Gluten Free Baking Series, Part 1: GF Flour

Yes, you can make delicious and satisfying baked goods without the gluten! There are many different GF flours that will provide your baked goods with a variety of tastes and textures—it all depends on your preferences. For the novice GF-baker, muffins, pancakes, and cookies are the easiest to prepare, but like anything, practice makes perfect.


How to Choose an Adaptable Recipe

To find a recipe to adapt using GF flour(s) without much hassle, look for ones that use a small amount of wheat flour (less than 2 cups), or a combination of wheat with other flours—these will be the easiest to work with. Recipes that call for cake flour are the most easily adaptable with GF flour.

Gluten-Free Flours: Many Choices, Varying Results

Arrowroot Starch: This is ground from the root of a West Indian plant. It works especially well as a thickener, and therefore makes great creams and glazed. It can be exchanged for cornstarch.

Buckwheat Flour: This flour comes from unroasted, ground buckwheat groats (dehulled buckwheat kernels). Buckwheat flour is someone dark in color and has a strong, distinctive flavor. It has a mild flavor and is best used in small amounts with more bland flours to add flavor to the mix.

Corn Flour: Corn flour is milled from maize (corn), and is easily blended with cornmeal for cornbread or corn muffins. It is light in texture, and like buckwheat flour, is best used in combination with other flours.

Garfava Flour: This flour comes from a mix of ground fava (broad) beans and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). When used, it makes baked goods with good volume a sufficient moisture content—two things typically missing with baked goods made from GF flour. This mix was first developed by Authentic Foods (www.authenticfoods.com)

Garbanzo Flour: Made from ground garbanzo beans, it is high in protein and fiber and can be used with other flours.

Potato Flour: This flour is creamy and heavy in texture, and is coarser than potato starch. Additionally, it absorbs more liquid than potato starch does. Like buckwheat flours, it is best combined in small quantities with other flours. Tapioca and cornstarch make good pairings.

Potato Starch: This flour is a fine, white starch. It can work very well for GF baking if it is sifted several times, and used in recipes that call for eggs. Like arrowroot flour, it works well as a thickener.

Rice Flour: Rice flour is well known to GF bakers. It can be found in different forms such as white, brown, or sweet, and used according to your particular need. White rice flour is fairly bland, brown rice flour is high in fiber (be sure to store it in the fridge because the oils in the bran can quickly become rancid), and sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour) is sticky and helps to bind ingredients when baking. All rice flours are somewhat gritty in texture and are best used in combination with other GF flours, such as potato or corn.

Sorghum Flour: This flour is ground from new food sorghum varieties. It can be a fine substitute for rice flour and can work in GF flour mixes.

Soy Flour: This flour has a nutty taste to it and comes either “regular” or “defatted.” The defatted flour works better for baking and will store longer. Soy flour is high in protein and a good source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and calcium, but it works best when used with other flours, mostly because it has a strong flavor. Be sure to store your soy flour in the fridge.

Tapioca Starch Flour: This flour comes from the cassava root. It works great to thicken soups, puddings, cream, glazes, and fruit pies. It is colorless and tasteless, and can be interchanged with potato starch quite effectively.

Whole Bean Flour: This flour is make from romano (cranberry) beans, and is a great source of protein (in addition to calcium, iron, potassium, folate, riboflavin, thiamin, and dietary fiber). Baked goods made with whole bean flour are generally denser than those made from wheat flour, so less flour needs to be used for the best results.

Notes on bean flours:
• Bean flours have more nutrients that more traditional GF flours (rice, tapioca, potato). Baked goods made with bean flours generally have a better texture and more closely resemble those with wheat flour, but the flavor is different.
• Many companies who produce bean flours mill their flours. To reduce the flatulent effects that sometimes accompany bean flour ingestion, some companies “treat” the beans before grinding them. These treatments vary, but as usually part of the company’s trade secret and are described by names like “precooked,” “processed,” “toasted,” or “micronized.” Celiacs usually tolerate the “treated” flours better than the untreated, but nevertheless, bean flours should be gradually introduced into one’s diet.

Basic GF Flour Mix Recipe

4 cups - White rice flour or a combination of brown and white rice flours

1 1/3 - cups Potato starch

1/3 - cup Tapioca starch

• Combine all ingredients and store in a covered container. For a longer storage, store in the fridge (especially brown rice flour). Let the flours warm up to room temp before using, and stir them before using for even distribution.

Adapted from Bette Hagman, Alas! Not All Bean Flours Are The Same. Gluten Intolerance Group Newsletter, April 2001.

