Tips for GF Baking!

Tips for Gluten Free Baking

(These some of my favorite tricks, substitutes, and nutrition boosters for gluten free baking!)

Nutrition Boosters

• Use a variety of gluten-free flours in combination to maximize nutrition
• Use whole grain or enriched, gluten-free flours (vitamins and minerals have been added).  If using refined flours (such as white rice) the nutrients and fiber have been stripped away, thus leaving you with a nutritionally ill product. (Just like eating white rice vs. brown rice)
• Substitute up to 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds plus 1/4 cup water for 1/4 cup flour in a recipe (flax will absorb more moisture).

Increasing Moisture

• Add gelatin, extra egg or oil to the recipe.
• Honey can help retain moisture.
• Dough enhancers improve tenderness and staling resistance. (Found in natural grocery stores by baking powder)

Flavor enhancers

• Add nuts, extra vanilla, almond extract, or dried fruits.
• Double the amount of spices and extracts!

To help with Structure

• Use a combination of gluten-free flours and mix together; add xanthan gum after flours have been mixed.
• Add dry milk solids into recipe. (or dry soy milk for dairy free)
• Add extra egg or egg white if product is too crumbly.
• Do not over beat; kneading time is shorter since there is no gluten to
  develop.

Leavening

• Starch flours need more leavening than wheat flours.
• Rule-of-thumb: start with 2 teaspoons baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour and adjust downward as need for altitude.

Nicer Texture/Lightness

• Buy extra fine brown rice flour, OR put flour in a blender and blend well until it is a very fine texture. (blending your own is a much less expensive than buying the extra fine flour)  You will definitely notice that your products have a gritty taste if you do not do one of the following steps above with your brown rice flour!

Replacements/Substitutions

To replace one egg in a recipe…

Grind 1 tablespoon flaxseed and add 3 tablespoons boiling water, let set for 15 minutes then whisk with a fork. A clean coffee grinder works well to grind the small flaxseed (or use pre-ground flaxseed meal).

*In standard baking recipes, 2/3 to 3/4 cup honey (reduce liquid in recipe by 1/4 cup) can be substituted for 1 cup granulated or brown sugar.

*Fat Substitutions for baking low fat/fat free products:

Instead of solid fats (butter, shortening, margarine)

USE…

Bean puree, bananas, pumpkin

Instead of liquid fats (oils)

USE…

Applesauce, bananas, yogurt

The three basic adjustments for high-altitude baking are:

·         Reduce baking powder (for each teaspoon decrease 1/8-¼ teaspoon at 6,000 feet, ¼ teaspoon for 7,000 feet or higher)

·         Reduce sugar (for each cup decrease up to 2 tablespoons at 6,000 feet, 1 to 3 tablespoons for 7,000 feet or higher)

·         Increase liquid (for each cup add 2 to 4 tablespoons at 6,000 feet, 3 to 4 tablespoons for 7,000 feet or higher).

·         *Also, you may find you need to increase your oven temp by 25 degrees or simply just lengthen your cooking time.

Note: Making these alterations is dependent on the specific recipe itself.  Each GF recipe varies and may or may not need adjustments.  With that being said, the best thing to do is- Experiment, experiment, experiment! It’s the name of the game in gluten free baking-When you find a good method for a recipe, be quick to write it down so you don’t forget.

*Some of the above tips are from the CSU Extension website, glutenfreegoddess.com, and my own experimenting.