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Home , Gluten

GLUTEN-FREE

the Deadly Sins 7of Gluten-Free

...AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

by Christopher Anderson

you’ve tried living gluten-free texture, or gummy, mushy loaves. You The role of gluten in If for more than five minutes, can say good-bye to gritty, papery slices you know only too well that most of the that butter will not melt on. And you will In order to understand the problems with gluten-free bread out there … well, let’s be be done with bread that has either no most gluten-free , you need to first honest, it sucks. But do you know why? taste at all or an unpleasant beany flavor. learn a bit about the nature of traditional . flour is milled from wheat berries, which contain , , In fact, there are a number of reasons, and fats. The primary proteins in wheat which you’ll soon learn. But the good Sin 1: flour are and . Glutenin news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. provides most of the strength and If you are pursuing a gluten-free lifestyle Using the wrong type elasticity in , allowing it to bounce either out of necessity or by choice, you of flour back after it is stretched. Gliadin, on the can still eat bread that is both good other hand, provides the stretch. tasting and good for you. Good bread starts with good flour. The flour you use will influence both the On their own, glutenin and gliadin are just Once you discover the secrets that I will taste and the texture of the bread. This is lifeless strands wrapped around granules of reveal here, you will never again have to especially true for gluten-free flours, so . But they transform when they come settle for squat bricks with a cardboard it is important to make the right choice. in contact with water, a process known

7 | structure that professional bakers refer to as a “good crumb.”

A third factor is the mixing time of the dough or —the longer it’s mixed, the more gluten forms. That’s why cake or muffin batter is gently stirred until it’s just combined, whereas bread dough is kneaded extensively.

No such thing as “all-purpose” gluten-free flour

Perhaps you’ve seen, or have even bought, “all-purpose” gluten-free flour. Seems convenient, right? Unfortunately, it’s a marketing ploy, as there is simply no one-size-fits-all solution. If you want to remove from your favorite recipe, you need to think about the role that flour is playing in the recipe in order to choose the right substitute. Remember that wheat flour contains both and starch. That means that the appropriate substitute will vary, because some recipes rely on one but not the other.

In baking, the main role of gluten is to provide structure. Finding an alternative to replicate this structure is especially challenging because most gluten-free flours contain less protein than wheat, so they don’t do as good a job of holding the starch granules or trapping air bubbles. The proteins that they do contain are also generally less elastic than gluten. So, in as hydration. Once wet, the protein of developing more gluten and thus order to replace wheat flour with a lower- molecules link up with one another and better structure. The result is ideal protein option, like flour, you must form long elastic chains called gluten. for chewy artisan bread. Cake flour, boost the effectiveness of that protein on the other hand, is made from low- (which you’ll learn about soon). These gluten strands combine to form protein wheat, so it produces less a network that traps swollen starch gluten, which is perfect for tender No beans, please granules and gas bubbles produced cakes. Traditional all-purpose flours Many gluten-free cookbooks advocate by or chemical leaveners. This typically fall in between the two in the use of bean flours, like those made network stretches as the batter or terms of protein content. from garbanzo or fava beans, because dough rises and then solidifies, giving beans are high in protein. The major the finished bread or other baked good Gluten development is also affected problem with this approach is that these its structure and “chew” (texture). by the amount of water present. The flours have a distinctive beany flavor. more water that a dough or batter Not that there is anything wrong with Several factors can affect gluten contains, the stronger and more elastic the taste of beans, but it is an odd and development. One is the flour itself. the gluten will be. This additional unexpected flavor to encounter in baked Bread flour is typically milled from strength and elasticity produce an bread. And when it’s used in sweet baked high-protein wheat, which is capable airier bread, with an interior hole goods, it is so out of place that it can be

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Gluten-free bread dough does not have the firm texture and structure of traditional wheat dough (a consequence of saying farewell to gluten). As a result, it doesn’t hold its shape well without support, so the pan you use to bake it has a significant impact on how it turns out. If the pan is too big, the bread will turn out flatter and denser than it should be. If you’ve ever had sandwich bread that’s not tall enough to slice for sandwiches, you know what I’m talking about.

