Cranberry & Satsuma Tart with Rich Cookie Crust and Gluten-Free Teff Variation

Here we are again with one of my favorite winter holiday culinary ingredients — cranberries. Homemade cranberry relish is just right to tame the edges of a rich, holiday meal. But, we can do so many more things with cranberries than make a relish. So, I’m baking a bright, festive “Cranberry & Satsuma Tart with Rich Cookie Crust” this Christmas. If you are looking for an easy, yet elegant dessert to finish a holiday meal or want a change from pumpkin pie, this is it. The tart is simple to make; using only a few household ingredients. It is hard to mess up this tart. The rich, shortbread-style cookie crust balances tart cranberries which have a taste of satsuma zest (satsuma is a type of orange) added in. Plus, I made a variaton of the crust using Teff flour — an ancient Ethopina grain, so that tart is gluten-free. I will enjoy several versions of this tart from now until Christmas!

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Teff Brownies with Hazelnuts: Gluten-Free Cookin’

Teff Browines are soft and moist with a  rich chocolate flavor. And best of all, they are gluten-free. The brownies are made with teff flour, a grain which originated in Ethiopia and now is grown in several western states. At our recent family reunion, the Idaho cousins and farmers shared their business of growing and milling teff grain. I was excited that they brought several samples of teff flour along to share. Continue reading