When I started eating gluten-free food I discovered a flour mix in a book called Living Healthy with Celiac Disease, Wendy Wark (AnAffect, 1998). In addition to the standard gluten-free flour mix of tapioca starch flour, potato starch flour and rice flour she added cornstarch and sweet rice flour. The addition of these two flours make a huge difference in the texture, flavor, and moisture content in gluten-free baking. I couldnt understand why more people werent using this superior flour mix so I made it my mission to distribute this recipe around. (If you cant tolerate corn, just substitute the cornstarch with equal parts of sweet rice flour and tapioca starch flour.)

While Wendy gave me permission to use the flour mix and many of her recipes I failed to tell her I was naming the flour mix after her in my book. She has since told me that she found it on the internet and doesnt know the source of the recipe, she doesnt feel that she should take credit for the mix.

Recently Authentic Foods decided to mix these flours in their factory and sell it as the Multi Blend Gluten-Free Flour, now available at The Gluten-Free Mall.

Multi Blend Gluten-Free Flour (Wendy Warks Gluten-Free Flour Mix)

1 cup brown rice flour (requires refrigeration)
1¼ cup white rice flour
¼ cup potato starch flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch flour
¾ cup sweet rice flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons xanthan or guar gum

I often use only brown rice flour in the mix as it is healthier and better tasting. I buy at least 5 pounds every time I order (from manufacturers that sell a lot of brown rice flour). I keep it refrigerated and highly recommend it over white rice flour. This flour mix is the basis of many of my sweets, breadsticks, tortillas, waffles etc. I also like to use pure buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa flour to increase the flavor and healthfulness of certain items. It is important to buy these alternative flours from pure, gluten-free sources. Pure in the sense that they are grown in fields that are not adjacent to wheat fields and that they are processed in a 100% gluten-free environment from the field to your table.

Triple this flour mix recipe and keep it on hand for all of your baking needs. Once you have the flour mix together you are ready for about a months worth of gluten-free baking.

The Multi Blend Gluten-Free Flour mix is used cup for cup in recipes such as tortillas, pancakes/waffles, and cookies. If you plan to use this flour mix for cakes, sweet breads or brownies add an additional ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup flour mix. I dont use this flour mix for bread, pizza crust, breadsticks, etc. as they require specific flour combinations for the best results (see Cooking Gluten-Free! A Food Lovers Collection of Chef and Family Recipes Without Gluten or Wheat Celiac Publishing, 2002).

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