When I bake, I do it in double batches. One gluten-free, the other regular. It's expensive to feed a family of seven on pasta or baked goods that are gluten-free. You can save money by grinding your own brown rice flour using an electric flour mill, by mixing your own baking flour, and baking your own goodies. Here is my recipe and a few things I've learned using it.
GF Flour Ingredients:
(all available through Blue Chip Group)
1 lb. brown rice flour
1 lb. potato starch
4 TBSP. xanthum gum
1) GF flour LOVES fruit acid. The baked good that turn out with the best texture are those that include some fruit and/or their juices. Although I haven't checked it out under a microscope, I believe the rice grain is softened more completely by the fruit acid than anything else. Even rice flour milled to the finest texture has some tell-tale grit to it unless fruit is added.
2) Xanthum gum needs to be just right. (That's 1 TBSP per 1 Cup of flour.) Too much xanthum gum makes batter too thick and gummy textured. Too little, and your batter will not hold together.
3) If at first you don't succeed... it's okay. Even though it feels like an expensive mistake or a terrible waste. GF baking will not have the same feel as what you're used to, but getting it right so you can enjoy a blueberry muffin in the morning or cupcakes on your birthday is worth it.
4) Waxed paper is your friend. Anything that needs to be formed first (from pie crust to scones) can be shaped using waxed paper. A lite coating of canola oil helps.
5) GF flour should be stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool dry place. It does NOT have the shelf life of wheat flours. So, investing in a 50 lb. bucket is a bad idea unless you open a GF bakery. (The three pound mix above lasts a full month during the busy holiday baking season.)
6) Have fun! Changing the food you eat can feel devastating at first. So many people will ask you -- Can you eat anything?! The answer is YES, YOU CAN. It will take some getting used to, but having your body running at full steam ahead and healthy is totally worth all of the labels you will read and careful preparations you will make.
GF Flour Ingredients:
(all available through Blue Chip Group)
1 lb. brown rice flour
1 lb. potato starch
4 TBSP. xanthum gum
1) GF flour LOVES fruit acid. The baked good that turn out with the best texture are those that include some fruit and/or their juices. Although I haven't checked it out under a microscope, I believe the rice grain is softened more completely by the fruit acid than anything else. Even rice flour milled to the finest texture has some tell-tale grit to it unless fruit is added.
2) Xanthum gum needs to be just right. (That's 1 TBSP per 1 Cup of flour.) Too much xanthum gum makes batter too thick and gummy textured. Too little, and your batter will not hold together.
3) If at first you don't succeed... it's okay. Even though it feels like an expensive mistake or a terrible waste. GF baking will not have the same feel as what you're used to, but getting it right so you can enjoy a blueberry muffin in the morning or cupcakes on your birthday is worth it.
4) Waxed paper is your friend. Anything that needs to be formed first (from pie crust to scones) can be shaped using waxed paper. A lite coating of canola oil helps.
5) GF flour should be stored in an air-tight container and kept in a cool dry place. It does NOT have the shelf life of wheat flours. So, investing in a 50 lb. bucket is a bad idea unless you open a GF bakery. (The three pound mix above lasts a full month during the busy holiday baking season.)
6) Have fun! Changing the food you eat can feel devastating at first. So many people will ask you -- Can you eat anything?! The answer is YES, YOU CAN. It will take some getting used to, but having your body running at full steam ahead and healthy is totally worth all of the labels you will read and careful preparations you will make.
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