Celiac disease is caused when the immune system starts reacting to gluten. It is sometimes known as celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy. It is an autoimmune disease. Thus, if you have celiac disease, stop eating gluten as it will trigger an immune response in the small intestine. We have some easy Gluten-free baking techniques for you so that you don’t have to starve for your favourite food.
Gluten is a protein present in wheat, barley, and rye. If you are diagnosed with celiac disease, have gluten sensitivity, wheat allergy, or want a gluten-free diet, your life will be somewhat different. So, you might already know, making high-quality and gluten-free baked materials is a tough task. Gluten is the product that provides bread elasticity and lightness in cakes. Gluten-free flour is available easily in supermarkets. But they do not work with the regular flour efficiently. It would be best if you got used to cooking with them. But fortunately, there are lots of alternatives for naturally gluten-free flour like rice, chestnut, corn, potato, buckwheat, chickpea, and soy flour to make bread, cakes, and pastries.
Quitting gluten can be a little tricky and confusing at the start, and having a gluten-free diet might seem unbelievable. But going through these tips and experiments, it will be easy for you to change your lifestyle. Moreover, we also know that making gluten-free food every day is a job in itself. Hence, check out some unique breakfast ideas here.
Some Tips for Gluten-free Baking
Freshness
It is advised to purchase gluten-free grains and starches in small amounts and store them in a cool place or freeze them to retain their vital properties as they have a shell-life. Some of the flours can be made at home using whole grains and processing them with a coffee grinder. Transfer it to a wire rack right after baking and let it cool properly to prevent the stuff baked from becoming spongy. Freeze the left-overs. It will help in preserving the freshness. Also, ensure that it is completely melted before you start eating.
Follow the recipe.
Experimenting with the recipes is tempting always. You like swapping things from this to that and add something that you want to. But when it comes to baked goods, exchanging even one substance or skipping even one method can lead to disastrous food. Bake gluten-free substance is a delicate process. Swapping ingredients does not work out in this case. It would be best if you were patient with it. So, find a recipe that matches and covers your needs. If you prefer using coconut flour, then find a recipe that fits your requirements. Because interchanging the ingredients will always lead to disaster.
Measure the ingredients correctly.
Following the correct measurements will result in a good recipe, whether the recipe is based on measurements or by volume.
Use a scale to measure the ingredients and make sure it is marked zero before measuring anything. To calculate the volume of the dry ingredients, put the flour in the measuring cup, and take care not to load the flour. Run a straight edge over the cup immediately using a stick or a back of a knife.
Leavening
It is essential to use two teaspoons of baking powder per cup measured with gluten-free flour for proper leavening. You can also use baking soda and buttermilk for leavening, but then it is essential to add 1-1/8 teaspoon of tarter for each 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda. Dissolve the leavenings in liquid before you add it to the dough. It will provide a required rise to the product. Glutenfree baking needs less fluid at high altitudes or a long baking time, or a high oven temperature.
Structure
We all know that the most responsible ingredient in the structure of making baked goods in traditional recipes is gluten. You can use dry milk solids or cottage cheese to impersonate the structure of gluten in the recipes. Using some moisture tricks can also contribute to designing the products that turn out to be denser and crumbly. There is no gluten to improve with kneading.
Therefore, experts advise to avoid over-kneading and beating gluten-free dough.
Forgive yourself when you make mistakes.
Gluten is hidden in so many different places that you might not be aware of, like liquorice, butterscotch baking chips, or salad dressings. Thus, it is more likely to make mistakes at some point. It is possible if you pour wheat-based gravy on gluten-free food by mistake or dust a cake pan with wheat flour, or not maintaining a gluten-free kitchen. It can turn out disastrous for parents. There are many incidents where parents accidentally using ingredients that they supposed were gluten-free and made mistakes with their gluten-free kid. The pain on their face is heart-breaking.
Flours you need to avoid:
- All-purpose flour
- Plain flour
- Self-rising flour
- Cake flour
- Spelt flour
- Granary flour
- Wheaten cornflour
- Brown flour
- Semolina flour
- Durum flour
- Triticale flour
- Kamut flour
- Bulgar flour
- Sauce flour
- Bread flour
- Graham flour
- Wholemeal flour
Have a Safe and Healthy Gluten-free Baking
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease. It starts reacting to gluten. If you are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant and want to change your lifestyle, begin using gluten-free products. Avoid the flours listed above as they contain gluten. There are tips that you can follow-
- Maintain the freshness of the goods
- Follow the recipe to make the correct goods
- Measure the ingredients will cooking
- Leavening
- Maintaining the structure
- It’s okay to make mistakes