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Gluten-free: 18 fabulous flour-less desserts

Whether your household is entirely gluten-free, you're expecting gluten-free guests, or you're experimenting with a new diet, this list will satisfy dessert cravings of all sorts. 

Chocolate and coffee rice pudding (champorado)

The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook
Breaking up the chocolate bar is easy. Before unwrapping, just break it apart with your fingers. No mess!

By Patricia Tanumihardja, The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook 

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

3/4 cup malagkit rice

3 cups milk

1 cup strongly brewed coffee (*may use decaf or substitute water)

1/3 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 (6 ounce) bar bittersweet chocolate, crushed, or 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons coffee liqueur (*optional)

1. Combine the rice, milk, coffee, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan over high heat. While stirring frequently, bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and the mixture thickens, 30 to 40 minutes. (Be the better cook and stir more often than I did!).

2. Remove the rice mixture from the heat. Add the chocolate and stir until it is melted and thoroughly incorporated into the rice. Stir in the coffee liqueur if using.

3. Spoon the pudding into individual bowls and serve warm. Or cover and chill till cold and serve with fresh berries.

Notes: If you’d like to garnish your rice pudding with bacon, cook a couple of slices till crisp, in a pan or in the oven (my preferred method – no splatter). Crumble and sprinkle over your champorado.

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Mark Sappenfield
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