Topic: message for grannyjanny re gluten free books

[Jeannine]

Hi,  the two books I sent for arrived this morning,I have not had time to test any recipes but overall I am quite impressed with the Classic Baking one.The author mixes her own gluten free flour so you would be able to use the book as it is not designed for a US product, the mix recipes are there and very clear. She is confident  pie pastry will be  light, she is also very confident in cakes and cookies being very good. I am glad I bought this one.

The second book, by the same author I do not like at all, it is breadmaking in a bread machine, it may well be OK but she uses a named machine and says you MAY get the same results with other machines,apart from that there are only a few recipes in it, most s preamble and it is in the other book identically, this one is going back. It is only 1/4 inch thick and was $15..too much for what it is I think.

The first book has lots of bread in, not in a machine, but the recipes seem the same to me almost.

I am going to pick up th ingredients to make the flour she uses, it is a blend of various things. I will then test a few of the recipes in the first book.

I am pretty certain you could get the variuos flours used in her mixes in the Uk.

XX Jeannine

PS, there are quite a few dairy free recipes in both books too

[grannyjanny]

Thank you Jeannine. I await with baited breath ;). Do you know if all the flours are  available in UK please?

[Jeannine]

Janet, I don't know but I would think so, they are:

Brown Rice flour..she stresses  extra finely ground, it is like powder and not granular in your hand
Potato Starch..not potato flour
Tapioca Flour

The above three make up her recipe for flour to bake cakes, pies, cookies,muffins, scones etc


Then she has 2 bread flour recipes

the first one is used for speciality breads

Millet
sorghum flour
cornflour
potato starch
tapioca flour

and one for basic sandwich bread,

it has the same ingredients as the first one but in different ratios.

She also uses a

little teff flour in some recipes

For pizza dough same things but you don't need the extrafine rice flour, the regular one will do.                                             

She also uses Xanthan Gum and/or Guar gum in recipes which acts like the gluten in wheat fl

There is a recipe for homemade egg white replacer for those nwho are allergic to albumin

For milk you can use soy,rice or almond milk

Other things in her store cupboard gor gluten free baking are
extra finely ground sweet rice flour
white rice flour
gluten free oatmeal
several regular types of sugar..brown, white etc  usual stuff
flavourings ,fats eggs etc,spices nothing unusual or expensive
yeast granules

Then there are chapters on

muffins, sweetbreads, scones

cakes, cheesecakes

pies and tarts

cookies

other sweet treats which include brownies, puddings,eclairs,doughnuts,flapjack type squares

breads, pizzas.breadcrumbs bread crumbs, bagels,pretzels, pancakes ,tortillas, stuffings,crepes,
yorkshire puddings

All in all it looks pretty good .

I think you would find the flours in health food shops, I did know Asda or Tesco had sorghum and millet.

So what do you think

XX Jeannine

[PurpleHeather]

To be honest in the UK, Doves plain, SR and Bread flour does cover the range of substitutes, perfectly and they offer brilliant recipes which work all for free.

I find an extra half a teaspoon of the xanthan gum  and often a half teaspoon of baking powder added makes a lot of difference.

I must say that my best discovery is ASDA smart price instant mashed potato.

Since finding it I get throgh a pack or two a week. Adding it to things instead of bread crumbs or flour. Adding it to pastry recipes.

I am now cooking substitutes for all sorts. ASDA smart price instant mashed potato can be used as a thickener for soups gravies and even stewed fruits.

ASDA should be paying me............

Must say that himself bought me some Gluten Free chocolate chip cookies from Tesco and they were lovely, Had a crunch. It was rice crispies. Not a lot but they were there. They are going into my next times bake when I want a crisp.

Years ago I worked for a firm which  had several locations and the company gave the canteens the recipes they wanted for staff meals. (I had no dietary problems in those days) The chefs the company employed all had to have a good standard and yet in no two restaurants did any two chefs, using the recipes from the companies strict and exacting stipulations provide the same results.

The food was never exactly the same.

Even something as simple as chips, fried in identical friers in the same oil at the same temperature for the same time varied.

The same supplier delivered the cut up potatoes to the all their locations from the same wholesaler.

It will always be a mystery why that happens, but I know it does
 

[grannyjanny]

Thank you Jeannine. That is so kind of you with all you have on ATM. I'm so glad I asked for your advice ;D. I think tapioca flour is available on line but I"m sure I saw it in Portugal & my friend is over soon.

Another one for you. I don't eat jam as anything with a lot of sugar in makes me very tired ::). I buy a fruit spread which contains fruit sugar & seem to be OK with that. Have you any idea how I could replicate it please?

[Jeannine]

How about if you make your jam with honey instead of sugar. XX Jeannin

[:(]

Another one for you. I don't eat jam as anything with a lot of sugar in makes me very tired ::).

Have you had a blood sugar test? Its worth mentioning to your gp just to be on the safe side.

[grannyjanny]

Jeannine. Thank you for the suggestion but the same applies with honey.
Weequinie, thank you. No problems with sugar levels, it's just my peculiar makeup. ME sent thing wonky ;D.

[goodlife]

Fruit sugar=fructose you can buy from most supermarkets...only difference to 'normal' sugar is that it is absorbed by body little slower. It is those rapid ups and downs that 'normal' sugar does to your blood sugar levels that cause tiredness.... ;)
And fructose is little sweeter too so you use it less in quantity than you would 'normal'. But to make jam you will need 'normal' sugar too...

[:(]

Jeannine. Thank you for the suggestion but the same applies with honey.
Weequinie, thank you. No problems with sugar levels, it's just my peculiar makeup. ME sent thing wonky ;D.

sorry youve got ME, its an awful diagnosis. Theres some intersting new research going on into retroviruses that hopefully in time mght lead to better diagnosis and treatment

[grannyjanny]

It was a hepB vaccine for my job at the time which reactivated the Epstein Bar virus. Won't kill me but is a nuisance ::).

[Jeannine]

I think I have some recipesI worked on a couple of years ago that were artificially sweeted with splenda but they have a short shelf life or have to be frozen,,do you want me to search them out fr you XX Jeannine

[grannyjanny]

That's very kind of you but no thank you. I don't do sweeteners either ::). Think I'll just have to keep buying it ;).
Off to make a gluten full mincemeat cake as a treat for my hairdresser, having a long needed haircut tomorrow.

[luckycharlie]

   Grannyjanny I'll do your hair. You will look like Worzel  Gummage's Aunt Sally but I can eat the cake ;D ;D ;D ;D

[grannyjanny]

LC I already look like WG with my hair down. I'd make a good partner for Guy ATM. Cake just out of smells divine. OH is having a hair cut too but said he doesn't really need one & was upset when I told him that if I lose him in a shop I look for someone who resembles my late Granny ;D.

[:(]

It was a hepB vaccine for my job at the time which reactivated the Epstein Bar virus. Won't kill me but is a nuisance ::).

Thats rough.