Gluten Free Brownie Mix

You know that popular line of cake, cookie, and brownie mixes hitting all the popular chain grocery stores near you with their version of Gluten Free mixes? Well, guess what? I've tried all four mixes, and they're good. Real good. They're so good, I just now forgot the rules of grammar and said, "real good" instead of, "really good."

Betty Crocker, your viral marketing campaign for your gluten free mixes has been brilliant. They have brought new products to the national marketplace without doing a single traditional advert for those products. In fact, the genius plan is working right now. Here I am, singing your praises, Betty Crocker, and I'm not a paid spokesperson. I'm just a blogger with a few readers and a big mouth around my friends, and I heard about your product from another blogger, or from a board or a forum or some such place. Now everyone in my life has been buying your mixes to cook me something gluten free for when I come over. That hasn't happened in the 7 years I've lived with Celiac. So thanks for putting a great tasting mix on the shelves of every chain supermarket, Ms. Crocker.

When they finally do decide that the GFers have enough market share to warrant a traditional ad campaign, I promise I will disclose it, dear readers, when Betty Crocker hires me to be the voice of their gluten free products. Imagine what a team we'd be...

Peach Tart

I love peach desserts in the summer. I love them because they remind me of my time spent in the south (which so far accounts for 75% of my life), or maybe because of my southern grandparents who made sure peach pie or peach ice cream was always found in their summer kitchen. Most of all I love peach desserts because fresh summer peaches are one of the best flavors on earth.

Adapted from this recipe in this month's very inspiring Food & Wine, this is a quickie summer dessert that's light, pretty, and of course, deliciously peachy. This tart recipe does not have custard in it, which is fine by me since the lack of custard makes this tart light and perfect for both a dessert or a breakfast pastry. Make it, and I promise you will not be sorry.

The following day after this tart was devoured at a dinner party, I made the dough again, but cut it into eighths, baked it on a cookie sheet instead of in a pan, and voila, I had instant shortbread wedges.

Gluten Free Peach Tart

1 and 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp finely grated lemon zest
7 tablespoons butter, softened to room temp
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/8 cup whole milk for moistening dough as needed (optional)
1/2 cup peach preserves
2-3 firm peaches, but into 1/2 inch wedges
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine GF flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and butter until mixed. Add the whole egg and egg yolk and knead until a dough forms. Add in a splash of the milk as needed to moisten the dough. Press the dough evenly into a fluted 10" tart pan (I used a, 8" springform pan, which works just as well).

Spread 1/4 cup of the peach preserves on the dough, and arrange the peach slices in concentric circles on top. Bake for 15 minutes until the peaches are barely tender, remove from oven. Brush remaining 1/4 cup of preserves over the peaches, then bake an additional 20 minutes until peaches are tender and crust is golden.

Dust the tart with powdered sugar and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.