Lemon Ginger Cake

Tags

cooking, DIY, duck eggs, fun, gluten free, lemon ginger cake, recipe

I can’t be the only one who experiments on a whim with baking and cooking.  Today’s creation came out rather good so thought I’d pass it along.  Some of the measurements are rather loose, sorry I rarely bake or cook as an exact science.

This mash up of ingredients was not what I thought I was going to make.  I started out attempting to separate eggs.  The universe wasn’t cooperating.  Sure, I’ll blame it on the universe, not my shaking hands, the universe can take the fall for this one today ;-).  First egg separated fine, white into 1 bowl, yolk in another.  2nd egg, the yolk split and about a tsp got into the whites, ok, I fished it out.  3rd egg, white into 1 bowl and then I in one fell swoop threw the yolk into the trash not the 2nd bowl, oops.  4th egg, split and yolk all over the whites.  So I threw in the towel and changed plans.  I thought I was going to experiment with a cake type thing where I beat the whites stiff then added other stuff in, maybe using the yolks, maybe not.  Yea, that didn’t happen.

Instead this is what happened:

Lemon ginger cake right out of the oven

Lemon Ginger Gluten Free Cake

• 4 duck eggs (or x large chicken eggs)
• 1 tsp gluten free vanilla
• couple of turns on the salt grinder (I use Himalayan sea salt, the pink stuff)

Into a large bowl and beat on high with the mixer for a couple of minutes.  They were frothy and over double in size when I stopped the beaters.

then grate into that about 3/4 of the rind of one medium size lemon, think that was maybe a little over a teaspoon?   And grate in somewhere between 1-2 tablespoons of fresh ginger.  then add the juice of that lemon you grated the rind of off.  beat in until mixed.  (note the cake is rather lemony, which I like, but if you would rather a more subtle lemon flavor I would cut back the amount of lemon rind, maybe grate in the rind of only 1/2 or even 1/3 of the lemon?)

then slowly beat in 1 1/4 c sugar (if you were using a meyer lemon you could use less sugar, I know the lemons I had on had were rather sour from using them in another dish so wanted to try to hedge my bets on balancing that with the sugar).

in another small bowl mix together

• 1.5 c brown rice flour
• .5 c tapioca starch/flour
• 1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• couple more turns of the salt grinder

then slowly beat that into the egg mixture

once combined, beat in 1/3c olive oil, 1/3c grape seed oil (or you can sub in your preferred fat of choice), and 1/4c agave nectar (you could probably skip the agave, again I knew how sour my lemon was and was trying to balance that out, which it worked, the cake is not too sweet and not sour).  As you beat it will be rather thick and trying to climb the beaters.

pour into a greased baking dish.  the one I used is 6″x10″ by 2″ deep.  I sprinkled a small amount of turbinado sugar on the top to help it brown and crisp.

bake for approx 40min (or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean) in a 325’F oven  (ours is a convection oven, so on a standard oven I might bake it at 350’F, or 325′ for a bit longer).

This cake came out much better than I anticipated.  I wasn’t sure if it was going to be too dense, but the beating of the eggs so much to start I think really helped this to be light and airy.  I am really enjoying it!  Hope you have as much success as I have if you try it yourself.

cake cooling on a rake with a piece cut out for me to eat!  Yum!

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A Year Of Ducks

Tags

birthday, duck behavior, duck eggs, duck fun, Ducks, magpie ducks

Today marks the ducks first complete year of life on this planet!  Tomorrow a year ago, they were packaged up at the hatchery and shipped via USPS where 2 days later my husband and I picked up our little quack quacks to begin this journey of ducks!

Spot the Drake walking through the icy yard keeping an eye on the world, keeping  his girls safe.

It’s been an awesome experience.  I can’t wait to see what is in store during the coming years with the Squawk Box Gang.

Here are some things I’ve learned a long the way:

Split the duck standing her feet covered in water, ice and 3 of her flock mates around her

1.  I’m really, really glad I did my research and homework before getting the flock.  Storey’s Guide to Raising Ducks was an excellent resource I found.  As was info at Back Yard Chickens (more for general poultry raising info and helping me decide between ducks or chickens) and information especially on health testing and bio security at the Mass.gov Poultry Program
2. Ducks are way easier than chickens.  So much less worry.  And so much easier to keep contained.
3. I’m really glad I have Spot (the drake) as he really does watch out for his girls which helps keep them safe from predators (the neighbor’s cats and hawks).
4. They are very good at expressing their annoyance if the weather forces me to keep them in their 10×20 coop for too many days in a row.  They would knock me over if they could as I open the door.
5. My 10×20 coop design has some flaws, primarily when snow piles up against the sides the door doesn’t shut properly.  Then I have to jury rig it making it less safe from a predator if one really really really wanted to break in.  I need to think about a solution and fix it before next winter.
6. I care about them a lot and worry they aren’t getting enough enrichment.  My husband thinks I’m ridiculous.
7. They are super soft and nice to pet when they let you
8. They are very easy to train and very much like routine.  They make it very, very clear when I am late getting them in.
9. Duck eggs are delicious and I like them so much better than chicken eggs.  They make every thing you cook using them 10x better.
10. Getting ducks was one of the best decisions!!  I say nearly daily “I love my birds and am so glad we got them!”

