Favorite Flour Blend?

[AMom2010]

Typed on my phone - sorry for typos!

I am finally getting up the nerve to try some gluten-free baking after nearly 4 months gluten free since the holidays are approaching. I also want to share my love of baking with my daughter and have realized I don't want to give up the fun of baking and the special memories we will make together. Some of my best childhood memories are the ones with my mother in the kitchen.

From reading previous post, I understand it is best to use a blend of flours when you bake. I see the the King Arthur blend is popular, would you advise me to start using it or make me own blend? Any other tips for substituting gluten-free flours for wheat flour are welcome too! I admit I am really overwhelmed, but usually when that is the case it's not as difficult as I anticipated. Thanks in advance, I know this is the best place to get my answers

[mushroom]

There are loads of better bakers on here than me, but I'll get you started. Gluten free flours, as you have learned (with the possible exception of almond) work best in cmbination with others. Generally you will use one or more starches (white/brown rice, tapioca, potato, arrowroot, corn) along with another higher protein flour with more structure/texture like buckwheat, sorghum, garbanzo or other pea flours, nut flours, coconut, sweet potato, quinoa, amaranth, millet, masa harina, teff - you see, you can totally fill your pantry up with flours

If you are just starting out try some mixes until you get used to the tastes and textures of gluten free baking and before buying any flours in bulk. You don't want 5lbs of something you detest sitting in your pantry And there may well be some of these that you do not tolerate, not being used to digesting them. I specifically left soy out of there because that's my own personal bias but some like it - many don't tolerate it.

You will get lots of other advice.

[sa1937]

Mushroom has given you some good advice. I am a total flour junkie...well, except I won't buy soy flour either. Every cookbook author has their own favorite flour and starch combinations and it can be quite overwhelming. One size does not fit all.

Try some of the mixes and pay attention to some of the flours used in them. Some people don't like the bean flours and find them unpalatable; others like them. Some want high protein; others want bland tasting white flours/starches. Invariably it will be a combination of flours and starches as we try everything in our power to replicate the elusive elasticity of wheat.

For mixes that are easy to find, Betty Crocker will be one. My local Wal-Mart carries their gluten-free brownie mix, cake mixes and cookie mix and as you have already discovered...gluten-free Bisquick. It does make good tasting pancakes...just not very good pizza. I also like Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix for quick breads, muffins, pancakes and waffles.

I'm sure you'll get a lot more responses, too.

ETA: Do you have anything specific that you'd like to bake?

[AMom2010]

I really enjoy making cakes and cookies. I want to try the peanut butter cookies, but DD can't have nuts until 2 yrs old. I love cake decorating as a hobby and have a Betty crocker chocolate mix in the pantry so I will try that first. Hubby's birthday is coming up and I'm afraid he's not going to like it when I tell him I'm not going to make his favorite, Texas sheet cake...

[Roda]

I really enjoy making cakes and cookies. I want to try the peanut butter cookies, but DD can't have nuts until 2 yrs old. I love cake decorating as a hobby and have a Betty crocker chocolate mix in the pantry so I will try that first. Hubby's birthday is coming up and I'm afraid he's not going to like it when I tell him I'm not going to make his favorite, Texas sheet cake...

Here are just a few recipes I found from a google search for "gluten free texas sheet cake." I personally like the sound of the first link...

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Now the fun begins experimenting!! I think hubby could have his cake and eat it too!

Go on Betty Crocker's website and there are a whole bunch of gluten free recipes using their gluten free mixes. I have tried the carrot cake, russian tea cakes (if I make them again I will have to tweek the recipe, they crumbled and didn't hold their shape), sugar cookies, and snickerdoodles. My youngest son's favorite is the snickerdoodles. I have found when I make the snickerdoodles(from the bisquik mix) I have to add extra xanthan gum. I don't know the amount right now, but I do have it writtain down if you want it.

[sa1937]

While it's not a chocolate sheet cake, my gluten-eating friends really like this Open Original Shared Link and have all asked me for the recipe.

[BakingQueen]

I really like the mixture of 3 cups brown rice flour, 3 cups white rice flour, 2 cups potato starch, and 1 cup tapioca starch. Thts makes about 9 cups, and it works really well for breads, cakes, muffins etc.

[AMom2010]

Oh baking queen I wish I had seen your post before I went shopping today. My hubby bought me " The gluten-free Bible" and I thought I would try the blend the author suggests. It's one cup of each: white rice flour, tapioca flour, sorgum flour, cornstarch, and almond flour. I plan to bake the chocolate fudge cookies in the the same book tonight. I will follow up with my results! I am cautiously optimistic

[sa1937]

Oh baking queen I wish I had seen your post before I went shopping today. My hubby bought me " The gluten-free Bible" and I thought I would try the blend the author suggests. It's one cup of each: white rice flour, tapioca flour, sorgum flour, cornstarch, and almond flour. I plan to bake the chocolate fudge cookies in the the same book tonight. I will follow up with my results! I am cautiously optimistic

Actually that flour blend sounds like a pretty good combination. Yes, we definitely want to know the results of those cookies!

[AMom2010]

While it's not a chocolate sheet cake, my gluten-eating friends really like this Open Original Shared Link and have all asked me for the recipe.

I looked at the reviews for this, and one poster said she uses this for cake balls! I love makin cake balls, can't waitti try it out, thank you so much!!

[lemontree1]

Here's my blend-- and it makes delicious bread:

4 cups brown rice

4 cups sorghum

3 cups teff

3 cups arrowroot

Bread:

3 cups of the above mix

1 Tbs xantham gum

1 Tbs yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbs honey

2 eggs

1 Tbs oil

1 Tbs vinegar

1 1/2 cups warm water

Mix up well, put in a greased bread pan, let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

[AMom2010]

Thank you for all the input!

Last night I made waffles from the gfb using the blend I mentioned above, and they tasted really good!! I was so excited, especially since I expected it to taste as awful at the bisquick pizza crust I made last week . I am so relieved to know I can continue baking and share those precious memories with my daughter!

The only thing I noticed that was a bit "off" regarding the pancakes was that while they were crisp when I removed them from the waffle iron they didn't stay crisp. Oh well, at least the taste was good, I guess we can't have it all

[MJ-S]

I've used the Namaste flour blend and really liked it! I also use their pancake waffle mix to make yummy pancakes.