People with celiac disease and gluten intolerance need to completely eliminate gluten, a protein found in wheat, from their diet. Not only does wheat and all the foods made with wheat, such as bread, breakfast cereals and pasta, contain gluten, but so does barley, rye and cross-contaminated oats. Gluten can be found in flours, breaded food, sauces, toothpaste and even pills. Fortunately, pure chocolate does not contain gluten and there is a variety of gluten-free desserts you can prepare with it.
Chocolate Mousse
You can either prepare white chocolate mouse, milk chocolate mousse or dark chocolate mousse. Even better, you can layer all three types of mousse in a transparent glass for a very elegant and delicious gluten-free dessert. A chocolate mousse contains very few ingredients: chocolate and heavy whipping cream. Vanilla extract or rum can be added to add a little twist.
Chocolate Fondue
Choose a good quality dark chocolate containing over 70 percent cocoa. Melt it with a little bit of heavy cream to obtain the right consistency. Serve with an array of fresh cut fruits. Good options include fresh strawberries, blueberries, banana slices, oranges, grapes, kiwifruits, cherries and apples. To enjoy this chocolaty dessert, simply dip the fruits in the chocolate fondue and nobody will miss the gluten.
Hot Cocoa
For a simple finale to your meal, why not serve a hot cocoa? Prepare it with milk. If you also have a lactose intolerance in addition to your gluten intolerance, choose unsweetened soy milk, plain almond milk or lactose-free milk. Check the ingredients to ensure that the milk you buy is gluten-free. Heat the milk in a saucepan and add a few squares of your favorite dark chocolate. Let melt and serve this gluten-free treat immediately.
Dark Chocolate Squares
A few squares of good-quality dark chocolate is enough to make a delicious dessert on their own. Experiment with different brands until you find the one that best pleases your taste buds. Chocolate amateurs will prefer chocolate containing a minimum of 70 percent cocoa, and up to 85 percent cocoa.
Chocolate Cake
It is possible to prepare tasty gluten-free chocolate cakes. There are a lot of gluten-free flours on the market -- some blends include rice flour, potato flour and soy flour. You can prepare your own blends from these flours or try recipes using almond flour or coconut flour. These flours are all gluten-free and there are a lot of good recipes that can help you achieve good results to bake a delicious gluten-free chocolate cake.
References
- Gluten Intolerance Group: Publications
- Celiac Sprue Association: Treatment of Celiac Disease
- "Healthier Without Wheat"; Stephen Wangen; 2009
