Gluten Free Graham Crackers

Having to be gluten-free, I have missed graham crackers. Graham crackers are needed to make s'mores. Who doesn't like graham crackers with peanut butter? Almost nothing can beat the merge of a graham cracker crust and cheesecake. I've been talking about making gluten-free graham crackers for a year and it is time to get with it!

I sampled several commercial graham crackers. I think Kinnikinnick, Smoreable Graham Style Crackers are relatively close to "real" graham crackers but they are made from white and brown rice. As most all gluten-free baked goods, they are expensive, especially compared to the number of crackers in the box.

Origin of the Graham Cracker

To make a good gluten-free graham cracker, I wanted to know; what is a graham cracker? I am finding that to make a good gluten-free substitute, I must know what makes a good gluten cracker.

The graham cracker was developed by Sylvester Graham in 1829.  He was a minister and vegetarian. He avidly promoted the use of unsifted, coarsely milled wheat flour. He thought the high fiber of the flour was better for the human diet. The flour's name became graham flour.

Graham flour is more coarsely ground than whole wheat flour. Both contain the bran, germ and endosperm of the wheat kernel.

Substitutions for Graham Flour

That said, then the true graham cracker is made from the special whole wheat flour. So, the whole wheat flour cannot be used in a gluten-free diet. What to do for a replacement?  Most gluten-free bakers are using white rice flour and brown rice flour. Many of us don't use rice flour, especially brown rice flour. There are several reasons - the main focus is on a high glycemic index and arsenic. Rice flours are used so much in gluten-free flour mixes because it is cheaper.  Brown rice usually works as a substitute for wheat flour. Finally, rice flours usually make a great product, as stated by the American Test Kitchen. I hate to be at odds with the American Test Kitchen, but there are other choices that are more healthy.

The highly recommended recipe for gluten-free graham crackers is the recipe by Rebecca Reilly.  I found it in a magazine, Living Without's: Gluten Free & More. I investigated the flour blend used in the recipe and, yup, there was white and brown rice flour.  Fortunately it also contained sorghum, tapioca, potato starch, amaranth, millet or quinoa or oat. It was close in ingredients to  the whole grain flour blend (70% grains-30% starch) that I make of oat flour, millet flour, quinoa flour, sorghum, bean flour, masa haring, amaranth, teff, buckwheat, tapioca starch, corn starch and potato starch.

There is a company that makes a blend similar to this. The company is Maninis and they sell their flours and pasta through Amazon. The company makes no flour blends with rice. It is rather expensive as with most all gluten-free ingredients.

Lowering the Glycemic Index

The second change I made in the Reilly recipe was to lower the glycemic index of the graham crackers.  I substituted part of the brown sugar for a sugar substitute, though I don't show it in the recipe. I used 1/4 cup brown sugar and 3 tablespoons Stevia in the Raw. Some sugar is needed for helping with the protein structure and tenderness. Of course, it gives sweetness also.

Substitutions for the Gums

The third substitution I made in the recipe was 1 tablespoon of seed dust for the xanthan gum. The seed dust contains flaxseed, chia seeds and psyllium, ground in a coffee mill.  Some gluten-free bakers substitute just the psyllium. Many bakers now use only psyllium, rather than gums. I like the seed dust because it works as a great binder, adds nutrients and adds taste.

Making the Graham Cracker Dough

I hand blended the butter into the flour mixture the first and second time I made the crackers.  The third time I used this recipe, I didn't have success using the food processor to blend the butter into the flour mixture.  The processed dough was much to soft and greasy. I think I need to learn how many times to pulse the dough. I may have over blended the dough.

When I made the graham cracker dough the first time, I made crackers with the dough after 1 hour in the refrigerator. (I was so excited to try the graham crackers, and could hardly wait). Compared to wheat flour, it takes gluten-free flours longer to hydrate and distribute the moisture. I had to add a little flour because it was slightly too sticky to roll out.

The other half of the dough spent the night in the fridge. It wasn't as sticky but still needed a little flour to help roll out the crackers. I eventually solved the sticky problem so the dough didn't need extra flour.

Once the liquid ingredients are added to the dry buttered ingredients,

the dough may seem to be very crumbly. The dough will work 

together by kneading the dough a few times. The plastic wrap can 

help work  the dough together without adding any extra liquid. (Why 

red plastic wrap?  I have red, yellow, green, purple, & blue boxes

left over from students performing light experiments in the 

chemistry classroom. Going to get those experiments posted some day. )

The Reilly recipe states to roll the crackers with parchment paper above and below the dough. Some bakers prefer to use plastic wrap or wax paper. I've tried all three but prefer to place the dough on parchement and use plastic wrap on top of the dough. Rolling out the dough using the parchment on bottom and plastic wrap on top requires no extra flour and it is easy to see the dough as it is rolled.

Roll the dough toward the edge of paper and turn the whole unit, paper and dough.  Repeat the process until the dough is about 1/8" thickness. (No extra flour is needed with this method!) Remove the plastic wrap. Cut the dough with a knife, pizza cutter or pastry cutter into 2x3-inch rectangles.

Holes in the dough are requires to let the steam out and help the cracker cook evenly. I've tried several methods for making the holes. I've used a dinner fork and other times, a meat serving fork. The very best method, I found, is to pierce each cracker with the flat end of a wooden skewer.  The first time I did it, I thought the holes might be too big but the wooden skewer holes are perfect after baking. I have found the dinner fork holes to completely close up during baking.

