I Can't Believe They're Gluten-Free Carrot Pineapple Coconut Muffins

It all started with a juicer. I bought a masticating juicer a couple years ago, and though it is quite efficient and I love the juice, I felt bad about all the pulp waste. Raised with a "waste not, want not" attitude, I set about finding ways to use the pulp. It can be frozen and added to veggie burgers, meatloaf, baked mac & cheese, and yes, baked goods. 

Issue #2. Half my friends don't eat wheat. I like to feed my friends. So I buy and try several types of GF flours, and in general, settle on Bob's mix that doesn't contain chick pea flour (I don't like the aftertaste). In this recipe, it replaces wheat flour 1:1, so if you prefer wheat flour, go ahead and use it. In general, this type of bread is very forgiving. For example, I was out of granulated sugar, so I used 1C of confectioners sugar and 1C of light brown sugar, and they turned out great! 

You can bake this as a 10" bundt cake or as about 17 muffins. 

Line muffin tins with liners, or grease & flour a 10" bundt pan. Since the batter needs to rest about 30 minutes, you can preheat the oven to 350' once the batter is mixed to save energy.

Recipe
4C fruit/veggie (in this case it's grated carrots & small-dice pineapple, but you can use grated apple, or zucchini, or whatever)
2 eggs (I always use XL)

1/2C coconut oil (or you can use grapeseed or canola)
1C packed light brown sugar
1t vanilla extract

2C Bob's GF flour mix
1C confectioners sugar
1/2C shredded coconut
2t sifted baking soda
1/2t kosher salt
2t ground cinnamon
1/2t ground cardamom
1/2t ground cloves 

Lightly beat the eggs & combine well with the 4C fruit. Melt the coconut oil & stir in the brown sugar & vanilla extract. Stir the sugar/oil into the carrot mixture.  Combine all dry ingredients. Fold the wet into the dry & let it rest at room temp for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven and prep your pans. 

Muffin on left had a better rise & texture because it was baked after the batter rested for 30 minutes. 

For muffins, I use a 2" wide retractable scoop for even measuring & fast scooping, but you can use a large spoon to fill the tins. 

Bake muffins for about 20-25 minutes. If your oven has a hot corner like mine does, turn the pan carefully after about 15 minutes. The muffins are done when you can gently push on the top with a finger and the dough springs back. Darker tins will bake faster, so keep an eye out. 

A bundt cake may take 45-55 minutes. You can also use the "finger" test, as this cake is quite oily, so using a skewer may not give you an accurate reading. The cake should be pulling away from the sides of the pan, and spring back when you gently push on the doughiest part with your finger. 

Allow the cake or muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. If you cut a warm cake the structure will turn to glue. Better to wait. It will also be much easier to cut. 

GF baked goods especially tend to get moister as time goes by, so better to eat them within a day or two. Store cooled cakes in airtight containers or bags. 

на здоровья! 

Oh, dark mother of all that is caramel...

Tonight, the secret's out. Tonight you will make the best caramel sauce you've ever tasted. 

The secret? Brown sugar. How come you taste so good?

Since this process is more technique than skill, I'll start with the photos, and add the recipe and instructions below. 

Dissolve the sugar in the water. Using a low flame will speed up the process. 

Are we there yet, Papa Smurf? It's getting really dark, and I'm scared. Don't worry. Just keep swirling, and be patient. Waiting for 280' is absolutely necessary. The sugar needs to get hard enough so that it sets into a thick, rich consistency. It will be worth it. 

The good news? Brown sugar contains molasses, which prevents the caramel from crystallizing. It also imparts a butterscotch flavor, which makes the caramel irresistible. 

Almost there...get ready to rumble.

 Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Flip the blade, and use the back of the knife to carefully scrape out the seeds. Hold onto the end of the bean tightly. Push down, and move the blade with slow confidence. 

Don't forget the butter & salt! 

(those are vanilla seeds on the butter...)

 Stir the cream in carefully. The colder the cream, the more it will boil up as the water evaporates. 

Using a jarring funnel will help keep the rims of your jars clean. 

RECIPE

2C light brown sugar (the trader joe's organic is rad)

3/4C water

1/2 a vanilla bean, scraped of its seeds

1 1/2C heavy cream

1/2 stick of butter

1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)

Before we start, I am warning you to be extremely careful when cooking sugar.  The best way to avoid injury, is to read through the recipe a couple of times, and get all your ingredients out & measured before you begin. Keep a pair of thick oven mitts (preferably with grip), or Ove' Gloves (Kevlar) handy. 

Careful.

You will see this word many times below. I mean it.

Use a large, heavy pot (4Qt Le Creuset or stainless steel with a reinforced bottom). Make sure the pot is beyond clean, with no burn spots. This caramel will become insanely hot, and will take whatever's stuck to your pot with it. 

Dissolve the sugar in the water. Use a heat-resistant silicone spatula. A quality one should not melt. If your sugar is coarse or has lumps, use a low flame under the pot, and keep stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once it's there, turn the heat up to medium-high, and clip on a candy thermometer. Add the scraped out vanilla pod, but reserve the seeds for later.

The temperature will quickly climb to about 220', then will take about another 10 minutes or so to reach 280'. You must let the sugar get to this stage in order for your caramel to set to the gooey consistency you desire. 

As the sugar boils, it may initially bubble-up violently. This is why you need the too-big pot. Occasionally lift the pot off the fire (using oven mitts), and carefully swirl the mixture to even out hot spots and avoid burning. 

Once the temperature climbs to 280', turn the heat off, and carefully remove the thermometer. Best to put it into a container full of water, or it will stick to whatever it touches. 

Carefully pour in the cream. It can spatter and boil up if the cream is very cold, so stand back. Once it's calmed down, turn the heat back on, and carefully stir the mixture with your silicone spatula. Initially the caramel it harden and clump up, but after a few minutes of stirring, it will dissolve back into a liquid state. Keep stirring until all the clumps are dissolved. 

Turn the heat off. Stir in the seeds from the vanilla bean, the salt, and the butter. Stir until the butter is melted and incorporated. The caramel will look impossibly runny, but it will set & thicken as it cools.

Place a jarring funnel over your clean jars, and carefully fill them.

Let the caramel cool to room temperature before adding lids and refrigerating. 

Store refrigerated for up to a month, or freeze for up to 6 months. 

Makes just under 3 cups.