The World of Flour

If any of you have tried to bake anything gluten free from scratch, you know this dilemma; what flour to use. As I ventured into this new world, I was ready to conquer baking. Then I took a look at the gluten free aisle and saw that there was a flour for every bean, grain and nut known to man! And I felt the need to try them ALL! At one point my pantry was full to the brim with container upon container of wheat alternatives. I had garbanzo bean flour, hazelnut flour, amaranth flour, corn starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, guar gum, xanthan gum, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, gluten free oat four, potato flour (very different than starch), flour mix from all sorts of different companies, white rice flour, brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, etc.... It was crazy, not to mention expensive! The only one I didn't try was almond flour, and that is because I didn't want to go into anaphylactic shock (another allergy of mine, sadly).

So, I started to bake (and bake and bake and bake). I bought every book I could find on gluten free baking and set to work. Here are some lessons from my kitchen:

1. Bean flours have a very distinctive flavor that stands out in sweet foods. They are fine for savory things though.
2. Use potato or corn starch, not tapioca. In my experience, tapioca can turn and give a sour or metallic flavor to your baked goods.
3. Although I hear almond flour is great, hazelnut is gritty and isn't my favorite flour.
4. Xanthan gum gives a stretchy pull to your baked goods, so always use some. Guar gum is supposed to do the same, but xanthan gum worked better for me.
5. Potato flour is starchy and bland.
6. Rice flours should not be used on their own or you will have a gritty texture to your food.
7. I like oat flour, but not all people with gluten allergies can tolerate it, even if it is labeled gluten free.

So, now five years later, this is what I know: you need THREE flours and one additive for almost everything you bake.
1. Sorghum~ it is a little sweet and is a very soft texture.
2. Potato or corn starch~ This lightens your food.
3. Brown rice flour~ not only is it a whole grain, but gives a bouncy texture. Don't use too much or you will make it gritty.
4. Adding just a teaspoon of xanthan gum to your mixture keeps it from getting too crumbly.

I really want to encourage you to try anything you want, but this mix of flours is my tried and true combination. I make brownies, cookies, muffins,scones... really most things with just these four things to replace my wheat. Good luck out there, and have fun experimenting!