Giveaway & Review - Shabtai Gourmet Gluten Free Baked Goods

Remember the popular brand name snack cakes we used to eat before going on gluten free diets? Ring Tings (aka Ding Dongs), Swiss Cake Rolls, Raspberry Cake Rolls and so many others! What happy memories these compact little cakes bring back to me; they take me back to the sweet and simple days of childhood. If your children have been on gluten free diets since they were very young, they probably never even had a chance to taste those iconic cakes. Guess what? I have discovered a phenomenal company by the name of Shabtai Gourmet, who has re-created the brand name snack cakes of our childhoods! The best part is that (1) lucky Gluten Free Taste of Home FOLLOWER will win a delicious assortment of (5) Shabtai Gourmet Gluten Free baked goods.

The giveaway prize selections are: RING TINGS!!, Brownie Bites, Florentine Lace cookies, Lady fingers, and Raspberry Cake Roll!

Somehow Shabtai Gourmet was able to not only re-capture, but EXCEED the flavor and texture of the snack cakes we thought we would never eat again, only Shabtai Gourmet's versions are GLUTEN FREE!! How can they taste so moist? How can the cake me so delicate that it practically melts in your mouth? This is the secret that belongs only to Shabtai himself, the baking genius with more than 30 years experience who owns and operates Shabtai Gourmet.

A message from Shabtai Gourmet:

"Shabtai Gourmet is committed to servicing individuals with multiple allergens by baking our cakes & cookies in an allergen free dedicated bakery. All of the ingredients that pass through our doors are Gluten Free, Casein Free, Lactose Free, Soy Free, and Dairy Free. We are certified Kosher for Passover and Kosher Parve – otherwise known as Dairy Free- by the OK Kosher Supervision. They oversee our production and ensure the highest quality of our products."

The following is a true story:

When my children and I opened the box of Ring Tings that Shabtai Gourmet sent us, we thought they looked delicious, and immediately plated them up to sample them. In the past, we have purchased gluten free desserts from other companies that looked good but fell short in the flavor and texture departments. We had high hopes for the Shabtai Gourmet Ring Tings, in all of their chocolate dipped glory, and took a bite. Here is what happened next; simultaneously the four of us sang Mmmmmm, YUM!, Wow!!, and many other short syllable sounds that one can make when they have a mouth full of the most delicious snack cake they have ever had. We couldn't stop to form sentences, because we were all too busy taking our next glorious bite of Ring Tings. You might wonder if I am exaggerating the goodness of the Shabtai Gourmet Ring Tings, but I assure you I am not. As with every review I write, I only give my honest personal opinion. My opinion about Shabtai Gourmet Ring Tings is that I find it hard to believe that any purchased gluten free snack cake could ever match this perfectly delicious, cream filled, chocolate snack cake dipped in a rich chocolate coating. The bottom line is that I LOVE SHABTAI GOURMET RING TINGS!

Here is a photo of my beloved Shabtai Gourmet gluten free Ring Tings:

I have "Ring Tings on the brain," but I will attempt to shift gears and share my thoughts on some of the other wonderful bakery treats I sampled from Shabtai Gourmet's gluten free bakery.

If you remember eating Swiss Cake Rolls, then you probably miss them. Soft, light, chocolate sponge cake spread with cream filling and rolled up jelly roll style, then finally enrobed in a chocolate coating. I have always loved Swiss Cake Rolls, not only for their delicate texture and chocolatey flavor, but for the beautiful spiral look that they had inside. Shabtai Gourmet has done a great job making a large Swiss Cake Roll that can be sliced for a beautiful presentation with outstanding flavor.

The beautiful Shabtai Gourmet gluten free Swiss Cake Roll:

While we are on the subject of chocolate cream filled cakes, let me introduce you to the elegant Seven Layer Cakes from Shabtai Gourmet. All of the same deliciousness as the Swiss Cake Roll and Ring Tings, but in a classic multi-layered torte. You can choose from Vanilla or Chocolate Seven Layer Cakes; both flavors are dipped in a chocolate coating. Slices of the Shabtai Gourmet's Seven Layer Cake are so tasteful and elegant looking that I proudly served slices of this during the holidays for dessert.