Leave the cut dough on the parchement paper.  Slide the parchment paper into the pan and bake. When the crackers come out of the oven, the crackers needed 5 minute rest time on the parchment.  They are very delicate coming out of the oven. Remove the crackers to a cooling rack. (The best cooling rack for delicate gluten-free cookies and crackers is a grid cooling rack.) The crackers will firm up and be snappy by the time they are cool.

S'Mores made with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips and
the homemake gluten-free graham crackers.  Taste - fantastic!

Graham crackers  (makes about 3 dozen)

2 1/4  cups gluten free flour (70%-30%) blend (see below)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar or 1/4 cup Stevia brown sugar blend
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon seed dust
7 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into pieces
2-3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar (optional)

Directions:


1. Mix together gluten-free flour mix, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, seed dust and salt.

2. Using a pastry blender, work cold butter into dry ingredients.

3. In a small bowl, combine honey, cold water, and vanilla. Stir the honey mixture into the dry ingredients. If dough is too dry, add a little more cold water, a teaspoon at a time.

4. Gather dough into a soft ball, using the plastic wrap if needed. Cover in the plastic wrap, or drop into zippered plastic bag,  and refrigerate for at least an hour.

5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut parchment paper the size of the baking pan.

6. Place the prepared parchment paper on working counter and place 1/3 to 1/2 of dough on the parchment paper. Cover the dough with wax paper or plastic wrap the size of the parchment. Roll the dough between the parchment and wax paper (or plastic wrap) to about ⅛-inch thickness, or how thick you like your graham crackers. Remove the top sheet that was used for rolling.

7. Cut into 2 x 3-inch pieces with a knife, pizza cutter or pastry cutter and prick lightly 4-5 times with a fork or flat end of wooden skewer. With the dough still on the parchment paper, place the parchment paper in the pan. (Again, don't try to remove the dough from the parchment paper until baked.)

8.  Repeat steps 6 and 7 for remaining dough as many times as needed to finish rolling the dough.

9. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of dough) or until golden brown. If cookies spread and bake together, re-cut while still warm. The graham crackers are very delicate while hot. If wanted, the very warm graham crackers can be sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

10. Let cookies cool slightly before transferring to cooling rack. As the graham crackers cool, they will become firm and crisp. When completely cool, store in airtight container

Haven't tried it yet, but I'm pretty sure these graham crackers can be made chocolate with the addition of 1/3-1/2 cup cocoa powder and maybe another 3 tablespoons water.  In a few weeks, I'll try making them -- cutting out little stars and little bears. I will update when I do. There is always experimenting fun in my kitchen!

Graham Crackers -- first try.  Great taste but not pretty.
The look of the crackers improved by rolling a little thicker
and using a wooden skewer to make the holes.

Whole Grain Flour Blend (70% whole grain - 30% starch)

The idea for developing this flour blend came from Gluten Free Girl and The Chef.  There is a list of flours from which to choose to make flour blends.

70% WHOLE GRAIN FLOURS

200 g ( 1 2/3 cup) oat flour
50 g (about 1/2 cup) millet flour
100 g (about 1 cup) quinoa flour
100 g (3/4 c + 3 tb) sorghum flour
50 g bean (about 1/2 c)(fava &  
      northern)
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb) (corn flour (masa
     harina)
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb) amaranth flour
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb)teff flour
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb) buckwheat flour

30% STARCHES

100g (3/4 c) tapioca flour
100 g (3/4 + 3 tb) corn starch
100 g (3/4 + 2tb) c + potato starch

The blend becomes light and fluffy when the starches are added. This blend has a great taste!

Homemade graham crackers with peanut butter.
Any choice of butter can be used.  Wonderful to have again!

To cut out the little pigs, cats, elephant and teddy bears, roll
dough on parchment as usual. Place the parchment on the
baking pan.Then, freeze the dough. Once frozen 20 minutes,
use the cutters to cut out cookies. Run a knife under the dough
and gently pop the cookie out. Reroll the leftover dough and
freeze again or make squares without freezing. Bake the little
cookie grahams 6-7 minutes. Watch carefully. They burn quickly!

Resources:

Bellis, Mary. "Sylvester Graham - History of Graham Crackers." About.com Inventors. About.com, 05 Mar. 2014. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.<http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blgraham.htm>

"Frequently Asked Questions." Food Safety Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015. <http://www.foodsafetysite.com/consumers/faq/?m_knowledgebase_article=270>

"Gluten-Free Graham Crackers - Recipes Article." Living Without's Gluten Free & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.<http://www.glutenfreeandmore.com/recipes/gluten_free_graham_crackers-1793-1.html>

"Graham Crackers Were Originally Meant to Be Part of a Diet Thought to Curb Sexual Urges." Today I Found Out RSS. N.p., 28 Mar. 2013. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/03/graham-crackers-were-originally-meant-to-be-part-of-a-diet-thought-to-curb-sexual-urges/>

"Home Baking Association: Providing Tools and Knowledge to Perpetuate Generations of Home Bakers." N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan.2015
<http://www.homebaking.org/foreducators/askexperts/bakingsugar.html>

"How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice - Consumer Reports." How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice - Consumer Reports. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.<http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm>

"How to Make a Gluten-free Whole-grain Flour Mix - Gluten Free Girl and the Chef." Gluten Free Girl and the Chef RSS. N.p., 05 Feb. 2013. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.<http://glutenfreegirl.com/2013/02/how-to-make-a-gluten-free-whole-grain-flour-mix/>

"How to Make Cinnamon Sugar." WikiHow. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Cinnamon-Sugar>

Disclosure Statement:
I have not received compensation for any products mentioned or used in this post.

