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CHECK LABELS<\/strong><\/p>\nBefore purchasing wheat flour alternatives, make sure they\u2019re labelled \u201cgluten-free\u201d.<\/em> A flour that\u2019s naturally gluten-free could become contaminated during processing or packaging. Labelling will confirm whether the product is 100% gluten-free.<\/p>\n USE SPECIFIC GLUTEN-FREE RECIPES<\/strong><\/p>\n Use recipes specifically developed for gluten-free baking<\/em>.<\/em> This is a particularly good tip for beginners. Once you have a feel for gluten-free flours and the amounts of liquid and gum required, it will be easier to convert traditional recipes into their gluten-free counterparts.<\/p>\n BLEND DIFFERENT FLOURS TOGETHER<\/strong><\/p>\n Just as with alternative sweeteners, it is best to use more than one flour when making gluten-free baked goods. \u00a0It helps prevent just one flavour or texture from dominating the final product and also helps with texture.<\/p>\n CUT DOWN THE SIZE!<\/strong><\/p>\n Since gluten-free baked goods tend to crumble easily, making all baked good smaller tends to improve their quality and keep them \u201csticking together\u201d more. \u00a0 Think mini cookies, mini muffins, and small loaves of bread.<\/p>\n UNDERSTAND THE PROPERTIES AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n When you\u2019re baking with almond flour (for example), it certainly does not behave like a \u201cnormal\u201d flour. It\u2019s much higher in fat and therefore needs some adjustments. If you\u2019ve baked with almond flour before then I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve noticed the texture tends to be more on the tender and cake-y side, and that\u2019s because of the higher fat content.<\/p>\n ADD GUMS<\/strong><\/p>\n Gluten is what gives baked goods their structure. Without the gluten, foods are more likely to fall apart. Add gums, such as xanthan gum or guar gum, to replace some of that structure. For yeast products such as bread, add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum or guar gum per cup of flour blend. For non-yeast products, add \u00bd teaspoon of xanthan gum or guar gum per cup of flour blend. Some people avoid gums because of digestive issues or sensitivities. In those cases, adding psyllium, agar agar, chia seeds, or flax seeds in amounts equal to the gums required can also do the job.<\/p>\n BAKE LONGER AT LOW TEMPERATURE<\/strong><\/p>\n Gluten-free baking tends to brown faster on the outside than it cooks on the inside so it is a good idea to lower the baking temperature by 25 degrees. While a regular cake or loaf of bread might take 30 minutes to bake, a gluten-free version will often take 45 minutes to an hour. Contrary to regular baking, a good rule of thumb is to keep checking the progress of your baking to figure out the time necessary for the recipe.<\/p>\n USE WET OR OILED HANDS<\/strong><\/p>\n Wet or oiled hands are often the best non stick utensil when working with gluten-free doughs and batters, which can get very sticky<\/em>– they don’t have the body and sheen of wheat dough.<\/p>\n SHAPE BEFORE RISING<\/strong><\/p>\n Because gluten free breads have no rise and punch down and second rise and punch down, you\u2019ll want to shape any breads before the rise (they\u2019ll only rise once!). Dinner rolls should rise in the shape or tin you would like them to bake in; bread sticks\u00a0should be formed before rising; cinnamon rolls should rise in their pans; challah must be braided and then allowed to rise. Don\u2019t mess with gluten-free dough once it has risen, just bake it!<\/p>\n ADDITIONAL GLUTEN-FREE BAKING TIPS:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n If you have recently given up on gluten, by now you must have realised that baking with gluten-free flours can be a bit of a challenge. From figuring out what flours to use, to wondering about gums, leavening and starches, gluten-free baking does require some know-how. If regular baking is basic science, gluten-free baking is advanced chemistry! Obviously, cutting out gluten is a major lifestyle change, but happily, there’s no need to write off sandwiches and birthday cake forever. Here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10898,1],"tags":[1293,8184],"yoast_head":"\n\n