As a birthday gift, I’m letting them destroy the backyard (or at least what they can find of it) for a couple of hours.  We have to reseed it in a couple of months anyway.  And they are getting some special veggie treats in addition to their usual lettuce.

Happy Pi Day! (& Snow!!)

Tags

Dog Training, dogs, duck eggs, Ducks, fetch, Pi Day, play, snow, Tom, visitors, Zora

It’s a lovely day for some Pie!  What better way to celebrate a snow storming Pi Day than with Lemon Meringue?  None that I can think of.  Isn’t math awesome?!

Freshly baked lemon meringue pie

And what better way to celebrate a snow storm than out with the dogs? Also none that I can think of!

Zora would like me to hurry up and throw the ball as Tom tries his best dalmatian impression.  Zora loves the snow.  Tom tolerates it.  Usually he stands there turning white following me around the yard looking pitiful.  He enjoys our snow woods walks slightly more, that is until his feet get cold.  Tom has high tolerances for most things, except cold feet.  He hates cold feet.  Can’t say I blame him.  And good luck asking him to walk when they’ve salted the sidewalks, it’s just not worth it.  Tom’s favorite thing about snow days?  Getting toweled dry once we come back inside.  He demands it.

Zora sitting pretty with Tom standing covered in snow behind her

He’d make a pretty cute dalmatian, right?

Tom’s face close up covered in white snow flakes

And the throwing of the balls. Wally the doodle is super fluffy and very cute. He seems to like my Holee Roller! Zora says she’s sticking with her Jolly Ball, thank you very much.

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Wally is visiting with us while his mum is on holiday.  We’re working on his ability to resist grabbing the corgi when she’s running to me.  He needs a lot of practice with that.  Yesterday we made good progress with it, him coming to me running beside Zora instead of fixating on her trying to grab her scruff.  This morning he forgot what we practice yesterday, and needed help to make good choices.  He has though figured out that my dogs won’t chase him when he has the toy (which he laments, he really really wants someone to chase him when he has the toy).  Instead Zora just lies watching him patiently waiting until he gets bored or distracted and drops it.  Then she swoops in, grabbing the prize.  Tom could really care less about what Wally does as long as it doesn’t involve bothering him.  Nuff said.

Not to be left out, the ducks are glad it’s not quite so cold out anymore.  They don’t mind the snow as much as when it goes below freezing.  As it did here a number of days this past week.  This morning they were thrilled I brought them a head of lettuce to enjoy.  Happy Duckies!  Then again their eggs did make my delicious Pi Day celebration possible.  Thank you Ducks!

4 of the ducks standing in the straw

Duck Egg Doughnuts – Gluten Free

Tags

doughnuts, duck eggs, Ducks, gluten free, making stuff, recipe

It has been six years since my last doughnut.  That is until this past Tuesday evening.  When I found a way to make doughnuts I might possibly be able to eat.  And I could.  And they are glorious.  I forgot how wonderful a doughnut could be.

I’ve lost count the number of times people say to me, “Oh being gluten free must be so hard!”  No, actually being gluten free in this present day and age is the easiest of my medically necessary dietary restrictions.  If I just had to worry about only gluten free I could have made myself doughnuts years ago!  Or probably been able to purchase pre-made ones somewhere since now there are lots of pre-made options if you have to be gluten free.  Or at least more than there used to be.

For me, with doughnuts it was also the yeast part.  Yea and the dairy part too kind of.  And making sure no nuts or legumes (hi there soy and peanuts) parts.  A few years ago the rice and sugar parts where an impediment as well, but in recent years I’ve managed to get some grains and sugar back into my diet as long as I’m careful about not overdoing it.

Anyway, I made doughnuts on Tuesday night.  Hubby and I ate them.  (dinner of champions)  And they were glorious.  Then on Wednesday my nieces and nephews came over and the doughnuts disappeared for good.  If you too have been seeking a way to make doughnuts you can eat for the past upteen years, well maybe you can eat or modify so you can eat these.