Gluten-Free Shortbread Using A Cookie Press

Many years ago, before my gluten problem was identified, I baked  Cookie Stamp Shortbread cookies.  I even developed a Chocolate Stamp Cookie recipe that my children liked.  The cookie stamps I used were made from a variety of media, including glass, ceramic and plastic.

The stamps with deeper impressions seem to do better with gluten-free dough.

Those 2 dozen cookie stamps have been calling my name for awhile and I have been ignoring the call. I figured that it was hard enough to make a riceless cookie, much less try to stamp one. Even though I don't use rice flour, there are reasons bakers use rice flour in gluten-free baking. Rice flours (white, brown and glutinous) are the cheapest of the gluten-free flours; it usually gives a nice looking product and most people using it have fewer failures in the baking department.  But there is a problem in that it has arsenic. White rice flour has few nutrients and though, brown rice has more nutrients, it has more arsenic than white rice. Reading this info from Consumer Reports might help understand the problem.

What is Shortbread?

Shortbread is described as a rich, thick, sandy, buttery cookie and sometimes molded, then baked until the edges are golden. It is also a crumbly cookie. Shortbread is suppose to be a dough of 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter and 1 part sugar. Many recipes only contain those three ingredients. Some recipes list powdered sugar as an ingredient and some include the addition of cornstarch. There is cornstarch in the powdered sugar.  The cornstarch is used to absorb water from the butter so that the shortbread is dry. There is no leavening ingredient in shortbread.

Ree Drummond states that a shortbread cookie is entirely different from a sugar cookies, with different texture and flavor. She says that they should never meant to be eaten alone. They need cream, ice cream, fruit or something else.

The cookies can be made chocolate with the addition of cocoa. Instant coffee can be added with the cocoa to make mocha shortbread.  Chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate can be added to the dough for delightful chocolate shortbread. Toffee bits can be added alone or with chocolate chips for a great shortbread. Shortbread can be dipped in chocolate.  Lemon drink mix or lemon zest can be added to the dough to give lemon flavor.  Chopped nuts can be added to made nut sandies. Chia shortbread can be made by adding cardamon, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Give a hint of caramel flavor by using light brown sugar.  A savory shortbread can be made using some of the following ingredients: cornmeal, sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, nuts, herbs of choice, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder or dry mustard. Dried fruit such as dried blueberries, dried cherries, dried can berries can be added to the dough for berry shortbread.

There are several ways to prepare the shortbread for baking. Sarabeth Levine believes it should be rolled and cut into shapes. Her favorite shape is disk-shaped because there are no sharp edges to over- brown. Ina Garten rolls her shortbread, cuts, bakes and dips part of the shortbread in semisweet chocolate. Shortbread can be baked in cake pans, removed from the pans after baking and cut into wedges while still warm. The dough can also be dropped by teaspoon and flattened with a small glass, fork tines or anything that can make a pretty pattern, such as cookie stamps. Laurie Sadowski has some great ideas for making shortbread cookies. You might like her recipe also.

 I wanted to be able to replicate the description of shortbread using gluten-free flours. Gluten-free shortbread is going to be slightly different from gluten shortbread. Trying to remember the feel and taste of shortbread before becoming gluten-free is difficult -- what did it feel like and how did it taste? I can only slightly remember. Most resources agree that shortbread, gluten or gluten-free,  should never be allowed to brown except lightly around the edges. Some gluten-free shortbread recipes call for an egg for binding the flours and starches.  The egg might give a different consistency to the shortbread.  Extra cornstarch or arrowroot flour might be needed to absorb water from the egg. I want to make a gluten-free shortbread cookie that will be exactly like a gluten shortbread cookie.


First try

The flour blend I used contained gluten-free oat flour, sorghum flour, corn flour (masa harina) and tapioca starch. The recipe called for xanthan gum, cornstarch, sugar and salt. It was easy to make and was buttery and sweet. It was easy to knead into a log.  Rather than cut into cookie disks, I rolled the slices into balls so that they could be stamped. The balls were difficult to stamp.  The dough was difficult to release from the stamp. Once baked,  the shortbread was too crumbly and delicate.  When baked, some of the impressions disappeared while the shortbread baked. The gingerbread man impression was very prominent. The glass stamps did not make good impressions because the impressions on the glass are very shallow. With the glass stamps, it was difficult to see the impression, even before baking. Final results: the dough was sticky, the dough stuck to the stamps and some of the impressions disappeared upon baking.

These cookies haven't been baked yet. When baking the oat flour shortbread,
the flower, apple and heart will disappear on the shortbread when baked.
How disappointing but the second try is triumphant.

