on the size of your mini tins.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crackly on top.

6. Let the brownie bites cool in the pan completely before turning them out.

7. Enjoy!!

The cast did! 😉

Bianca Marroquin (fresh off her Broadway run in CHICAGO and her sold out performance at 54 Below) who plays Fabiola and Julio Agustin who plays Dr. Mendoza

Chocolate Mochi Cake

Cakes, Chocolate, Gluten-free, Wine and Unwind January 31, 2023 Leave a comment

This week’s Wine and Unwind at The Collaboration featured a decadent Chocolate Mochi Cake. Dense, moist and warmly spicy, this is a gluten-free wonder. (Don’t be confused by the “glutinous sweet rice flour” ingredient below. Rice flour, glutinous or not, is gluten-free!)

Note that you can make this with the coconut oil and coconut milk, or you can throw caution to the winds and use butter and half & half. Either way, it’ll be great!

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil, melted, plus more for pan (or can also use butter)

1½ cups (300 g) sugar, plus more for pan

1 (13.5-oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk (or can also use half & half)

2 large eggs

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups (254 g) glutinous sweet rice flour*

3 Tbsp. powdered unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 tsp. ground cardamom

1 tsp. baking powder

¼–⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut 

*can be hard to find in a regular supermarket, but Bob’s Red Mill makes one and can usually be found in any health food store.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9″-diameter cake pan. Coat pan with sugar, tapping out excess (about ¼ cup should do it).

2. Place 1½ cups (300 g) sugar and 6 Tbsp. coconut oil in a large bowl.Heat coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium, whisking constantly, until no clumps remain, then whisk into sugar mixture. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and whisk to combine.

3. Whisk rice flour, cocoa powder, spices and baking powder in a medium bowl to combine, then fold into egg mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with coconut.

4. Bake until top begins to crack and cake springs back when gently pressed, 55–65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around perimeter of cake, place a plate over pan, and invert cake onto plate. Hold wire rack over cake and invert cake onto rack  Let cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

5. Do ahead: Cake can be baked 5 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Krysta Rodriguez (Maya) enjoying a post-show slice

Crew members Dan Conner and Jeff Dodson unwinding

Torta Caprese (Chocolate and Almond Flourless Cake)

Cakes, Chocolate, Gluten-free, Wine and Unwind January 23, 2023 Leave a comment

It’s been a minute since our last post . . . In the interim, James has moved on from The Kite Runner (which closed on October 30, 2022), going straight into rehearsals for his current show, The Collaboration.  Starring Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope, with Erik Jensen and Krysta Rodriguez, it’s about the real-life artistic collaboration of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.  May I strongly suggest that you run out and get your tickets for this magnificent show?  It must close on February 11, 2023 and is an absolute treat!

Speaking of treats . . . James made the following Torta Caprese for a recent Wine and Unwind.  It’s a gluten-free recipe he learned from Chef Lorena when he sojourned in San Gemigni, Italy a few years ago.  (Check out her restaurant Facebook page here:  Il Giardino-Vino e Cucina).  I was lucky enough to be in attendance for some of her cooking classes, where we also learned how to make gnocchi and other Italian treats.  (Watch this space for another Chef Lorena special recipe soon!)

With just a few ingredients, make sure you get the best quality chocolate and butter to lift this torta into the stratosphere of deliciousity.

Torta Caprese (Chocolate and Almond Flourless Cake)

Ingredients

125grams (4.4 oz) blanched almonds (or almond meal)*

125grams (4.4 oz) good quality dark chocolate (I use 70% cocoa)

125grams (4.4 oz or 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, chopped

125grams (4.4 oz or 1/2 cup) sugar

3 large eggs, separated and left to come to room temperature

Powdered sugar for dusting

Optional additions:  Zest of one orange, 1 TBSP rum, 1 tsp almond essence

* If using whole blanched almonds, blitz them to a very fine, sandy texture in a food processor.

Directions

Grease and line a 20 cm or 8 inch round cake tin with baking paper (I like to use a springform tin or one with a removable base for this delicate cake) and preheat oven to 160ºC or 320ºF. 

Place the chocolate, broken up, in a metal or glass bowl set over a bain marie (aka a double broiler, or a pot of simmering water). When melted, remove the bowl from the heat and add the butter, stirring with a wooden spoon or silicon spatula to help it melt. 

Add the sugar and the almond meal. Once the mixture is no longer hot, add the egg yolks and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. If adding any further ingredients (orange zest, rum, etc), stir them in now.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with beaters to soft, fluffy peaks. Fold the whites gently through the chocolate and almond batter. 

Pour the batter into the cake tin, smooth over the top and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the top appears dry and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter). 

