Guide to GF/Vegan Baking

If you are new to the world of baking gluten free and vegan, I am giving you the sign of the cross and saying an extra prayer for you right now. Let me preface the baking basics by saying:

YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES.

A LOT OF THEM.

It is inevitable. and you need to accept it now, and accept that this is a learning curve. Be open to it. The work is hard but the rewards are great. Now put your apron and sense of humor on, possibly grab a tissue (for many tears of joy and/or sorrow) and let’s get baking…

I use a 60/40 Ratio for measuring out my all purpose mix:

60% Medium flour Blend/40% Starches Blend

GF Flours:

• Almond meal
• Hazelnut meal
• Coconut flour
• Superfine Brown Rice
• Millet
• Sorghum
• Teff
• Oat
• Regular Brown Rice
• White Rice
• White Sticky Rice
• Cornmeal (stone ground)
• Amaranth
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Garbanzo Bean
• Soy

Starches:

• Potato starch
• Tapioca starch (or also called flour)
• Arrowroot
• Corn starch
• Sweet Rice flour

Gums:

• Xanthan
• Guar

There are 3 different gluten-free flour textures:

(1). Light: *starchy, less nutritional*

• Potato Starch
• Tapioca Starch
• Arrowroot Powder
• Cornstarch
• Sweet Rice flour

(2). Medium: *lightly dense with good nutritional value*

• Coconut
• Garbanzo bean
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Quinoa flakes
• Sorghum
• Superfine Brown Rice
• White Rice
• Teff
• Amaranth
• Soy

(3). Heavy: *most dense and with the most nutritional value of all gluten-free flours*

•  Buckwheat
• Regular Brown Rice
• Cornmeal
• All Nut Flours (almond, hazelnut, etc)

Because Gluten-Free Flours are sans gluten {shocking!}, it gets tricky baking with one flour alone from the medium to heavy textures. There are a few exceptions that can do this (Quinoa and Oat flours) but in general, it’s best to create a blend. When baking Gluten-Free, the recipe for creating an all-purpose flour mix will typically include one of the 3 following combinations:

Combo #1:

1. 1 Medium flour
2. 1 or 2 starches
3. a gum (xanthan or guar)

Combo #2

1. 2 Medium flours
2. 1 or 2 starches
3. a gum (xanthan or guar)

Combo #3

1. 1 Medium flour + 1 Heavy flour
2. 1 or 2 starches
3. a gum (xanthan or guar)

For Gums:

I don’t pre-add any gums to my all purpose blends because, depending on what type of baked good you make, different amounts of the gum will be needed. These are the xanthan gum add-in ratios for each type of baked good:

Cookies: 1/4 tsp xanthan gum per each cup of flour in the recipe

Pancakes/Waffles: 1/4 tsp per 1 cup

Cakes: 1/2 tsp per 1 cup

Muffins/Quick breads: 3/4 tsp per 1 cup

Pizza: 2 tsp per 1 cup

To create your own All Purpose mix, play around with the different combos above. I like to keep at least a 60% flour to 40% starch ratio.  Now, there are some great all purpose flour mixes out there that do all the guessing work for you. Sometimes it is just easier to buy it all from one bag…Trust me, I get it! 

Here are 2 of my favorites:

If you can overlook the strange taste/smell that this all purpose mix emits, this really is a great mix to have around the house. What I like Chickpea flour is how it adds a beautiful rise to my baked goods like muffins and cakes (However, NEVER taste test the dough–you will be sorry you tried it!) Now that I have gotten the hang of flour varieties, I tend to use this mix towards savory things like crackers and roux only. All in all, this is a great all purpose mix to have, especially if you are just starting out!

This definitely is an all purpose mix dropped down from the gluten-free gods in heaven. A mix of sorghum, white rice and a variety of starches, Authentic Foods Featherlight Blend provides a great mix for baked goods like cookies, pancakes, waffles, and normal cooking calling for flour. Please note that this mix unfortunately does not work for bread recipes. It also doesn’t necessarily have a pretty hue {more like starchy white}.

You might have to order this online if your WholeFoods doesn’t carry it.

Milk Replacements:

• Almond
• Hemp
• Rice
• Coconut
• Soy
• Oat

Buttermilk:

• Use any of the non-dairy milks above and add vinegar (for every 1 cup of milk, use 1 Tb. raw apple cider vinegar, mix and let it sit and sour for 10 minutes).

Cream:

• MimiCreme products are incredible! A nut based cream, offered in sweetened and unsweetened versions that are great for baked goods, coffee creamer, or even savory dishes like creamy soups.

Yogurt/Sour Cream:

• Any non-dairy yogurt made from coconut, soy or rice milk…
• Tofutti Sour “Cream”

Butter:

• Earth Balance margarine
• Non-hydrogenated shortening
• Oil (extra virgin olive oil, melted coconut oil, canola, vegetable, or safflower oils)

Eggs:

Per 1 egg:

• Flaxseed meal (1 Tb + 3 Tbs warm water, whisk and allow to set for 10 minutes)–not ideal for breads or cakes, however
• Baking Soda and Vinegar (1 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp cider vinegar–Add the powder to the dry ingredients, the vinegar to the liquid ingredients and wait until the very end to combine and then quickly put into the oven).
• Ener-G Egg Replacer (1 1/2 tsp + 3 Tb warm water, whisk until frothy).
• 1/4 c. applesauce
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 1/4 c. Silken tofu, blended
• 1 Tb softened Tofutti “Better than Cream Cheese”
• 1 Tb softened Tofutti Sour “Cream”
• 1 Tb arrowroot powder/cornstarch/any starch + 2 Tb water
• 1/4 c. non-dairy yogurt

Mess around with these alternatives and see what works and what you like. Everything here, from GF flours to alternatives to eggs are all about individual tastes. Do what works for you. Happy experimenting! 

Are we square on the Gluten-Free  and Vegan Baking now? I know, me neither, but get used to it. We are all learning. Welcome to the club. Let’s keep learning together because there is always room to add more rules. Deal? Deal! More rules = More room for mistakes = More senses of humor please!

If ever you have any questions, please feel free to email me (Cara) at: myforkandbeans@gmail.com