Second Try

For the second batch, I decided to change the recipe.  I used the whole grain flour blend, mainly because it made a wonderful cracker.  Maybe it would make a better short bread.  The flour blend was the 70%-30% blend of 70% whole grains of oat, millet, quinoa, sorghum, bean, masa haring, amaranth, teff and buckwheat. The 30% of starches are tapioca, corn starch and potato starch. Other ingredients in the recipe include sugar, butter and egg and extra cornstarch. 

Making only half the recipe, the dough was mixed, the dough was dumped onto plastic wrap (or a Ziploc bag can be used), and kneaded a few times, until a soft ball formed. Using the plastic wrap (or bag),  it was rolled into a log with 2-inch diameter. It was cooled in the refrigerator for 60 minutes to let the dough hydrate. It was then removed from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature, 10-15 minutes.

What to Do Next

Remove the plastic wrap. Use a knife to divide first roll of dough into 10-12 equal pieces. Roll each disk into a ball and place on the prepared pan with parchment paper. Place the plastic wrap over the balls and flatten with fingers or small glass bottom.

Note that the log has be marked into 8 disks but had to be
remarked because each dish was larger than 1-in balls.

The first 9 (1-inch) balls from the first log.

The yellow plastic wrap gives the flattened dough balls a darker appearance.

With the plastic wrap over the flattened cookie balls, stamp each ball.  If the impression is not good, pull the plastic wrap off, reroll the ball, recover with plastic wrap and restamp.

Stamped gluten-free shortbread.  Because gluten-free dough is
sticky, stamping though the plastic wrap helps.

Remove the plastic wrap from the stamped shortbread cookies. (Save the plastic wrap to flatten and stamp the next set of shortbread). Place the cookie pan with the unbaked stamped cookies in the freezer.  Cooling the stamped dough will help the cookies hold their impressions while baking.

The flower, at the top of the photo, makes a nice stamp in the cookies but because
it is not very deep, baking doesn't hold the impression in the shortbread. The gingerbread
boy, the cat and the butterfly impressions baked beautifully, leaving the impression.

After baking, kitty and gingerbread boy impressions stay nicely but the flower is gone!
In the third trial, I found that placing the pressed cookies in the freezer before baking
help holds the impression during baking.

Notice that the cookies do not brown very much.  The edges are slightly golden. These cookies are buttery, rich, sandy and have good flavor.

Not Interested in Stamping?

This same shortbread cookie recipe can be made without stamping. An alternative method of making the cookies is just slice and bake. If needed, each slice or disk can be flattened with a glass or fork.

I liked the adventure of stamping and discovering what works and what doesn't work. (Guess that is the science teacher in me.) Another thought -- no matter what gluten-free recipe and gluten-free flour blend you choose to use, and there are many out there, you might have to experiment a little if you care to make perfect shortbread. I haven't gotten perfection yet and will continue working on the shortbread. If there are any extraordinary discoveries, I'll repost them.

Linda's Cookie Stamp Shortbread Gluten Free

Ingredients:

1/4 cup + 2 Tb (49g) cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup + 2 Tb (168g) Gluten-Free Whole Grain Flour Blend*
2 tablespoons egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon psyllium powder or ground flax seed or seed dust
extra sugar

Directions:

Cut parchment paper the size of the cookie sheet.

Stir together cornstarch, sugar and flour in a bowl.

Blend the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives to form a soft crumbly dough. The butter can also be frozen, grated and mixed into the flour mixture.  It can also be blended with a food processor.

Mix in egg and vanilla to form a soft dough.

Empty the dough onto a piece piece of plastic wrap. Knead the dough several time. Form it into a log shape. Fold the plastic wrap around the dough and shape again to form a roll  1 1/2 to 2″ in diameter. Place the log in the refrigerator to chill for at least 60 minutes.

Take the log out of the refrigerator and let the dough come to room temperature, 10-15 minutes.

Cut the roll into 10-12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 1-inch ball and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Place plastic wrap over the balls and flatten. With the plastic wrap over the flattened cookie balls, stamp each ball.  If the impression is not good, pull the wrap off, reroll the ball , recover with plastic wrap and restamp. The impressions will not be as sharp using plastic wrap but the dough will not be stuck in the stamp.

When finished with the stamping, pull the plastic wrap off. Place the cookie sheet of stamped cookies in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove the cookie sheet from the freezer and sprinkle the cookies with a little sugar.

Bake at 350℉ for 10-13 minutes, until the edges are slightly brown and set. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Carefully lift each cookie on cooling rack. The cookies will be delicate but will firm up as they cool. Repeat directions with the second roll.

When cool, store in an airtight container.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Linda's Whole Grain Flour Blend

70% WHOLE GRAIN FLOURS (all gluten-free)

200 g ( 1 2/3 cup) gluten-free oat flour
50 g (about 1/2 cup) millet flour
100 g (about 1 cup) quinoa flour
100 g (3/4 c + 3 tb) sorghum flour
50 g bean (about 1/2 c)(fava &  northern or any bean combination)
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb) corn flour (masa harina)
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb) amaranth flour
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb)teff flour
50 g (1/4 c + 2tb) buckwheat flour

30% STARCHES (all-gluten free)

100g (3/4 c) tapioca flour
100 g (3/4 + 3 tb) corn starch
100 g (3/4 + 2tb) c + potato starch



Rather than use oat flour, millet flour, and quinoa flour,  350 grams of one of those flours can be used.  I prefer to use all the flours. Each adds a specific purpose. The bean flour adds protein, fiber and moisture. Millet flour contains amino acids and helps prevent crumbliness. Quinoa flour adds a complete protein with vitamins, minerals and iron. Oat flour adds fluffiness and softness to the flour blend and is a good iron source. Oat flour also behaves similar to wheat flour. Teff flour is high in protein and has a sweet, nutty flavor. It is expensive and used in small quantities. Sorghum flour has a low glycemic index and has high anti-oxidant properties. Buckwheat flour is high in essential amino acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals and better when combined with other flours. The masa harina helps with the density of baked goods and helps give moisture.