It is important not to overcook this cake so that it retains its wonderful moist consistency. 

Let cool completely in the tin before handling. Dust with powdered sugar and, if desired, some lightly whipped cream. This cake keeps well for several days and is even better the next day.

Kulcha e Birinji – Afghan Rice Flour and Pistachio Butter Cookies (GF!)

Cookies, Gluten-free, Holiday June 20, 2022 Leave a comment

Broadway James is in rehearsal for his next Broadway show – The Kite Runner. It was a hit on the West End and is coming here for a very limited run, July 6 – October 30, 2022. So don’t delay, get those tickets today!!

This recipe comes from the show’s cultural advisor Humaira Ghilzai. A slightly different version of these cookies are traditionally eaten to celebrate Nowroz, the New Year, which occurs in March. James made these for the company’s first Wine and Unwind, which seems appropriate to celebrate the new beginning of the show. Looks like everyone enjoyed them!

Christine Mirzayan who plays the Pomegranate Lady, Wife and Andrews, with Houshang Touzie who plays General Taheri
Joe Joseph who plays Merchant and Russian Soldier and Dea Julien, an understudy.

Kulcha e Birinji | Afghan Rice Flour & Pistachio Butter Cookies 

Serving size: Makes around two dozen cookies.

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened to room temperature

3/4 cup cane sugar or coconut sugar

2 egg whites

2 cups white rice flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (consider using fresh cardamom pods and grinding them yourself. Or, just double the amount of cardamom!)

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachios (optional, if you don’t like nuts, but if that’s the case, why are you making pistachio cookies? )

1/4 cup shelled whole pistachios

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the egg whites and mix until smooth. Gradually add the rice flour, cardamom, and pistachios (if you choose to use them). Mix well.

3. Scoop up a tablespoon of dough and set on a cookie sheet (ungreased is ok). Flatten the dough with the palm of your hand. The cookie will not rise or spread during cooking. Next, press the back of a fork into the dough, making a criss-cross with the tines of the fork (like you would with a peanut butter cookie). If the fork sticks, dip it in a glass of cold water from time to time. Place a pistachio in the center of the cookie.

4. Continue with the remainder of the dough, setting the cookies 1 ½ inch apart.

5. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let it cool before eating.

The company relaxing after their first week of rehearsal (at the MTC Creative Center.)

Vegan Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut and Orange (Gluten Free!)

Chocolate, Gluten-free, Tarts, Vegan, Wine and Unwind May 28, 2019 1 Comment

The Dessert

I realize I’ve fallen down on the job of blogging our Backstage Baker’s creations.  The last post had him creating an amazing cake for “Mother of Maid” at the Public (starring Glenn Close) way back in October of LAST year!  Here’s that link if you missed it.

After that, he went on to work with Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano on Sam Shepard’s limited run of “True West.”  While there certainly were baked goods and Wine and Unwind’s there, there were no new recipes, hence no blog posts.

Now, our Backstage Baker is stage managing yet another Broadway show, this time the blockbuster production of “Oklahoma” now playing at the Circle in the Square Theatre.  It’s nominated for ton of awards, so good luck trying to get tickets anytime soon!

Since many people in that cast are gluten-free and/or vegan, James has been experimenting.  Here’s the recipe for his most recent creation:

Vegan Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut and Orange (Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

Hazelnut Crust:
1 1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup toasted hazelnuts
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
zest of one orange
1/4 teaspoon salt

Truffle Filling:
24 ounces 2 bags vegan chocolate chips
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 tablespoon orange juice

Toppings
Toasted hazelnuts, chopped
Additional orange zest strips

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray a 10″ tart pan and set aside.
In a food processor, chop the hazelnuts until they are a coarse crumb. Add the remaining crust ingredients and process until well combined. The crust should hold together when pressed between your fingers. Spread evenly onto tart pan, pressing it up the fluted sides. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool.
To make the filling, place the chocolate chips, rum, and orange juice in a medium sized bowl. In a small saucepan bring the coconut milk and coconut oil to a scald (just before boiling point). Pour over chocolate chips and cover for 3 minutes. Remove lid and gently stir together until thick and dark. Pour evenly into cooled crust.
Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and orange peel and return to refrigerator for another hour, until chilled all the way through.
Store in the refrigerator. Delicious!!!

