Buckwheat
Buckwheat flour is derived from the seeds of a plant and contains a little gluten. It has a higher protein content than most of the other flours with less gluten. Buckwheat has a distinctively robust, slightly sweet taste and a greyish colour. In South Africa it is available as a fine flour and pasta.
Guar gum
Guar gum is derived from a legume and is high in water-soluble fibre. It thickens much faster than cornflour. Guar gum may cause bowel discomfort in some people.
Millet
Millet can be used in baked products and as a breakfast porridge. The whole grains can be cooked in the same way as rice. A small portion of millet absorbs up to five times its volume in water and cooks to a large volume. Millet is a less familiar food in South Africa and contains a little gluten.
Psyllium fibre
This fibre derives from a grain which is grown in India mainly for its water-soluble fibre. In South Africa it is sold on the market as “psyllium husks” or “colon cleanse”. Psyllium fibre can be used successfully when making gluten-free bread. It helps especially to improve leavening and elasticity and it makes the baked product less crumbly. Psyllium fibre promotes the lowering of cholesterol and improves the control of both constipation and diarrhoea. It may also contribute to better blood-sugar control.
Quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced “kinwa”) is a staple food which is grown in particular in Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Colombia. Quinoa has an exceptionally high protein content in comparison to other grains. Quinoa can be cooked in the same way as rice (after rinsing it two to three times to remove the bitter taste), or used as a flour in baked products. The taste of the flour improves if it is baked in an oven on a baking tray for two hours at 100 °C. Cool the baked flour before use. Quinoa contains a little gluten.
Sago
Sago derives from the stem of the sago palm. Sago granules can be used to thicken milk puddings and sauces. Sago flour can be used for baking although baking results are better when sago flour is used in combination with other gluten-free flours. Sago contains no gluten.
Semolina and couscous
Semolina is produced from durum wheat. Couscous is produced from semolina. Semolina and couscous contain gluten.
Sorghum
Sorghum is freely available, affordable and native to Africa. It is a member of the grass family. It works best when mixed with other gluten-free flours when used for baking. Sorghum contains no gluten.
Tapioca
Tapioca is produced from the root of the cassava plant. It is used in cooking as flour and granules. Baking results improve when tapioca is used in combination with other gluten-free flours. Tapioca contains no gluten.
Xanthan gum
A microorganism known as Xanthomonas campestris is used to ferment corn sugar to produce xanthan gum. Xanthan is not suitable for people who need to avoid maize. In the food industry xanthan gum is used as a thickening agent and, in gluten-free products, it is used as a thickener, binder and to improve the elasticity of dough. Xanthan gum can be replaced by guar gum.
Adapting recipes for use
Before adapting any recipe to be suitable for someone with a food allergy or intolerance, it is necessary to determine the role and properties of a certain ingredient in a recipe before omitting or replacing it.
GLUTEN
Gluten is one of the proteins which is present in the flour of wheat, rye, barley and, to a lesser extent, in oats. Gluten in flour contributes to the elasticity, viscosity and, to some extent, to the plasticity of the dough. Dough will have a satin-like layer when the gluten has developed well, for example kneaded bread dough. Hard flour, such as bread flour, contains more gluten than cake flour. Durum flour, which is used in the making of pasta, contains more gluten and this increases the stretching ability of the product.
Dough made from rye flour has a lower viscosity and elasticity than cake flour, while the plasticity of rye flour is higher. This explains why bread that is prepared from rye flour only is inclined to be lumpy.
Gluten forms a framework in dough. Gas is captured in this framework and expands during heating.
Taking all of this into account, it is clear that omitting gluten will cause a problem regarding elasticity, viscosity and plasticity, as well as affecting the leavening (rising) properties of a product.
In some of the recipes in this book, wheat and other gluten-containing grains were replaced by maize flour, cornflour, rice flour, potato flour, soya flour, chickpea flour or sorghum flour. Due to the absence of gluten in this kind of flour, a crumbly or dense texture is obtained in the baked products. The problem can be solved to some extent by incorporating air when sifting the flour or by adding eggs, soya flour or chickpea flour, sugar, psyllium fibre, or xanthan gum or guar gum.
A better end product is often obtained when using a combination of different flours.
In the chapter “Easy bakes, breads and rusks” you will find tables which will make the mixing of different flours easier. The choice of a combination of flours will be influenced by an individual’s food allergy or intolerance.
Soya flour improves the elasticity and viscosity of a product and, in some cases, can successfully be used to replace eggs in a recipe for a baked product. Soya flour may, however, contribute to a bitter taste in baked products, which intensifies as the product gets stale.
Soya flour and chickpea flour both lower the GI value of the flour mixture.
Tapioca flour and sago flour give the best baking results when used in combination with other flours. Sauces can be thickened with tapioca flour and sago flour, but the sauce will not set in the same way as when using cornflour.
Liquids thickened with potato flour, tapioca flour or sago flour are more rubbery in texture than a liquid thickened with wheat flour.
Storing these flours in airtight containers in the refrigerator can prolong their shelf life. Compared with normal cake flour, products which are prepared from these gluten-free flours become stale more quickly. The shelf life of products which are prepared from these flours can be prolonged by packing and freezing them in user portions as soon as possible after baking. Take note that freezing will not improve a product of poor quality. At its best it will only preserve the quality of a product at the time that it has been frozen.
REPLACEMENT OF WHEAT FLOUR OR CAKE FLOUR IN A RECIPE
In the past I gave the ratio of wheat flour or cake flour to the different kinds of flour in volume (ml) and mass (g), but over time I realised that the volume (ml) may differ due to aeration when the flour is sifted or stirred before measuring. The mass (g), however, remains constant regardless of aeration.
The best ratio to replace 250 ml (120 g) cake flour lies between 100-140 g of the alternative kinds of flour, but it needs a little practise and testing to get to the exact replacement ratio.
Replace 15 ml cake flour as a thickener in soup and sauces with:
•7,5 ml potato flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, sago flour or cornflour OR
•15 ml rye flour or barley flour OR
•7,5 ml gelatine
EGGS
Eggs are responsible for incorporating air in a batter or dough. During baking the egg protein coagulates and adds to the structure of the baked product. Egg protein improves the elasticity of baked products.
Depending on the characteristics of the dish and the purpose of the egg in the dish, replace one egg with:
•As leavening agent: 10-15 ml baking powder OR 2-3 ml bicarbonate of soda PLUS 4-6 ml cream of tartar