So without further ado- Gluten, Nut, Legume, Dairy Free Duck Egg Doughnuts

(this recipe was made combining parts of some other recipes found in the Gluten Free and More May 2017 magazine issue, as well as an old fashioned traditional gluten filled recipe I had in my recipe book from my husband’s mother.)

In a medium sized bowl mix below dry ingredients and set aside:

• 1/2c brown rice flour
• 1/2c white rice flour
• 1/2c tapioca starch
• 1/2c potato starch (not potato flour)
• 1.5tsp baking powder
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2tsp ground nutmeg
• 1tsp xanthan gum (ok to omit if you can’t tolerate gums or sub in ground psyllium husk)

• 

  Dry ingredients in a separate bowl

In a separate medium to large size bowl, beat with a mixer until grainy (or your mixer starts to smell like burning, hmm probably a clue it’s time for us to break down and buy a new mixer):

• 2 Tbs Earth Balance Soy Free spread (or if you can do dairy, 2 Tbs softened butter) or other non-dairy substitute
• 1/4c white sugar
• 1/4c brown sugar
• 1tsp gluten free vanilla

dry ingredients in a bowl to the side, measuring out the sugar and fats

the fat and sugar beat until grainy

Then add into the sugar/fat mix:

• 1 large duck egg plus 1 duck egg yolk (room temperature) beating until creamy  (If you don’t happen to have your own personal flock of ducks at your disposal, you can substitute in x-large chicken eggs)

Add in to that, beating until well combined:

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (it reacts with the baking powder to help with rising)
• 4Tbs water or if you have it Apple Cider (not vinegar, just good old apple cider)

Then slowly beat your dry ingredients into the wet until well combined.  Beat about 2 minutes.  The dough will still be rather sticky.

Use a spatula to form a ball in the bowl with the dough.  Cover and put in the fridge for 1 hour.

The fully mixed dough, formed into a ball with spatula ready to cool in the fridge

Once dough is cooled, generously dust a counter top (or in gluten free baking I’ve learned to do this on top of a piece of plastic wrap or flexible cutting board to help with ease of removal) with white rice flour then roll out the dough 1/2″ thick.

Cut out doughnut shapes in the dough.  Reforming and rolling it out until all of the dough is cut out into doughnuts and doughnut holes.  If you’re like me and don’t own one of those fancy doughnut cutter outers, a can of tuna (with the tuna already eaten) and both ends removed works (and really well washed because tuna flavored doughnuts, ick), then use a small round-ish cutter for the inner doughnut hole (or carefully trace one out with a knife).  We used a small wreath shapped christmas cookie cutter for the inner doughnut hole.  It worked.  Pretty well actually.

floured cutting board with dough rolled out and round cutter ready to cut out doughnuts

the cut out doughnut shapes ready for frying

Now we get to fry the doughnuts!!

In a deep sauce pan, pour canola oil (or whatever kind of oil your body is ok with, if you can do soy or peanut go ahead, I can’t so didn’t) until a 2″ thick layer is on the bottom.

Heat the oil until it registers 325’F with a candy thermometer.  I have a digital meat thermometer that goes to 500’F so I just used that.

fying supplies set out on the counter & stove top: pan with oil, cookie sheet lined with paper towels, slotted spoon, timer, thermometer

thermometer held in the oil to register the temperature

Once the oil is hot enough, carefully drop a couple of the uncooked doughnuts into the hot oil.  They should sink, then rise a few seconds later.  Cook the doughnuts for 2 minutes then using a fork or strainer, flip the doughnuts and cook another 1.5-2minutes.

dougnuts seconds after they were dropped in the oil

doughnuts 1.4 min after dropped in the oil, ready to flip

showing 1/2 the dougnuts flipped with cooked side up and other half uncooked side still up ready to flip

fully cooked doughnuts about ready to come out of the oil

Using a strainer carefully remove the doughnuts from the oil, and place on paper towels to absorb some of the oil.  I put paper towels on a cookie sheet, then placed a cookie cooling rack over that to further aid in removing excess oil.  If you want cinnamon sugar doughnuts, in a bowl combine 1tsp cinnamon and 1/2 c sugar then when the doughnuts are cool enough to touch, dip the doughnuts into the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Using a slotted spoon to lift the cooked doughnut out of the oil

Coating 2 doughnut holes in cinnamon sugar

Cooked and sugared doughnuts cooling on the paper towels

When doughnuts are cool enough to eat, enjoy!!  They store in an airtight container for a few days, not that they’d ever last that long though!

Finished tray of 8 doughnuts and 8 doughnut holes!  1/2 coated in cinnamon sugar, the others plain