Dream Ballet Dancer Gabrielle Hamilton, Jimmy Davis who plays Will Parker and Mallory Portnoy who plays GertieDream Ballet Dancer Gabrielle Hamilton, Jimmy Davis who plays Will Parker and Mallory Portnoy who plays Gertie

A Flourless Chocolate Cake fit for a King

Cakes, Chocolate, Gluten-free January 20, 2018 Leave a comment
IMG_0113 Mark Rylance, aka King Phillip V, star of “Farinelli and the King”

King Phillip V, that is.  Our James has hopped directly from “Time and the Conways” to another Broadway show, “Farinelli and the King.”  If you haven’t heard of it, you really, really should.  I was lucky enough to see it last week, and it is really a gorgeous, emotional and relevant evening of theater.  No spoilers here, but the entire production seems lit entirely by candlelight and the whole thing has a magical, poignant quality to it.  Here’s a link to a Vanity Fair article about it, here’s the New York Times review and here’s where you can buy tickets.  Do get them soon, because this is a limited run that ends on March 25.

But back to cake — Mark Rylance, (King Phillip) celebrated his birthday yesterday, and James baked his classic, simple and delectable Flourless Chocolate Cake.   Actually, as you can see from the photo below, he baked two.  While we’ve already blogged this recipe  (here), when the King commands, it seems necessary to blog it again.  Plus, the cake only has six ingredients, so it’s a definite keeper

IMG_0107

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 tablespoon butter

Method:

1.   Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cocoa powder.
2.   In the top of a double boiler over lightly simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.
3.   Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

For the Glaze:

1.   In a small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons sugar, the corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chopped chocolate, swirl pan to mix, do not mix, and allow to stand until melted, about 3 minutes.
2.  Whisk 1 tablespoon butter into icing until melted and the chocolate is shiny and smooth.. Put wax paper under the cooling rack then pour glaze evenly over cake. Use a spatula to ease icing out to edges of cake and down the sides. Sprinkle the ground almonds around the top edge of the cake. Allow icing to cool and set before slicing.

IMG_0108Champagne with a chaser . . .  Or is it the other way around?

The Backstage Baker ON STAGE!

Cakes, Gluten-free September 17, 2017 Leave a comment

decoratedThe cake on the prop table decorated with fresh strawberries and fat free, sugar free Greek yogurt.  Mmmmmm.

Sometimes, there are things asked of stage manager that are far outside their job description . . .

Now, as mentioned in a recent post, the Backstage Baker is stage managing “Time and the Conways” for the Roundabout.  They just started previews at the American Airlines Theater and I hear it’s a smash.  (So get those tickets now, because this is a limited run that closes on November 26.)

This show offered James a baking challenge and believe it or not, it’s not the first time he’s been called on to create something edible to appear onstage eight times a week. (The last time was for a blueberry pie that Dianne Wiest made and baked onstage in the play  “Memory House” back in 2005. Here’s the review where the pie features prominently.)

But back to “Time and the Conways.”  It so happened that one of the actors was staged to devour a mini-bundt cake, but no one wants to consume a sugar-filled, gluten-based cake eight times a week.

Backstage Baker to the rescue!  Late one night, right the middle of technical rehearsals, he got home and started experimenting.  Could a pancake batter of eggs and banana be turned into a cake?  Would it even be edible?  Would it hold the bundt shape and look like an elegant confection worthy of the Conways? More importantly, would the actor be able to eat it with gusto?  Into the wee hours, he baked.  The cakes auditioned the next day and were a hit!   Now you can see them on stage eight times a week at The American Airlines Theatre.

Matthew and cake
Matthew James Thomas (who plays Robin Conway) about to do the taste test.

Matthew tasting cake
It passed the first audition… now to the call back, on stage and in front of the director.

It’s hired!  Now, should you ever find yourself in this situation, here’s the recipe:

Robin Conway’s Gluten Free, Sugar Free Mini Bundt Cakes

Ingredients:

1 really ripe banana mashed
2 eggs separated
1 Tablespoon Coconut Flour
1 /2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Separate eggs and whip whites until soft peaks form. Mix bananas and egg yolks together, add flour. Mix well. Add cinnamon and vanilla, then stir gently into whites until incorporated.
Pour into two mini-bundt pans. Bake for 22-25 minutes until set.
Cool in pan 5 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Cookies, Gluten-free, Vegan September 2, 2017 Leave a comment

Cookies

Gaaah!  James posted this photo on Facebook last week, and people were clamoring for the recipe:

“Seems like there was a lot of interest in this recipe so here it is. You don’t taste the chick pea at all and they are REALLY delicious. I will be making them again.

Giving credit where credit is due I found this recipe from an email from Pinterest. It took me to the site of Texanerin.com”

Hmm, the phrase “You don’t taste the chick peas at all” strikes fear into my heart, especially in connection with cookies.  But since it’s from James and we trust him, here’s the recipe.  I’m still trying to get up the courage to make them.

