Gluten is found in wheat, Kamut, spelled, barley, rye, oats (with a nuance), as well as in products made from these cereals (bread, pasta, cookies…). It has binding and swelling properties which make it an interesting ingredient for manufacturers, because it allows to obtain well puffed breads, with a honeycomb crumb, soft cakes … Without it, these same recipes tend to remain flat, to crumble or to break when slicing. But don’t worry, it’s possible to bake gluten-free at home without fearing the smirks of the guests!
For pies that hold together well
The gluten-free pie crusts are more fragile and less malleable than wheat flour pasta, to which gluten gives elasticity. They crumble easily when you spread them out and break when you take them off the worktop to install them in their mold. Here is the technique to fill your pie plate well:
- Place your ball of pie dough made with a mix of gluten-free flour (see the recipe in video below) on a sheet of baking paper, flatten it by hand.
- Cover it with a sheet of stretch film and roll it out with a rolling pin.
- Then gently peel off the film and install the dough, still on the baking paper, directly in the mold.
- With your fingertips, make it hug the edges, then install the filling and cook.
- Let the tart cool completely in its mold: the edges will be able to retract and the unmoulding will be done without breakage.
In video: the recipe for the gluten-free pie dough mix
To know : if you are preparing a tart with fruit filled with water (peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums, pears, etc.), cover the bottom of the tart with a little breadcrumbs of gluten-free biscuits or almond powder, hazelnut, pistachio, or tapioca. Colorless and neutral in taste, it will absorb fruit juice and provide softness.
For very soft cakes
The gluten free cakes often have the image of stuffy or crumbling preparations. In cakes, eggs, yeast and fat already promote the binder and softness. When making a gluten-free cake or cake, don’t try to lighten it at all costs, for example by using 0% yogurt instead of fat.
- Remember to incorporate a small amount of starch, which lightens the dough.
- Do not forget the yeast (gluten free), whether you are baking a cake, a cake or muffins.
- Prepare a mixture of flour and starch, which you will have on hand when you need to make a sweet recipe. Their combination will promote swelling.
- Think about guar gum: thanks to its thickening, stabilizing and emulsifying properties, it is widely used by the food industry to improve the texture of sauces, soups, breads, ice creams, etc. In home baking, it allows aeration of the crumbs of breads and cakes without gluten, make them softer and avoid hard, compact results. Quite expensive to buy, however, it lasts a long time: we only use 2 to 5 g per kg of flour.
The recipe for the “gluten-free mix” for cakes
In a large salad bowl, pour:
- 300 g of rice flour
- 300 g of brown rice flour
- 200 g of potato or cornstarch starch
- 100 g of tapioca flour. Mix for a long time with a spoon.
- Sift when ready to use as directed in desired recipe.
Store this ready-made “gluten-free mix” in a glass jar or airtight plastic box. Keep cool and protected from light. You will use it instead of wheat flour for your recipes for muffins, cakes and other homemade cakes.
Read also :
- Gluten intolerant: what do I replace it with?
- Zoom on buckwheat flour
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