The solution is to use a pan that properly supports the dough as it’s rising during both the proofing (the period when the dough rises) and the baking stages. One option is to buy a pan specially designed for gluten-free bread. These pans have higher sides than normal bread pans to give the dough more vertical support.

If you don’t have one of these pans, don’t worry. With a little extra effort and creativity you can jerry-rig a solution. Start with a 1-pound (8½" x 4½") bread pan rather than a 1½-pound (9" x 5") pan. Then use aluminum foil to form a downright … well, disgusting. So, unless greasy feel in the finished product. While collar around the rim of the pan so that you’re looking to make bean cookies or this is true of both white and brown rice it rises about an inch above the top of the bean bread, I recommend you steer clear flours, the problem is potentially worse pan. This technique (which is often used of bean flours and commercial mixes with brown rice because it also contains for making soufflés) will give the dough that contain them for your baking. , making it coarser and therefore the extra support it needs for more grittier. Brown rice also has a short shelf vertical lift. Down to the nitty-gritty life and can impart an unwelcome earthy flavor to bread. Another common substitute for wheat flour is rice flour, which has a more neutral In summary, if you want the right flour, Sin 3: taste than bean flour but isn’t perfect by make sure it has a neutral taste and the Using not enough itself either. Rice flour has less protein right balance of protein and starch, and liquid than wheat flour and a much higher that it is ground sufficiently fine.

starch content. This can lead to that gritty The wetter the better mouthfeel that people tend to associate with many gluten-free baked goods. Even if you use the right gluten-free Sin 2: flour and an appropriate pan, your But that may not be the only reason your Using the wrong pan bread may still have some problems. As baked goods taste gritty. It could also be I mentioned, the more water you add due to the texture of the flour itself. If the If you’ve ever baked your own gluten- to traditional wheat flour, the stronger rice isn’t finely ground, you’re left with free bread, or even bought some from the the gluten networks become, so you get coarse granules that you’ll be able to feel store, then you’re probably familiar with bread that’s airy and has good structure when you bite into the bread. Not only what I call “the brick.” The first loaf I ever and chew. that, but the coarser the flour, the less baked turned out so small and dense I liquid and fat it is able to absorb. This can was tempted to use it as a paperweight. But does adding more water help gluten- lead to a mushy texture and an unpleasant So, what’s going on here? free bread? Absolutely!

