Gelatin Instead Of Xanthan Gum

[MerrillC1977]

If I wanted to use Gelatin instead of Xanthan Gum in my baking, how much do I use?

For example, if I use 2 teaspoons of Xanthan Gum for bread, how much would that translate to in Gelatin? Or if I use 1 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum in my cookies, how much Gelatin would that translate to?

Thank you!!

[lemontree1]

I haven't personally done this, but I recall reading about it recently. I read that you use twice as much gelatin as xantham gum.

As far as cookies, I've made chocolate chip cookies without gum or starch. They are a little crumbly, but really work out fine. They are less crumbly if I make sure they are not undercooked at all.

[RiceGuy]

I doubt gelatin can be used in place of xanthan for breads. The reason is that gelatin melts at a relatively low temperature, thus it won't help the dough to hold the bubbles from leavening. Also, when it does cool enough to form a gel, the texture is notably different than xanthan. Some bread recipes do call for both xanthan and gelatin, and in such recipes I suppose the gelatin is there for moistness.

[MerrillC1977]

I haven't personally done this, but I recall reading about it recently. I read that you use twice as much gelatin as xantham gum.

As far as cookies, I've made chocolate chip cookies without gum or starch. They are a little crumbly, but really work out fine. They are less crumbly if I make sure they are not undercooked at all.

Yes, I've also read that doubling is the way to go....but I've also read that a 1:1 substitution is the way to go, too. Hmmmm.

[MerrillC1977]

I doubt gelatin can be used in place of xanthan for breads. The reason is that gelatin melts at a relatively low temperature, thus it won't help the dough to hold the bubbles from leavening. Also, when it does cool enough to form a gel, the texture is notably different than xanthan. Some bread recipes do call for both xanthan and gelatin, and in such recipes I suppose the gelatin is there for moistness.

I've also read that "For breads...substitutes for guar or xanthan gums include milled flax seeds, coconut flour, and a yam product called glucomannan. All of these can be used 1:1 to substitute for either guar or xanthan gum."

Anyone know anything about this (specifically I am interested in the coconut flour) or have any expeirence with it? Thank you.

[Takala]

Gelatin won't really replace xanthan gum.

If you want to experiment with breads without gums, you can try using different combinations gluten-free flours that tend to gum up more when baked. These are buckwheat kasha, almond meal, amaranth. Flax meal soaked in warm water will gel up and act as a binder. So will chia seed (soaked in cold water, not hot) and soaked ground psyllium husk, normally used as a "fiber" source. (thanks to Rice Guy for telling us about this one)

I just ate some toast made out of a little microwave loaf with almond meal, blue corn, buckwheat, amaranth, garbanzo bean and potato starch. I used soaked chia seed and soaked psyllium husk and one egg, and it's almost too dense and sturdy, but I added a lot of sweetener so it tastes okay (but the color of the result was sort of ridiculous). I keep experimenting with this out of curiosity, as I can taste xanthan gum and think it's sort of weird, and I'd rather eat something less like white bread and higher in protein. When I first started baking gluten free, I used nothing but almond meal and eggs, so all this other stuff to me is still just sort of exotic. I had a mixture that tasted pretty close to whole wheat, by adding sorghum and millet to the above, but have had to tinker with it further, as the millet was not sitting right with me at all. (anyone want some leftover bread, I have instructed Spouse he must eat that last batch with the millet before more is forthcoming, and he's tired of it )

One of the easiest ways to do a gumless bread is either in a mini cast iron pan, like a cornbread is done, or as a flatbread/pancake. If you use 1/3 each buckwheat, garbanzo bean, and potato starch, it holds together well for a pancake and doesn't even need egg.

[MerrillC1977]

Gelatin won't really replace xanthan gum.

If you want to experiment with breads without gums, you can try using different combinations gluten-free flours that tend to gum up more when baked. These are buckwheat kasha, almond meal, amaranth. Flax meal soaked in warm water will gel up and act as a binder. So will chia seed (soaked in cold water, not hot) and soaked ground psyllium husk, normally used as a "fiber" source. (thanks to Rice Guy for telling us about this one)

I just ate some toast made out of a little microwave loaf with almond meal, blue corn, buckwheat, amaranth, garbanzo bean and potato starch. I used soaked chia seed and soaked psyllium husk and one egg, and it's almost too dense and sturdy, but I added a lot of sweetener so it tastes okay (but the color of the result was sort of ridiculous). I keep experimenting with this out of curiosity, as I can taste xanthan gum and think it's sort of weird, and I'd rather eat something less like white bread and higher in protein. When I first started baking gluten free, I used nothing but almond meal and eggs, so all this other stuff to me is still just sort of exotic. I had a mixture that tasted pretty close to whole wheat, by adding sorghum and millet to the above, but have had to tinker with it further, as the millet was not sitting right with me at all. (anyone want some leftover bread, I have instructed Spouse he must eat that last batch with the millet before more is forthcoming, and he's tired of it )

One of the easiest ways to do a gumless bread is either in a mini cast iron pan, like a cornbread is done, or as a flatbread/pancake. If you use 1/3 each buckwheat, garbanzo bean, and potato starch, it holds together well for a pancake and doesn't even need egg.

Thank you!. I will try these tips for sure.