You’re having a baby shower or a football watch party, and you know a few gluten-free attendees will show up. Maybe you’re having a gluten-free friend over for dinner. Or maybe, like me, you’re the gluten-free one and you’re having mid-week dinner guests and you’ve got no time to bake something. What do you make for dessert?
I’ve got the answer for you. It is simple and easy and yummy and pretty. And those are all good things. Can I get an amen!
Start by grabbing some gluten-free cookies from the store. Gluten-free store bought products have gotten so good in the (nearly) seven years since I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance. There are so many great options.
I chose WOW (With Out Wheat) Lemon Cookies. They are soft and chewy with big clumps of sanding sugar on top that give the perfect crunch, and their lemon flavor is intense. I love them.
And Schar Gluten-Free Shortbread cookies. These are so good. They’re not too sweet, have a perfect crunch and a subtle design that looks oh so fancy with the toppings soon to come. Side note – these are the perfect replacement for Nilla Wafers in gluten-free banana pudding.
Next, assemble your toppings. To go with the lemon cookies, I made my quick and easy lemon curd – or lemon butter, as they call it in New Zealand – a few hours before dessert. You can also buy lemon curd. Homemade is better though. And cheaper. This recipe is so simple and fool-proof. It also is good and tart!
The recipe is at the bottom of this post.
And for the shortbread cookies, I used Nutella. You can’t get any easier than this, people!
Place the chilled lemon curd into an icing bag or plastic baggie. I had some leftover disposable icing bags from a failed attempt at decorating sugar cookies past project, so I used those. Cut off the tip of the bag and put big, pretty dollops of lemon curd on each lemon cookie.
Do the same with the Nutella, placing it in the center of the cookie, so it’s surrounded by the pretty design. Oh and use a fresh bag. Nutella is good. Lemon curd is good. Lemon curd and Nutella? Not so much.
Sprinkle with a touch of powdered sugar for that extra special touch. Don’t do this on the plate you’re planning to use to serve the cookies.
And voila! Perfection. Easy perfection.
I hope this post makes entertaining gluten-free friends easier for you!
Lemon Curd Recipe
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 1/2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
4 eggs
1/3 tsp kosher salt
Zest lemons with a zester or microplane, being careful to not get the white pith. Squeeze the lemons over a mesh strainer to catch the pulp and seeds.
Melt butter. You want the butter to be fully melted, but not piping hot.
In a heavy sauce pan, whisk together the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and salt. Add the eggs, continuing to whisk.
Over a medium flame, cook the lemon curd, stirring the entire time. Once it starts to get hot and the slightest bit bubbly, cook it for about seven additional minutes. Never stop stirring – this ensures the curd at the bottom of the pan doesn’t burn. When you’re finished, it should be thick and glossy.
Allow to cool down and then refrigerate before use. You can make this a day ahead.
The Accidental Okie 