Birthday cake

It's true, Max is three years old! Time is going fast. Hopefully only one year of the restrictive diet* left, then we'll see. We hope he would be one of those guys who can eat everything, of course Max will choose only the best food :-)

OK, let's go to the Saturday's party. Birthday always means a great layer cake. Gluten, dairy free and without chocolate or cocoa (yes, Max doesn't know them), this is a big challenge for us.
After two previous cakes with a millet base and agar-agar fruit jelly on a top, we decided to make more typical one this year. You know, a sponge layers, filling and frosting. Well, in the end we created this:



Ingredients:

For sponge layers (2x it's good to make them earlier):

• 6 free-range eggs
• 6 tablespoons of corn flour
• 6 tablespoons of sugar (we used organic cane one)
• vanilla (we used a pod, could be an essence but look for natural one)
• a pinch of salt

Divide whites and yolks, beat the whites adding slowly sugar and salt. When stiff continue beating adding vanilla, yolks and flour (a little at a time!). Put into the cold oven and bake in 180 degrees C for approximately half an hour ( you have to check because it depends on the oven).

For filling:

• 1 litre coconut milk (home-made or from a can)
• 3 tablespoons agar-agar flakes (source of calcium and iron!)
• raspberry spread (or any other, seasonal fruits etc.)

Put the milk and agar-agar in a pot and bring to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes over a low heat, stir occasionally; when it is set blend with a spread (add as much as you need to be sweet).

For frosting:

• "carobella" (as we call it), sounds Italian, doesn't it? Yummy :-)

An anectode from last week: Dad and Max are going for a long trip. Dad, as usual, wants to make some rice cakes with almonds butter for Max's snack, but there is no almond butter left in a fridge. No idea what to do and suddenly Max helps: "make carobella". Dad asks: "but I don't know how", Max explains: "take tahini, add some molasses and carob", Dad: "does Mom cook it?", Max: "no, just mixes". You see - it's really easy :-)

Frosting:

• 1 jar of tahini (white sesame cream, circa 340 gram)
• date sirup or molasses (try how much you need to feel sweetness)
• carob powder (lots of calcium and hypoallergic as opposed to cocoa, add for deep dark brown colour)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix well all ingredients and spread over the cake.

Before joining all parts, it's good to soak sponge with some lemon juice and tea (or what works for you), we forgot about this. Embellish with roasted almond flakes (or your favourite stuff) and it's ready. Delicious, even for our "normal" guests :-) Disappeared in a few minutes...
Happy birthday to you Max!




*) Max started the totally gluten and dairy free diet when Mom (eating gluten) stopped breastfeeding him. It was nearly his second birthday and in that time we received the results of a test which showed he didn't tolerate gluten.The treatment needs two years of this diet to recover his small intestine. He wasn't diagnosed with coeliac disease, the diagnosis was: an intolerance of gluten of the child with deficiency of the IgA antibodies.

Japanese Day in Dublin

On Saturday, I (Mum) took part in the Japanese Food Trail. I learnt how to make sushi and other Japanese specialites. Japanese cooking fits to Max's diet quite well. Small amount of dairy - eggs (which Max can eat) and not so much gluten.
Sushi is gorgious! A delicious snack or starter. I used to prepare it in a vegetarian version, but during the lesson I made the typical Japanese ones, with a fresh raw fish, for the first time! Yummy.
Fresh fish in Dublin... It was a big surprise, living here on the island and finding fresh fish difficult to buy. Well, usually we go to Howth. A long trip to buy one fish!
Sushi is easy to prepare, belive me. Even Max can make it! Look at his cute small hands.



The recipe for this one:

• 2 nori sheets
• 1 cup of rice (I used brown basmati)
• 1 cup of ground roasted walnuts
• 2 grated raw carrots (optionally steamed or cooked and cut into strips)
• a lot of alfalfa sprouts (or other ones)
• 1 tablespoon of cold pressed sesame oil (or different one but always unrefined!)
• salt and lemon juice to taste

Mix all ingredients and roll using a bamboo rolling mat, then cut into pieces.
Max ate them quickly!



It gives you the general idea. You can add tamari sauce (wheat-free!) from Meridian*, pickled ginger and finally wasabi to feel the spirit of Japan.

I know it's far from the Japanese tradition but in my opinion sushi is a way of thinking. Be creative :-)

*be aware that some brands of manufactured soya sauce, apart from wheat, may contain caramel, monosodium glutamate, sugar and refined salt;

Coconut milk

As if the gluten-free diet wasn't troublesome enough, Max doesn't tolerate almost any dairy products. Fortunately there are many ways of substituting them. Say milk - it can be replaced by a coconut milk, almond milk and rice milk (soya is not good for the young boys).

Let's start with the coconut milk. The global warming hasn't brought the coconut palms to Ireland yet, so we need to resort to the dessicated coconut meat (organic if possible):

• put the dessicated coconut (circa 150 gram) into a pan;
• pour 3-4 cups of water; the amount depends on your taste, you'll need to experiment a bit to establish your favourite proportions;
• bring to the boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes;
• blend until smooth;
• strain the mixture; save the coconut pulp - you can use it later for cookies (usually it can survive 3-4 days in the fridge).
  

The coconut milk makes a delicious drink or can be used for making pancakes, cakes or cereals.
Enjoy! :)

Intro

Hi, we are the Max's parents. We will run this blog on his behalf, until he decides to take it over. Well, he's 3 years old and at the moment he rather prefers building (and destroying) sand castles over blogging.
We've been living in Ireland for 6 months, in a beautiful town of Malahide (Co. Dublin). Dad is a software engineer, Mum (psychologists) takes care of the little boy.
Despite the great Irish hospitability, sometimes we feel frustrated and alienated. The restrictive diet rules out any montessori/kindergarten/playschool and Max hasn't got any friend yet.
We hope this blog will enable us to meet other gluten-free families and exchange experience (not to mention recipes).