The science of gluten-free baking can be hard to figure out. Keep reading for all my tips and tricks on how to make perfect gluten-free treats!
Baking science sounds complicated enough, but the science of gluten-free baking? Now that sounds confusing! Don't worry, I've got all the basics of gluten-free baking covered so you'll never be confused in the kitchen again.
In this post, I'll define what the science of gluten-free baking is, show some examples of why it's good to know the science of gluten-free baking and give you some recipes and tips on the science of gluten-free baking to get perfect gluten-free treats every time!
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What is the science of gluten-free baking?
Why is the science of gluten-free baking important?
Types of Gluten-Free Flours
Science Behind Common Baking Problems
What is the science of gluten-free baking?
In traditional (non-gluten-free) baking, baking science is all about how the dough rises, why cookies spread, and what temperature is best for your oven. But the science of gluten-free baking is all that and MORE!
The most important parts of a gluten-free recipe are the oven temperature, gluten-free flour blend, and moisture levels.
Oven temperature is crucial for gluten-free recipes because gluten-free treats brown faster and bake slower than a non-gluten-free recipe. Gluten-free flour holds more moisture which makes the baked good take longer to bake through. Pay attention to baking time in recipes and adjust accordingly. For example, a gluten-filled cookie may be baked at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Adjust the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes if making gluten-free cookies.
A gluten-free flour blend is best if it already contains xanthan gum. Not all gluten-free flours are the same blend of ingredients, so it's essential to check the label to see if the blend contains xanthan gum; however, some gluten-free recipes call for a flour blend WITHOUT xanthan gum. If the blend doesn't contain xanthan gum, the baked good may turn out dense and grainy instead of fluffy.
Moisture is key in gluten-free recipes. Gluten-free flour absorbs more liquid than regular flour, so you must account for that by adding more eggs, milk, and/or butter to recipes. The ingredients in gluten-free flour blends, like brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starches, or white rice flour, absorb a lot of moisture. To read some quick tips on gluten-free baking, click HERE.
Why is the science of gluten-free baking important?
It is SO important to understand the basics of gluten-free baking if you're gluten-free or know somebody who is gluten-free.
Of course, you want a recipe to turn out, and knowing the science behind gluten-free baking makes it more likely that your gluten-free baked goods will turn out.
If you're a baker, I think it's beneficial to know this information in case you need to ever make a gluten-free recipe like gluten-free bread. More and more people are turning to gluten-free foods, too. Knowledge is power!
It's always good to know the differences between different blends of gluten-free flour. To read my full guide on gluten-free flour, click HERE.
Types of Gluten-Free Flours
Almond Flour - almond flour is made from ground almonds. It has a slightly nutty flavor, but it is not a 1:1 substitute for a gluten-free flour blend.
Oat Flour - oat flour is made from ground oats, so you need to make sure they are certified gluten-free. Oat flour makes cookies gooey, but I recommend using oat flour in combination with another gluten-free flour for most gluten-free batters and gluten-free goods.
Gluten-free flour blend - a good gluten-free flour blend like King Arthur's Measure-for-Measure or Cup4Cup are both great for anyone on a gluten-free diet. It's a 1:1 substitute for regular flour (so 1 cup of flour to 1 cup of gluten-free flour).
Science Behind Common Baking Problems
Mushy Texture
The mushy texture in cookies, cakes, and quick breads usually comes from a problem with oven temperatures. I recommend lowering the oven temperature and baking the confection for a longer time.
Overcooked
If a baked good is overcooked, that means it's most likely in an oven that is too hot. It's similar to a mushy temperature. Lower the oven temperature and bake the treat for a longer time.
Too Dense
A dense final product means you need more baking powder or baking soda. Check to see if the recipe calls for it, and try adding a combination of baking powder and baking soda to give the treat a softer texture.
Dry Texture
A dry texture means you need more liquid. Try adding an extra egg, some buttermilk, yogurt, or butter to the batter for a moist baked good.
Crumbly
A crumbly final product means you need to add more xanthan gum. Double-check to make sure the flour blend you used contained it, too.
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Gluten-free baked goods can be a tricky thing to figure out because it's an exact science, but you'll figure it out with these tips. To read more about my gluten-free baking school, click HERE.
Traditional Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.
Gluten makes the dough elastic enough that the bubble walls can expand like a little balloon without tearing up until the point where the bread overproofs. When carbon dioxide exerts more pressure than a proofed dough can withstand, the gluten structure weakens, releasing the gas and deflating the overproofed dough.
Eggs can replace many of the functions that gluten provides, such as binding, enhancing texture and helping set the structure of the final product. Besides eggs, which are protein-based, two starch-based products often used to bind and thicken gluten-free baked products are guar gum and xanthan gum.
Otherwise try using 25 percent more chemical raising agents (baking soda or baking powder) if you're converting a recipe to gluten free. b. Your cake may not have enough structure due to using only one type of gluten-free flour.
Best Overall: Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
This mix, which has all recognizable ingredients (including sweet white rice flour, which is the main ingredient in mochi, a nice light, powdery, starchy flour that doubles as a binder), worked well in all three of our tests.
“Properly balancing the starches, proteins and hydrocolloids is essential.” Aaron Reed, senior food technologist, Cargill, echoed that bread is the hardest product to replicate when developing a gluten-free product.
The flour with the lowest amount of gluten in it is cake flour containing only 7-9% gluten. It is of course used in cake, but also muffins and delicate cookies. All-purpose flour has 8-11% gluten in it. It can be used to make things like waffles, pie crusts, pastries, and cookies.
Bread flour can contain up to 13% gluten, while all-purpose flour, a flour often used in pasta, typically has 8-11% gluten content. However, these percentages can change based on the type of grain and flour used when making bread and pasta.
Because yeast are living organisms, any gluten or other proteins in their growth media have the potential to be broken down by the yeast's enzymes—effectively making the growth media similar to a fermented product.
Apple cider vinegar or another acid lightens up the dough. You can add up to 4 Tbsp of acid for 500 g gluten-free flour. Don't worry, you won't be able to taste it afterwards. To lighten up a yeast dough even more, you can add a packet of baking powder or cream of tartar baking powder to 500 g flour.
If gluten-free cakes aren't falling apart, they often turn out heavy and unpleasantly dense. That's because gluten creates little pockets of air, so baked goods turn out springy and fluffy; gluten-free flours and grains are lacking this crucial element.
Gluten-free baked goods often benefit from extra liquid to hydrate the flour blends, eliminate grittiness, and achieve a less dense or dry texture. However, it's very important to drive off this extra moisture during baking, or you'll wind up with a gummy texture.
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
If your ingredients are cold, that will reduce the warmth and your dough may not achieve the rise it needs. Conversely, make sure that your mix isn't too warm/hot either.
2. Mix Batters Longer. While conventional wisdom has taught us not to overmix our batters, we've found most gluten-free batters simply need to be stirred for longer. If you're worried this will turn your muffins and cakes rubbery, have no fear.
Xanthan gum: Critical in gluten-free baking, xanthan gum holds ingredients together, providing elasticity and springiness. Like baking soda or baking powder, you need only a little to make a big difference.
The lack of wheat flour and gluten in the products significantly reduces the moisture retention capacity of the product, thereby resulting in gluten-free products typically having a very low shelf life.
There are many ways to increase moisture in a recipe. In general, recipes that call for pureed fruit, sour cream or yogurt are ones you can rely on for a moist product. In case your recipe does not call for these things, using brown sugar instead of white sugar to add moisture.
Introduction: My name is Velia Krajcik, I am a handsome, clean, lucky, gleaming, magnificent, proud, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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