Gluten Free Baking
- Yvonne Tan
- Jan 3, 2018
- 2 min read
I have never been one to actively choose a gluten free (GF) cake. Between a chocolate cake and a GF chocolate cake, I always gravitated to the option with no free-from properties. It was not until last week, where my best friend told me that she was recently diagnosed with coeliac disease, I started to take more interest into trying these GF alternatives.
Coeliac disease is a condition, where the body’s immune system damages the lining of the small intestine when gluten is eaten. In the UK, coeliac disease affects 1 in 100 people; however only 24% of those with this condition are clinically diagnosed. It’s not just about avoiding wheat. Other offenders include barley, bulgur, oats and rye. If ingested, those with coeliac will experience digestive issues, fatigue, neurologic issues, hormone imbalances, pain in the joints and worst of all, it can lead to long term damage to your small intestine. Needless to say, my friend, who has consumed gluten her entire life was emotional about this as she had to change her dietary habits immediately.
Today, more and more people are becoming gluten intolerant so we are seeing a surge in GF products flooding our supermarket aisles. From biscuits to cakes, breads and pasta – there are GF options for everything. When I asked my friend, she associated GF products to be less tasty, dry and somewhat inferior to the non-GF form. Does the absence of gluten adversely impact the taste and texture of bakes? I had to see for myself. Just yesterday, I had a GF cookie and a GF doughnut! Both of which, to my surprise were delicious. In fact, I have to say that the GF doughnut was one of the better doughnuts I've had, moist, fluffy and not oily.
My friend is an avid baker so gone are her favourite recipes all which include wheat flour. She is now on a mission to start experimenting with different alternatives. Turns out - there are quite a few out there: Cassava Flour (similar consistency and texture to wheat flour), Coconut Flour, Quinoa Flour, Almond Flour, Amaranth Flour, White Rice Flour. All are GF and are excellent for baking!
Here are the top 5 tips from our GF bakers:
1. As a beginner GF baker, look for recipes that are high in moisture, such as sour cream, coconut, carrots, courgettes etc.
2. Be patient, a good GF cake takes practice, experimentation and time. An incorrect ratio with the flours may result in "gummy" cakes or a cake with too much moisture.
3. In the absence of gluten, Xanthan gum can be used to add volume and structure to the bake. If you use too much, the cake can be too gummy, heavy and sticky. It will lose its gumming properties the longer it is mixed.
4. Use an electric mixer as opposed to a spoon to achieve a smoother texture on your batter.
5. Gluten Free bakes need more leavening, so increase the baking powder and bicarbonate soda in your recipe.
Check out these luxurious Gluten Free Doughnuts from our GF baker, Isabel. You can order them at myBaker.
