There are a lot of flours out there besides wheat but most people do not know what to do with them. Reading the label of a gluten free bread can also be a little confusing when you see ingredients like sorghum and xathan gum. Just what are they? Below is a list of flours and baking ingredients with descriptions of what they are made from and how they can be used.
Almond Flour - made by grinding blanched almonds into a fine powder (skins removed). The consistency is more like corn meal than wheat flour. You can find extra fine Italian Almond Flour which has more flavor, but can be very pricey. Baking with almond flour requires using more eggs to provide more structure. Use it in cakes, cookies, and other sweet baked goods. You can make it yourself by placing blanched almonds in a Vitamix or high power blender.
Brown Rice Flour - made from stone ground brown rice. Used in gluten free baked goods as a replacement for wheat. Can also be used to thicken soups and stews. I prefer to use this instead of white rice as it contains more fiber and therefore has a higher nutritional value. The higher fiber content will contribute to a heavier product than recipes made with white rice flour. Can also produce a gritty product when used alone and is best when combined with other flours like sorghum, potato flour and tapioca starch.
Coconut Flour - delicious alternative to wheat and other grain flours. It is very high in fiber, low in digestible carbohydrates and a good source of protein. It gives baked goods a rich, springy texture but needs a lot more liquid than other flours. Replace up to 20% of the flour called for in a recipe with Coconut Flour, adding an equivalent amount of additional liquid to the recipe. You will not need as much sugar when using this flour as the coconut has a natural sweetness.
Millet Flour - adds a subtle flavor, creamy color, and more vitamins and minerals than other grains Substitute 1/4 cup millet flour for an equal amount of unbleached white flour in any baked good. Can be a little gritty, like rice flour and contains no gluten, so is best to substitute around a 1/4 millet flour for other flours when baking.
Potato Flour - made from dehydrated potatoes. Used in bread, pancake and waffle recipes and as a thickener for sauces, gravies and soups. It adds smoothness and moisture in gluten free baking. It is high in carbohydrates and lacks fiber which makes it necessary to use it along with other flours as a mixture.
Quinoa Flour - made by grinding quinoa (keen-wah) to a powder. Highly nutritious, containing more protein, calcium and iron than other grains. It has a light nutty flavor. Not recommended to use alone as it does not contain any gluten. Best when substituting 1/4 cup for another flour.
Sorghum Flour - is an annual grass originating in Africa and a popular cereal crop worldwide. It has a higher protein content than corn and about equal to wheat. It is neutral in flavor which allows it to absorb other flavors well.
Tapioca Flour - made from the cassava root. Once ground it takes the form of a light, soft, fine white flour. It is starchy, slightly sweet and adds chewiness to baking and is a good thickener. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup per recipe to lighten and sweeten breads made with heavier flours like brown rice and millet.
Xanthan Gum - is a natural, complex carbohydrate made from a tiny microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris. Using about 1/4 tsp in bread and other gluten-free baked goods adds volume and viscosity which usually comes from the gluten in wheat. It is also used as a thickener and emulsifier in dairy products, salad dressings, and other foods.
**My favorite blend for gluten free baking is 1 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, 1/2 cup potato flour, 3/4 cup sorghum flour. Mix flours and keep in an airtight container and replace for an equal amount of flour in your recipe of choice. Sometimes I add a little quinoa or millet flour as well. These flours come out best when there are eggs in the recipe and do not come out as good with egg replacers.
I am starting to see products using Navy Bean Flour as well like the Performance Blend by Heartland's Finest. I really like the texture of this flour and it adds more protein and fiber than the other flours listed above. This is something to be aware of for people with gluten allergy as GF baked goods are high in the glycemic index and could end up being just as health compromising as those foods containing gluten. I just tried their Macaroni and Cheese and give it a thumbs up.
For ideas of what to do with Coconut and Almond Flours, check out Elana's Pantry. She uses them exclusively because of their higher protein content. The recipes that I have tried from her blog so far have been delicious!
Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods produces all of the flours above in a plant dedicated gluten free.
