Gluten-Free Living: Cooking Tips (2024)

FAQs

Is there a trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

“Properly balancing the starches, proteins and hydrocolloids is essential.” Aaron Reed, senior food technologist, Cargill, echoed that bread is the hardest product to replicate when developing a gluten-free product.

Avoid foods that list gluten-containing ingredients such as ale, barley, beer, bleached flour, bran, bread flour, brewer's yeast, brown flour, brown rice syrup (unless the food is labeled gluten-free), bulgur, couscous, dextrin (unless the source is gluten-free), durum, farina, farro, hydrolyzed vegetable (wheat) ...

Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor.

We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour.

Eliminating gluten is the only way to treat celiac disease, an allergic reaction to gluten that damages the lining of the small intestine. However, as part of a new diet fad, many people are going gluten-free to lose weight.

Gluten is easily removed from most pans and other dishes. To clean them, we recommend using a dish detergent with a clean brush or sponge, and rinsing with water.

What pans are best for gluten-free cooking? ›

Non-Stick Pans, Bake Sheets, Muffin Pans –

Stainless steel or solid aluminum pans and lids with no non-stick coating on them do not require replacement, and in fact, can be shared between gluten and gluten-free foods as long as they are sterilized in between uses.

If there is gluten on the surface of your counters or kitchen island, we need hot soapy water to break down the sticky gluten. Wipe, wipe, wipe those surfaces. Once that is completed and the surfaces have been cleaned, we use a secret weapon to ensure any gluten remaining breaks down. Our secret weapon – LYSOL Wipes!!!

In general, avoid the following foods if you have celiac disease: Cereals, breads, or other grain products that include wheat, rye, barley, or oats. This includes white or whole-wheat flour (including cookies, crackers, cakes, and most other baked goods), semolina, couscous, bread crumbs, most pastas, and malt.

A gluten-free diet is based on the products which have a high glycemic index and are devoid of dietary fiber. These foods contain many simple carbohydrates and fats. These factors can give rise to nutritional deficiencies, constipation, and the development of the metabolic syndrome [82].

Remember, baking times for gluten-free foods vary greatly, and it's important to keep a constant eye on your creation to monitor for the colors and textures that indicate doneness. These recipes often call for longer baking times at a lower temperature compared to traditional recipes.

If the original recipe calls for 260 grams of all-purpose flour, substitute with 260 grams of your blend. Beat the batter more. Because gluten-free flours provide less structure than all-purpose, the batter or dough you make with them may require more beating than that which you are accustomed.

If a recipe calls for self rising flour, you can easily make your own gluten free version. Simply whisk together my gfJules Gluten Free Flour plus a leavening agent (baking powder) and a touch of salt.

Baking with gluten-free flour will produce some slight differences in taste or texture. Millet flour tends to have a mild flavor while buckwheat flour lends itself to a more earthy taste. In addition, quinoa flour has a nutty flavor and bean flour can actually sometimes taste like beans.