9 | In fact, most gluten-free flours are best Guar gum is a powdered extract from mixed into something that actually the of the guar bean. It works resembles cookie dough more than it Sin 4: like xanthan but without the excessive does traditional bread dough. There are Using the wrong gumminess. However, it is quite high in several reasons for this. For one thing, as binder fiber and can thus have a laxative effect. already mentioned, gluten-free flour— It also tends to create a slightly starchy especially rice flour—cannot absorb as You’ve already learned that one of the texture in baked goods and can impart a much liquid as wheat flour can. major jobs performed by gluten in the beany flavor. baking process is to give structure to the You also need to consider the nature of dough. By creating an elastic network, Another binder that excels at creating the starches typically used in gluten-free gluten proteins are able to trap and the necessary structure for your baked flour mixes, which include cornstarch, hold both swollen starch molecules and goods, while avoiding some of the tapioca starch, and potato starch. These air bubbles that cause the bread to rise. pitfalls of other gums, is methylcellulose. starches need to be fully hydrated in Because gluten-free flours contain more Don’t let the name intimidate you. This order to reach full (a fancy word starch and less protein than wheat flour, powder, made from plant fiber, is also for thickness) and to do their job. Unless they are not capable of forming the same widely used as a thickener and emulsifier you use a special pre-hydrated starch, type of strong network. in commercial . It is neutral- you need to let the dough rest for at least tasting, nonallergenic, and, since it is 30 to 45 minutes after mixing to properly This is where binders come in. These not digestible and just passes through hydrate it. (But beware; you don’t want to ingredients strengthen the protein networks your system, calorie-free. There are let your dough rest for too long—more in baked goods and make them more elastic. many different types of methylcellulose on this later.) In essence, they act like glue to give gluten- available, so make sure you choose one free baked goods the proper shape. that has been especially designed as a Finally, more water allows for more gluten replacement. steam, which also helps the bread rise. Typical binders belong to a category called gums or hydrocolloids. This is a scientific Low and slow way of describing a substance made up of particles (polymers, actually, if you’re into Sin 5: In order to compensate for the additional chemistry) suspended in water. water, you need to decrease the baking Using the wrong temperature (to around 350°F/177°C for The first thing you need to know about bread) and increase the baking time. This binders is that they tend to be expensive allows the majority of the excess moisture to ingredients, but a little goes a long way. By now you understand that one of the evaporate. But remember to do both. If you Indeed, if you add too much, it will turn the primary jobs of gluten in traditional decrease the temp without increasing the crumb of your bread into a gummy mess. bread (and binders in gluten-free bread) time, you’ll be left with a wet, gummy crumb is to trap air bubbles that enable the loaf and an undercooked loaf. Conversely, if you The two most common binders used in to rise and create a beautiful texture and increase the time without decreasing the gluten-free recipes are and crumb. In essence, bread is really a foam temp, you will burn the crust and end up guar gum. If you have any experience with made up of thousands of tiny air pockets with a papery, dry crumb. gluten-free baking, you have undoubtedly (not unlike whipped cream or meringue), come across these ingredients. However, which becomes solid when it is baked. But One last point: It’s a good idea to both have their drawbacks. where does that air come from? periodically check the actual temperature in your oven with an oven thermometer. Xanthan gum is secreted by the bacteria One source that I’ve already mentioned Just because you set it for 350°F does not Xanthomonas campestris as it ferments is steam from the moisture in the dough. guarantee it’s actually 350°F inside your simple sugars. This gum is widely But this is really a secondary source. The oven. It is not uncommon for an oven used as a thickener and stabilizer in primary source of lift for your loaf comes (even an expensive one) to run 30°F or commercial products like salad dressing from a leavening agent. Leaveners come in even 50°F too hot or cold. If you find that and toothpaste. However, it does have a two basic forms, biological and chemical. yours is off by more than a few degrees, downside. It tends to have what scientists Both types are used extensively in baking. it may be possible to recalibrate it (check call a mucilaginous texture. In plain the manual that came with the oven, if English, it feels like snot in your mouth. If The most common biological leavener is you can find it). Otherwise, you’ll need you have ever experienced an unpleasant yeast, a microorganism that eats sugars to compensate for the difference by gumminess while eating gluten-free and secretes alcohol and . changing your preheat temperature. bread, this may very well be the reason. Yeast is also the leavener primarily used

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in bread dough, where it converts the sugar in the flour to carbon dioxide (CO2 gas), causing the loaf to rise during the proofing and baking stages.

The most common chemical leavening agents are baking soda and baking powder. These are used in most baked goods besides bread, including cookies, cakes, muffins, and quick . Like yeast, they create carbon dioxide, but it’s through a chemical reaction in which an acid (low pH substance) combines with a base (high pH substance). You may have experienced this chemical reaction firsthand if you’ve ever taken an antacid to relieve heartburn.

Yeast by itself works great in wheat- based bread because enzymes in the flour release plenty of sugar from the starch for the yeast to feed upon, and the gluten strands do a great job of capturing the CO2 bubbles produced by the yeast. Yeast is also partly responsible for the Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. It Think twice before you use that characteristic taste of bread, which is comes in the form of a special type of classic recipe appropriately described as yeasty. baking powder that is activated only by the heat of your oven. Using it in This is important to keep in mind, especially when you’re trying to convert Unfortunately, as we’ve seen, gluten-free conjunction with yeast, you get the best of a traditional recipe into a gluten-free bread has more trouble trapping the both worlds, ensuring the maximum rise one. If you simply replace the wheat flour bubbles created by the yeast. It needs more for your gluten-free loaves. with the same amount of gluten-free help to create the same lift, especially flour and keep the fat content the same, during the baking process. And you can’t just add more yeast, because the heat in you’ll be in for a disappointment. the oven quickly kills it. Sin 6: Instead, you need to cut back on the Using too much fat The solution to this problem seems fairly butter, or you’ll be left with a greasy

