Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Homemade Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix Recipe

One of the most annoying things about gluten free cooking is that you can't just use wheat flour for your recipes. You generally need a mix of different types of flours, because gluten free grains aren't like wheat- some are heavier, some are lighter, some are denser, some are stickier, etc... and in order to get something to be even remotely reminiscent of wheat flour, you usually have to mix at least 3 or 4 different ingredients...

To make gluten free cooking and baking easier, companies sell gluten free flour mix to use instead of regular flour that work in most recipes, but you know me- I don't like buying anything that I can make myself, especially if I can make it cheaper than the store bought alternative...

I've scoured the net for recipes to make my own gluten free all purpose flour mix, but most call for expensive ingredients, or ingredients I can't buy locally, or a combination of the two. Fortunately, I've discovered this gluten free all purpose flour mix that doesn't use any crazy expensive or exotic ingredients (well, compared to the standard gluten free stuff) and works pretty well in so many recipes. You have no idea how excited I am to be sharing this recipe with you. Its pretty much  the "solution" to the "gluten free issue".
I've used it successfully in making wontons/noodles, in making my cheapo vegan chocolate cake recipe, in my pancake recipe, in roll out cookies, etc. With a good gluten free flour mix, you can cook like you used to cook, with (almost) all your old recipes, just GFied.

So now, I proudly present to you, the tried and tested all purpose gluten free flour mix!

Some recipes for gluten free all purpose flour mixes leave out the xanthan gum- I include it, because it allows you to replace the flour in your old recipes as is, without needing to add the xanthan gum each time.

Homemade Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mix Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
2 tsp xanthan gum

Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together very well, so that the flour is a uniform mixture.

That's it!

Now you can use it in most recipes that call for wheat all purpose flour. Start experimenting- the texture is pretty similar to wheat flour, but because it is missing the gluten, you won't necessarily get the same exact results- gluten provides a stretchiness that the xanthan gum is unable to mimic 100%. If you do need some stretchiness (but not a ton), try adding some extra xanthan gum.

This recipe doesn't work as a replacement for flour in regular bread recipes, I'm sorry to say.

So, what have I made with this gluten free all purpose flour mix?

Super Delicioso Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Okonomiyaki- Japanese Cabbage Pancakes


Cheapo Vegan Chocolate Cake


Gluten Free Wontons


Gluten Free Noodles


And much else...

(I'll be sharing all the above recipes at some point in the near future.)

If there is one page from my website that I recommend bookmarking, its this one, because it's very, very, very versatile and useful. (I'll be putting a link to it in my menu bar on top. And yes, I know the menu bar doesn't work so well... I have to fix it when I get a spare second.)

So, if you cook GF, do you use store bought gluten free flour mixes, or do you make your own all purpose flour mix? If you buy, what company do you purchase your all purpose gluten free flour from? If you make yours at home, what do you put in your mix? Do you find those flour mixes to really be "all purpose" or do you find it's touch and go, with the flour mix only working for some things but not for others? What have you successfully made with your gluten free flour mix?
If you've tried out this mix, what have you thought of it?


22 comments:

  1. I want to thank you I wish more people left comments. being gluten free has been the hardest thing I've ever done. I loved bread sooo much & deep fat fried things breaded & crispy. I hate not being able to just go to KFC or get a cupcake when I want one :( I'm looking for something that will get me that crispy crunch on fried chicken. thank you so much for giving me something I can make cookies with & pasta :)

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    1. when i want a crispy coating i dip my chicken in egg and then in cornstarch.

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    2. I dip my chicken in egg and then almond meal and then fry in coconut oil. It really is a wonderful combination and yes, it does satisfy my desire for crispy - though it isn't like you get at KFC. But it's still scrumptious!

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    3. Use Rice Krispies for a coating on the chicken and bake. You can add a little parmesan cheese for added flavor. Makes a nice crunchy chicken.

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    4. For anyone reading this, regular Rice Krispies are NOT gluten free.

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  2. I'm gluten free, my husband isn't. I've had to adjust recipes, sometimes with success, other times not. Don't be afraid to try things. Roll your chicken in egg wash and then gf bisquik and chex. I bake mine in the oven and it's nice and crunchy, which is what we love!

