AJ Creations

Brandie found this bakery online and since we were going to be in Covington, KY to check 0ut the Mainstrasse tour, we ought to check out this place. AJ Creations was worth the trip over the river from Cincinnati alone. When we approached the shop, I had a little trouble opening the door (I swore it was closed b/c I pushed and didn't try pulling, or vice versa). The trouble was worth it too. We walked in and the place smelled wonderful, and they had a case full of goodies. We bought a caramel brownie, a cherry scone, a piece of coffee cake, and a loaf of bread.

Although I did not like the scone (I'm not a big fan of them anyway), Brandie did, and everything else was very delicious. We originally bought the brownie for me, but after I gave Brandie a taste (big mistake), we ended up sharing it. The coffee cake was very good, too. I did not expect the raisins (I think), but they were an excellent addition. And the bread was fantastic. We bought the loaf so I could make breakfast sandwiches at the hotel the next day, because we had a tight schedule and no time to stop for breakfast. The bread was very good, even though I could only use the microwave at the hotel since I'm sure the toaster was full of gluten crumbs. Since I've brought it home, and can use my own toaster on it, it is even better.

All in all, Brandie and I were uber-impressed with AJ Creations. I hope to make it to Cincinnati again sometime soon, and across the river to Covington for more GF deliciousness.

http://ajcreationsonline.com/Welcome.html

GF fudgy brownie recipe

By: Shauna James Ahorn (a.k.a - gluten-free girl)

SERVINGS12 (if people have the restraint to not eat more than one brownie)

INGREDIENTS

-8 tablespoons unsalted butter

-4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (or as dark as you can stand it)

-1 cup sugar

-2 eggs

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/4 cup brown rice flour

-1/4 cup tapioca flour

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Chop the chocolate into small slivers. Slice the butter into one-inch pieces. Combine the two flours together.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, and then turn it down to a simmer. Place a large metal bowl over the top of the saucepan. Put the chocolate and butter into the metal bowl and stir, occasionally, as they both begin to melt. As they come to a full melt, stir and stir, vigorously, until you have a cohesive mixture.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sugar and eggs, whisking vigorously until they are creamed together, with a silky consistency. Add the vanilla extract and salt and stir well. Add in the gluten-free flours and stir. Finally, pour in the melted chocolate-butter mixture and stir, carefully, with a rubber spatula, until the mixture has become smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top with the spatula. Slide the baking pan into the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes.
As the brownies are baking, fill the sink with ice cubes and 1 inch of water. When the brownies are finished baking, remove the pan from the oven and place it immediately into the ice-water bath. (Don't let any water splash up onto the brownies!) Let the brownies stay there until they have cooled completely.

These brownies taste best the next day, after an entire night of refrigeration. That makes the top crunchy, the insides decadently chewy. However, I'm sure no one would suffer if you ate the brownies immediately, either.