The starches help a gluten-free flour blend to be lighter and help give rise and lift to baked products. Tapioca helps with browning and potato starch helps lighten up the product. Corn starch adds tenderness.

To make the whole grain flour blend less expensive, I mill the oat, millet, quinoa, bean, amaranth, teff flours and sometime the sorghum and buckwheat.  If this combination seems too much trouble, a company makes a blend comparable to this one. Maninis flour blends, found at this site, are more expensive but, are excellent flour blends. There is no rice in their blends.

Resources:

"Buckwheat Flour, Gluten Free Flour, Pseudo Cereal, Buckwheat and Rice Flour Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (Gluten Free), Whats Cooking America." N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015. <http://whatscookingamerica.net/CharlotteBradley/BuckwheatFlour.htm>

"Do I Have to Add Salt If I Use Unsalted Butter in a Recipe? - BHG.com."Better Homes & Gardens. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.http://www.bhg.com/advice/food/baking/butter-salted-vs-unsalted/

"4 Tips for Baking With Oat Flour." Food and Wine. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Jan. 2015. <http://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/2014/4/22/4-tips-for-baking-with-oat-flour>

Gruss, MS Teri. "How to Use Gluten-Free Flours and Starches." N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.<http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/glutenfreeingredients/tp/20-Gluten-Free-Flours.01.htm>

"How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice - Consumer Reports." How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice - Consumer Reports. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.<http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm>

"Is Masa Harina Gluten Free?" Gluten Free Cooking School Is Masa Harina Gluten Free Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.<http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/is-masa-harina-gluten-free/>

"Shortbread." : King Arthur Flour. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.<http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/shortbread-recipe>

"Shortbreads for Every Taste | MyRecipes.com." MyRecipes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.http://www.myrecipes.com/holidays-and-occasions/christmas-recipes/shortbread-cookie-recipes#more

"Shortbreads for Every Taste | MyRecipes.com." MyRecipes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.<http://www.myrecipes.com/holidays-and-occasions/christmas-recipes/shortbread-cookie-recipes#more>

"6 Best Gluten Free Flour Substitutes - Three Bakers." Three Bakers Gluten Free Bakery. N.p., 06 Apr. 2014. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.<http://threebakers.com/best-gluten-free-flour-substitutes/>

"Sorghum June Grain of the Month." Sorghum June Grain of the Month. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.

<http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/sorghum-june-grain-of-the-month>

"What Is the Purpose of Cornstarch in Shortbread Cookies." Food52. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Jan. 2015.http://food52.com/hotline/21746-what-is-the-purpose-of-cornstarch-in-shortbread-cookies

Gluten Free Pie Crust

It is night and my shadow is cast on the front crust.  

Holidays are coming and I don't have to live without cake and pies any longer! I haven't finished experimenting with the cake yet but I have reached an "I got it!" on the pie crust.

Since I had to become gluten free, I had given up on even trying several techniques that I had learned at ECU in Family and Comsumer Science.  Back then (not saying when), it was referred to as a BS in Home Economics. I could roll out a perfect pie crust but that pie crust was an art of wonderful gluten.  Gluten is the substance that helps made the dough pliable and hold together.

Oh, how I missed making pecan chocolate pie, savory chicken pot pie, quiche with a crust, fresh strawberry pie, chocolate chess pie, and variations of pumpkin pie. All that has changed since I spent a weekend trying out different gluten free pie crust recipes.  I wouldn't ordinally spend that short time developing a recipe, but Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming up and I will not be spending another holiday watching other people eat my favorite dishes, which I can't eat.

The Kitchen Laboratory - Experimenting with Pie Crust Recipes

The first recipe I tried was a pie crust using amaranth flour and it was pretty bad. If I had checked the reviews first, I would have not tried it. The crust actually makes a cracking sound when it breaks. The earthy taste is much too strong. My daughter said it tasted like earth worms -- that is pretty earthy, but how would she know the taste of earth worms. Hmmmm.

Next came a gluten free pie crust recipe from Martha Stewart. Some reviewers stated that the butter in the pie crust ran out of the pie pan.  Mine didn't do that but the butter pooled in the middle of the pie pan as the sides of the crust oozed down to the bottom of the pie pan. About half the reviewers had problems with the recipe. I'm not absolutely sure but I believe it has to do with the flour blend used. The recipe doesn't state the flour blend used but most of the gluten free recipes used on Martha's site use Cup4Cup, and that is rice flour based. Since this recipe won't work with my flour blend, I didn't save the recipe. Reviewers ( evidently using rice flour)  have given raving reviews for the recipe. If you use rice flour, you might want to give it a try.