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  3. When using this recipe to replace flour what ratio of Gluten free flour to regular flour is needed?

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  4. I used this recipe to make Banana bread and used Sorghum flour instead. End result was fabulous; super fluffy and moist.

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  5. You can use a bean flour mix instead of a rice mix. I don't care for rice flour as much a a bean flour mix because rice flour is grainy and the other gluten free flours are soft like wheat.

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    1. When using bean flour do you use the same ratio's as with the rice flour? thank you.

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    2. One can also use millet seed flour instead of sorghum or bean:
      https://www.thespruce.com/nutritious-millet-in-gluten-free-recipes-1451199
      The health benefit of millet is that it is more alkalyzing than other seed or grain flours. There are even sources for pre-germinated millet. The problem with millet is that it does not store long and will go rancid tasting.

      The best tasting white bread I've had to date was a millet flour based loaf I purchased from a local organic grocer.

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  6. Yes, I have been working with someone who does NAET work - had to go gluten free because of developing arthritis and fibromyalgia issues. Aside from giving up wheat, I've had to 'treat' for rice, quinoa, arrowroot, and tapioca. The one that keeps cropping up and which I fear I am turning completely intolerant to is the rice flours, especially the brown rice, which most AP flours aside from the Bob's - and most 'make your own' mixes online are based on. A local bakery uses sorghum a lot instead of rice flour in the mixes they base their GF quick breads, cookies etc on. What would you recommend for doing a rice flour free mix that is a good AP and a substitute for those items or things that Bob's bean flour doesn't quite do it right? I hear a lot of complaints about people using Bob's including Nicole Hunn's blog but....I bought her first GF on a shoestring book which totally uses the Bob's and enjoyed everything I made and provided you don't leave your baked items sitting around too many days, yes, then the bean flour will start to taste a little sour - I noticed making her chocolate chip cookies in there that when you increased the salt to 1 tsp rather than 1/2 it helped minimize that 'sour' bean flour taste so maybe just increasing the salt a bit in other recipes might help. Don't know but that was my own personal experience in her chocolate chip recipe with the Bob's. Thanks.

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  7. did anyone try this flour mix for pizza dough?

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  8. This recipe is very similar to Wholesome Chow's all-purpose flour mix, which I like best of all of them. I'm going to mix this recipe up and use their recipes. Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Is tapioca starch the same as tapioca flour?

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  10. You can use millet flour instead of the rice.
    I buy millet and grind it to flour myself :-) It's got a nice texture and no bean-y flavour.

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  11. A few people may also react to sulfites which are added to some tapioca starch and potato starch (check with the brand and ask), and corn starch. Might be ok to use organic. Also have been reducing slowly oxalates (hi in buckwheat,almond,sweet potatos).

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  12. Oh, my word, I just came across one of your posts on Pinterest this morning, and have been reading/re-pinning ever since. I have been gf/df for years, but am so excited to try your recipes. Thanks so much!!

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  13. I use a combo of almond flour/meal coconut flour and tapioca flour. 1.5c almond, 1/4 coconut, 1/4 tapioca.. beautiful cupcakes and breads.

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  14. I like that you are both frugal and conscious of what constitutes healthy eating without setting impossibly high standards.

    I do like my noodles and wontons and purchased a spiralizer which helps. I shy away from all grains and seeds and eggs and dairy and, like yourself and your readers, am testing out substitutes. In fact I have a can of coconut flour that I'm just staring at after reading how difficult it is to do any conventional cooking with unless you load it up with almond meal, which I won't be doing. Coconut flour seems to be best suited for cookie making.

    I noticed you are exploring aquafaba and it seems to be a godsend for frugal healthy eaters, and as soon as I get an egg beater I will try it with the coconut flour as a binder instead of eggs. I'm starting to read up on psyllium powder and there is a recipe for noodles with psyllium powder.

    So, I've switched over to masa harina and organic polenta for now, plus some white rice when I have a complex carb craving. I've learned to love more my fruits and veggies. When Aldi's has their sprouted bread in stock I will cheat and make myself a Dagwood sandwich with it :-)

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  15. I'm with you on switching to coconut flour, but I can't tolerate almond meal.

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  16. Thanks for sharing this.

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