I know our Independence Day has passed, but you guys know how things go around here …
… birthdays and holidays alike last for a while. We like it that way. We let them linger and simmer. Really, it's just an attempt to be 'on holiday' a bit longer!
All across this great nation of ours on July 4th, there are innumerable desserts that are dressed with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries to resemble our flag. Hmmm … I just thought, "Is is desecrating to 'eat the flag'?" I am going to answer "No" because I didn't have 50 blueberries for each state, and I certainly didn't have the correct number of stripes! My strawberries were too large.
Anyway, there are Flag Cakes made with white cake, topped with whipped cream and then fruit. There are pudding tarts. There are coconut cakes and *lovely* jello creations. My Flag Cake is very simple and not even a cake, actually. The recipe was passed on to me by my mother-in-law, and my kids won't let me get through the holiday without making it. I posted the recipe last year, but I didn't decorate it like a flag.
4-layer dessert
1st layer: Mix 1 ½ c. flour, ½-1 c. pecans, and ¾ c. melted butter. Spread in 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° F for 15 minutes. Let cool.
2nd layer: Mix 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 c. powdered sugar, 1 c. Cool Whip with a mixer and spread on cooled 1st layer.
3rd layer: Mix 2 small boxes of Jello instant pudding with 3-3 ½ c. of milk and 1 t. vanilla till slightly thickened. Spread over 2nd layer. (You could just as well make a homemade pudding!)
4th layer: Spread remaining Cool Whip on top.
Refrigerate till ready to serve.
You can top it with fruit or chocolate shavings, or toasted coconut, or chopped nuts, or whatever your imagination spurs you on to do!
We love this dessert best made with chocolate pudding, but you can use whatever kind you like. You can top it with fruit or chocolate shavings, or toasted coconut, or chopped nuts, or whatever your imagination spurs you on to do! Hey … it's a free country!
This year, I made it with gluten-free flour mix in the crust. Just after I pulled it out of the oven, it didn't seem so golden and browned like the 'original' and I wondered whether I should put it back in. I didn't, but decided instead to just let the gluten-free be 'gluten-free'—it acts a bit different than 'normal'! So I let it cool as normal and made sure the cream cheese for the 2nd layer was very soft. I did have to spread it VERY carefully over the crust to keep from pulling up gluten-free crumbs! After it had set in the fridge though, it was perfect! Just like it should've been!!
Here is that gluten-free flour mix again …
All Purpose Nearly Normal Gluten-Free Flour Mix
- 1 cup white rice flour
- 1 cup potato starch
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ½ cup corn flour (NOT corn MEAL!)
- ½ tapioca flour
- 4 tsp. xanthan gum
Mix all of those babies together and you'll have yourself a nice all-purpose flour mixture that Jules says is very much like what you grew up on!
If you are storing for a long period of time, you should probably refrigerate this mixture.
From Nearly Normal Cooking for Gluten-Free Eating, by Jules E. D. Shepard. I'm sure she wouldn't mind my sharing her recipe for an all-around great all-purpose flour as long as I have told you where it is from!