Almond Flour - made by grinding blanched almonds into a fine powder (skins removed). The consistency is more like corn meal than wheat flour. You can find extra fine Italian Almond Flour which has more flavor, but can be very pricey. Baking with almond flour requires using more eggs to provide more structure. Use it in cakes, cookies, and other sweet baked goods. You can make it yourself by placing blanched almonds in a Vitamix or high power blender.
Brown Rice Flour - made from stone ground brown rice. Used in gluten free baked goods as a replacement for wheat. Can also be used to thicken soups and stews. I prefer to use this instead of white rice as it contains more fiber and therefore has a higher nutritional value. The higher fiber content will contribute to a heavier product than recipes made with white rice flour. Can also produce a gritty product when used alone and is best when combined with other flours like sorghum, potato flour and tapioca starch.
Coconut Flour - delicious alternative to wheat and other grain flours. It is very high in fiber, low in digestible carbohydrates and a good source of protein. It gives baked goods a rich, springy texture but needs a lot more liquid than other flours. Replace up to 20% of the flour called for in a recipe with Coconut Flour, adding an equivalent amount of additional liquid to the recipe. You will not need as much sugar when using this flour as the coconut has a natural sweetness.
Millet Flour - adds a subtle flavor, creamy color, and more vitamins and minerals than other grains Substitute 1/4 cup millet flour for an equal amount of unbleached white flour in any baked good. Can be a little gritty, like rice flour and contains no gluten, so is best to substitute around a 1/4 millet flour for other flours when baking.
Potato Flour - made from dehydrated potatoes. Used in bread, pancake and waffle recipes and as a thickener for sauces, gravies and soups. It adds smoothness and moisture in gluten free baking. It is high in carbohydrates and lacks fiber which makes it necessary to use it along with other flours as a mixture.
Quinoa Flour - made by grinding quinoa (keen-wah) to a powder. Highly nutritious, containing more protein, calcium and iron than other grains. It has a light nutty flavor. Not recommended to use alone as it does not contain any gluten. Best when substituting 1/4 cup for another flour.
Sorghum Flour - is an annual grass originating in Africa and a popular cereal crop worldwide. It has a higher protein content than corn and about equal to wheat. It is neutral in flavor which allows it to absorb other flavors well.
Tapioca Flour - made from the cassava root. Once ground it takes the form of a light, soft, fine white flour. It is starchy, slightly sweet and adds chewiness to baking and is a good thickener. Use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup per recipe to lighten and sweeten breads made with heavier flours like brown rice and millet.
Xanthan Gum - is a natural, complex carbohydrate made from a tiny microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris. Using about 1/4 tsp in bread and other gluten-free baked goods adds volume and viscosity which usually comes from the gluten in wheat. It is also used as a thickener and emulsifier in dairy products, salad dressings, and other foods.
**My favorite blend for gluten free baking is 1 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, 1/2 cup potato flour, 3/4 cup sorghum flour. Mix flours and keep in an airtight container and replace for an equal amount of flour in your recipe of choice. Sometimes I add a little quinoa or millet flour as well. These flours come out best when there are eggs in the recipe and do not come out as good with egg replacers.
I am starting to see products using Navy Bean Flour as well like the Performance Blend by Heartland's Finest. I really like the texture of this flour and it adds more protein and fiber than the other flours listed above. This is something to be aware of for people with gluten allergy as GF baked goods are high in the glycemic index and could end up being just as health compromising as those foods containing gluten. I just tried their Macaroni and Cheese and give it a thumbs up.
For ideas of what to do with Coconut and Almond Flours, check out Elana's Pantry. She uses them exclusively because of their higher protein content. The recipes that I have tried from her blog so far have been delicious!
Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods produces all of the flours above in a plant dedicated gluten free.
3 comments:
Dear Chef Andrea- Great round up on GF flours. Thanks for mentioning my use of high protein flours and glad you have enjoyed my recipes!
-Elana
Chef Andrea,
this is very informative, this is a lot of work putting this information together, thanks and happy baking. This is the best part of cooking :)
Thank you!! I'm going to have a play around with these!
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