dessert for the mega-allergic

[Trishiad]

My son has made a new friend on the block. She's a sparkly little blonde who's folks are having a house warming/ kindergarten graduation party next week. It's a potluck and I'd like to bring a dessert. I thought her allergies were limited to dairy and wheat, found this great recipe for a dairy and wheat free chocolate roulade. No go. Mom says no chocolate or almond flour either and to make it nearly impossible, sugar's not so good. I could just bring something for everyone but I REALLY want to make something that this little blondie can enjoy too.

I just know that my friends here can do better than fruit with a honey glaze, right?

Rice pudding? I've never made it but am wondering if it could be made with rice or coconut milk and honey?

[merstar]

Can she have soy products or nuts? If so, you could make a Vegan Key Lime Pie with silken tofu, and use an all nut crust with vegan/soy margarine. The only problem would be the sugar - you'd need some sort of sub.

You could also make a peanut butter pie with tofu and a nut crust, but again, you'd need a sugar sub.

Edited June 9, 2006 by merstar (log)

[Trishiad]

Mom said "no" to the almond based roulade, so I'm gonna guess that peanuts are out too.

[merstar]

Wow, this is a tough one.

Here's a vegan coconut rice pudding to check out:

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=59902

[alanamoana]

also, you can make the mango with sticky rice that is mentioned on another thread...coconut milk, rice, mango(e?)s...

as a matter of fact, you can probably make something with an asian flair that this little girl can eat.

red bean filled deep fried mochi anyone?! hehehe

do you think this girl is allergic or are her parents being a bit controlling? okay, i'll shut up now.

with the rice pudding, you can use the coconut milk and add a little zing with kaffir lime leaves, orange zest, vanilla bean, etc. to give it a little more than one dimension. make a tropical fruit compote instead of just one fruit. or even fry little fritters of fruit (using rice flour or something like that to make a coating)...cool rice pudding with warm fruit fritters would be deelish...

or how about tapioca? bubble drinks and their ilk are very popular nowadays...you can make the large tapioca balls (they come in white, multicolored and the standard black ones which sometimes scare caucasians...if they haven't seen 'em before).

you can make the tapioca similar to the rice pudding with coconut milk and it works as the same basic background for fruit or whatever.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

How about a cobbler or a fruit crumble?

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/featured_recipe2.php

The same gal has peach crumble recipe that looks pretty easy too... it calls for canned fruit, but you could probably substitute frozen fruit for it. I could pull it from the database and e-mail it to you if you'd like.

AlanaMoana- I'm not sure what to make of the comment about the girls parents, seeing that I have kids with food allergies. I know I wouldn't appreciate a comment like that made about me by someone who is clueless about our situation.

I don't like having to deal with the food allergies... wouldn't do it if I didn't have to.

[Maliaty]

How about a cobbler or a fruit crumble?

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/featured_recipe2.php

The same gal has peach crumble recipe that looks pretty easy too... it calls for canned fruit, but you could probably substitute frozen fruit for it. I could pull it from the database and e-mail it to you if you'd like.

AlanaMoana- I'm not sure what to make of the comment about the girls parents, seeing that I have kids with food allergies. I know I wouldn't appreciate a comment like that made about me by someone who is clueless about our situation.

I don't like having to deal with the food allergies... wouldn't do it if I didn't have to.

←

Me too. Mine is allergic to eggs - and he used to be allergic to dairy. It's not something that he does / I inflict on others to be annoying. It's a real pain in the whatever.

My base allergy recipe is jello at the moment, because it's got so little actually in it. And it's a dessert, so doesn't need to be too nutritionally balanced. Judgment call re sugar / sugarless being worse. You can make it without sugar with fruit juice instead (adding gelatin, obviously), but it is a little bit more work.

There's another one with copha (a coconut derivative) - chocolate crackles made with rice bubbles, or a "white christmas" made with rice bubbles and preserved fruit, but again, there is the sugar factor.

http://www.kelloggs.com.au/Recipe/Recipes....cipecopyid=2621

http://www.kelloggs.com.au/Recipe/Recipes....cipecopyid=2533

I can't think of any, because I don't make them for obvious reasons, but perhaps a dessert around eggs of some sort? Meringue? Pavalova (betraying my Australian identity)?

Hope those help. And if all else fails, fruit is good for kids, as you mentioned! Perhaps a frozen fruit blend - home made slushy thing would make it more fun.

Cheers

Maliaty

[lexy]

Wow, um, that pretty much rules out … everything

How about home-made popsicles? My mum used to make them by just freezing milk (soy milk?) and fresh fruit in molds. Fruit juices are good too, and I should think a fruit puree would work well. You could sweeten these with honey if they needed sweetening.

[Sugarella]

This sure is a tough one and I won't be any help offering baking recipes....

However, kids do get a kick out of grilled fruit as shishkabobs, so if all else fails....