Chain Restaurants for Celiacs

I found this great article on the work Uno's is doing to serve gluten-free food, here is an excerpt:

Uno Chicago Grill is the nation's first casual dining chain to offer a gluten-free pizza, currently testing the new menu item in its Northeastern Region. The new pizza debuts during Gluten- Free Diet Awareness Month (November) and has received a very positive reaction from guests who suffer from celiac disease, which affects approximately 1 percent of the population.

Uno Chicago Grill, recently lauded as America's Healthiest Chain Restaurant , has added cheese and pepperoni pizzas to what is already one of the most extensive gluten-free menus available for a casual dining chain. This is good news to the estimated three million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease, as well as an additional seven million Americans who have a wheat intolerance or allergy and rely on gluten-free foods. While awareness of celiac disease is rising, an estimated 97 percent of those who have it remain undiagnosed....

Read the full version.

GF Holiday Tips

Surviving the holidays is enough of a challenge without a gluten-free diet to worry about! Gluten-free eating can be more difficult during the holidays, but it doesn't have to be a dread. Whether you are a host or a guest this season, GF Delights has tips to make your holidays fun and tasty!

 1. Help plan the meal. If you've been invited to dinner, let your host know about your dietary restrictions as soon as possible. Offer your help (and knowledge!) in the planning of the meal. Let your host know that many holiday staples can easily be prepared gluten-free by using brown/white rice flour, cornstarch, and GF bread (see our GF gravy recipe below).

2. Bring the food you can't live without. If your holiday just wouldn't be complete without stuffing, make sure to bring your own GF version to the party--that way, whatever the menu, you won't miss out. Consider bringing a dish to share (try our Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake, below); not only will your host find you gracious, but you can show others just how tasty gluten-free can be!

3. Double-check the ingredients. Turkey: what couldn't be GF about it? Some turkeys are actually injected with broth/TVP that can contain gluten, so check the label carefully. Bouillon cubes generally have gluten in them as well.

The following brands carry GF turkeys:

Empire Kosher

Honeysuckle White

Perdue

Pilgrim's Pride

Note: Many other top-brands are GF as well, but this may not be noted on labels. If you have a favorite brand, be sure to call the company and ask if their product is gluten-free.

4. Be aware of cross-contamination. When the dishes are rotating around the Thanksgiving table, make sure the utensils don't wander! And don't forget that if non-GF stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, most people with gluten sensitivity will not be able to eat the meat around it. Either cook the stuffing outside of the turkey, or make a GF stuffing recipe below.

GF Cooking Tip: Brining

One technique that works well with turkey (and can be much more flavorful than birds cooked with stuffing) is brining. Brining, which is as simple as soaking meat in a saltwater or seasoned water bath, is a great way to make juicy, moist Thanksgiving turkey. Please note, if you’re using a Kosher turkey, it has already been brined as part of the koshering process.

There are few rules to follow regarding brines, so get creative! A good, simply brine solution is 1/2 cup of Kosher salt and 1/2 cup of sugar to a gallon of water. But this is just a starting point! Consider adding garlic, onions, hot pepper flakes, thyme, sage, rosemary, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, anise, vanilla bean, oranges, or apples to the brine. The liquid used can be just as unique: try apple juice, cider vinegar--even GF beer (try Anheuser-Busch's Redbridge).

12-14 pound turkeys will need to brine for around 24 hours. During this time, the turkey must be refrigerated and entirely submerged in the brine (make sure the brine is completely cool before beginning the process). Some supermarkets sell bringing bags (and retailers such as Linens-in-Things and Bed, Bath & Beyond stock them, too—prices range from $3-$10), but XXL Ziplock bags will also do the trick. After the brining is done, wash off the meat with water and allow the surface to dry a bit before cooking (you may pat it dry with paper towels). Start cooking and enjoy!

GF Holiday Recipes

Wild Rice with Apples and Cranberry Stuffing
Courtesy of Glutenfreeda.com

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 1/3 cups of GF chicken broth
1 cup wild rice
1 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 cup dried apples, minced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large heavy saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté just until softened. Add garlic and sauté one minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add wild rice and reduce heat to a simmer; cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add brown rice; cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Stir in cranberries, apples, parsley and thyme. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in hazelnuts and scallions; season with salt and pepper.

Butter a 15"x10"x2" glass baking dish and transfer stuffing to dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes before ready to serve. Serves 6-8.

Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing
Courtesy of aglutenfreeguide.com, adapted from Health Magazine

1-2 loaves gluten free corn bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
*
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking

2 large chopped onions 

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries 

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

1 1/2 - 2 cups GF chicken broth (I used Pacific Foods Brand)
1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray

*GF cornbread tends to crumble easily, so you may need two to get enough cubes.

If time allows, leave corn bread out for a day to become stale. If not, bake in a roasting pan for 20 minutes at 300°, shaking pan occasionally. 

