When it comes to cooking and baking, you don't have to limit yourself to gluten-free cookbooks just because you have Celiac disease or a wheat allergy. In fact, most recipes can be easily made without gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley products. Here's how to convert a recipe to gluten-free.
Step 1: Swap the flour
Substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose regular flour at a ratio of 1:1. Coconut flour is fantastic for this! Try Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour. If you are baking items such as cakes and/or breads, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.
Substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose regular flour at a ratio of 1:1. Coconut flour is fantastic for this! Try Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten-free flour. If you are baking items such as cakes and/or breads, add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.
Step 2: Eliminate the flour
Try omitting the flour altogether. If you are craving peanut butter cookies, for example, try this simple recipe: 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 to 2 eggs (depending on how moist you want them to be). Blend ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Yield: six to eight cookies. (most health food stores also carry a Egg Substitute, that has absolutely NO eggs in it.... you'll have to experiment, but it works pretty good!)
Try omitting the flour altogether. If you are craving peanut butter cookies, for example, try this simple recipe: 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 to 2 eggs (depending on how moist you want them to be). Blend ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Yield: six to eight cookies. (most health food stores also carry a Egg Substitute, that has absolutely NO eggs in it.... you'll have to experiment, but it works pretty good!)
Step 3: Create flour mixture
In place of flour in a recipe try a combination of 3 parts white or brown rice flour, 2 parts potato starch and 1 part tapioca flour/starch. Add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every 1 1/2 cups of the flour mixture. (since I'm allergic to all of the above ingredients.... I use COCONUT FLOUR! You have to lessen the amount of sugar, but it works great!)
In place of flour in a recipe try a combination of 3 parts white or brown rice flour, 2 parts potato starch and 1 part tapioca flour/starch. Add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for every 1 1/2 cups of the flour mixture. (since I'm allergic to all of the above ingredients.... I use COCONUT FLOUR! You have to lessen the amount of sugar, but it works great!)
Step 4: Consider arrowroot powder
Arrowroot powder is another ingredient that can be used in place of xanthan gum, if you are having a hard time finding the latter. As a general rule, use one-half teaspoon of arrowroot powder for each cup of wheat flour called for in any recipe.
Arrowroot powder is another ingredient that can be used in place of xanthan gum, if you are having a hard time finding the latter. As a general rule, use one-half teaspoon of arrowroot powder for each cup of wheat flour called for in any recipe.
Note: Round up if the recipe calls for a partial cup.
Step 5: Experiment with ingredients
Other ingredients in the recipe may need to be adjusted when trying new flours and flour combinations.
Other ingredients in the recipe may need to be adjusted when trying new flours and flour combinations.
For example, use 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder for every cup of flour used in a recipe. Some flours also may be a bit dryer, so you may have to add additional liquid ingredients such as water or oil, depending on what the recipe calls for.
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