Another pie crust recipe I tried was from the site Simply Gluten Free.  This recipe for pie crust gave me reason to tread on. The sight sells a gluten free flour which is mostly rice flour. I am not a rice flour user. I tried the recipe with with my own flour blend and it worked.  The pie crust was flaky. I would consider using it again. I did use a food processor to make this recipe.  It is a quick, easy and tasty recipe.  If you don't need a sweet dough, leave off the sugar but if using a rice flour, it will help the pie crust brown.

I thought I had finally found a good pie crust dough at Simply Gluten Free. I cleaned up the kitchen and thought I was finished. Then, why I'm not sure, I wouldn't give up with the idea I need the perfect gluten free pie crust.  I found a pie crust recipe at Bob's Red Mill site. It had 78 - that's right - 78 positive reviews for the recipe. The flour blend suggested for use in the recipe had no rice. So I had planned to wait until morning, go to Big Lots and get the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, as suggested for the recipe.

Since the blend had no rice and my blend was a little similar to Bob's Red Mill, I went back to the kitchen at 9:00 PM and started the recipe. Oh, my gosh, it worked out perfectly! It was so easy to make and it was tasty and flaky. It tasted very simular to the recipe from Simply Gluten Free but it was easier. I didn't use the processor because I had just cleaned it and I didn't want to clean it again at 9:30 PM. A processor, though, can be used to quicky make the dough. It took no time at all to blend the flour and butter with a pastry cutter and roll it out on floured wax paper.

I had been rolling out the doughs on parchment paper but I found it easier to roll on wax paper.  The wax paper doesn't seem to absorb as much moisture and peels off easier. Still needs to be rolled with lots of gluten free flour. Am I a happy baker? :-D


I have include the flour blend I used in the pie crust. I developed this blend by reading this site of Gluten Free Girl. I used the 70% whole grains and 30% starch rule. I chose not to use the rice flour because of the arsenic and rice flour's high glycemic index. The recipe for the flour blend can be found at the bottom of the post. If you choose not to use my blend, I am not offended.  Get the Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour. It can be used for most all baking.

I won't copy the recipe on this post because you can go to the site to get Bob's Red Mill pie crust recipe by Nancy Sackman.  In my photos, you notice that the pie crust looks darker than the photo at Bob's Red Mill site. The reason for the color differences is in the flour blend. The Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour from Bob's Red mill is bean flour based and mine is whole grained based, which makes a darker dough.  Both are high in protein.

Making the Pie Crust

I went one step further and made a cheddar cheese crust. I added twice the amount of shredded cheddar cheese as compare to the butter.  I then cut both the cheddar cheese and butter into the flour, salt, and a tad of sugar. Next time I make it I'm going to try using extra sharp cheddar cheese. There is only a hint of cheddar cheese taste with sharp cheese. I think that adding more cheese will only make the dough more oily and the extra sharp will help with the flavor.

The orange color is from the cheddar cheese.

Pour the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, into the flour mixture and toss with a fork until the dough will hold together. Be careful not to add too much water; it will become too sticky. Spoon all the dough into a zippered bag. (Gluten free dough does not come together as easily as gluten dough). Once the dough is in the bag, it is much easier to form the dough into a disk inside the bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least one hour.  (It can stay refrigerated up to three days). It needs refrigerated time for the moisture to distribute throughout the dough. It takes gluten free dough more time to for the moisture to be absorbed than gluten dough. Before rolling the dough let it sit out of the fridge for 10 minutes to come to room temperature.

Sometimes it appears as if the dough won't come together.
Just coax it gently and it will if it has enough liquid.

This dough surprisingly rolls out beautifully. The dough needs a lot of gluten free flour between the layers of wax paper. Place the flour on the first layer of wax paper and lightly move the dough disk over the flour.  Lightly dust the top of the disk and place another piece of wax paper on the disk.  Roll the dough from the center of disk out to edge, turning the paper 1/4 turn after rolling. Repeat rolling and turning until the dough is rolled half the size you want it. Flip the paper and slightly peel the paper away from the dough. If needed, lightly dust the dough with flour by rubbing your hand in the flour and then lightly rubbing the dough. Finish rolling out the dough from center to edge of paper until dough is about 1/8-in thick and the size you want it.

Wax paper is pulled back.  Flour hand and rub on dough and 
cover with the wax paper again.  Continue rolling dough.

After rolling, peel the top paper off the dough. Turn the dough over on top of the pie pan and gently pull the paper (which was the bottom paper) off the dough.  Gently help the dough fall into the pie pan and gently push the dough into the bottom of pie pan.  Press gently into the sides. If using a regular pie tin, cut the dough 1/2-in to 1-in from the side and roll the dough under to make a decorative edge. This site and this site show how to make several different, beautiful decorative edges.

Sometimes the dough may tear. It can be mended by pressing the
dough back together carefully. The dough is very forgiving.

After rolling out the dough for the first two mini pie pans, there was dough left over.  Not wanting to throw out the dough, I pressed the dough into a third pan.  Imagine -- the dough can be pressed into the pie pans.  When pressing the dough in the pan, the dough is not as smooth and uniform as the rolled crust, but it can be done.

The dough in the front mini pan has been pressed into the pan rather than rolled.

I am so glad that I finally got the courage to make pie dough again.  It wasn't as difficult as I imagined it to be.  I thought a gluten free pie crust would be impossible -- but it isn't.  This pie dough is high in protein, whether using the 70% Whole Grain flour blend or Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour.

