Gluten-free baking

GlutenA protein that is found in the cereals wheat, barley and rye. gives your bread, cakes and pastry the right texture. Without gluten bread would be less chewy and cakes and pastry drier and more crumbly. However, there are many specialty flours on the market that work quite well for using in your favourite recipes. Our online shop offers many cookbooks dedicated to gluten-freeWhen a food has less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten so it is safe for people with coeliac disease to eat. baking as well.

Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum, pronounced zanthan gum, is a type of starch produced by fermentation (the same process used to make yoghurt, cheese and wine). It is widely used in food and household goods such as toothpaste, sauces and mayonnaise and may appear in ingredients lists as xanthan gum or E415. It is a completely natural vegetarian product with no known health problems when used in the recommended amounts.

What does it do?

Xanthan gum is a useful ingredient for baking with gluten-free mixes as it improves the texture and shelf life of your baked products. It can be used in many home-cooking recipes and when using breadmakers. When added to gluten-free flour mixes, it replaces the gluten 'stretch factor'. It works very like gluten by binding ingredients during the baking process to give a conventional texture.

How do you use it?

Xanthan gum comes in a powder form which dissolves easily in water. Mix it with the gluten-free mix before adding any liquid. You may need to use a bit more liquid as the xanthan gum thickens the mixture quite a lot. It does not need heat to thicken like flour does, but it is not affected by oven temperatures either, making it quite versatile. The amount you use depends on whether the gluten-free mix you are using already has some form of gum (usually guar gum). The basic principle for a gluten-free mix that already contains a gum is as follows:

Where can I find it?

You can find xanthan gum in the ‘free from’ aisle of some of the major supermarkets. A lot of health food stores and organic shops stock it and it is also available by mail order (see our Food and Drink Directory for available brands). Xanthan gum is also available on prescription.

Guar Gum

Guar gum comes from the seeds of Cyamopsis Tetragonolobus (the locust bean), a member of the pea family native to India. It acts as a thickener and bulks out food.

Breadmakers

We suggest that you contact suppliers of the special gluten-free flour and bread mixes which you prefer as they may be able to supply you with information on using their mix in a breadmaker.

As with all gluten-free cooking, cleaning and hygiene precautions must be taken with breadmakers regarding cross-contamination if the equipment has been, or is also used, for food which contains gluten. Additional pans can be bought for some models of breadmakers if you want to have a separate one for gluten-free baking.

Our Local Groups regularly hold cookery demonstrations and can pass on tips on using breadmakers and opinions on particular models.