Gluten Free Flour

From time to time you will find gluten free recipes here at Food For All Kinds where home-made gluten free flour is used. I do not use premixed gluten free flours because they are over-priced and usually not as good as what I can make in my kitchen.

But how does one make home-made gluten free flour? Isn't that time consuming and complicated?

Well, yes and no but mostly no. Yes, it takes time and there is a bit of a science behind it but I'd rather save money and have a healthier and better tasting end result. I used to be afraid of making my own flour mixes but all I needed was a little confidence. That happened one day when I came across this choco-tastic recipe for Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Muffins from the NYTimes.

The author describes her recipe for gluten free flour in this recipe but gives credit to the inspiring blogger, Shauna James Ahem of Gluten Free Girl, for the idea. I say inspiring because after reading about her method of making gluten free flour mixes, my whole view of GF baking changed forever. She uses a very precise percentage of grains and starches, which eliminates the need for any 'gum' products. Now, chances are, if you are familiar with a gluten free lifestyle you've probably heard (or read) the words xanthum gum and guar gum before.

(They are added to gluten free flour mixes to act as sort of a glue. Traditional wheat flours contain gluten which acts as binding agent, therefore flour without wheat is less stable).

However, maybe what you didn't know were some of the...um... unpleasant side effects of those gums. Often times symptoms for Celiac Disease sufferers ALREADY include stomach and digestive issues so it's suffice to say they don't need anything else stressing out their tummies.

So what's a gluten free girl to do? Turn to the smartest gluten free girl of them all! Gluten Free Girl's blog describes a food proof method for making your very own Whole Grain GF Flour Mix and All Purpose GF Flour Mix (she even includes a great video to make it extra user friendly). I won't get into the nitty gritty of exactly how it's done because I think it's worth a read but I will say that there are a lot of variations for making your own flour. All you need is to follow her percentage of 'grains' to 'starches', preferably using a kitchen scale.

Now, that finally brings me back to Food For For All Kinds. I am continuously making my own gluten free flour mixes. I find it incredibly fun to experiment and play with different flours. They all have unique tastes and textures that contribute differently to their final baking or cooking destination. Often my flour mixes are based on what I'm in the mood for but more often they are based on what's cheap at the store and what I have around the house.

No matter what I am making here in the Food For All Kinds Kitchen (whether gluten free or not) my goal is to be as transparent and concise as possible. That's why I will always link to the recipe for any gluten free flour mix and include a rating for it's ability to bake and cook well. Some flours work better for baking and some work better for sauce thickening, it all depends on lots of factors and I'm not enough of a scientist to know exactly why but I will always tell you honestly how well they work (remember, I'm still experimenting myself!)

I will also keep an updated list on this page of all of my gluten free flour recipes so be sure to check back!

For more information about Celiac Disease (including symptoms and support information) please visit Mayo Clinic and The Celiac Foundation. If you suspect you may have Celiac Disease, please consult a doctor.