Gluten-Free Baking

At least three million Americans have celiac disease, preventing them from eating gluten, a protein in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Even more people are allergic or sensitive to gluten and wheat. It’s no wonder that a growing number of gluten-free products are available today.

The Gluten-Free Kitchen
“If you are a first-time gluten-free baker, the array of ingredients necessary [for baking] may seem vast,” admits Richard J. Coppedge Jr., CMB, at the Culinary Arts Institute. “And blending a bunch of flours together may sound like it’s not worth the trouble. It is!”

You probably have some of the ingredients you need already on hand: baking soda, butter, cocoa, cornmeal, eggs, salt, and sweeteners (please see “Sweeten Holiday Baking” on page 14). Baking powder needs a closer look to ensure it does not contain wheat starch.

Baker’s Shopping List
• Rice flour (brown or white)
• Potato starch (not potato flour)
• Tapioca flour or starch
• Whey powder to add protein and color (refrigerate)
• Soy flour, defatted, to add protein, color, and flavor (refrigerate or freeze)
• Bean flour (lentil, garbanzo, pinto), precooked to prevent flatulence (refrigerate or freeze)
• Guar or xanthan gum (always mix with dry ingredients)
Other helpful—if not vital—ingredients for holiday baking include:
• Almond meal or flour (for “flourless” cakes)
• Millet flour, rich in B vitamins and protein
• Sweet rice flour, a thickener

Ready, Set, Mix
This flour blend resembles regular flour while providing a little protein and fiber (the latter of which is often lacking in gluten-free flours) for holiday baking.

Richard J. Coppedge’s Flour Blend #2 From Gluten-Free Baking with The Culinary Institute of America
10 mins. Prep Time Makes 4 ¾ cups
Ingredients:
1 ¾ c white rice flour
1 ¼ c brown rice flour
¾ c potato starch
1 c tapioca starch

Directions:
1. In large bowl, mix all ingredients with a whisk to blend completely.
2. Pour into a large-mouthed sealable container.
3. If baking frequently, store at room temperature. Otherwise, refrigerate or freeze.

To learn more, visit the following websites:
AmericanCeliac.org
Celiac.org
CSAceliacs.org
Gluten.net
Glutenfreeda.com

Are Gluten-Free Grains Nutritious?
“For tens of thousands of years, entire cultures have thrived without growing or consuming any of the gluten grains,” says Wendy Cohan, RN, author of Gluten-Free Portland. Admittedly, some commercial gluten-free flour blends aim to duplicate white flour—and these contain almost no fiber or few nutrients. But “if you didn’t eat Wonder Bread before going gluten free,” she asks, “why should you attempt to duplicate it now?” Amaranth, brown rice, millet, and sorghum flours make good choices for breads and waffles.

To remedy lack of fiber in gluten-free baked goods, add dried coconut, legumes, nuts, and seeds. As wheat is an excellent source of vitamin E, anyone on a gluten-free diet may want to supplement with this vitamin.