gluten free baking

[scrowley]

so I finally made some gluten free pumpkin muffins and irish soda bread yesterday and both tasted so bad even my kids wouldnt touch them who will eat any5thing sweet, i followed the "convert your favourite recipes message".
they were awful, i always baked alot before this is so depressing.
if this is my future, my kids told me please mom go back to baking the old way.
the bread stayed in the oven for well over an hour and still looked like crap.
i am depressed and the GF breads out there look awful.
i used the GF all purpose flour and xanthan gum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If almond flours maybe contaminated what is there to do??
this is expensive and depressing

[tex]

You need advice from someone who knows a lot more about baking than I do, so hopefully, you'll get some good responses from members who know what they're doing. I can assure you that it's possible to make GF foods that are just as tasty, (or even more appealing), than conventional gluten-based recipes. That doesn't mean that it's easy, but it's certainly not unrealistically difficult, either.

The first thing I would suggest is to try recipes that were designed from scratch to be GF, (such as the recipes that Dee and other members here have posted in Dee's Kitchen). Converting recipes can be done, but that requires special skills and experience that allow you to predict which ingredients will make the best substitutions, (IOW, which ones will work well together), and in what ratios they should be used, etc. For many recipes, that may require the judgment and experience of an expert chef. Sticking with proven recipes that were developed from scratch, specifically to be free of food-sensitivities, will avoid all that complexity, and it will also minimize the risk of failure. GF bread, for example, can be very tricky to make. Some find it much easier to use a bread machine. That's why for so many years, most commercial GF breads reminded us of doorstops.

These days, though, much better recipes are available, and many are available as mixes. Betty Crocker, for example, even sells cake and brownie mixes at competitive prices, which should be available in most mainstream grocery stores.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gl ... king-mixes

Tex

[nancyl]

I know it is hard and I have thrown out a few things myself. www.glutenfreegoddess.com is a good website that I use a lot. I have make her cranberry apple cake twice and it came out like a regular cake. I am DF so put some DF ice cream on top of the warm cake and it was delicious. King Arthur all purpose flour is good for pancakes and waffles. There's a lot out there and like Tex said check out Dee's Kitchen here and you'll find lots of recipes.

This is the apple cake site: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2 ... rries.html

Good luck,
Nancy

[Gloria]

It takes a little bit of time to get used to the taste of some GF baked products. Irish soda bread's flavor depends almost completely on the flour used, and most GF flour have a different flavor than wheat-based flour.

It's better to not convert a traditional gluten recipe to a GF recipe. I leave that up to the experts. As Tex wrote, you're better off using a GF recipe. I wouldn't attempt to substitute anything until you've had enough experience working with gluten-free flours. For example, a GF bread mix cannot be kneaded. The consistency of the dough is somewhat similar to a cake batter. In time, you'll learn what the consistency should be for different products. For now, use recipes in Dee's kitchen or on the Internet. Many of them are very tasty.

Gloria

[scrowley]

I did attempt to use Dee's recipe for the pumpkin muffins and they also turned out bad in my hands,
i am sure the all purpose flour i am using has something to do with it or maybe it just tastes different and i have to get over it.thanks for the advice

[Deb]

I have found a real "off" taste in some of the gluten free flour mixes. One that I figured out that was really bad sometimes was tapioca flour, which was surprising since I liked tapioca. I had purchased and sampled each flour until I figured out the one that tasted so bad. Since then I have learned that the tapioca flour can go bad relatively quickly. I purchased some tapioca and ground it in a coffee grinder and it did not have that taste. I'm finding that I am
using the mixes very little and when I want to bake something I'm learning more toward almond, flax and coconut flours. The woman at the site below has tasty, gluten free recipes that are also low carb and healthy. She doesn't use sugar but you could if you're so inclined (her latest favorite sweetener is chicory root). I've made her rhubarb crisp and recently her glazed pumpkin donuts (I made mini muffins) and they were both good. http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/ I have found that the products may not taste exactly like I was used to but they can still be good. I am still searching for that perfect bread though. Deb

[maestraz]

Just FYI, I recently found a magazine at Whole Foods (and there's also an app for it) called Delight Gluten Free cooking. The nice thing about it is that in front of each issue, there is a chart which maps out how each recipe in the issue stacks up for multiple sensitivities. That way, I can "filter" out the recipes that are not also dairy free.

But anyhow, it may be a good source of recipes for you and provide some guidance on the baking issue.

[MBombardier]

http://www.foodphilosopher.com/

This gal has really good cookbooks. Before I bought these, a celiac friend made me a birthday cake from the baking classics one. I had run into the nasty-tasting and looking gluten-free baked goods, so the fact that this cake looked and acted and tasted like a wheat cake was quite impressive.

