•As liquid: 60 ml apple juice OR 75 ml apple, pear or apricot purée OR 1 ripe medium banana, mashed
SUGAR
Sugar has a softening effect on egg protein and gluten and contributes to the soft texture of a baked product. It also delays the development of gluten.
Sugar is responsible for the incorporation of air in batter or dough and is of special importance when the creaming method is used to mix sugar and fat until light and fluffy.
Sugar promotes browning during baking. The golden colour that develops during heating is the result of a reaction between the reducing sugar and protein.
MILK
Unless indicated differently, cow’s milk was used in the recipes. Lactose-free milk is available and gives the same baking result and taste as cow’s milk. When necessary, and according to the type of dish, milk can be substituted with soya milk, rooibos tea, fruit juice or water. Rice milk and almond milk can also replace milk. Check the ingredient list on almond milk as some of the products on the market are mixed with soya milk, which makes it unsuitable for soya-free dishes. Coconut milk can replace milk, but keep in mind that it is high in saturated fats.
LEAVENING AGENTS
South African baking powder usually contains cornstarch (maize) as a starch filler. A quantity of 5ml baking powder can be substituted by 1ml bicarbonate of soda PLUS 2ml cream of tartar. Sift together at least twice with the dry ingredients or, alternatively, mix it in thoroughly with a spoon.
XANTHAN GUM AND GUAR GUM
Xanthan gum and guar gum help to bind a dough prepared from gluten-free flour, to make it more elastic and to reduce crumbling. It is better to rather use too little than too much xanthan gum or guar gum as too much gum will make the dough and end product too hard.
The formula for using the gum is approximately as follows:
•For bread and pizza dough: Use 2-3 ml xanthan gum or guar gum per 140 g gluten-free flour.
•For cakes, muffins and teabreads: Use 1,25-2,5 ml xanthan gum or guar gum per 140 g gluten-free flour. When using eggs in a recipe, the xanthan gum or guar gum may even be omitted. I sometimes use a portion no more than the tip of a knife, or 1ml per 140 g gluten-free flour.
•For biscuits and cake bars: Use 1,25-2,5 ml xanthan gum or guar gum per 140 g gluten-free flour. When using eggs in the recipe, the xanthan gum or guar gum may even be omitted. I sometimes use a portion no more than the tip of a knife, or 1 ml per 140 g gluten-free flour.
PSYLLIUM FIBRE
•Psyllium fibre works well when baking gluten-free bread. Use 20 g psyllium fibre per 450 g gluten-free flour. It may be necessary to add extra water while mixing as the psyllium fibre absorbs a lot of liquid. See the ratio of flour to liquid and psyllium fibre.
OIL, BUTTER AND MARGARINE
When oil is called for in a recipe, it can be canola oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, avocado oil or one of the nut oils. It is advantageous to choose an oil with a high monounsaturated fatty acid content.
Some people who experience intolerance to milk protein and lactose (milk sugar) may sometimes be able to tolerate butter fat, as found in pure butter. Pure butter contains no colourants, preservatives or soya (used as a stabiliser). If you are following a milk-free diet, make sure that the butter you use contains no added milk solids.
Margarine is used in some of the recipes. Contrary to butter, margarine contains colourants and most margarines contain sodium benzoate as a preservative. Trans-fatty acids – usually listed as “partially hydrolysed fat” – can be present in margarine. I use Blossom Lite, Olé and Cardin margarine because they are free of milk and are preserved with potassium sorbate (E202). Depending on choice and tolerance, margarine can be replaced by butter.
“Free of” foods
Not all recipes are “free of” all allergens. Each recipe in this book has an indication of which items it is free from. Suggestions and variations are included to make the recipe free of more ingredients.
The recipes were evaluated as being “free of” regarding:
•(W) Wheat
•(G) Gluten (including wheat, rye, barley and oats)
•(Ma) Maize
•(E) Egg
•(Mi) Milk (including cow’s milk, goat’s milk, cheese and yoghurt)
•(L) Lactose (milk sugar)
•(So) Soya
•(C+P) Colourants and preservatives
Yeast and moulds
In my previous book, yeast and moulds were indicated in the “free of” list. This space is now filled with “lactose-free”. It is, however, important to realise that it is impossible to totally avoid the intake of yeast and moulds due to the presence of their spores in the air and our immediate living space, for example from the rotting plant material and compost in our gardens.
Sources of yeast and moulds include:
•Bakers’ yeast, brewers’ yeast, compressed yeast, active dry yeast and instant yeast.
•Fermented beverages, for example beer, natural fermented wine and apple vinegar, as well as malt.
•Alcoholic beverages stored in barrels, for example wine, beer, sherry and port.
•Fungi, for example, mushrooms.
•Sprouting food, for example bean and seed sprouts.
•Mould-containing food, for example, cheese, especially Camembert, Brie and blue cheese.
•Smoked or salted food, for example, ham, biltong, bokkoms, and smoked fish such as haddock and snoek.
•When the word “leavening” appears on a food label, yeast may be present as the leavening agent, unless the manufacturer stipulates that the product is “yeast free”.
•Moulds on vegetables and fruit, as well as the mildew on grapes.
•Dried fruit.
•Nuts, especially peanuts, often contain moulds.
•Sugar stimulates the development and growth of yeast and moulds.
Colourants and preservatives
There is often good reason for the presence of colourants and preservatives in processed foods. Without preservatives, for instance, it would be difficult to deliver acceptably fresh and mould-free food to the consumer. When choosing food and the type of food preparation, it is in general easier to follow the rule of picking the “simplest and least processed”, although this is not always practical and realistic. By consciously choosing processed food and snacks less often, the intake of colourants and preservatives can be reduced drastically.
Colourants and preservatives which more often result in allergic reactions and to which I paid attention in this book, include:
•Colourants: tartrazine (E102); amaranth red (E123).
•Preservatives: sodium nitrate (E251); sodium nitrite (E250); potassium nitrate (E252); benzoic acid (E210); sodium benzoate (E211); sulphur dioxide (E220).
•Flavourants: caramel (E150); MSG – monosodium glutamate (E621).
Food labelling
Food labelling remains an endless process. The composition of products can change from time to time, therefore you need to update yourself regarding any changes on the labels of products that you use often. Also, read food labels for hidden ingredients to which you may be allergic or sensitive.
The table below will help you when reading labels for ingredients to which you are allergic or sensitive.
| Food item/ additive | Present when label indicates | Foods to avoid | May be hidden in |
| Wheat | Wheat
|