Lemon-Rice Cake with Warm Blueberry Sauce

If you've spent time in Italy, chances are you've sampled this lemon flavored rice cake. It's one of my favorite desserts and I think you might enjoy it, too. It's simple to prepare and chances are you already have the ingredients needed to prepare it. I like to serve the cake warm, but it can be wrapped and refrigerated for a day. I think the cake becomes heavy if it is allowed to sit. Mine is a minority opinion. The recipe is adapted from one developed by Patricia Wells. I serve it with a simple, warm blueberry sauce that is very easy to prepare. If blueberries aren't your favorite fruit, substitute something that is more to your liking. The cake has been dressed up for its photograph. I normally serve it in a shallow bowl surrounded by fruit. This dessert does not stand on ceremony; it's true peasant fare.

Lemon-Rice Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup Arborio rice
1 quart whole milk (no substitutes)
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided use
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions:
1) Combine rice, milk, salt and 1/2 cup sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to keep rice from sticking and milk from boiling over. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender and milk is nearly all absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully as rice can stick and burn. Remove from heat and cool for at least 1 hour.
2) Adjust a rack to center of oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
3) Combine eggs and reserved 1/4 cup sugar in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until thick and lemon colored. Add vanilla, zest and lemon juice; mix thoroughly. Stir in rice mixture. Scrape into prepared pan, smoothing top.
4) Bake until rice cake is a deep golden color and center is firm to touch, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on baking rack. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
5) Remove sides of springform pan, leaving cake on base of pan. Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar. Cut and serve with fruit sauce if desired. Yield 8 to 12 servings.

Warm Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:
1 pound blueberries, washed and stemmed if necessary
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
1) Combine blueberries, sugar and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2) Transfer berry mixture to a 2-quart saucepan. Add water; bring to a simmer over low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 2 cups.

Gluten-Free Pancakes

These pancakes are not bad. My testers paid them the supreme compliment and said they tasted like "regular" food. I found the recipe in the Taste of Home Healthy Cooking 2009 Annual Recipes collection. I made the recipe just as it was written, although I toasted the almonds before grinding and omitted the chocolate chips. I'd make these again.

Gluten-Free Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup ground almonds
3 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, optional

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, combine the rice flour, potato starch, almonds, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2) In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, butter and vanilla.
3) Add liquid into dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in optional chocolate chips if desired.
4) Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown. Yield: 12 pancakes.

One Bowl Gluten-Free Spice Cake

Gluten is not a problem for me, but I know folks with Celiac's disease or allergies, whose diets must be free from the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and other such grains. It's a tough diet to follow. I came across this recipe and wanted to share it with you, but didn't want to pass it on until I made and tasted it. Today was the day. I really did not care for the cake. That may be due to my unfamiliarity with baked goods made from brown rice flour. I thought the cake was dry and dense. The number and quantity of spices give it a flavor that resembles a standard spice cake, but the texture is grainy - almost sandy. It might be a real treat for someone whose diet is restricted, but it's probably not for the rest of us. I made one change to the recipe. I substituted cardamom for ground cloves because I thought the cloves would overwhelm the other spices. The cake is simple to do and, if you know or love someone with a gluten problem, you might want to try this. I never realized how restricting a gluten-free diet can be. I'll keep looking for some decent recipes.

Gluten-Free Spice Cake

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup soy flour
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2) In a large bowl, beat applesauce, honey, eggs, oil and vanilla until well blended. Combine rice flour, soy flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom in a large mesh strainer; gradually sift contents into applesauce mixture. Stir until blended. Fold in walnuts, apricots and orange peel.
3) Transfer to prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, or until or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 9 servings.

Recipe adapted Taste of Home Healthy Cooking 2009 Annual Recipes