The Gluten-Free Homemaker

Last evening I decided to pull out one of my favorite cookbooks from before my celiac diagnosis. It is Mennonite Country Style Recipes by Esther Shank. I found this dessert and decided to try converting it to be gluten-free. The result was scrumptious.

Gluten-Free Applescotch Dessert

1 c. brown sugar
1 Tb. corn starch
2 c. cold water
2 c. gluten-free flour mix (I used Carol Fenster's sorghum blend)
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tb. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Tb. butter
4 c. chopped peeled apples
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tb. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan. Cook until slightly thickened (very slightly). Pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Mix together the flour, 1/4 c. sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or fork. Stir the apples into this flour mixture. Combine the milk and vanilla and stir into the flour/apple mixture. Stir just until moistened. Drop by serving spoonfuls into the baking dish. Combine the 1 Tb. sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Note: I might try to thicken the syrup with a little more cornstarch next time. It did thicken as it baked, but still ran out from underneath as I started dishing it up. The original recipe called for 1 1/2 c. brown sugar which I cut back to 1 c. so that might have made some difference. Also, I somehow missed the directions to add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1 Tb. butter to the syrup just before pouring it into the baking dish. I might try adding the vanilla next time.

Labels: dessert recipes, fruit desserts