help! boss's wife coming for afternoon tea, and she has intolerance to gluten and cow's milk

[Sweetpotatocurry]

Just found this out. Am hoping to stay on their good side so any tips for what I could make would be wonderful please

I'm not so clued up on gluten, but my DS has dairy allergy. I would go to a supermarket and buy some glutton free treats. They seem to have far more gluton free stuff than anything else - I've seen biscuits and bake well tart type things. You could pick up some oat or soya milk for tea, or get some herbal/ fruity tea so no need for milk.

Sorry I spelt gluten wrong twice....

Almond / soy milk

Go to the gluten free isle in tesco ??

Agree you'll do all right at a supermarket. Just make sure you read the labels in the free-from section to find things that are both gluten and dairy-free as not everything is both. I'd be embarrassed if someone made something for me specially who wasn't normally cooking that way, seriously.

Just pick out something from the cake or biscuity stuff that is there. Probably avoid the ones with "gluten-free oats" unless you are certain that she is ok with them.

If you want to do something special that is savoury, and have the budget for it to be reasonable, in tescos at least (not sainsburys, don't know about other majors) you can get dairy-free cream cheese substitute, that with a sprinkling of herbs and some smoked salmon is rather yummy; i guess you'd need to get some gluten free crackers as well though.

Don't get in milk substitute specially I think.

Thanks. I was hoping to avoid ready made stuff...Was planning to bake a couple of cakes and do some homemade bread with smoked salmon and maybe egg and cress or something. Anyone know of good recipes for gluten and dairy free cake and bread? Thank you!

Is the wife coeliac? If so, she may not be able to eat your home baking, because of cross-contamination. Though I would think they would have told you that! Also, if coeliac, oat milk no good, almond/soy better.

If baking is okay, you could make some meringues? Easy and gf/df. You could have some dairy-free cream or ice cream (or sorbet) and fruit to go with them.

A good recipe gluten free is using coconut oil instead of butter, and using rice flour.

You could bake some shortbread with rice flour and coconut oil

Also banana muffins using ground almonds instead of flour

Deliciously Ella has lots of gluten and dairy free recipes: deliciouslyella.com/category/recipes/sweet-treats/

Things which are naturally free from are worth considering - things like good old fashioned English style coconut macaroons - The Mrs Crimble's brand which are widely available are actually very good and have a rough hewn home made sort of look (or you could of course make your own!) - I very much prefer home made things but would never be disappointed to be offered one or six of these.

These Florentines are great and very straightforward: Florentines

For a cake how about one of those moist almond based ones that Nigella's so fond of - a search for g/f on her site Nigella
Most recipes can be adapted to be dairy free - Pure sunflower spread has a good neutral taste for baking to replace butter - if the recipe accommodates it an extra splosh of vanilla extract helps enormously. Almond milk or diluted soy cream make good milk substitutes - I find soy milk has a really strong and artificial vanilla flavour which can sometimes be a bit intrusive.

I can second the Tesco cream cheese - it really is very good and would be great with smoked salmon.

I'd say keep it simple! I'm sure she'll appreciate the effort even if it does just consist of some canny shopping on your part.

Many thanks! Feeling relieved now, seems manageable. I just don't want to make her sick, of all people ;) she is not coeliac, just has several intolerances. Thanks again for taking the time to post and send recipes, much appreciated

Give yourself extra time or a backup plan. If you're baking a new recipe.

(I've had inedible results with gluten free flour)

You could Watch this before she comes over:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798

Anyway, agree with other people suggestions to keep it simply and use

Use things that are naturally GF and DF

I do this cake - it came from when fan ovens were not much around, which is why I have the little note at the bottom, and lactose free milk is readily available - i get it for my DD's partner when they come, and you can't tell the difference :)

Gluten Free Cake:
4 medium eggs
165g caster sugar
225g ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder

temp: 170 degree
(150 fan???)
20cm cake tin
3in deep

Recipe:
separate the the yolks and whites
Add the sugar to the yolks
Beat with fork/whisk
(should be a slightly paler colour now
) -
Whisk egg whites until stiff
(stiff peaks)
Add the whites to the yolk mixture fold in with a metal spoon
Add the almonds and baking powder, fold in everything together until well mixed

Pour into cake tin, bake for 35-40 mins

Mine needed about another 10-15 mins on top- (was a bit unsure of oven temp so did it at 160 fan but ended up at 170 fan for last 10 minutes so it would brown a bit on top )

book make sure baking powder is gf- some brands aren't

ooh - thanks Kiki - will check!

If you can get hold of any quickly enough, Phil Vickery's gluten free cookery books are supposed to be good.

I think the free from stuff in shops can taste a bit gritty and oversweet. The Mrs Crimble stuff is ok. But if you like baking usually, you can do a really good cake that's not too hard. If you bake any cake with stork (in the packet not the tub), that's dairy-free. And for gluten free, polenta cakes are yummy. Try the Nigella Lawson lemon and polenta cake (with ground almonds), it's really good.

I need gluten free and a friend can't have cow's milk, so I often make cakes that are free from dairy and gluten. Dove's Farm Gluten free flour is an easy option, just replace the standard flour with the gluten free one in any normal recipe. Dairy free margarine is easy, I make cakes like that often, but coconut butter is nicer. I've not used it for baking yet, so can't advise on how to substitute it for butter. Things like meringues are free of both, and you can get soya "cream" to drizzle. I would probably make something like scones, or a Victoria sponge , substituting the flour as above.

Oh and yes to Florentines, they are lush.

Nigella's olive oil chocolate cake is lovely. I used to make it for my MIL.

Bookbook's almond cake looks like the same one I make - it's a doddle and delicious, make it in two halves and sandwich with jam. Polenta cakes also a great idea.

This is a lovely gluten-free Pear & Almond Cake that you could try :) www.eatdrinkcook.co.uk/gluten-free-recipe-pear-almond-cake/