1- Gluten-free cheesecake
Dinner party guests will never guess this lemon cheesecake is gluten-free. It takes only 15 minutes to prep and doesn’t require cooking.
Ingredients
170g gluten-free stem ginger biscuits
100g unsalted butter, melted
300ml double cream
100g icing sugar
250g cream cheese
2 lemons, zested and juiced
Method
STEP 1
Line an 18cm springform cake tin with baking paper on the base. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor for 2-3 mins or until they resemble breadcrumbs. Combine with the melted butter then press evenly into the base of the tin with the back of a spoon. Cover and put in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
STEP 2
Whip the double cream in a fresh bowl until it forms soft peaks. Sift in the icing sugar and add the cream cheese, lemon juice and zest (save 1 tbsp to garnish). Fold the mixture until thoroughly combined.
STEP 3
Remove the cheesecake base from the fridge and spoon on the cream mixture, smoothing the top with the back of the spoon. Cover and return to the fridge for 2 hrs 30mins or until fully set. Gently remove the cheesecake from the tin and sprinkle over the remaining lemon zest to serve.
2- Gluten-free shortbread
Cornflour is used to achieve that classic soft, crumbly shortbread texture in this gluten-free recipe.
Ingredients
120g unsalted butter, softened
70g golden caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp vanilla extract
120g gluten-free flour, plus extra for cutting
60g cornflour or arrowroot
Method
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, cornflour or arrowroot and a pinch of salt into the bowl, then fold into the butter mixture until it forms a soft dough.
STEP 2
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured worksurface until roughly 4mm thick. Cut out the biscuit shapes using a lightly floured 7½cm round cutter. Put the dough rounds on a lined baking tray, about ½ inch apart, then sprinkle with a light dusting of sugar. Bake for 15 mins or until lightly golden. Allow to cool then serve. The shortbread can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
STEP 3
Alternatively, to make shortbread fingers, press the dough into a lined square tin (we used 23cm x 23cm). Chill for at least 1 hr (or up to a day). When ready, bake for 30 mins until the shortbread is lightly golden and cooked through. Allow to cool for 2-3 mins, then carefully remove from the pan and cut into fingers.