Those of us with lactose or gluten intolerance are keenly aware that Christmas can sometimes be a slightly annoying time of year during which we have to look at a whole lot of delicious food that we can’t eat!

So let’s all spread some Christmas cheer and make sure that everyone we’re cooking or baking for this festive season will be happy inside and out. There are loads of fantastic lactose and gluten-free recipes like this scrumptious gluten-free Christmas cake:

Ingredients (serves 20)

• 850g dried mixed fruit
• 1 cup brandy
• 150g butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup gluten-free plain flour
• 1/4 cup gluten-free self-raising flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds
• 1/4 cup apricot jam

Method

1. Place dried fruit and 2/3 cup brandy in a large airtight container. Mix well. Cover and stand overnight or preferably for 1 week, stirring occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 150°C. Lightly grease a 7cm deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line base and side with double layers brown paper and baking paper (see note). Using electric beaters, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift flours and spices over butter mixture. Add fruit mixture and stir until well combined. Press mixture into pan. Smooth surface. Decorate top with almonds.
4. Bake cake for 2 to 2 1/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Pour remaining 1/3 cup brandy over hot cake. Allow to cool completely in pan.
5. Place jam in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 30 seconds or until warm. Remove cake from pan and brush top with warm jam. Allow to set. Serve.

Notes

• You will need to start this cake at least 1 day ahead.
• Tip: To test if eggs are fresh before using, place eggs in a bowl and cover with cold water. Fresh eggs remain on the base of bowl, stale eggs will float.
• Baking tips: Lightly grease cake pan. Line base and sides with double layer brown paper, then double layer baking paper, allowing a 6cm overhang at all sides. Position oven rack just below centre so cake sits in centre of oven.

Source

Super Food Ideas – December 2006, Page 27
Recipe by Kerrie Sun

Do you have any lactose or gluten-free Christmas recipe favourites you’d like to share? Feel free to do so in the comments section – the more the merrier.

We know you guys love Pauls Zymil, but we want to know how you found out about it in the first place – so that we can share the love with other Australians with sensitive tummies more effectively.

Please take a small moment to answer our poll, and if you have any suggestions for how we might better get the word out, feel free to drop us an email.

If you’re like a lot of our customers, you’ve had to go without milk at certain points in your life, and so consequently appreciate the taste of real milk with Pauls Zymil all the more.

Here’s some simple tips on how to care for your Pauls Zymil and keep it fresh and tasting its very best for longer:

• Make sure you’ve got a ‘cold bag’ when you go shopping so that it doesn’t get too warm in the back of your car
• It’s obviously also a good idea to make sure you get it into the fridge as soon as you get home, and to make sure that it doesn’t sit out on the kitchen counter after use – exposure to heat and light can affect both its taste and longevity
• Check the temperature of your fridge – it should be between 2-4 degrees Celsius.
• It’s ideal to keep your Pauls Zymil on a shelf inside your fridge rather than in the fridge door. The reason for this is that the doors are too far away from the cooling element to ensure a proper and consistent temperature. Some fridge doors can be 6ºC higher than the body of the refrigerator. At 8ºC the milk may only stay wholesome for around 3 days.

If your fresh Pauls Zymil isn’t handled correctly it can oxidise which means that it will get a metallic, bitter taste. Oxidised flavours in milk can be caused by exposure to sunlight, fluorescent light and/or heat. Although milk in bottles is more susceptible to oxidisation, carton milk can also be affected if the exposure time to heat or light is sufficiently intense or prolonged. This may also result in the shelf life being shortened and the milk going off before the expiry date.

Hopefully these tips help you to enjoy your Pauls Zymil even more, and if you’ve got any questions, feel free to contact us.

Warning: If you don’t wish to be hungry, you probably shouldn’t read this post.

Here’s the top 10 recipes that have been enjoyed the most by our regular readers, featuring the one and only Pauls Zymil – give ‘em a go!

1. Pistachio Soufflé

Soufflés are always impressive to serve at dinner parties and not as difficult to make as some people believe. The pistachios give a subtle nutty flavour to this rich and creamy dessert.

2. Curried Sweet Potato Soup

This hearty soup is sure to be crowd pleaser. Thick and creamy but without the lactose, it’s delicious served with warm crusty bread.

3. Crème Caramel

Who can resist crème caramel? Favoured dessert of the French and Australians alike this is no nonsense decadence at its best.

4. Profiteroles with Cream Filling

Profiteroles are hard to resist but given the lashings of cream usually used, they’re sadly avoided by people with lactose sensitivity. The great news is that you can make your own using Zymil and love it again!

5. French Toast with Cinnamon and Banana

A slight twist on an old favourite, the cinnamon and banana really add to the flavour.

6. Vanilla, Apricot and Mango Yoghurt Ice-Cream

Being sensitive to lactose, doesn’t mean you can’t have ice-cream; and if you’re tired of the same old flavours, you’ll love this great recipe.

7. Almond and Vanilla Bean Milk Jelly

A recipe to impress! The richness of the almond and vanilla create a first class dessert and will have your dinner guests asking for more.

8. Tasty Corn Fritters

Light and golden, these Corn Fritters are great for easy entertaining or a quick snack.

9. Luscious Crepes with Lemon and Brown Sugar

These crepes are so simple and yet so scrumptious. The perfect pick me up for a winter’s morning.

10. Lemon Delicious Pudding

My grandmother used to make this pudding for me as a child and I can still remember the taste! This is a simple and traditional recipe but without the lactose.

Be sure to vote and let us know your favourite recipe, and if you’ve got a particularly delicious recipe of your own, send it to us here and if we publish it we’ll give you full credit.