Mikkonen Virpi - Its a pleasure: sweet treats without gluten, dairy, and refined sugar

Sweet treats do not need to be vices; they can also be virtues! In my recipes I respect natural flavors and nutritious raw ingredients, and blissfully ignore white sugar and wheat. I feel that these cause more harm than good and leave you feeling worse off. And theres no need for them. There are tastier alternatives for both when it comes to baking. Organic and unprocessed ingredients are at the heart of my recipes. I wish to create simple and easy desserts that tempt more experienced bakers as well.

To preserve the good in the ingredients, half of the recipes in this book require no heating. All the recipes in the book are free of gluten, dairy, and yeast. A large portion of the recipes are grain-free and vegan, or at least can be prepared without animal products, so that as many people as possible can find and create their own favorite treats. All the recipes and images are my own handiwork. Each treat has been baked with love, and Ive tested my favorites many times over! I hope that my book encourages you to respect your body, to offer it only the best-quality foodand above all, to enjoy and savor desserts with no guilt! Become a dessert foodie of the new era, and surrender to pure pleasure! Virpi ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS All the ingredients are available from well-stocked grocery stores and natural-foods shops, and many can be found online. In some cases, they can be made at home.

FLOURS & EXTRACTS ALMOND FLOUR. This high-fiber, flavorsome flour is one of my favorites. Almond flour, like many gluten-free flours, does not create the structure that certain doughs need to rise and hold firmly together. To achieve this, you will need to use baking powder combined with psyllium powder to create the bind. You can also find coarser almond meal made of raw almonds. Be mindful that coarser almond meal usually absorbs less liquid than finely ground almond flour, because it contains more fat.

COCONUT FLOUR. Naturally sweet coconut flour is my other favorite. Its used like almond flour, or with it. Coconut flour absorbs liquid from other ingredients, so you usually need about one-third the amount of normal flour. NUT FLOURS. Different nut flours can replace a portion of any flour, creating new nuances in taste.

People allergic to nuts can try seed flours, like pumpkin seed flour. You can make your own nut flour by grinding the nuts with a high-speed blender. Make sure not to overgrind, to prevent the flour from turning into nut buttermind you, though, that is also a great baking ingredient! OAT FLOUR. Gluten-free oat flour can be made at home by grinding gluten-free oats in a high-speed blender. Oat flour creates great structure, but dough made from it can easily turn pastelike. Combine with other flours, such as psyllium husk powder or xanthan gum.

PSYLLIUM HUSK POWDER. Created from the seeds of the plantain plant, this powder soaks up liquid. Its used to add structure and fluffiness to gluten-free baking. It also makes handling dough easier. TAPIOCA FLOUR. Mild-tasting tapioca flour is made from a tropical root called cassava.

You can use it to add moisture and texture to pastries, or as a thickening agent. XANTHAN GUM. Made by fermenting sugar in liquid, this powder gives nice texture and structure. Its best mixed with flour when creating cakes and cookies. GROUND FLAXSEEDS & CHIA SEEDS. Both flaxseeds and chia seeds create a gel when combined with water.

The gel can be used to create structure in baking. Use ground flaxseeds or grind the seeds in a spice grinder. Whisk 1 tablespoon of the ground flaxseeds and 3 tablespoons of water together. Let the mixture sit in the fridge for 15 minutes. The mixture is also called a flaxseed egg, and it can replace eggs in many recipes. SWEETENERS DRIED FRUITS.

Fresh dates as well as dried organic dates, figs, apricots, and raisins are great for baking as long as they were processed without sulfur oxide. Rich in nutrients, they add a lovely color and flavor to sweets when pured. Theyre digested more easily when soaked. You can also try using pured fresh fruits as a sweetener. HONEY. Delicate-tasting honey is a great sweetener for all cooking.

Honey retains most of its valuable nutrients if it has not been heated or pasteurized. I favor locally sourced organic honey to support local bees and farmers. Vegans can substitute honey with coconut palm syrup or maple syrup. STEVIA. Extracted from the stevia plant, this sweetener comes in powder and liquid forms. It contains no sugar and does not raise blood glucose levels.

The taste can be strong, so use in moderation, preferably with other sweeteners. Always choose organic. COCONUT BUTTER. Naturally sweet coconut butter can replace both fat and sweetener in a recipe, partly or completely. Coconut butter is easy to make at home . COCONUT (PALM) SUGAR & SYRUP.

The sugar made by tapping the sweet nectar from the tropical coconut palm tree flower is caramel-like and full of flavor. It has a low glycemic index, so it doesnt cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate as white sugar does. Use like regular sugar or syrup. Vegans can replace honey with coconut syrup. BANANA POWDER, LUCUMA, LUO HAN GUO POWDER, & XYLITOL. Additional options; find online.

CACAO & COCONUT CACAO BUTTER. Cold-pressed cacao butter, extracted from cacao beans at low temperatures, is the best in quality. To make sure your chocolate keeps well at room temperature, use cacao butter as the sole fat. Cacao butter melts into liquid at 95F. CACAO NIBS. Cacao nibs, pieces of peeled and crushed cacao bean, can be used in or on top of chocolate to give it a crunchy texture.

Nibs contain all of the health benefits of cacaoraw nibs contain magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, chromium, and several group B vitamins. In addition, cacao includes the mood-improving hormone serotonin and abundant antioxidants. RAW CACAO PASTE. Cacao paste is made of peeled and ground cacao beans. Its a great ingredient for making chocolate. It is solid at room temperature and liquid at 122140F.

RAW CACAO POWDER. Along with cacao butter, cacao powder is a basic ingredient in chocolate making. Cacao powder is made when fat is extracted from cacao paste. Quality cacao powder is produced at temperatures under 113F, preserving the nutrients. Tip! If you are sensitive to cacao, try replacing cacao powder partly or completely with chocolate-tasting carob powder. COCONUT OIL.

I love using coconut oil in many of my recipes because it suits baking wonderfully. I prefer cold-pressed virgin coconut oil. It is made by pressing the oil out of dried ground white nutmeat, with temperatures kept low so that the oil preserves its health benefits.