Our sad lactose free world has opened up soooo much in the past couple of years. Almost simultaneously I learned that select Cabot cheeses are naturally lactose free, AND an organic dairy company started making lactose free sour cream (and yogurt, kefir, and cottage cheese). My husband developed lactose intolerance in his mid-20's, so although I can enjoy all the dairy I want, when I'm cooking for the family, I do not make 2 different dishes. Nowadays, I can go to my local grocery store and even pick up lactose free half and half. The one thing I'm waiting for is butter. Lactose free butter (that still has butter flavor unlike ghee), who's going to make it first?!?

A couple of nights ago we had friends coming over for dinner. For dessert, I had apples on hand and I whipped together an easy apple sharlotka. My husband, while admiring my handiwork, said that it looked like it needed a caramel sauce. It certainly did sound like a good idea. I looked at several different recipes and settled on a brown sugar base. With the addition of lactose free half and half and by substituting coconut oil for butter, I had a winner of a sauce. It would be an easy way to dress up lactose free ice cream or olive oil cake.

Apple Sharlotka hot out of the oven. Isn't it just asking for some yummy caramel sauce?

Lactose Free Caramel Sauce

Adapted from Pioneer Woman, makes about a cup

Ingredients

1 packed cup brown sugar
1/2 cup lactose free half-and-half
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Mix the brown sugar, lactose free half-and-half, coconut oil and salt in a thick-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk frequently for 5 to 7 minutes, until the caramel begins to thicken. Add vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat, cool slightly and pour the sauce into a jar or squeeze bottle. Refrigerate until cold. Caramel keeps refrigerated for about a week.

When you're ready to serve, you can reheat the caramel sauce by placing the container in hot water for a few minutes or microwave until a pour-able consistency.

A perfectly delicious dessert to whip up for last minute guests. These gluten and dairy free treats couldn't be more easy to pull together. I made these for several of the holiday celebrations that we went to and they were a hit each time. The original recipe comes from Mark Bittman's classic "How to Cook Everything". Make these the next time you need an impressive sweet finish to a meal!

Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

Adapted from "How to Cook Everything", makes approximately 24 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt
1/4 cup of semisweet dark chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a bowl (you don't even need to beat the egg whites). Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to evenly distribute the dough, place on sheet pan. To form the cone, use wet hands to shape the cookies. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, or until just browned at the peak. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking tray for 30. In a microwave safe bowl, add the dark chocolate chips. Microwave in 25 second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate is just melted. Drizzle the chocolate over the macaroons. The chocolate will set up in 10-15 minutes.