The Flour Report - Attributes Of Several gluten-free Flours

[RiceGuy]

At last, I've compiled enough information to start this thread. Though my baking experiments will continue of course, and I'll be posting more details as I gather them.

The purpose of this thread is to help define the properties of many gluten-free flours. That is, the attributes which make a particular flour good or bad for certain types of recipes. Some of my comments are only my opinion, and I'm sure you'll be able to pick them out. My main focus has been whole grain flours, for more hardy breads. Also, there are some flours (mostly starches) which I can't eat, so I hope others will be able to fill in the gaps. If your experience differs, please post about it!

Amaranth Flour

Adds wonderful aroma and flavor, and helps with browning. Retains considerable moisture compared to most other flours, thus best used in relatively small amounts. I find it only takes one or two teaspoons per cup of total flour to make a difference.

Buckwheat Flour, white

This flour seems to work ok in a variety of things, though I haven't noticed anything outstanding. Sorta similar to rice flour, but not grainy. Bland compared to the brown buckwheat flour, which I like much better.

Buckwheat Flour, brown***

Good in sweetbreads, muffins, brownies, and the like. Stronger flavor than most other flours. Goes with cinnamon and other spices, raisins, apples, etc. Good texture, and not too moist. Accepts oil, though not quite as much as most bean flours.

Fava Bean Flour***

This one can be used alone for pie crusts, crackers, and the like. Able to take up oil, which results in the dough becoming stretchy (not elastic). This can help breads to rise, which I think is why bean flours are included in many blends. Helps with browning too.

Garbanzo Bean Flour***

Similar to Fava, but I generally don't use it. Haven't tried it much in breads yet however.

Garbanzo & Fava Flour***

Somewhere between the two types. The one I've used smells much nicer than either one alone.

Millet Flour*

Good for most things, but seems to dry out on the surface more than others. The particular blend (or other ingredients) may compensate however. Otherwise it's a lot like sorghum flour.

Quinoa Flour

Bitter!

Rice Flour, brown

Gritty by comparison to other types, though I hadn't realized how much until trying millet and sorghum. I no longer use rice flours.

Rice Flour, white

Not much different than the brown, except for the color, and more bland of course.

Rice Flour, Sweet White**

Helps the rising/texture, but can easily add gumminess. I never found the right blend to solve that entirely, without introducing other unfavorable qualities.

Sorghum Flour*

Good for most things, and doesn't seem to have the surface drying characteristic of millet flour.

Soy Flour, full-fat

Adds moisture and soft texture. Makes things brown easily. Usually best in small amounts, like 1/5 or less of the total.

Sweet Potato Flour**

Though not actually a starch, it's good for what starches are generally used for, and doesn't make the results gummy or brittle. Good for thickening too. Made from the white variety of sweet potatoes, so it's white like a starch too.

Tapioca Flour**

Lends a weird texture - a peculiar combination of both gummy and brittle.

Teff Flour, ivory**

Adds wonderful aroma and flavor. Helps a tad bit with browning. Good in most things I've tried with it.

Teff Flour, brown**

Has a stronger aroma and flavor than the ivory teff. Sorta reminds me of (and goes well with) chocolate, coffee, and the like. Good for brownies, muffins, basically anything chocolate, spice cake, etc.

* Does not accept oil well.

** Can accept some oil.

*** Accepts oil well.

As of this post, I believe it is the protein content which makes the dough stretchy when oil is added. However, oil interferes with the binders, so getting the right ratio of ingredients can take trial and error. The amount of oil used will also vary depending on what you're making, and personal preference. In my experiments, I found I could add maybe a tablespoon or two of oil for each half cup of bean flour. But even if the proportion of bean flour in the recipe is significantly high, it may not work well to maximize the stretchiness. Again, oil defeats the binders, and the stretchy characteristic disappears as the dough bakes. From my experience, the more oil, the more crumbly the texture.

The flours which don't accept much oil tend to just lose cohesion. The dough is oily, and won't work so well for things which need to rise.

Consider how pie crust works: The oil content defeats the binders, making for a crumbly texture. Since gluten-free flours don't have much binding properties on their own, far less oil is required (compared to wheat flour) to get a crumbly crust.

A note about bean flours:

Although the taste of these flours is generally more prominent than other flours, it should not be foul. Adding ground ginger to the recipe seems to neutralize some of the characteristic taste. Freshness is important, and I found that stone ground bean flours are simply rancid, right from the get-go.

In general, I've found buckwheat, millet, sorghum, and teff to be more interchangeable than the others listed. They do taste different, but swapping one for another usually doesn't ruin the results. Unless otherwise noted, I haven't found it necessary to use specific proportions of most of the flours listed. What does make a big difference however, is the amount of liquid added to the dough. I also think the optimal softness of the dough is dependent upon the pan being used, oven time/temp, and probably climate and humidity.

The type and amount of binders used is also an important factor. But typically, one teaspoon per cup of flour is usually a good starting point.

[GlutenGalAZ]

RiceGuy --

Thank you so much for posting this!

I am e-mailing the link to myself to read more of it and print it for my folder when I get home from work. Your posts about cooking are always very interesting and educational.

I mainly use "safe" gluten free flours that I am use to when I bake/cook, so this will be helpful in branching out to some other flours.

Thanks again!

Edit:

Question--- Do you know of a good replacement for sweet rice flour? I have some recipes that call for it but cannot find it anywhere (live in a smaller town). Thanks

[RiceGuy]

What I'd use in place of sweet rice flour is sweet potato flour. I think it works better, at least for the things I make with it.

An Asian market would likely carry sweet rice flour, though it is usually labeled simply as rice flour. Aside from that, I'd say you could probably use arrowroot or corn starch combined with regular rice flour, in maybe a 50:50 ratio. That's just a guess, as I haven't used either of those in gluten-free baking at all. Perhaps someone else will have a recommendation for you.

