Gluten free flour items are often defined by their absence (ahem, you know, gluten.) But we don't talk about what they gain when the gluten is removed, such as a more sensitive crumb, a fudgier texture, or crisper edges.
For some Gluten free flour, avoiding gluten can result in better outcomes. Consider how gluten itself works in baking: We addressed how some baked foods, most notably bread, require a lot of gluten development to obtain a chewy or airy texture in our previous essay, A Beginner's Guide to Gluten. Other baked items, on the other hand, benefit from a tender, rather than chewy, texture when there is as little gluten formation as feasible. Bakers manage the batter delicately in these baked goods, such as cake or pancakes, to minimise gluten development. But there is another method to prevent the formation of the gluten network: avoid gluten entirely.
The simplest method to achieve this is to replace the all-purpose flour in a non-yeasted recipe with Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. There are no other adjustments required! And when you make this substitution, these four baked goodies taste even better.
Golden Vanilla Cake becomes even more soft.
Cake is the poster child for avoiding excessive gluten development in baked goods. For good reason: no one wants a slice of cake that's rough, dense, and gummy as a result of overmixing. So it seems to reason that a cassava flour gluten free version of a traditional butter cake baked with Measure for Measure would have a deliciously soft texture. And, certainly, gluten-free Golden Vanilla Cake produces a cake with a fine grain and an even crumb. It's nearly satiny and so delicate.
It's not just the absence of gluten that makes this possible. “The higher starch level of gluten-free flours contributes to a more moist and soft crumb,” says Amanda Schlarbaum, a Baker's Hotline member. “It's the same reason we add starch to cake mixes and cake flour – the starch helps retain moisture, resulting in a moist cake.”
Fudgy in the dark Brownies become even fudgier.
The original version, made with all-purpose flour, is quite fudgy. If you want a dense, gooey brownie, you may increase the ante by making this recipe gluten-free.
“Our Measure for Measure flour is truly the Avengers of gluten-free ingredients, and brownies are a fantastic example of how they all pull their weight in the blend,” another Baker's Hotline member, Tess Murphy, comments. “The combination of rice and sorghum flours adds moderate grain taste and texture.” cassava flour gluten free adds chewiness, and potato flour retains moisture.” “The xanthan gum acts to bond these ingredients to allow them to capture gas bubbles while baking, so the brownies don't turn out entirely like fudge,” says the author, lest these ultra-moist brownies turn out too dense.
The Exterior of Traditional Buttermilk Waffles is Crisper.
A steaming, golden waffle, crunchy on the exterior and pillowy on the inside, is one of the nicest ways to start the day. Making Classic Buttermilk Waffles using Measure for Measure emphasises the textural contrast – the waffle's surface is almost lacy, with a thin crispiness yielding to a fluffy inside.
When tapioca and potato starch molecules in Measure for Measure are combined with liquids in a batter, they absorb moisture, according to Tess. “When direct heat and oil are applied, such as with a waffle iron or a greased griddle,” she explains, “the starches swell and push the water back out.” “When we bite into it, they heat and stiffen like this, generating a small brittle structure that feels like a lovely crisp crunch.” (She also mentions that this is why many cooks prefer cornstarch to wheat flour when deep frying.
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