straightforward: Simply combine both product. Naturally, baked goods that are One of the primary reasons that baked yeast and chemical leaveners in your higher in fat, like cookies and cake, will goods are so yummy is their fat content. bread dough. This way, the yeast will suffer the most. In fact, your gluten-free Let’s face it, without butter, shortening, or create lift during the proofing stage, and cookies may turn into a puddle on your oil, most baked goods wouldn’t be worth the baking powder or soda will continue baking sheet, leaving you with paper- the work once the bread is in the oven. eating. And while some traditional bread thin cookies. But this rule applies to all recipes rely on a lean dough (one with baked goods, including bread, because But there’s a catch. You may recall that the little fat), gluten-free breads seem to cry gluten-free flour will struggle to absorb starches in gluten-free flour need 30 to 45 out for the richness of fat. the fat. So lighten the load! minutes to rest in order to fully hydrate (this period, by the way, conveniently Unfortunately, fat—including our beloved Now, you may not be so worried about corresponds to the proofing time). The friend butter—doesn’t absorb in gluten- your bread, but what about those baked problem is that normal baking soda or free flour as well as it does in wheat flour. goods that rely on butter for richness? baking powder will begin to react as This is especially true with coarser gluten- This is where you’ll get to be creative. soon as it is mixed in with the wet dough. free flour. So, whether you’re baking You can cut down on the butter and So after the resting/proofing period is gluten-free bread, cookies, muffins, or replace it with other ingredients to make over, there will be very little activity left cake, you need to take it easy on the fat— up for any lost richness. Cream cheese to create more bubbles in the oven. and not just for health reasons. is an option. As is sour cream. It’s up to

11 | you—and these variations will help you transform your gluten-free baked goods into your own unique creations!

Sin 7: Baking too much at FINALLY... one time Gluten-Free bread that doesn’t suck! You’ve done everything right. You nailed the flour, you used the proper amount of water, you chose a good leavener and an appropriate binder, you cut down on the fat, you let the dough hydrate, your oven is at the right temp, and you’re using the right pan. Your bread is going to be great!

Here’s one final caution: Don’t go overboard.

Gluten-free bread (like most gluten-free baked goods) doesn’t have a long shelf life. The culprit is a process known as starch retrogradation, which is a fancy name for staling. Here’s how it works. The starch molecules absorb moisture and swell in the oven as they begin to gelatinize. But when the bread cools, Try it Risk Free the starch molecules contract and begin to squeeze out the moisture again. This Visit http://imgf.co/1428 D dries out the bread and makes it stale.

Of course, all bread stales eventually, but thanks to its starch makeup, gluten- free bread will dry out much faster than well if frozen shortly after baking, croutons is as simple as cutting the bread traditional bread. Refrigeration will because the moisture is crystalized in into chunks and placing them in the cause the bread to dry out even faster the starch before it has a chance to dry oven at a low temp for about 20 minutes because the cool, dry environment out. Then, when the bread is thawed, the to remove any remaining moisture, facilitates starch retrogradation. So, as a crystals melt and the bread retains this which could cause them to mold. To turn rule, make only as much as you can eat moisture. If you are going to freeze the the croutons into breadcrumbs, simply within a day or two, and store it, well bread for later use, first cool it to room grind them up in a processor until wrapped, at room temperature. temperature and then slice it. Wrap up a they are the desired consistency. Both few slices in separate airtight packages so croutons and breadcrumbs can be stored There are, however, a couple of tricks for that you can thaw them as needed rather for several months in airtight container extending the life of your bread. A simple than having to defrost the entire loaf at at room temperature. one is to turn your bread slices into toast. The once. Your bread will last for a couple of heat from the toaster will cause the starch months in the freezer. Now that you know the secrets to making to begin to gelatinize again, temporarily perfect gluten-free bread, it’s time to give increasing the moisture and giving you If your bread does become stale, there it a try. You can also apply what you have another day or two out of your bread slices. is one final trick to help prevent you learned to other baked goods and ensure from wasting any. You can simply turn that you and your family will enjoy a Another option is to use your freezer. your bread into croutons for salad or satisfying gluten-free lifestyle.  Gluten-free bread holds up relatively breadcrumbs for other recipes. Making

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