[Kerry Beal]

How about a nice mango gelato, you could do a raspberry coulis to go with it. Have to have it in a cup rather than a cone I guess. Any other fruit ice would work too.

The only other thing I came across that looked safe was lemon curd, so what could you put that with that a) a kid would like

b) meets the limitations?

[Kerry Beal]

Somewhere in this house there is an allergy cookbook, but damned if I can find it. But in the search I came across a jello cookbook which got me to thinkin'. You have seen Rachel Perlows avatar I'm sure of the amazing layered jello, and I know there is a thread on how to make it. I guess subbing rice milk would give the opaque layers.

In the jello book there are a number of pies etc that use jello with cool whip (non dairy) then add fruit or pie fillings etc. Could you make a rice crispy crust with marshmallow (leave out the butter)? or skip the crust and put it in a cup or bowl.

There are a couple that use jello with instant pudding mix too (it has cornstarch I think), does call for milk, but rice milk would sub.

There is a ton of recipes in this book, so if you have a flavour in mind just ask and I'll pick out appropriate recipes and post.

[annarborfoodie]

As a riff on the Jello idea, what about the Rainbow Jello mold? You could make it with sugar-free Jello. Not exactly a gourmet choice, but I'm sure the kids would love it.

[alanamoana]

I guess subbing rice milk would give the opaque layers.

←

i think someone on the jello mold thread made the opaque layers with coconut milk as well. so i'm sure there are a lot of subs for that...vanilla soy milk also?

[alanamoana]

AlanaMoana- I'm not sure what to make of the comment about the girls parents, seeing that I have kids with food allergies. I know I wouldn't appreciate a comment like that made about me by someone who is clueless about our situation.

I don't like having to deal with the food allergies... wouldn't do it if I didn't have to.

←

sorry! sometimes i type first, think later...BUT...this is a little girl and she has tons of allergies...so then, on a special occasion her parents want little to no sugar as well?! cut the girl some slack (unless she has diabetes) and let her enjoy something special that someone so obviously wants to make so that she can actually eat it along with everyone else instead of having to sit by and watch. a professional, no less, who would make something delicious that would accommodate her allergies. but there are other threads for this discussion.

good luck trish. i'm sure you'll make something that everyone will find delicious!!

also, if almond flour and chocolate are a no go, then maybe you should find out if she has nut allergies as well. it doesn't sound like the mom is giving all the information. this is where my skepticism comes from. with severe allergies, don't many people keep a list of items that they can hand out at restaurants and such to avoid the wrong foods? or does this mom just bring along food that she knows is safe for her daughter? it is a pot-luck after all.

Edited June 9, 2006 by alanamoana (log)

[Trishiad]

In brief defense of Alana, she knows the area that I live in and it's true we have a lot of parents who are quite strict about what their kids consume. This one really is terribly allergic though, her big sis eats like everyone else.

I was thinking about that jello mold too but wonder if rice milk really will sub well. Also, when she does get a treat it's jello. I was hoping to expand her sweets options a bit.

FoodieMom, it like the idea of a cobbler. Do you think I could make it with less sugar and still get a decent crumble? The recipe calls for xantham gum, what does it do? Do I need it?

I was considering the sticky rice recipe too but there didn't seem to be a clear direction on the prep. I don't have a steamer and don't wanna buy and store one (it would take up precious chocolate gadget storage!)

Merstar, I saw that same coconut pudding recipe and wondered if I could use honey instead of sugar or if it wouldn't set properly.

Thank you all for helping out here. I know it seems silly to go so out of my way and ask all of you to go so far out of your ways but she is a really sweet little girl and I think it must suck to be allergic to just about everything. Her big sis likes to cook and I would love to be able to give her the recipe later so that she can have something special to make on occasion. I think I'll have them both over this Summer to make gelato if Kerry has a recipe that will work.

You all rock!

[alanamoana]

trish, with rice pudding...made with coconut milk...you can cook it like risotto and wouldn't need a steamer. if you make sticky rice, you can probably rig a steamer out of a colander if you have a metal one.

thanks for the defense, but i have a HUGE mouth (or fast fingers...whichever is appropriate for this medium) and am always getting myself into trouble .

i wonder if palm sugar and/or other asian sweeteners are better than white sugar? honey always changes the flavor so much i'm loathe to use it as a substitute.

[Trishiad]

I'll call Mom later and ask about Palm sugar.

Am thinking about the coconut rice pudding with......

epicurious has a parfait with pudding, macaroon crumble, and fresh mango and pineapple. the crumble is full of stuff she can't eat but I like the idea of something with a little tooth.

something fritter like would be fun too. It is a potluck though so keeping something warm might be a challenge. What can I do to give fruit a crisp quality even while it's cool??

Or maybe do a compote of tropical fruits with a granola-like coconut topping? Still thinking......NO CHOCOLATE!!??????

