VEGAN VVVEEEEGAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN GAN FFOOFFFFFFFFFFOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & D & LIVD & D & D & D & D & D & LLLLLLLLLLLLIIVVVVVININING OCTOBER INININININININININININGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER 29292929292929292929292929292929292929292929292929292929292929292929The Gluten-Free
You Are: Looking to host a stunning free-
from traditional afternoon tea, or perhaps
you’re in need of some ideas in preparation
for catering your fi rst gluten-free tea party?
Being gluten-free doesn’t have to make an
impact upon the quality of your food on offer,
it just simply involves a few adaptations and
tweaks to some of your recipes.
The Sweet: Gluten-free? Just as tasty. Thanks to the ever-expanding
range of baking fl ours and raising agents available in most supermarkets,
you can be sure of no soggy bottoms or dense brick-cakes in your
efforts to create the gluten-free and gourmet. A quick scroll online will
tantalise your taste buds with exciting recipes, and why not check out
our sister magazine Free-From Heaven to provide you with all of the
necessary adaptations you may need to alter conventional recipes. Why
not design a menu of sweet treats that are intrinsically gluten-free? Serve
up distinctively denser cakes, including double-chocolate brownies and
nut-fl ower cakes alongside fl apjacks and gluten-free oat-baked biscuits.
Almond and orange cake is a winner for sure.
The Savoury: The obvious choice would be to serve simple
sandwiches on gluten-free breads. While this is pretty easy, you may
want to consider going off-piste! Swerve the sandwiches, opting for
lettuce cups fi lled with pan-fried spinach and mushrooms, rice cakes
smothered in smashed avocado with chickpeas and peppers, baked
rounds of sweet potato with a Mexican salsa on top, or even a dip-
based lunch with raw veggies. The possibilities are endless!
The Scones: Simply substitute the regular fl our for gluten-free
versions, and make sure you add in a binding agent such as a fruit
purée, coconut cream or xanthan gum. As for the fi llings, you can be as
inventive as you like! For a higher success rate, try baking the scones in
larger sizes (around a fi st-sized round) as the ingredients will be more
likely to bind.
The Tea: All teas are naturally gluten-free, so this is really up to your tastes.The Novice
You Are: The kind of person who would
add salt to a dough instead of sugar.
Perhaps your idea of baking involves a cake
mix and water? Or maybe you’ve never
baked anything vegan before. No problem.
I’ve got your back on this maiden voyage
into the unknown world of vegan bakery.
The Sweet: Keep it simple. An all-in-one cake batter mix needs
few ingredients and no complicated methodology, but is guaranteed
to generate a gloriously golden baked delight. Remember to line the
cake tins with baking paper and ensure the oven is at the correct
temperature. Use a toothpick in the middle of the sponge to test if the
cake is fully baked – if it comes out clean, you’re good to go! Cool, and
then fi ll with a vegan buttercream and strawberries, or for a lighter
cake opt for a plain jam sponge. Simple? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely.
The Savoury: One of the simplest ways to incorporate savoury into
an afternoon tea is to do a selection of smaller fi lled savoury bread
rolls. No cutting of crusts or precision presentation needed here,
it’s as easy as fi ll or spread with your favourite fi llings. You could use
bagels sliced in half as open sandwiches, and don’t be afraid to use
your imagination when it comes to fi llings and toppings.
The Scones: Don’t let the dough intimidate you. Scones
are one of the more practical and user-friendly baked
goods that are almost novice-proof! Remember to
fl our the worktop when rolling out and shaping the
dough. Avoid ‘overworking’ the dough by handling it
too much, and, importantly, line your baking tray to
ensure no sticking.
The Tea: You can’t go wrong with a pot of
loose-leaf breakfast tea, served in a traditional
teapot with a strainer. It’ll take your guests back
in time and is sure to add a little fancy to your
fi rst afternoon tea event.VEGAN FOOD & LIVING OCTOBER 29VFL17.TeaTotal.indd 29 06/09/2017 15:44