UPDATE 9/3/2017:  I made them and you know what?   They really are good!  You absolutely would not know they contained the dreaded chickpea.  (Dreaded only because chickpeas have no place in a cookie.  Yes, I’m judgey that way.)  I would recommend NOT pressing the balls down to look like cookies because they do not have a cookie crispness at all and you will be disappointed.  They really should look like dough balls because that is what they are!

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups roasted and salted peanuts (or 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of all-natural peanut butter)*
1- 15.5 Ounce can of chickpeas, well-rinsed, drained and patted dry with a paper towel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup honey (agave or maple syrup for vegan)
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (use vegan and dairy-free chocolate chips, if desired)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Put the peanuts in a food processor (a blender will NOT work). Process for one minute then scrape down sides. Continue processing and scraping at one minute intervals. In four minutes, you should have delicious, amazing peanut butter. NOTE:  At the 2 minute, 30 second mark or so, the peanut butter will be extremely thick. Do NOT be tempted to add oil or liquid, just keep processing.  You can also use store bought natural peanut butter (1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons).

Leave 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons in the food processor (store any remaining in the refrigerator). Add all the other ingredients except for the chocolate chips  and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they’re combined.

Add the chocolate chips and stir them in. The mixture will be very thick and sticky. At this point, I put the bowl of dough in the freezer to firm up the dough.

With wet hands, form into 1 1/2″ balls. Place onto a Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. If you want them to look more like regular cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don’t rise much.
Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. The dough balls will still be very soft when you take them out of the oven. They will not set like normal cookies. The bottom of the cookies will brown. Cool on wire racks.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the fridge) for up to 1 week.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

*1.  If you opt for not making the peanut butter do NOT use regular peanut butter! The cookies will come out too oily. You MUST use natural peanut butter.

2.  If you need grain-free baking powder, you can use 1 part cream of tartar + 1 part baking soda + 2 parts arrowroot.

Cheesecake-stuffed Strawberry Bites

Cheesecake, Gluten-free, Wine and Unwind May 26, 2017 Leave a comment

Strawberries

Heading into Memorial Day weekend, our Backstage Baker offers up this scrumptious recipe.  In fact, it’s so easy, it’s almost hard to call it a recipe!

But first, don’t forget to watch the Tony Awards on Sunday, June 11, 2017 — Indecent is nominated for Best Play, Best Director (Rebecca Taichman) and Best Lighting (Christopher Akerlind.)  Just for fun, here’s a link to a post on The Skriker, a show that Chris lit at the Public many moons ago.

Also, don’t forget that James’ previous show Jitney is also nominated for several Tony Awards this season!  You have to wonder if he sprinkles magic dust on his shows, right?  Maybe it’s just all the baking . . .

But back to these cheesecake-stuffed strawberry bites!  This is a super easy dessert to throw together. Great for parties and week end celebrations. And now strawberries are in season, it’s the perfect time to make them.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberry Bites

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, then hulled and cored
Almond cookies crushed (or for a more traditional taste use crushed graham crackers)
Half cup dark chocolate pieces melted

Method:

Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth; spoon into a piping bag or a resealabe bag with a corner snipped.
Fill cavities of cored strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Dip filled side of strawberries in the crushed graham crackers to coat. Drizzle with dark chocolate.

KAtrina LenkKatrina Lenk and Adina Verson try the Stuffed Strawberries (Katrina will also star in next season’s THE BAND’S VISIT)

Tom Nelis
Tom Nelis (left) enjoying the wine while discussing his role with understudy Ben Cherry (center) as understudy Eleanor Reissa looks on.

Indecent Lemony Almond Macaroons

Cookies, Gluten-free, Holiday, Wine and Unwind April 17, 2017 Comments: 3

Lemony ALmond Macaroons

Okay, so macaroons can’t really be indecent as they are thoroughly inanimate objects, but James made these for the pre-opening Wine and Unwind of Indecent last Sunday, so I thought the title was apt.  (FYI, Indecent, Paula Vogel’s play, opens at the Cort Theater on Tuesday, April 18.  Check it out here.)  These are also suitable for Passover.  I think.

Indecent Lemony Almond Macaroons

Ingredients:

1- 14-ounce package sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large egg whites
3-4 ounces dark chocolate

Method:

Heat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl, combine the coconut, almonds, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Mix in the egg whites.

Drop mounds of the mixture (each equal to 2 tablespoons) onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.

Bake, switching the baking sheets halfway through, until the edges begin to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Or bake one pan at a time. Cool slightly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Melt chocolate by boiling water in a pot and then putting chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and placing the bowl over the boiling water.  Stir frequently until almost completely melted, then remove pot from water and stir until smooth.

Dip cooled macaroons in the chocolate and place on waxed paper (Or be green and place them on the parchment paper they were baked on!!!) Drizzle remaining chocolate over the tops of the macaroons.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.