I love duck eggs. They’re becoming the answer to all my problems (other than my dwindling bank account, the fact that my favorite jeans are too tight, and the 18 inches of snow in my yard).
If nothing else, they’ve raised my gluten-free baking to a whole new (and quite stellar) level. Check here for more detailed information on duck eggs. And if you’re a egg protein scientist and you happen to stumble across this blog, please contact me. I’m interested in why duck eggs seem to be a perfect match for gluten-free baking. It must be the amino acid composition.
Dave — world renowned quirky (seriously quirky) but brilliant molecular bio-scientist from Montana — why do duck eggs work better than chicken eggs when combined with non-gluten grains?
*Dave (Dr. Sands) is committed to the development of nutrient-dense agricultural food sources for human consumption. He also has an academic and personal interest in nutrition, alternative grains (gluten-free), humanitarian aid, sustainability, local agriculture and poetry. In his spare time he plays with airborne bacteria capable of ice nucleation. Remember, I said quirky. Seriously quirky.
But I digress, which is common. Back to duck eggs and sweet potatoes.
Melissa’s sweet potato pie cookies
1 & 1/4 cup Pamela’s GF baking mix (or your choice of GF flour blends)
1/4 cup Earth Balance or butter softened to room temperature (next time I’m trying coconut oil, which is a favorite of mine)
1 duck egg (or 1 extra large chicken egg or 2 small ones)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup baked, cooled, and mashed sweet potato (like you would with banana bread)
2/3 cup chopped pecans
Whisk duck egg (or chicken eggs) in small bowl until well blended. Mix all ingredients (including egg) together in a large bowl and spoon onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in center (or upper center) of 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Watch carefully — my oven baked them to a nice golden brown on both top and bottom in about 14 minutes. These are like muffins or scones made into cookies. I made this up, so you’ve been forewarned — but they were really good. Must be the duck eggs.
I’m actually starting to get a bit snooty about my gluten-free baking. I’m thinking Martha Stewart should be seriously worried. Everything I’ve baked lately has come out perfect, absolutely perfect. Or close to it. Okay, close to it according to my standards.
Oh-oh, what if my duck egg supplier disappears? I’m addicted, I could be in trouble without these “golden” eggs.
Support your local farmer, help them succeed. If you live in northern Colorado check out Grant Family Farms and join their CSA program. Someone’s baking may depend on it.
Hurry, go do it now.
Whew,
Melissa
Yet another lovely way to get me through to the spring harvest and the end of root vegetable season.
Melissa,
Those cookies look like they have a good bite on the outside and are soft and squidgy in the middle. Lovely!
You know, your commentary on GF baking is making me wonder whether us gluten-eaters are forsaking some of the more unusual and flavoursome flours and just blindly reaching for the AP. You’ve got me thinking…
As for duck eggs, they cleary need a Surgeon General’s notice on them, warning of how crazy they can drive you. 🙂
GDave
Meghan,
I agree — I’m having some trouble getting through this “in between” time as well. I’m anxiously awaiting the “real” springtime as it’s been snowing here a lot lately! It’s hard to imagine “harvest time” with all the snow on the ground, but I also know the moisture is much needed.
GDave,
I’ve been experimenting a lot with sweet potatoes and yams this week (more posts on that later) and yes, these cookies really do have a nice texture to them. I seriously think the duck eggs help, but sweet potatoes seem to add a nice — squidgy — feel to the cookies.
Squidgy? Is that a GDave word or an official British culinary term?
And that’s an insightful comment of yours regarding the fact that gluten-eaters aren’t forced to check out alternatives and there is a whole world of amazing grasses and grains out there. Here are some of the gluten-free flours I use.
See what you’re missing?! Although, I have to warn you, converting to gluten-free baking isn’t as easy as it looks. There are some tricks to it.
buckwheat (a favorite)
sweet Peruvian mesquite (yum, yum, yum, one of my favorites)
teff (good, good)
millet
Italian chestnut (another favorite)
quinoa
pinto bean
almond (yum, almond meal is in the baking mix I used on these cookies)
hazelnut (I love the nut flours)
garbanzo bean
sorghum
coconut (YUM, but I’m a coconut freak)
green pea (not a favorite)
navy bean
amaranth (good, good)
fava bean
I like all these with the exception of green pea flour. It’s okay for adding to soups for thickening, but other than that, I can do without it. The others all have special qualities that I like for one thing or another. And many are far healthier than refined wheat flour.
