Gluten Free Baking
Last night was a glorious day of gluten-free/wheat-free baked goods. After attempting to explain this concept numerous times at work today, I realized that not everyone knows the importance and prevalence of Celiac Disease and its need for gluten-free items.
Here is some basic information:
-Celiac Disease is an auto-immune disease that causes the immune system to attack the villi in the small intestine when gluten is consumed, which prevents our bodies from absorbing nutrients
-People with Celiac cannot tolerate the protein (gluten) found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, triticale and sometimes oats
-Symptoms include gas, bloating, diarrhea, weight loss or gain, fatigue, anemia, osteoporosis, tingling or numbness in the extremities, infertility, ulcers, and muscle cramping, among others
-The only "cure" for Celiac at this time is a strict gluten-free diet
-On average, 1 person in every 250-300 people has Celiac Disease
---In America, 1 in every 133 people have Celiac, and the likelihood that you will have the disease greatly increases if you have a family member who has been diagnosed with it
Gluten-free baked goods often have a crumbly or sandy texture. This is because of the lack of gluten holding the item together. To counteract this, gluten-free items are best baked in small quantities and in small sizes (aka mini). They are best eaten the same day they are prepared. Eggs or egg replacer is often used to provide the moisture and binding power that is absent without gluten, which makes vegan gluten-free baked goods much more challenging to prepare well. Also, additional yeast/leavening power is often needed, as is parchment paper to prevent sticking. Many gluten-free prepared foods, as well as mixes to make your own, are now widely available in most grocery stores. Also, there are a variety of gluten-free flours that you can use at home. We used a lot of almond flour (or other finely ground nuts) last night, but a good gluten-free flours mix is:
2 cups white rice flour + 2/3 cup potato flour + 1/3 cup tapioca flour = 3 cups Gluten-Free flour
We made a lot of delicious gluten-free goodies last night. While many of them had a different texture than I was accustomed to, and some flat out didn't work, they ALL still had great flavor!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Macaroons: Yields 14-16 cookies
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 large egg whites
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp ground maple crystals
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 Tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet tray (cookie sheet) with parchment paper.
2. Using a double boiler, melt chocolate and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, add salt to egg whites and beat with an electric mixer until they reach soft peaks. Then gently beat in maple crystals, allowing them to dissolve, but not deflating the mixture.
4. Using a spatula, fold in the vanilla and coconut.
5. Mix cocoa powder into melted chocolate. Gently fold egg mixture into chocolate, being careful not to deflate it.
6. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop out cookies and drop onto prepared pan about 1-2 inches apart.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool and serve.
Currant Scones: Yields 10 tiny scones
1 cup gluten-free flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp maple crystals
2 Tbsp cold butter
1 egg
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp cream
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup currants
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and maple crystals.
3. Cut butter into dry mixture to form coarse crumbs.
4. In another bowl, beat eggs, cream, zest and currants.
5. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Fold out onto a table and form into a semi-flattened log.
7. Cut log into triangles and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 minutes.
These are great served warm with clotted cream and jam. Try using different dried fruits or nuts in them as well!
Here are just a couple to get you started! Hope you enjoy them. Again, we made a lot last night, so more gluten-free recipes might be to come. Heads up - Saturday is Pie and Tart Day! Get ready for some new recipes to replace your 4th of July and Thanksgiving classics!
Here is some basic information:
-Celiac Disease is an auto-immune disease that causes the immune system to attack the villi in the small intestine when gluten is consumed, which prevents our bodies from absorbing nutrients
-People with Celiac cannot tolerate the protein (gluten) found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut, triticale and sometimes oats
-Symptoms include gas, bloating, diarrhea, weight loss or gain, fatigue, anemia, osteoporosis, tingling or numbness in the extremities, infertility, ulcers, and muscle cramping, among others
-The only "cure" for Celiac at this time is a strict gluten-free diet
-On average, 1 person in every 250-300 people has Celiac Disease
---In America, 1 in every 133 people have Celiac, and the likelihood that you will have the disease greatly increases if you have a family member who has been diagnosed with it
Gluten-free baked goods often have a crumbly or sandy texture. This is because of the lack of gluten holding the item together. To counteract this, gluten-free items are best baked in small quantities and in small sizes (aka mini). They are best eaten the same day they are prepared. Eggs or egg replacer is often used to provide the moisture and binding power that is absent without gluten, which makes vegan gluten-free baked goods much more challenging to prepare well. Also, additional yeast/leavening power is often needed, as is parchment paper to prevent sticking. Many gluten-free prepared foods, as well as mixes to make your own, are now widely available in most grocery stores. Also, there are a variety of gluten-free flours that you can use at home. We used a lot of almond flour (or other finely ground nuts) last night, but a good gluten-free flours mix is:2 cups white rice flour + 2/3 cup potato flour + 1/3 cup tapioca flour = 3 cups Gluten-Free flour
We made a lot of delicious gluten-free goodies last night. While many of them had a different texture than I was accustomed to, and some flat out didn't work, they ALL still had great flavor!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Macaroons: Yields 14-16 cookies1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 large egg whites
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp ground maple crystals
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 Tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet tray (cookie sheet) with parchment paper.
2. Using a double boiler, melt chocolate and set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, add salt to egg whites and beat with an electric mixer until they reach soft peaks. Then gently beat in maple crystals, allowing them to dissolve, but not deflating the mixture.
4. Using a spatula, fold in the vanilla and coconut.
5. Mix cocoa powder into melted chocolate. Gently fold egg mixture into chocolate, being careful not to deflate it.
6. Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop out cookies and drop onto prepared pan about 1-2 inches apart.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool and serve.
Currant Scones: Yields 10 tiny scones
1 cup gluten-free flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp maple crystals
2 Tbsp cold butter
1 egg
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp cream
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/4 cup currants
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and maple crystals.
3. Cut butter into dry mixture to form coarse crumbs.
4. In another bowl, beat eggs, cream, zest and currants.
5. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Fold out onto a table and form into a semi-flattened log.
7. Cut log into triangles and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 minutes.
These are great served warm with clotted cream and jam. Try using different dried fruits or nuts in them as well!
Here are just a couple to get you started! Hope you enjoy them. Again, we made a lot last night, so more gluten-free recipes might be to come. Heads up - Saturday is Pie and Tart Day! Get ready for some new recipes to replace your 4th of July and Thanksgiving classics!
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