Honey-Lemon Christmas Cookies!

Happy Solstice, everyone!

We like to celebrate the winter solstice with a ritual to re-light the sun, a medieval carol singalong and a yankee swap with close friends. What better snack to have tonight than my childhood Xmas cookie de-glutened and de-cane sugared?!
Here they are, handsome devils:



(yes, these are lambs, squirrels, stars and guitars, or viols!)

Recipe:

Honey-Lemon Christmas Cookies

2/3 c butter
2 eggs
1 1/4 - 1 1/2 c honey
2 t g-f lemon extract
5 1/2 c g-f flour
(I used 4 1/2 c white and brown rice flours, 1/2 c tapioca and 1/2 c almond meal)
1-2 t baking soda
1 t sea salt

cream together butter (I used half spectrum shortening and half butter), eggs (or egg replacer), honey and lemon extract.
add dry ingredients.
refrigerate for several hours (overnight is best).
take out 15 mins before you want to start rolling it out between white rice flour dusted pieces of parchment paper.
preheat the oven to 350, and prepare baking sheets (either lightly greased or use parchment). roll out your dough (not too thin) and cut out your fave shapes. bake for 5 mins (check to make sure they're done and not too brown). cool, then frost:


Tapioca Maple Frosting

food process:

1 c tapioca flour
1/2 c maple syrup (I used half maple half honey)
2 t vanilla
2 T arrowroot (I used cornstarch)

chill slightly, then frost cooled cookies.

These recipes are tried and true; I wish you success making yours!

love,
goat city

Pear-Cranberry Holiday Season Tart!

this is a good one for the holiday party season!

(adapted from Living Without's recipe for French Apple Tart)

start with a pastry crust:
3/4 c brown rice flour
1/4 c sorghum flour
2 T sweet rice flour
1/4 t sea salt
1 T honey
6 T butter, Earth Balance or Spectrum shortening (I use half butter half shortening)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T apple cider vinegar

mix flours and salt. work the butter etc in w. your fingers to form a coarse meal.
make a well and add honey, egg and vinegar. use a fork to gather into a soft dough.
shape into a flat circle, cover and refrigerate until about 15 mins before you're ready to roll it out.

preheat oven to 350.

roll out your dough between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper (I floured mine with br rice flour). fit the crust into the tart pan (it will break apart in places, but just piece it together and trim edges).

slice 4-6 organic pears (I like Bosc for their pretty green and red skins, and red pears are nice for the season :).
place pears in overlapping concentric circles on the crust.
brush with 1 T melted butter whisked with 2 t g-f bourbon vanilla, 1-2 T honey and 1 c apricot preserves, heated to a syrupy consistency.
dot with dried cranberries. cover edges with foil and bake, brushing with apricot mixture every 10 mins or so for 30-35 mins or until crust looks golden and pears can easily be pierced with a knife.

enjoy~