Gluten-free baking
Baking gluten-free can be a challenge because removing gluten reduces the elasticity of flour.
There are many specialty flours on the market that work quite well for using in your favourite recipes. Our online shop has many cookbooks dedicated to gluten-free baking, too.
Additionally, there are some additives you can use to improve your baking:
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 has the very special characteristic of being stretchy and so acts like gluten in providing structure in baking and making softer, less crumbly bread, pastry and cakes. It is widely used in foodstuffs and household goods e.g. toothpaste, sauces, 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 - it improves the texture and life of your baking. It can be used in many home-cooking recipes and in breadmakers. Xanthan gum, when added to gluten-free flour mixes, 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 in water easily. Just mix it with the gluten-free mix before adding any liquid. You may need to use a little more liquid as the xanthan gum thickens the mixture quite considerably. It doesn't need heat to thicken up like flour does, but it is not affected by oven temperatures either so it is very 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 gum, is as follows:
Bread 5 ml/1 tsp to 450g/1lb gluten-free mix
Pastry 1.5ml/¼ tsp to 225g/8oz gluten-free mix
Sponge cakes Not absolutely necessary, a matter of preference
Rich fruit cakes 2.5 ml/½ tsp to 225g/8oz gluten-free mix
Light fruit cakes 1/8 tsp to 175g/6oz gluten-free mix
Where can it be found?
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.
What is Guar Gum?
Guar gum is a plant derivative and is a gum extracted from the stored food in the seeds of Cyamopsis Tetragonolobus (locust bean), a member of the pea family native to India. It acts as a thickening agent, an emulsion stabiliser and a dietary bulking agent.
Try out your baking using one of our gluten-free cookery books - you can buy one at our shop.
Breadmakers
There are many types of automatic breadmakers on the market and some have specific gluten-free settings.
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 gluten containing food. For some models of breadmakers additonal pans can be bought. This means gluten-free and gluten-containing bread could be baked in the same breadmaker without the risk of cross-contamination.
Our local groups regularly hold cookery demonstrations and can pass on tips on using breadmakers and opinions on particular models. Find your local group here.
