Help With Baking

[Dandelion]

I use the Gluten Free Pantry's All Purpose Baking Flour which contains white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, guar gum and salt. I see a lot of recipes on here that use different flour mixes and always require xanthan gum. If I use my flour would I ever have to add the xanthan gum? If I do, in which types of recipes would you think I would need to add it? I love to bake but haven't done too much of it because I'm clueless about the xanthan gum.

Thanks.

[cruelshoes]

I use the Gluten Free Pantry's All Purpose Baking Flour which contains white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, guar gum and salt. I see a lot of recipes on here that use different flour mixes and always require xanthan gum. If I use my flour would I ever have to add the xanthan gum? If I do, in which types of recipes would you think I would need to add it? I love to bake but haven't done too much of it because I'm clueless about the xanthan gum.

Thanks.

Guar gum serves the same purpose as xanthan gum, so you would not need to add extra to the mix you mention above. The general rule for adding xanthan gum to recipes is as follows:

1 tsp. xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour for cakes

2 tsp. xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour for breads or pizza,

1 tsp. or no xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour for most cookies

I have had great luck converting regular recipes to gluten-free using a gluten-free flour mix and xanthan gum and as directed above (with the exception of bread recipes - you really need a recipe for those that is written to be gluten-free). Sometimes you do have to adjust the amount of flour or liquid. I say dive in to a cookie recipe, make half a batch and see what happens! I think the key to a good gluten-free cookie is to chill the dough for a few hours and line the baking sheets with parchment paper. I haven't had a failure since I started doing those 2 things.

There are some great recipes on this site and lots of other websites. You can do it!

[Dandelion]

Thank you so much! I'm printing out your post right now so I can keep in with my recipes. I was getting worried with the holidays coming because I always do all the baking. This is such a great help.

Guar gum serves the same purpose as xanthan gum, so you would not need to add extra to the mix you mention above. The general rule for adding xanthan gum to recipes is as follows:

1 tsp. xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour for cakes

2 tsp. xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour for breads or pizza,

1 tsp. or no xanthan or guar gum per cup of flour for most cookies

I have had great luck converting regular recipes to gluten-free using a gluten-free flour mix and xanthan gum and as directed above (with the exception of bread recipes - you really need a recipe for those that is written to be gluten-free). Sometimes you do have to adjust the amount of flour or liquid. I say dive in to a cookie recipe, make half a batch and see what happens! I think the key to a good gluten-free cookie is to chill the dough for a few hours and line the baking sheets with parchment paper. I haven't had a failure since I started doing those 2 things.

There are some great recipes on this site and lots of other websites. You can do it!

[Rikki Tikki]

Authentic Foods sells a multi blend gluten free flour that has xanthan gum in the flour. It works great for me.