Melissa,
Thank you so much for that. There’s so much uncharted territory for me right there. I think I’m drawn to the nut flours to start with as I’m a complete nutaholic.
Hey, squidgy is a real word! It’s in the OED and everything. I must come across so British on your blog sometimes. 🙂
Thanks again for the info. You’re a gem.
GDave
First of all, my dear Melissa, I’ve got to apologise. I’ve been delinquent in my reading of late! And I’ve missed you.
I had no idea about the connection between duck eggs and gluten-free baking. Fascinating stuff.
Every time I wander back here, I’m reminded that I need to buy some teff flour! Have been meaning to try that for ages.
Lo,
Oh — I’ve missed you, too and was reminded of that the other night when I used some of my wonderful tomatoes.
As for the connection between duck eggs and GF baking — this is just something I’m making up as I go. I get pastured chicken eggs weekly with my CSA membership and have been ordering duck eggs on occasion as well. They just work differently in baking. I love them!
Glad to visit with you. I’ll be over to your “house” soon.
🙂
GDave,
Squidgy is not a word. Can you use it in Scrabble? And what does “OED and everything” mean? And everything?
P.S. You come across British everywhere. Don’t worry, it’s charming and quite entertaining.
Melissa,
Those cookies or as we British call them… squidgy biscuits 🙂 look delicious. I’ll have mine with a cup of Chai tea please.
As a matter of interest, the folk in my county sometimes like to call people ‘duck’ (pronounced dook) as a term of endearment in the course of general conversation. Can’t say I’m drawn to the idea but I’m a foreigner in these parts having only lived here since the age of 12 🙂
Wonder if Miles has ever called anyone ‘dook’?… I’ll let you ask him 🙂
Cid
Cid
I am totally making these tonight Melissa!
You know, your talk of duck eggs prompted me to tell my fiance that when we’re old and retired I would like to raise ducks on a farm and sell their eggs… and harvest kale too 🙂
They look terrific, Melissa! I mean mashed sweet potatoes, how could they not be? (Just don’t ever forget you have sweet potatoes in the pantry … just saying.) These would be close to the pumpkin cookies I used to make. I love the pecans and the spices. Like I said, it’s been a very long time since I’ve baked with duck eggs, but I’d like to try them again. 🙂
Thanks,
Shirley
Cid,
Did GDave set you up with that? The squidgy biscuit comment?
And now you’re trying to set me up to ask Miles about duck endearments. Is that your term for Diarmuid and his Irish garden delights? Well, I won’t fall for it as I would hate to be kicked off my favorite British blog channel. I fear I’ve come dangerously close already. No room for error.
🙂
Liz,
Lizzie’s duck egg and kale stand! Down at the end of your vintage (but totally restored) farmhouse’s dirt road. Tree-lined and beautiful! Sounds good to me.
🙂
Shirley,
I’ve spent the last several days experimenting with sweet potatoes and yams, with great success. They add sweetness and moisture to GF baked goods. I’ll do some posts on the results. I’ve had fun with focusing on one ingredient, but have eaten way too much of what I’ve baked lately. Ugh!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. That bit about duck eggs is quite intriguing! And I totally hear you on the snow, it’s been snowing all day and it’s NO APRIL FOOLS! 🙂
Jessie,
Thanks for the comment and yes, I’m getting a bit put off by the snow. It’s snowing right now as I type. Ugh!
And yes, there’s something about these duck eggs.
🙂
Hi Melissa,
I just stumbled across your blog, and found this amazing recipe! I’ve been craving sweet potatoes lately, and was looking for a fun new way to try them. I’ll have to look for duck eggs, very interesting. Great blog 🙂
These are amazing! I have made them several times for the kids and me and we LOVE them. I used a slightly different flour mixture and chicken egg. I have more sweet potatoes ready to go too. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Stephanie,
Thank you! If you don’t have duck eggs, no problem — although I do think they make a difference.
🙂
Cathy,
I agree — they are good, aren’t they?! And healthy, too. Yippee. Glad your kids like them, I haven’t tested them on kids yet.
Thanks for doing it for me!
🙂
I too am interested in duck eggs. I have become increasingly sensitive/intolerant to chicken eggs (even pastured raised/fed ones)…Maybe because gluten free/grain free baking can rely quite heavily on eggs sometimes (especially coconut flour).
I read that duck eggs are suitable for people with chicken eggs’ allergies (same thing for quail, goose, guinea hen’s eggs).
Baking without eggs is lighter and more easily digestible but I miss eating eggs!