Toast nuts in a large skillet over medium heat until aromatic (about 5 minutes), shaking pan occasionally; transfer to a bowl. Heat oil in pan; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent. Add onion and next 5 ingredients to bowl with nuts. Stir the cornbread in last, and make sure that you have enough chicken broth to keep the mixture moist without getting the bread too soggy. Start with one cup in the mixture and pour the rest over the top after it is in the pan.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Place corn bread mixture in dish; cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20-30 minutes or until top is lightly browned and stuffing is thoroughly heated.

GF Gravy

2 1/4 cups chicken broth (or homemade chicken stock), divided
2 Tbsp millet flour or white rice flour, plus more if necessary
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 Tbsp dried
Several leaves fresh sage, or 1 tsp dried
Salt and pepper

In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups chicken broth or stock to a boil over medium-low heat. While broth is heating, combine remaining broth with 2 Tbsp millet or rice flour in a small bowl or mug. Stir thoroughly, adding more flour as necessary until you have thick liquid that's still pourable.

When the broth in the pan starts to boil, reduce heat to low and slowly add the flour-broth mixture and the herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir constantly for a few minutes to ensure that lumps don't develop. Gravy should be bubbling gently; if it isn't, raise or lower heat as necessary. Cook to reduce to desired consistency and thickness. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as necessary. Serves 4-6.

Note on buying gluten-free chicken broth: Many national brands of chicken broth contain gluten, so check the label. Two larger brands that carry gluten-free broth are Pacific and Imagine.

Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake
Courtesy of glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
Yield: 15 pieces

3 extra large eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
2/3 cup l olive oil
1 15-oz canned cooked pumpkin (or two cups of fresh cooked pumpkin)
2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract
2 cups GF flour mix**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10 x 13" baking pan with greased foil or parchment. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl till light and frothy; add the brown sugar, beat till smooth; add the oil, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the GF flour mix through sea salt). Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture a little at a time and beat to combine- for two minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cake is firm and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool on a wire rack while you make your frosting.

**GF Flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour (the strong, nutty taste of the Quinoa flour compliments pumpkin and spice)

Maple Frosting

8 oz. softened cream cheese
3-4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons GF vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar (more, if needed)

Beat until the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add 3 tablespoons of the maple syrup, and vanilla. Add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time; beat till smooth. Add another tablespoon maple syrup, if needed. Add more sugar, if needed.

When the cake is cool, frost with the Maple Cream Cheese Icing. Sprinkle with finely chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired.

Gluten Free Halloween!

Halloween is right around the corner, and with all the sweet temptations it brings, it's good to know what's in all that candy! Aside from product recipes that require gluten, frequently candy and gum will come in contact with flour during processing: to aid in rolling, molding, coating nuts--even to keep them from sticking to what they're wrapped in.  

To help make your Halloween even sweeter, GF Delights has compiled a list of some of the most popular gluten free treats, although it is far from exhaustive. The following information comes through research done by the Celiac Sprue Association on product information (www.csaceliacs.org), as well as information provided by individual companies.

Ferrara Pan Candy Co.

Assorted Fruit Slices

Assorted Sours

Atomic Fireballs

Black Forest Apple Mellos

Black Forest Fruit Parade Assorted Puffs

Black Forest Gummy Bears

Black Forest Gummy Glo-Worms

Black Forest Gummy Sour Bears

Black Forest Gummy Worms

Black Forest Peach Mellos

Black Forest Sour Gummy Lightening Bugs

Boston Baked Beans

Gum Drops

Jaw Busters

Jelly Bean Fruit Tub

Lemonhead

Mini Red Fish

Orange Slices

Red Hots

Spearmint Leaves

Spice Drops

Hershey's

Hershey's Kisses Chocolates

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar with Almonds

These products are part of a very limited and inconclusive "gluten free" list provided by Hershey's upon request. The company states: "We have found that allergen lists quickly become outdated as our product lines change over time. Rather than have you make purchase decisions based on outdated information, we encourage you to check the ingredient label on the package. This label provides accurate, current information about all the ingredients in the package." GF Delights has confirmed with Hershey's that even trace amounts of gluten will be mentioned on the label.

Just Born

Hot Tamales Fire

Hot Tamales Original

Just Born Jelly Beans

Marshmallow Peeps Cocoa Cats

Marshmallow Peeps Pumpkins, Spooky Cats and Ghost

Mike and Ike Berry Blast

Mike and Ike Jelly Beans

Mike and Ike Jolly Joes

Mike and Ike Original

Mike and Ike Tangy Twisters

Mike and Ike Tropical Typhoon

Mike and Ike Zours

Peanut Chews Milk Chocolatey

Peanut Chews Original Dark

Peeps (All varieties)

Teenee Beanee Americana Medley

Teenee Beanee Country Retreats

Teenee Beanee Island Breeze

Teenee Beanee Luxor Licorice

Mars Snackfood

Mars, like Hershey's, does not publish product lists or specific allergen info, but rather encourages those who are concerned to read product labels. The company states: "Our goal is to provide safe, high-quality food products for our consumers. Therefore, we have developed strict rules about the labeling of allergens on our products." These rules, which can be found here, include the declaration of the presence of top allergens in the product recipes, and the labeling of even trace amounts of allergens to prevent all risk. 

