The key to successful gluten free baking is in the flour. A good flour can make all the difference between a gooey mess that goes in the trash and baking so yummy you can’t believe its gluten free. You can purchase ready made GF flour blends or make your own. If you purchase, choose something that is more than just starch. White rice flour and potato starch are common ingredients in many commercial blends but they are very nutrient poor and bland. Another common problem is that some flour blends really don’t measure 1:1 and you have to tweak your recipes ALOT. Success is not necessarily guaranteed, which means effort and money down the drain (this stuff isn’t cheap!).
I like to make my own. I can control what goes into the flour and because I’ve tested it on everything, I know I can use this flour measure for measure in most of my wheat based recipes (yeast breads are the exception here). Plus its more economical. I’ve been using this flour in all of my gluten free baking projects for close to 20 years and I’m always happy with the results.
For more recipes and tips on using the flour, get our BAKING BOOK on Amazon.com. You can also like and follow us on Facebook for more recipes and gluten free lifestyle tips.
Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Recipe:
This gluten free all-purpose flour is easy to make and requires ingredients that are readily available at most grocery stores or natural food stores. If you can’t find them in your area, I have listed on-line suppliers in GF Suppliers or look for them in the Grocery & Gourmet Food section of Amazon.com.
Unlike many commercial blends, this flour is not made up entirely of starch. The brown rice and chickpea flours add important protein and fiber. They also serve to provide more bulk, flavor and texture to the mix. The quantity below is enough to try two or three of the recipes on our blog. Once you’ve tried it, you will probably want to mix it in bulk, which is what I do!
Makes 5 cups of flour
Ingredients:
1½ cups brown rice flour
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup potato starch—not flour, they are different
½ cup tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour)
½ cup sweet rice flour
½ cup chickpea flour (aka garbanzo bean)
1 TBS xanthan gum
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well combined; or place ingredients in a large zipper seal bag, close the bag, and shake until well combined. Store tightly covered or sealed in a cool, dry place. Use within approximately 6 months, as brown rice flour will go rancid. Freezing or refrigerating will prolong shelf life.
Cook’s Notes: If you don’t tolerate chickpea flour (aka garbanzo bean) and/or do not like the taste, golden flax seed meal or rice bran may be substituted and should produce reasonable results. I have used these substitutions successfully in some recipes, although most of the recipes have been tested using chickpea flour. The biggest difference, if you use one of these substitutes, is in how much liquid the flour will absorb so watch the consistency of your batter, dough, etc., and adjust accordingly.
Have you tried our recipes? Leave a comment (scroll all the way to the bottom of this page). I’d love to hear about your gluten free baking successes!
Having trouble with flopped recipes? Write to me with your questions or comments in the comments section below or on Facebook.
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