Don't or can't use grains? Then try this recipe at Elana's Pantry paleo piecrust or this site that has 10 paleo pie crust recipes, stated to be remarkable. I'll try those out -- but that is for another day. I'll post here when I give them a try.

-----------------------------------------------------

Linda's 70% Whole Grain Flour Blend (notice the cup amounts - another
reason for measuring with a scale)

70% Whole Grain Flour Blend GF

70% WHOLE GRAIN FLOURS

200 g oat flour (1 2/3 c)          (Of oat, millet & quinoa, can use 350 g of one)
50 g millet flour (1/2 c)                        
100 g quinoa flour (1c)
100 g sorghum flour (3/4 c + 3tb)
50 g bean (fava & northern) (1/2 c)
50 g corn flour (masa harina) (1/4 c + 2tb)
50 g amaranth flour (1/4c + 2tb)
50 g teff flour (1/4c + 2tb)
50 g buckwheat flour (1/4c + 2tb)

30% STARCHES

100g tapioca flour (3/4 c)
100 g corn starch (3/4c + 3tb)
100 g potato starch (3/4c + 2tb)
---------------------------------------
One cup of blend = 108-117 grams

Resources:

"Easy As Pie Crust (Gluten Free)." Bob's Red Mill. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes_detail.php?rid=1126

"How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice - Consumer Reports." How Much Arsenic Is in Your Rice - Consumer Reports. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm

"How to Make a Gluten-free Whole-grain Flour Mix - Gluten Free Girl and the Chef." Gluten Free Girl and the Chef RSS. N.p., 05 Feb. 2013. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.http://glutenfreegirl.com/2013/02/how-to-make-a-gluten-free-whole-grain-flour-mix/


"The Food Lab: The Science of Pie Dough." The Food Lab: The Science of Pie Dough. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.<http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07/the-food-lab-the-science-of-pie-how-to-make-pie-crust-easy-recipe.html>



Disclosure statement:  I have not received compensation for any products mentioned or used in this post.

Make It Sourdough - Gluten Free Pumpkin Quick Bread

Sourdough Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips & Pecans

It's getting near the holidays.  One of the smells of the holidays I like is pumpkin pie seasoning.  I can almost smell it in my mind. On the spice shelf, I found a box of the seasoning.  It came from my mother's house when I cleaned out her house to sell it. The can was a little old and had a price of 49₵. My mother made quite a few pumpkin pies in her lifetime and I am almost sure that she must have refilled the little can at some point, maybe several times. I was not sure whether the pumpkin pie spice in the can was gluten free and not knowing -- I threw it out. To make sure my spice mix was gluten free, I made my own with 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon ground mace and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg.

I found another pumpkin spice mix recipe that included 1/4 teaspoon cardamon and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest rather than the mace.  No matter how it is made, the smell is wonderful!  Bet you can smell it also.

The spice mix can be used in pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies and pumpkin bread pudding.  Sprinkle it over root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, acorn squash or butternut squash.  It can be the wonderful spice in a streusel topping.  Did I forget the coffee or latte?  How about in pumpkin pancakes and waffles? I read a brownie recipe that included pumkin pie spice. I'm guessing you can think of other uses for this spice mix.

Before I concoct a gluten free recipe, I usually cut the recipe in half for experimental purposes. Gluten free ingredients are more expensive than regular baking ingredients; therefore, if the recipe doesn't work, I will be throwing out fewer ingredients.  From there, adjustments can be made easier and cheaper, if they are necessary. When experimenting on this gluten free recipe, I made 12 muffins (half the recipe), rather than two loaves.

Are quick bread and muffins the same?  Sometimes -- but the baking temperature and cooking times are a little different. The Pro Baker Group from King Arthur Flour suggests baking the muffins at 400℉ for 15-20 minutes and the quick bread at 375℉ for a longer time, depending on the size of the loaf pan: the 3"x5" for 35-45 minutes, 8"x4" for 45-55 and the 9"x5" for 40-50 minutes. They also suggest that the amount of oil might be different, with more oil for the muffins.  I think more oil is used to keep them from drying out quickly.  A sourdough recipe of quick bread will take a little longer to bake because the batter is a little wetter.

Experimenting with substitution of applesauce for oil will come later.  Usually only a fourth of the butter is substituted; more causes the product to become dry. Suggestions for this substitution can be found at this site.

 I never seem to find the perfect recipe I need to compensate for gluten-free and low sugar.  So I have to experiment.  I found a sourdough quick bread recipe at King Arthur Flour, which wasn't gluten free, low sugar nor sourdough but there were good ideas for ratio of ingredients. If you don't need to eat gluten free, give that recipe a try. You just might find it to be your favorite quick bread recipe.

 I found another recipe at Cultures for Health, also not gluten-free and low sugar but it was sourdough. I found some ideas that will help in formulating a recipe for gluten free and low sugar quick bread. Remember from this post on sourdough that sourdough bread is good for you and better for a diabetic because sourdough "anything" has a lower glycemic index.