Classic Shabtai Gourmet gluten free Devils' Food and Vanilla Seven Layer Cakes:

Remember coconut topped raspberry cake rolls? I LOVE this lip smacking combination of flavors. I was giddy like a school girl when I saw this pretty gluten free Raspberry Cake Roll for the first time. My husband and I ate so much of it (so quickly!) it is almost like a fading dream. Good thing I had a Shabtai Gourmet gluten free Apricot Cake Roll waiting in the wings to take its place. ;-)

Delectable gluten free Raspberry and Apricot Cake Rolls from the Shabtai Gourmet:

When I was growing up my Mother would sometimes bring amazingly delicate looking "lace" cookies home from the bakery. It was always a special day when my family got to eat these. Shabtai Gourmet makes these beautiful Florentine Lace Cookies that have all of the brickle-like chocolate-dipped crunch that I was so fond of in my childhood. These cookies make such a statement that they are perfect not only as an every day dessert, but arranged on a cookie tray for guests as well.

Elegant gluten free Florentine Lace Cookies from the Shabtai Gourmet:

Seeing rainbows brightens people's day! Now you can see rainbows everyday because Shabtai gourmet has created cheerful gluten free Rainbow Cookies. These marzipan filled gluten free delicacies are really more reminiscent of bite sized cakes than of cookies. They are absolutely beautiful with their bright rainbow colored layers. My children considered them to be a very special treat; one taste and you'll know why.

Unique gluten free Rainbow Cookies from the Shabtai Gourmet:

After hearing about and seeing the tempting gluten free desserts from the Shabtai Gourmet, you might be thinking things couldn't get any better, but they can! The desserts I reviewed today only represent a portion of the many wonderful gluten free baked goods from the Shabtai Gourmet. Visit the Shabtai Gourmet website to discover the other fabulous sweets that await you!

Buy it: You can order direct from the Shabtai Gourmet website and have your treats shipped right to your door! Shipping is free in the continental US, and your order will arrive fresh and ready to eat. Be sure to re-freeze cakes you will not be eating within that week (not necessary to freeze the cookies).

Win it: Shabtai Gourmet is giving (1) Gluten Free Taste of Home FOLLOWER (5) boxes of their gluten free selections: RING TINGS!!, Brownie Bites, Florentine Lace Cookies,, Lady Fingers, and Raspberry Cake Roll.

TO ENTER GIVEAWAY (mandatory): Become a Gluten Free Taste of Home follower (must follow PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect in the side bar of this website) AND Visit the Shabtai Gourmet website; LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me that you are now following Gluten Free Taste of Home PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect, AND also tell me the name of a Shabtai Gourmet gluten free dessert you would like to try (that was not mentioned in this review). (1 entry)

BONUS ENTRIES: (each entry comment must be entered separately to be a valid entry):

1) Vote for my Gluten Free Pumpkin Doughnuts AND my Gluten Free Vegetarian Spring Roll Recipe in the Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest (click on the Foodista "Vote for me" buttons for BOTH recipes; you will find the buttons in the sidebar of this website, not far from the top.) LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me that you have placed your votes for BOTH of my recipes ON THE FOODISTA WEBSITE. (5 entries)

2) Grab my Freebie Fairy button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code for my button from the sidebar of my Freebie Fairy giveaway website and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (2 entries)

3) Follow Shabtai Gourmet on Twitter and tweet the giveaway; LEAVE ME A COMMENT with the link. (1 entry)

4) Blog about this giveaway linking it back to my Freebie Fairy website AND the Shabtai Gourmet website. Please LEAVE ME A COMMENT with THE LINK TO YOUR POST or it will not count. (5 entries)

5) Follow me on Twitter and tweet the giveaway; LEAVE ME A COMMENT with the link. MAXIMUM 1 tweet/RT per hour please! (1 entry PER tweet/RT)

6) Follow my Freebie Fairy blog and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (2 entries)

7) Grab my Gluten Free Taste of Home button and display it on your website/blog (copy the html code in the side bar of my Gluten Free Taste of Home website and paste the code into your website), and LEAVE ME A COMMENT telling me you did it. (2 entries)

*GIVEAWAY OPEN TO US ONLY*

Giveaway ends on Thursday January 21, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. PST (late entries will not be posted). Winner will be selected by random.org. I will announce the winner by January 23, 2009. Winner will be notified by e-mail and will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is selected.

*REMEMBER... please leave your e-mail address with EACH entry so I can contact you if you win.

*“I received products for this review on behalf of Shabtai Gourmet. All opinions are solely my own. Others who may use this product or service may have different opinions.”

Best of luck!