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What Is The Difference Between Guar Gum And Xanthan Gum

es2443

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es2443 Contributor
es2443
Posted

Is there a difference between guar gum and xanthan gum? I made chocolate cheesecake brownies today and they are too doughy, not cakey or fudgy. The recipe said to use guar gum and I used xanthan gum because I couldn't find guar gum, so I am wondering if that would make a difference.

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larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
Is there a difference between guar gum and xanthan gum? I made chocolate cheesecake brownies today and they are too doughy, not cakey or fudgy. The recipe said to use guar gum and I used xanthan gum because I couldn't find guar gum, so I am wondering if that would make a difference.

e,

I haven't seen a difference in my muffins. I was using 1

DebbieInCanada Rookie
DebbieInCanada
Posted

first the science (info from Open Original Shared Link)

xanthan gum derives its name from the strain of bacteria used during the fermentation process, Xanthomonas campestris. The bacteria form a slimy substance which acts as a natural stabilizer or thickener. The United States Department of Agriculture ran a number of experiments involving bacteria and various sugars to develop a new thickening agent similar to corn starch or guar gum. When Xanthomonas campestris was combined with corn sugar, the result was a colorless slime called xanthan gum.

Guar gum can best be described as a natural food thickener, similar to locust bean gum, cornstarch or tapioca flour. The guar plant, also known as a cluster plant, grows primarily in Pakistan and the northern regions of India. The plants are harvested after the monsoon season and the seeds are allowed to dry in the sun. The seeds are then manually or mechanically separated and processed into a flour or sold as split seeds.

I react to Xanthan gum, and I believe it is due to the corn products in it. I have read that Xanthan gum can come in different strengths, and can be significantly stronger than guar. So depending on the type you have, xanthan might not be substituted 1 - 1 for guar.

So, I don't know if that explains why your brownies weren't fudgey, but there is some info on guar and xanthan.

Debbie

brendygirl Community Regular
brendygirl
Posted

In a cookbook I have it says to make bread fluffier, add 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and 1 tsp baking powder.

lorka150 Collaborator
lorka150
Posted

It's a 1:2 ratio... Use half as much guar if you are substituting.

RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted

From what I've read, guar gum gives a texture that is more suitable for cakes than xanthan gum. Though in most cases they can both be used interchangeably, the exact amount may vary. It depends on a few factors, such as the granularity of the guar gum. I'm sure xanthan also varies from brand to brand, but not ever having used it I haven't looked into it.

One thing for sure, guar gum is less expensive.

Guhlia Rising Star
Guhlia
Posted

I always use xantham gum, mostly because that's what I started using in the very beginning. It works well for me in all of my recipes. I know that doesn't help much, but i've never had a problem. I also rarely measure my xantham gum. I've found that baked goods turn out well so long as I have the measurement somewhat close to normal, generally 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoon per cup of flour mix.

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