[Sheila]

As someone said before, you can't expect the same results from GF flour as you can from wheat flour. You have to get used to the difference and accept it for what it is. It is possible to make "good" tasting GF baked goods. I just finished a batch of chocolate brownies that are good. They aren't the ones I loved before, but they are the ones I love now. No choice. I have made good zucchini bread, excellent hamburger buns and good bread. Carol Fenster's recipe for brownies is in her book "100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes". I bought a type of bread machine that works well with gluten free bread dough and my bread is okay and I'm actually getting to like it. I've tried at least 8 different kinds and have decided there are two that I like. A big part of it is just getting used to the different texture and taste of GF baked goods. Recipes that are just awful happen and are really disappointing. I've got a lot of GF bread crumbs from failed bread recipes. There is a magazine called "Living Without" that has some good recipes, ideas etc. Just keep trying, tasting, throwing out, trying again. It has gotten a lot better after trying different things for the past 6 months. If you're looking for something specific, just ask and the wonderful people on this site will respond. Happy baking!!
Sheila

[Gabes-Apg]

when converting my 'normal' reciepes to work for GF/SF/DF i have found that by increasing the liquid measurements by a small amount helps to compensate for the GF Flour.

for sweet baking, I have been using ingredients like Coconut oil, pure cocoa butter (GF/DF/SF) in replacement of water to give the cake a smoother, mud cake consistency.

for savory baking, using some of my home made stock helps to boost flavour and give it a nicer consistency.

I dont expect them to be better than the original reciepes, and now that i am almost 2 years into my life with MC, my tastebuds are pretty well retrained and i have got used to my eating plan.

I have made my modified cakes for friends and work morning teas, and quite a few people comment that the cakes are great, they want the reciepe and they are shocked that with my limitations that the cakes could taste that good.

Experiment a little... it might take a couple of go's to get it right.
If you have a dog they are generally willing to have any of the less than ideal attempts!

[Dee]

I am so sorry to hear that you had a bad experience with attempting gluten free baking.
I think I can speak for alot of us that when we had to modify our diets, it was down right depressing.
Baking scratch GF breads is one of the hardest to convert over to. When I first started trying to bake GF bread, I couldn't get past the smell when mixing the ingredients together. The Artisan bread recipe in Dee's Kitchen is one of my favorites now. You will find that you will not find a GF bread that has the taste & texture of what you use to be able to eat. There is a company called Udi's that has an already made up loaf bread, hamburger & hot dog buns, if you can tolerate the ingredients. Check it out on the web.
As far as the pumpkin muffins, GF flours are very bland. That's why I suggest when making quick breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, add extra extracts, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, etc....
What GF flour mix are you using? A premade store bought or are you mixing your own?
As far as your kidders, try the GF "toll house" chocolate chip cookie recipe or the no flour peanut butter cookie recipes posted in the kitchen.
The pumpkin bundt cake recipe is one that I make and take to alot of family get togethers and nobody can tell that it is GF.
Don't give up! If there is anything that you would like to make and have questions just let me know and I will try my darndest to help you out. Your cooking and baking days aren't over by a long shot!

Dee~~~~

[scrowley]

Thanks for all your advice.
My husband tried to make some bread yeserterday, he makes alot of bread and it came out really well and my kids had a loaf eaten by the time i got home, it was really good so i am gettting happier.
Dee, i did get the Udi's bread and it tasted fine, the Scharr bread from Italy i had tasted before was awful but all of these are full of too many other ingredients that i am used to making my own bread so am happy to say i think we have it almost down.
i will definitely look into your artisan recipe and the chocolate chip cookie recipe.
i havent eaten any chocolate since getting this disease so wasn't sure if i would be able to.
thanks alot,
Sheila

[Zizzle]

My MIL is a baker and recently went GF. She hates most commercial GF breads, including Udi's, but swears she made one of the best breads of her life with King Arthur GF flour. She also made spice cake cupcakes for my kids and they were amazing. Super moist and not too dense. I ate three in one day!! You add oil, water and eggs.

Here's a link to a multipack:

http://www.amazon.com/Namaste-Foods-Glu ... B000LKXGKU

I notice they make other flavors and have a 25% off promotion this month too!

Extra 25% Off Namaste Foods
Save 10% when you enter the code NAMAVOCT at checkout. Plus, save an additional 15% when you combine the instant rebate with your Subscribe & Save order--bringing your total savings to 25%. Offer valid through October 31, 2011.

[Dee]

Well, there you go Sheila!!!
A hubby that bakes breads!! Can't get any better than that!

Zizzle,
I have used the spice & chocolate cake mixes!!
They are very tasty!
Those are a great price on Amazon.

Dee~~~

[scrowley]

Dee,
I couldnt find the artisan bread recipe in your kitchen.
Now i want to make something sweet that i can eat like sweet scones/biscuits??thanks,
sheila