Necco

Banana Split

Canada Mint and Wintergreen Lozenges

Candy Stix

Clark Bars

Haviland Peppermint

Haviland Thin Mints

Haviland Wintergreen Patties

Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses

Mary Janes

Mint Julep Chews

Necco Ultramints

Necco Wafers

Skybars

Squirrel Nut Caramels

Squirrel Nut Zippers

Talking Pumpkins

Ultramints

Nestlé

Nestlé Baby Ruth

Nestlé Bit-O-Honey

Nestlé Butterfinger (NOT including Butterfinger Crisp and Butterfinger Stixx)

Nestlé Oh Henry!

Nestlé Milk Chocolate

Nestlé Goobers

Nestlé Nips (Regular and Sugar Free)

Nestlé Treasures (Including Treasures Bars)

Nestlé Spree

Nestlé Raisinets

Nestlé Sno-Caps

Wonka Bottlecaps

Wonka Gobstoppers (Chewy and Original)

Wonka Laffy Taffy (Laffy Taffy Rope and Fruitarts Chews)

Wonka Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip

Wonka Mix-Ups

Wonka Pixy Stix

Wonka Runts (Chewy and Original)

Wonka Shockers

Wonka SweeTARTS

Wonka Nerds (Nerds Rope and Nerds Gumballs)

For other Gluten Free Nestlé products (including baking materials, juices, and Nesquik, please click here.

Tootsie Roll

Andes Mints

Candy Carnival (Variety bag, all included products gluten free)

Caramel Apple Pops

Cella's Cherries (Milk Chocolate)

Charleston Chew

Charms Blow Pops

Charms Flat Pops

Child's Play (Variety bag, all included products gluten free)

Cry Baby

Dots & Crows

Dubble Bubble (Twist gum, ball gum, candy, special gum)

Fluffy Stuff

Frooties

Junior Mints

Nik-L-Nip

Razzles

Sugar Babies

Sugar Daddy 

Tootsie Pops

Tootsie Roll

Wack-O-Wax

Zip-A-Dee Mini Pop

Wrigley

Big Red Gum

Doublemint Gum

Eclipse Gum

Extra Gum

Freedent Gum

Juicy Fruit Gum

Orbit Gum

Orbit White Gum

Spearmint Gum

Winterfresh Gum

As always, when in doubt, don't be afraid to contact the companies directly--they will be more than happy to help!

Ferrara Pan Candy Co.: 1-800-787-9338 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. CST)

Hershey's: 1-800-468-1714 (Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. EST)

Just Born: 1-800-645-3453 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST)

Mars: 1-800-627-7852 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST)

Necco: 1-781-485-4500 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST)

Nestlé: 1-818-549-6000 (Monday-Friday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. PST)

Tootsie Roll Industries: 1-773-838-3400 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m - 4:30 p.m. CST)

Wrigley: 1-800-974-4539 (Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST)

GF Pumpkin Muffins for Fall

The leaves are now turning and we are surrounded by beautiful Fall colors. The weather is getting a little cooler and it is a great time to cook and bake. I just had to make pumpkin muffins. The following recipe can result in some very good muffins, or a coffee cake. Please use the recipe as a guideline, because cooking and baking is all about your particular preferences and it is OK to add a little something to make it appeal just to your taste.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS or Coffee Cake

• Preheat Oven at 450 degrees. Bake at 350 degrees.
  
• Mix gently in food processor,  or beat together by hand; 2 Eggs, ½ stick butter, ¾ C. raw sugar
  
• Add and mix in 1 T. vanilla, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp cloves, 1 Cup canned (or cooked) pumpkin. (I use Libby’s, all pumpkin no added spices, etc.)
• Add and mix in 1 ½ cup rice flour, 1 heaping tsp GF baking powder, a little salt (1/4 tsp or less) and ¼ C. milk or other liquid.
• Add and gently mix in 1 cup of raisins.

Put into 12 muffin cups or an 8” square pan. Bake 15 minutes and check. Continue baking and check every 5 minutes for doneness. Baking time is somewhere between 15 -25 minutes.

After muffins cool they can be iced.

·         ICING; Mix together ¾ cup confectionary sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and some milk or cream to preferred spreading consistency.