Ready To Start Bread Baking, But Still Some Questions

[blmoreschi]

It's been two weeks now since my 11 year old was diagnosed with Celiac, and I think we've made a great start on the gluten-free diet. To my knowledge she hasn't had gluten - but I'm not saying it's not possible we've made mistakes. We are going mostly gluten-free in our house. I'm keeping sandwich rolls in the freezer to make sandwiches for my husband and older daughter, and we still have some cereal in the house and some boxes of organic Mac & cheese that my Celiac daughter doesn't like anyway. But we've taken what I think are adequate precautions - new and separate colanders, separate peanut butter jars, etc. So, fingers crossed that we're doing a good job. My daughter doesn't have GI symptoms, so we won't know if we're doing a good job until a repeat DEXA scan (and TtG blood test) in 6 months shows us if her osteoporosis is improving.

 

My goal is to master bread baking, and remove even that potential contamination from the house. My gluten-free daughter isn't much of a bread eater anyway, but everything we've tried so far has gotten a big "yuck" from her. I've read a bunch of books and checked every gluten-free cookbook out of the library. The one that has really caught my attention is Carol Fenster's 1000 Gluten Free Recipes because I like the use of the sorghum flour - I think it is the rice flour flavor that my daughter doesn't like. I'm going to try the Millet bread tomorrow (we're not white bread eaters, anyway, so no need to try the white bread first). And I like that there are a lot of recipes that will help to adapt other old recipes, as in gluten-free "Lipton" Onion Soup mix, But I still have a few questions and I'm hoping that some of you experts on here can help me.

 

1) She uses Expandex in lots of her recipes. I've found it online, but with shipping it will cost me about $20 for 16 oz. Is it worth it? And if I don't buy that, what can I substitute in the recipes that call for Expandex?

 

2) I bought some Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Flour at our local health food store today. Once I got it home I realized it didn't say "gluten-free" on the package, and I see on Bob's Red Mill website that it is not produced in a gluten-free facility. Does anyone have any experience that would tell me it is okay to use, or do I need to search out a different buckwheat flour?

 

3) Do experienced bakers on here think that using Carol Fenster's recipes are a good way for me to start?

 

I realize that it's time for me to get out of my analysis paralysis mode and just do some baking! I was going to bake this afternoon, but it got too late. I really appreciate any advice/input/handholding that anyone is willing to share.

[lauraturnbull]

Expandex is tapioca starch. You can buy this online or from Chinese grocers. You can likely replace it with other starches also. I'm in the UK so I haven't tried the brand you've bought, but can advise that buckwheat is usually subject to cross-contamination. It is usually grown in crop rotation with wheat, hence I haven't found a suitable buckwheat flour yet. My best advice for starting out is to buy a few kinds of flour (rice flour, sorghum, millet, etc) and mix your own blends. This gives you much control over the result. It is an investment at the beginning but can be cheaper overall, especially when buying online. I found this article which gives good advice about blending flours:

Open Original Shared Link

One ingredient that I use regularly is psyllium husk. It gives the dough a gelatinous quality similar to gluten. I would definitely strongly advise looking at recipes that contain this and use long proves like traditional bread. I also don't use eggs or dairy in my bread as the psyllium bind things without weighing the loaf down or adding fat. Please let me know if you've any questions about that! Good luck!

[corden]

I have found the same problem with breads with my 10 yr, but i just found a bread mix called maninis it is excellent and taste like reg bread , i order it online ...hope this helps

[SensitiveMe]

King Arthur flour sells a product called Cake Enhancer which I use and think is somewhat similar to Expandex. They also are now selling Organic Glutenfree Buckwheat flour and the price is $8.95 for 2lb. The cake enhancer is $7.95 for 10oz. and they suggest using 1 tablespoon per cup of flour but I found that with the blend I use which contains sorghum flour I don't like using that much as it makes the bread to crumbly and so I considerabley use much less... only a tablespoon of it to my bread blend 3 and 1/4 cup of King Arthur Multipurpose glutenfree flour and 3/4 cup of Sorghum flour. But I also have to use guar gum instead of xanthum gum as I am extremely intolerant to xanthan gum, and so don't think you should go by me and how much I use if you use xanthan gum.

Unfortunately, the cost and their shipping charges seem a bit expensive to me. But for now I have been doing it.

Open Original Shared Link. com

 

I have the 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes book by Carol Fenster which I like but in addition to that I would suggest gluten-free Makeovers by Beth Hillson. Just my opinion, but I think the gluten-free Makeovers book by Beth Hillson would be the most helpful to someone new to glutenfree baking. It is by far the very favorite of all my many glutenfree cookbooks.

[AImpep]

Gluten free bread recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of yeast. Do I just throw the dry yeast or do I proof it first?

[lpellegr]

Gluten free bread recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of yeast. Do I just throw the dry yeast or do I proof it first?

Your recipe should tell you that.  Many of the gluten-free recipes mix the yeast with the dry ingredients, but some don't - it should say in your recipe.