Best Flour For Baking?

[Elfunk11]

I was just recently diagnosed with celiacs and have a true passion for baking. I've been looking at different recipes and all of them seem to call for different types of flour (coconut, rice, etc) to replace all purpose flour. Is there a certain type of flour that works better than others or can be used in all recipes as a substitute or is the type of flour specific to each recipe?

[cyclinglady]

I just use gluten-free "All purpose" flour from Bob's Red Mill.  Costco was selling it.  Now, I find it on sale and stock up.  It seems to be a hassle to have to store other flours.  Perhaps, I will in the future.  In the meantime, what I bake is pretty darn good.  I've converted most of my old recipes to gluten-free.  I find that "spicing up" and adding flavors is best since the flours do have a different taste (no plain butter cookies or yellow cake).  I'm going to try other all-purpose brands when my supply runs out.  

[love2travel]

I have 22 different kinds of flour in our freezers as I find very specific attributes for various types of baked goods.  For example, garfava is great when you require the strength of high protein such as pizza crust that you can actually roll out, not just slap down on the pan.

 

So many things are incredibly easy to make gluten free including brownies, cookies, cakes and quick breads.  The trickier things include cinnamon rolls and yeast breads, croissants, English muffins and bagels.  I find making my own blends to be fun, experimental and creative. 

 

My favourites include chestnut, sorghum, amaranth, quinoa, garfava, ivory teff....  Plain white rice, potato and tapioca flours/starches are common but have very little nutritional value so I use those less. 

 

My MIL brought me some King Arthur flours back from the U.S. which I find to be the best AP flour blend if I am not making my own.

[luvs2eat]

I made my own blends when I first had to go gluten-free (10 years ago) but am thrilled not to have to store (and purchase!) all those different kinds of flours! Now I'm a huge fan of Better Batter flour that I buy online. I've not tried a lot of cakes or cookies but the pie crusts I make are delicious and the dough rolls out really well.

[cyclinglady]

  On 5/26/2013 at 5:58 PM, luvs2eat said:

I made my own blends when I first had to go gluten-free (10 years ago) but am thrilled not to have to store (and purchase!) all those different kinds of flours! Now I'm a huge fan of Better Batter flour that I buy online. I've not tried a lot of cakes or cookies but the pie crusts I make are delicious and the dough rolls out really well.

Thanks!  

[StephanieL]

If you want an all in one, I swear by King Arthur's AP gluten-free flour!  We have other allergies in our house (nuts and peanuts) so we can't use Bob's.  

[jerseyangel]

Better Batter is very good.

[Heatherjo]

I have used Better Batter flour for a few years now. Nothing will ever cook the same as wheat flour, but this comes very close. I have made things with this flour that people do not realize that ut is gluten free. I think that is a major accomplishment, considering when I first started cooking gluten free 7 years ago it was almost impossible to make something that tasted good. I also subscribe to the blogger that uses the better batter flour-she also has 2 cookbooks. I have made a lot of recipes from those cookbooks and love to get her new recipes from the blog. It has made being gluten free and dairy free a lot easier.

[TGK112]

All my baking is done with Bob's Red Mill All Purpose flour with great success ( and with added xanthan gum). I've been able to use all my old recipes - and it's very hard to believe that the banana bread, or muffins... are gluten free.

[Darissa]

I have used so many flours out there - Our favorite for almost everything baking wise is Jules Gluten Free Flour (online only ...so worth trying a bag) and her bread mix is like heaven!  So good. I also do like Better Batter and King Arthurs, but I like Jules the best. I have a freezer full of it (I like to bake!).  Good luck! It does get easier!

[surviormom]

  On 5/28/2013 at 5:23 AM, Darissa said:

I have used so many flours out there - Our favorite for almost everything baking wise is Jules Gluten Free Flour (online only ...so worth trying a bag) and her bread mix is like heaven!  So good. I also do like Better Batter and King Arthurs, but I like Jules the best. I have a freezer full of it (I like to bake!).  Good luck! It does get easier!

I can second that.  I am no expert, in celiac and gluten intolerance, I am learning every day, but I am an excellent cook/baker, best flour I have found.  It allows me to use many of my old recipes still I just have to swap flour and milk/butter.  I have 4 bags in the pantry right now.  Just made birthday cupcakes with it. 

[Marlie]

I do not like bob's red mill. It's too gritty. Tried king Arthur and did not like that either. Tried mixing flours but got bored. So far Jules or cup for cup we like best. Better batter I have not tried yet.

[GottaSki]

What are you baking?  Different gluten-free mixes can be better/worse for dif applications.