At holiday time, making your own chocolate goodies is a crafty and fun-filled afternoon. Following are my recipes for: chocolates, ganache frosting and chocolate clay figures and bouquets.

All are free of: The top 8 allergens, sesame and gluten. Enjoy!

Homemade Chocolates

Try whipping up some professional-looking chocolates. You’ll need store-bought molds in designs such as Santas, angels or bunnies.

“Tempering” will be crucial. That’s the process of heating then cooling chocolate to specific temperatures to produce glossy-looking treats that “snap” when you break them and look store-bought. Chocolate is finicky (one drop of water can ruin an entire batch) and it burns easily – so go slowly. It’s best to make small batches of a few chocolates at a time until you get the hang of it.

Ingredients

• 1 bag of allergen-free, semi-sweet chocolate chips*

Method

1. Using a BPA-free microwave-safe plastic bowl, melt 2/3 of the chocolate in the microwave slowly until it reaches 110 degrees F. (I set my micro to power level 2, and checked the temperature using a chocolate thermometer every 25 seconds.)
2. With a silicone spatula, stir in the remaining unheated chocolate until it melts. Stir until the thermometer temperature reaches 88 degrees F, then pour into molds.
3. Overfill a little, and use a straight-edged knife to level. Gently bang the mold on a flat surface to release air bubbles. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, then release from mold.

*Note: I used Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips for this recipe and the ganache. There are other brands of allergen-free chocolate available as well.

Editor’s Note: Pamela writes the “Allergic Diva” column in the Canadian edition of Allergic Living magazine.

Next Page: Ganache

Ingredients

• 2 bunches small carrots, peeled, trimmed (keep small tops)
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme, chopped
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat salted water in a medium sauce pan. Cook carrots until just tender.
2. Drain well, place in bowl and toss with maple syrup, thyme and salt.
3. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Simon Clarke

First published in Allergic Living magazine.
To order an issue or to subscribe, click here.

© Copyright AGW Publishing Inc.

Ingredients

• 1 red cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 2 green apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 6 tbsp (90 mL) onion, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp (90 mL) red wine vinegar (Substitution: rice vinegar)
• 4 tbsp (60 mL) honey
• 1 tsp (5 mL) caraway seeds (Optional)

Method

1. In a large skillet or dutch oven, sautée bacon over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion and cook for 2 to 4 minutes.
3. Stir in cabbage and all other ingredients.
4. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook for one hour, or until cabbage is soft.
5. Serve at once.

Recipe by Simon Clarke

First published in Allergic Living magazine.
To order an issue or to subscribe, click here.

© Copyright AGW Publishing Inc.

Serves 4-6

Free of: Gluten and top allergens, except dairy (alternative suggested); soy is optional.

Ingredients

• 3 bunches fresh asparagus
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter or alternative (e.g. Earth Blend)
• 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp (5 mL) wheat-free Tamari sauce [optional]
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Wash and trim asparagus.
2. In a medium sauté pan, melt butter or alternative. Add ginger, garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add Tamari sauce and pepper and keep warm on very low heat.
3. In a large skillet, heat 4 cups (1 L) water to a boil. Cook asparagus until tender, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Drain well, transfer to platter, drizzle with ginger mixture. Serve.

Recipe by Simon Clarke

First published in Allergic Living magazine.
To order the magazine, click here.