[mushroom]

Confusingly, sweet rice flour is sometimes called "glutinous" rice flour, not to be confused with gluten, merely referring to its sticky qualities. That's what it was called at my Asian market.

[songstressc]

Thanks for info; I am wondering what to do with amaranth grain? I tried cooking it for a breakfast porridge once and it was sooo bitter my husband and I could not eat it! I am still open to trying it but??? I heard it was sweet tasting - but this was definitely not. I am in the dark on both amaranth grain and teff grain. thankyou

[one more mile]

coconut flour- great for absorbing moisture when you add to much liquid to the mix. Slight coconut taste a little sweet.

good for muffin, brownies, sweet things. Adds fiber.

Almond flour - my main flour. needs extra binder but has a good almond taste. Muffins, cookies , rich brownies.

[RiceGuy]

Thanks for info; I am wondering what to do with amaranth grain? I tried cooking it for a breakfast porridge once and it was sooo bitter my husband and I could not eat it! I am still open to trying it but??? I heard it was sweet tasting - but this was definitely not. I am in the dark on both amaranth grain and teff grain. thankyou

Well, I use amaranth, both the flour and the whole grain, and they aren't bitter. However, being a high-protein grain, it can go rancid quickly. So it's best to store it in the freezer unless you intend to use it within maybe a few months or so. A full, sealed container might be ok for six months or so I think. The less air in the container, the better. Let your nose be the judge.

So I suspect your amaranth was spoiled.

Teff can also be used like a breakfast cereal. I really like it. Add raisins or apples, cinnamon, coconut oil, salt and Stevia to taste - yum!

<EDIT>

Found this article on storage and shelf life of various flours:

Open Original Shared Link

[GlutenGalAZ]

What I'd use in place of sweet rice flour is sweet potato flour. I think it works better, at least for the things I make with it.

An Asian market would likely carry sweet rice flour, though it is usually labeled simply as rice flour. Aside from that, I'd say you could probably use arrowroot or corn starch combined with regular rice flour, in maybe a 50:50 ratio. That's just a guess, as I haven't used either of those in gluten-free baking at all. Perhaps someone else will have a recommendation for you.

Confusingly, sweet rice flour is sometimes called "glutinous" rice flour, not to be confused with gluten, merely referring to its sticky qualities. That's what it was called at my Asian market.

I wish I had an Asian market nearby. I read so many neat things about them on here. I live in a smaller town so there are a couple of very small health food stores but only one really carries gluten free stuff. Las Vegas is about an hour in a half away and we don't go there very often. Hopfully next time we go to Whole Foods they will have the Sweet Rice Flour there =)

Thanks for the suggestions on what to use and info.

Found this article on storage and shelf life of various flours:

Open Original Shared Link

This is a neat site. I am discourage sometimes to buy some flours that I don't normally use b/c I am afraid they will go bad before I can use them again so this will be helpfull.

[RiceGuy]

Here are a few additional flours which I've been playing with since the first post.

White Bean Flour

As with other bean flours, this one is good for many things, and helps with browning of course. Though the flavor is of the beanie sort, it's distinguishable from other bean flours. I don't think it has as strong a flavor as some others, so it's worth trying if you're looking for a bean flour you like.

Yellow Pea Flour

This one I really like. It can be used in all the places a bean flour can, but I think the flavor is less beanie, and seems to have a taste I associate with high protein. Makes sense, as this flour is quite high in protein. Thus far it has worked well in various things, including breads, muffins, and pie crust. Like bean flours, it can absorb oil, helps with browning, etc, etc. The color is comparable to various other flours like sorghum, millet, fava, garbanzo, soy etc. More or less a light-yellow-beige.

Mesquite Flour

Now here's an altogether different flour. I'd rather refer to it as a spice, like cinnamon, or a flavoring such as chocolate or carob. In fact, IMO the aroma and flavor is sort of a cross between chocolate, cinnamon, and maybe mocha (though I don't drink coffee so this might not be quite accurate). The aroma reminds me a little of instant cocoa mix. I find it goes well in brownies, muffins, cookies, etc. Basically anything chocolaty, though I use carob, which it also goes very well with IMO. Very good with cinnamon too. It doesn't require much to impart a noticeable aroma and flavor, so just one pound should last a while. That's good, since it is rather pricey compared to other flours. The color is in the same ballpark with cocoa and cinnamon too.

One additional thing I meant to point out in the first post, is that I've noticed slight differences in some flours from brand to brand, and over a period of time. So far the two flours which seem to vary the most are sorghum and millet. This has been the case even from the same supplier. I suppose that's because there are many varieties of these grains being grown, and in many places around the world. Some years are better than others weather-wise too, and soil conditions will change from season to season as well. When a company switches sources, the grain may be a different variety, or from a different region/climate. Baking performance is effected, though thus far not as noticeable as the color and aroma. Anyway, I think this may be one factor in why a recipe may not turn out the same for everyone, or the same each time. A different variety of grain will have a different nutritional profile, with different proportions of protein, fiber, carbs, etc. This will effect how well it absorbs water and oil, how well it binds together, and so forth. So the end results will vary accordingly.

[happygirl]

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[RiceGuy]

Some additional things I've found are:

1) Teff flour helps impart a thicker, more substantial crust for breads. About 1/4 the total flour in a recipe should be noticeable.

2) Sweet Potato flour helps give a bread "tooth". That is, a nice chewiness, and the way it tears as you pull it apart.

[pricklypear1971]

RiceGuy -

Have you tried any new flour blends lately? Any new research to add to this? I love your analysis and its very helpful.