[alanamoana]

i feel your pain

[alanamoana]

What can I do to give fruit a crisp quality even while it's cool??

Or maybe do a compote of tropical fruits with a granola-like coconut topping?  Still thinking......NO CHOCOLATE!!??????

←

just thought of this too...you can make pineapple chips/flowers by drying thinly sliced pineapple (other fruits...banana chips, mango chips, etc) on silpats in the oven and shaping them into flowers. that would give you some crisp/tooth without added artificial sugar and it would look cool too in a parfait! just keep them separate until you put it on the table.

yeah, i realized the fritters wouldn't be good as a pot luck item...just brainstorming.

i like the idea of a granola type crunchy thing too! sounds like you've got some good ideas.

edited to add: also, they sell these great dehydrated berries (can't remember the name) and you could mix that with the granola component to give it more crunch and more kick...again without adding sugar.

Edited June 9, 2006 by alanamoana (log)

[flour girl]

It is small comfort when the allergist says "if everyone thinks you're crazy and controlling, then you are doing your job correctly".

Umm, if the little girl does have life-threatening food allergies, don't be surprised if the mom still turns down the offer of outside food. Unless you are using new kitchen items, you probably can't guarantee xxx-free anything. I know some people think that running an item through the dishwasher adequately sanitizes something, but we're talking about allergen proteins here, not germs. The proteins in peanuts/tree nuts might not be denatured at the temps that a dishwasher may reach and traces of food particles on an item may be enough to be fatal to someone who is supersensitive. It would also be a good idea to call the manufacturers of the ingredients used to learn of any cross-contamination issues. The new US food allergen labelling law helps somewhat, but does not completely cover everything until 2007. And there are exceptions to the law as well.

True allergies to chocolate are rare according an allergist on the board of FAAN - foodallergy.org - so the mom may be avoiding chocolate because most commonly available brands do contain dairy or nut traces. But there are suitable chocolates available (they're not cheap) and Hershey's cocoa doesn't have any of the top 8 allergen problems whatsoever. (But always check the label first. Things could change.) As for the sugar - it may be an intolerance or perhaps given that the child's diet is limited, sugar has adverse affects on bowel movements or perhaps it is some other GI disorder.

Talk to the mom in depth - she will recommend something if at all possible.

[Trishiad]

Flourgirl, you're Killin' me! I was feeling all good about creating (with the help of you all) a recipe that our little friend can eat. But NOOOOoooo, my dishes might make her sick?!!

Really, her allergies are not life threatening. She gets icky stomache and rashes (not that those are nothing) but at least I won't kill her with my cooking.

She's only 6 and food used to make her vomit. I think (ass out of you and me) they are reintroducing at a very slow rate. Mom said she had a tiny piece of gluten and dairy free brownie and they going to wait and see what happens.

She mainly eats rice, meats, and veggies.

[miladyinsanity]

Trishiad, you can substitute coconut milk for milk in making the Jello mold. Agar-agar will work just as well as gelatin.

Xanthan gum is sometimes used as a gluten substitute, but I've also seen it used as a thickener and ice cream/sorbet stabilizer. You can get it in most healthfood stores--I've not used it myself.

You could make coconut ice cream, and use palm sugar rather than white sugar. Palm sugar will change the taste more than honey will, and keep in mind that the bad ones will leave a sour aftertaste.

[flour girl]

This one really is terribly allergic though, her big sis eats like everyone else.

If she doesn't have life-threatening food allergies, then you're probably ok. Check with the mom first! Everyone is different. My kids have multiple food allergies with peanut being dangerously severe (EpiPen Jr required). They are slowly outgrowing some allergies but, even though her blood test results indicated that an egg allergy was at this stage and was never close to be considered severe, she had an anaphylactic reaction to the full dose of egg whites at the allergist's office. Surprised the doctor too for sure.

As a result of this food challenge we know that trace amounts of egg won't cause a severe reaction.

The mom will let you know what she is comfortable with food-wise.

[Trishiad]

ooooh, what about Stevia in place of the 1/2 cup of sugar??

[Eden]

When cooking for my (dairy, soy, wheat, egg, chocolate, etc) allergic friend I use Wendy Wark's gluten free flour substitute for a lot of desserts. they end up slightly fussier than regular flour products, but good enough

and you should ask if that dairy allergies is cow only or aslo goat & sheep because you can get really good goat butter from Meyerberg? Otherwise just use a crisco like product for your shortening.

For sugar try subbing granulated fructose

we discussed a similar set of allergies here recently, and if you ignore the chocolate cake part of the discussion many of the recipes are relevent to your situation, if you sub out the flour.

Sorbets are great. Also you can make a killer coconut ice-cream by mixing "Cream of coconut" and rice-milk

And good for you for trying to do something nice for this little girl - I'm sure she will appreciate your efforts!