GF tips

By kallen2302

Ingredients

• Self-Rising Flour Mix
• 1 cup unleavened gluten-free flour mix (see above)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Details

Adapted from glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

*Adding Moistness and Flavor to GF Baked Goods*

*Use fruit, veggies, dairy*
Choose a recipe wisely. Recipes containing pureed fruit, shredded veggies, yogurt, or sour cream translate beautifully to GF. Think: banana muffins, carrot or pumpkin cake, sour cream apple cake or blueberry muffins made with yogurt.

Adding applesauce, pureed fruit or yogurt to recipes helps gluten-free cakes, muffins and quick breads stay moist.

*Dried fruit, nuts, chocolate*
Adding shredded or desiccated coconut, chopped nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips also improves texture and flavor. Start with adding 1/2 cup to your favorite recipe. Experiment and have fun.

*Sweeteners*
Use organic light brown sugar instead of refined white sugar. It boosts moistness and flavor.

Honey is a humectant and adds moistness (use less liquid in the recipe if you use honey).

Agave adds moisture, too. But if it's humid on the day you are baking, use less agave (or honey).

*Flavoring*
Use more vanilla. Gluten-Free flours can taste strong and unfamiliar, and a little extra vanilla helps soften their flavor. Don't be afraid to use a whole tablespoon- I do. And buy the good stuff. Bourbon vanilla is killer. Cheaper brands with fillers (like corn syrup!) are a pale imitation of true vanilla flavor.

Add warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to deepen flavor complexity (cinnamon and chocolate is a favorite secret combo of mine).

*Baking Times*

Baking and rising times vary depending upon many factors:

* Altitude
Do you live at high altitude or sea level? High altitude gluten-free baking usually requires a little less liquid [start with 2 tablespoons less] and a higher oven temperature [increase oven temp by 25 degrees F] or a longer baking time. Often the only change I made for high altitude baking was to add 25 degrees F to my oven temperature (but I've never baked above 7,000 feet). The higher you get, the more problematic GF baking can be. Check your local library for high altitude baking tips.

* Humidity
Flours grab moisture and become damp - this can affect the outcome. Start with 1 to 2 tablespoons less liquid (and less agave/honey) if you suspect your flours are dampish from humidity.

*Batter Consistency*
Gluten-free batters are a little weird. Cake batter is thicker than you remember. Bread batter is looser than standard bread dough. Cookie dough is almost the same, but sometimes spreads faster during baking [try chilling cookie dough and baking on parchment].

* Room temperature ingredients

I find baking with room temperature ingredients works best when baking gluten-free. When making gluten-free bread, eggs at room temperature are a must (place eggs in a cup of warmish water briefly until they reach room temperature).

* General temperature tips

*Yeast* needs a warm environment to rise properly - a temperature of 100 to 110 degrees F is ideal.

*Frozen fruit* will chill down batters. Thaw to room temp and drain well, or add extra baking time- start with ten minutes.

* General baking tips
*Baking pans:* Thick glass pan or thin dark metal? Baking pans may require more or less baking times - see your pan manufacturer's advice.

*Check your oven temperature* An oven thermometer helps.

*Center pans* in a pre-heated oven ‐ not too close to the top or bottom ‐ for even baking.

*Egg sizes vary.* This affects the liquid to dry ratio in a recipe. My recipes are based on large organic free-range eggs or Ener-G Egg Replacer.

* Test for doneness
Until you get the hang of baking gluten-free, I suggest keeping a sharp eye on what’s in the oven. When it looks done, make sure the batter is firm and set in the center [jiggle the pan a tiny bit or lightly touch the top]. A wooden pick inserted in the center can tell you if the batter is still wet [but chocolate chips can melt and make this method sometimes unreliable; if the tester comes out chocolatey, try another spot].

I find‐ with brownies and cookie bars, especially‐ that it is easy to over-bake gluten-free treats. The center may appear too soft while the outside edges are browned just right; turn down the oven heat by 25 degrees; and if necessary, take it out if you prefer a softer center; the dessert will continue to "bake" for a minute or two before it begins to cool.

Freezing gluten-free baked goods often improves texture. Think your cookies or brownies are a dud? Try cutting, wrapping and freezing them. Eat slightly chilled or at room temperature, as you prefer.

* Remove promptly
Gluten-free baked goods and breads get soggy if they stay too long in their cozy pans. Remove loaves and cakes and muffins from the pan as SOON AS possible. The longer a gluten-free baked good remains in a hot pan, the soggier it gets.

* Evaluate
If your end product is gummy in the center- or it falls in the middle- the problem is most likely too much liquid. Use 2-4 tablespoons less when you mix the batter or dough next time. Add only a little liquid at a time to achieve the consistency you need. If it happens often, your flours may be damp or your oven too cool. Or you may be taking the baked good out of the oven too soon; if so, bake it longer.

Remember - it's an intuitive thing, this gluten-free baking deal. There is really no substitute for experience. The trial and error method is your best teacher in Gluten-Freeland. Practice. Practice. Practice.