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Famous amongst the team for her frequent family get-togethers, New Idea’s Recipe Editor Jane Ash often has to consider a little more than just the menu.
Her daughter-in-law has a range of food intolerances and is on a low FODMAP diet to minimise IBS-related issues, which includes avoiding gluten and lactose, among other high FODMAP ingredients.
So she doesn’t miss out, Jane will often buy something to accommodate, but feels that it’s “much better to make something homemade because you know exactly what ingredients are in it.”
Enter, her Zesty Lemon Loaf. Both gluten- and dairy-free, this recipe took a little bit more testing and workshopping than usual.
Even simple substitutions – replacing butter with a dairy-free spread and using a plant-based milk – have the ability to change the outcome, so other improvisations were made.
“After a bit of searching, I stumbled across the ‘reverse creaming’ method, where softened butter is beaten with the dry ingredients,” she reveals.
Creaming is most commonly done with butter and sugar alone, so this unconventional method made her a bit sceptical. But ‘reverse creaming’ is what limits gluten development – too much of which can risk a dense cake – because the flour is coated with butter. And moisture is infamously hard to attain in gluten-free bakes.
Another way around this is by adding xanthan gum, which is a common addition to gluten-free baking recipes, and is what helps to bind ingredients, trap moisture and provide structure.
In keeping with the considerations above, it’s no surprise that Jane’s baking experience certainly shone through! While it took a few goes to iron out minor tweaks, she still considers her first crack at it a success.
“As soon as I cut into it and saw the velvety texture I knew it was going to be a winner. It’s one of those very rare occasions, when a new recipe turns out perfectly on the first attempt,” she shares.
Accompanied by a delicate texture and tender crumbliness, it’s an intensely zesty delight that everyone can enjoy.
Jane continues to refine her FODMAP-friendly and gluten-free repertoire, as “there’s nearly always someone [around] with food intolerances.”
Ingredients
Method
Grease a 14cm x 24cm (top measurement), 7-cup capacity loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges.
Place flour, baking powder, almond meal, sugar, rind, xanthan gum and spread in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low speed until mixture is crumbly and resembles breadcrumbs.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in almond milk and lemon juice. Continue beating for a further 1 min on medium-high speed until mixture is smooth. Spoon into prepared pan. Smooth over top.
Cook in a 160°C preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until cooked in centre when tested with a skewer. Stand in pan for 20 mins. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
ICING Sift icing sugar into a medium bowl. Stir in enough lemon juice to make a smooth, thick consistency.
Drizzle icing over cake. Sprinkle with shredded lemon rind (optional). Stand until set.
