Mint - Another Gluten Free Recipe Challenge!

The Great Gluten Free Recipe Challenge returns!  If you haven't heard about the recipe challenge before, then have a look at my March challenge post to find out more.

This time, as well as being gluten free, the challenge specified that the recipes should also be egg free, and must use mint as the key ingredient.  As usual, my blogger friends have come up with a fantastic range of recipes for you to try.

Alex at Food Allergy and Intolerance Ink made Minted Peas and Quinoa

Annie at Annie's Supperclub made Pasta with Mint and Peas & a Pea, Mint and Feta Salad
Charissa at Zest Bakery made Melon Berry Mint Fruit Salad

Claire at The Gluten-Free Notebooks made Mint Triple-Choc-Chip Brownies

Debra and The Awkward Eater made Minty Lamb Burgers with Harissa

Hazel at Flicker of Fully Fun made Rhubarb with Quark Mint Creme

Mrs D at Adventures of a Gluten Free Globetrekker made Mint and Limoncello Granita
Saara at The Gluten Free Student Cookbook made Mint Lamb Burgers

As you can clearly see, mint is a brilliantly versatile ingredient!  You can find it being used in many cuisines, from Middle Eastern and North African, Asian, Arab and American to our own British (lamb and mint sauce, anyone?) as well as in teas and cocktails.  It is also an easy herb to grow, given that I have succeeded in growing it and I tend to have the touch of death around most plants.

Why egg free?  While egg allergies are more common in children than adults (as many people outgrow the allergy), some have egg intolerances that continue throughout adulthood.  Other people avoid eggs through choice, vegans and many vegetarians abstain from them for ethical reasons, and quite a few people just plain don't like them.

I decided to make a cake, since my previous efforts at egg free baking have ended in tears and I was determined to find a recipe that actually worked!  After trying a few, this recipe from Food.com  became the basis for my creation.

Mint and Strawberry Cake

200g gluten free self raising mix
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
50g icing sugar
300g sweetened condensed milk
100g butter, melted
90ml water
400g strawberries, hulled and halved
10g fresh mint, chopped
175g caster sugar
250ml double cream

• Sieve the self raising flour mix, baking power, bicarbonate of soda and icing sugar together.    Add the condensed milk, melted butter and water and mix until smooth.
• Divide the mixture into two greased and lined 20cm cake tins and bake for 8-10 minutes at 200°C, until the whole cake has risen, then turn the oven down to 160°C for a further 5 minutes.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for about 15 minutes before turning them out on to a cooling rack.
• Put half of the strawberries in to a large sieve or colander over a bowl and sprinkle 2 tbsp sugar over them.  Leave to stand until the juices have come out of the strawberries and have collected in the bowl. 
• Top the strawberry juice up to 250ml with water and pour into a saucepan with the rest of the caster sugar and the mint and bring to the boil.  Boil until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for about 5 minutes.  Strain and allow to cool.
• Whisk the cream and fold in a few tablespoons of the mint and strawberry syrup - I also folded in the rest of the tin of condensed milk (about 90g).  Spread half over one of the sponge cakes and place the other on top.  
• Spread the cake with the rest of the whipped cream and top with the remaining strawberries, glazed with syrup.

Oh, and you can use any leftover syrup to make a strawberry and mint mojito!