A gluten free sour dough starter can be made as instructed in my recipe at Make It Sourdough - Gluten Free Starter.  I have been able to keep that starter alive and working well since I made it almost a year ago.  I even preserved some of it through a drying process.  Using this sourdough starter, I made the following gluten free pumpkin muffins and quick bread.  The recipe turned out great. Even my grandson ate one of the muffins and he is an extremely picky eater.  The recipe is not sugar free but low sugar. I believe that some type of sugar is needed for tenderness of the bread. The sweetness for this bread comes from honey and Stevia in the Raw.  Other sugar substitutes could be used or if sugar is ok in your recipe, use whatever sweetener you like.

My gluten free flour blend* (see below) consists of gluten free oat flour, sorghum flour, tapioca flour and corn flour (masa harina).  Any all-purpose gluten free flour will probably work.  I use Dr. Jean Layton's recipe for seed dust rather than use xanthan gum or any gum because it works and because it is more healthy than the gun. If you like to use xanthan gum, and your gluten free flour blend does not contain it, use 1/4 teaspoon for each cup of the flour.

I make my own gluten flour blends because most commercial gluten free flour blends contain rice flour.  Rice flours, both white and brown, are highly processed and have a high glycemic index.  These are two of the reasons for my not using rice flour.

Now, lets get back to the Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread. Making the sourdough sponge is important for this recipe. The sponge needs at least 7 hours to ferment. During this process, there is a
symbiotic relationship between naturally occurring latobacilli and yeast. The bacteria ferment the sugars that the yeast use to produce carbon dioxide and alcohol (the hooch). The bacteria feeds off the alcohol. The process is a little more scientifically complicated and if you want to know more, go to this site. As a science teacher, I really can get into the process, but I won't bore you with the scientific information.

Sourdough before fermentation & before formation of sponge.
The batter was smoothed with a wet hand.

Sourdough sponge, which has formed a slight dome in 8 hours. Note the cracks in dough.  

The Sourdough Sponge at the end of 12 hours.  Notice the air pockets
in the dough on the side of sponge.The sponge is ready!

Gluten Free Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup active sourdough starter (mine weighs about 205 g/cup)

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

2/3 cup milk of choice or whey (discarded from yogurt) or kefir

2 2/3 cup gluten free flour blend 

--------------------------------------------------

2 tablespoons seed dust

1/2 cup butter, melted (or 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce)

1/4 cup honey

2-4 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute

1 large egg (or egg substitute)

3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt of choice

2 teaspoons pumpkin spice mix

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/5 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1.  Combine, in a medium glass or ceramic bowl, the sourdough starter, pumpkin puree, milk and gluten free flour blend. Lightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap, even punching holes in the plastic wrap. Let the wild yeast ferment the starter with the other ingredients.  It will take 7-12 hours.  Many times, I heat water in a small glass batter pitcher in the microwave.  I place the bowl of batter on top of the glass batter pitcher and close the microwave door.  Be careful not to turn on the microwave unless you remove the beginning sponge to reheat the water. The sponge will form and air holes will appear in the sponge. Cracks in the top of the sponge will probably form (note the photos of the process).

2.  At the end of the fermentation of the sponge, preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare one or two loaf pans with butter or cooking spray.  If only one loaf pan is used, prepare a 12-cup regular sized muffin tin with butter or cooking spray or with paper cupcake cups.  

3.  Sprinkle the seed dust over the top of the sponge. All the remaining ingredients should be at room temperature.

4.  Combine the  melted butter, egg, sugar substitute (or sugar) and honey.

5.  In another small bowl, combine salt, pumpkin spice mix, baking soda and the baking powder.  

6.  Thoroughly combine the butter mixture and the sourdough sponge. Then beat in the mixture of dry ingredients. (The batter may bubble a little. That is fine.) Fold in any of the following or combination ingredients: nuts, chocolate chips, raisins currents, or dried fruit.

7.  Fill the loaf pans with the batter or fill one loaf pan and one muffin tin.  If desired at this point, sprinkle with sparkle or coarse crystal sugar on top.  Regular sugar will probably melt and not give a sparkle appearance. (Be careful with the coarse sugars. Even though their ingredients are gluten free, they are sometimes produced on equipment that process wheat and and other common allergens). The only place that I have found gluten-free sprinkles and coarse sugar is this site.

8.  Bake the muffins for 20 minutes and check for doness with a toothpick.  It should not be sticky or wet; a few crumbs may cling to the toothpick but it should be mostly clean.  Check the bread at 40-45 minutes.  If testing with an instant read thermometer, the temperature of the center of the muffin or bread should be at least 190℉ but less than 205℉.

9.  Cool 5 minutes and remove to a rack.  

If a frosting or icing is wanted, let the loaf or muffins completely cool before frosting.  Cream cheese frosting is fantastic on these pumpkin muffins or pumpkin loaf.

Sugar Free Gluten Free Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cup cream cheese or 12 oz (1 1/2 cups) (room temp)
1 1/2 teaspoons butter (room temp)
1/2  - 3/4 cup sugar or equivalent in xylitol, erythritol, coconut sugar, Splenda, Stevia, Truvia

2 tablespoons milk
1-2 tsp vanilla or other flavoring you like


Great Substitutions in the Cream Cheese Frosting:
The vanilla, milk and sugar can be substituted with 1/2 cup maple syrup. This flavor is good with pumpkin. Lemon zest or orange zest can be added to any flavor. Other additions to the frosting could be coconut, nuts, eggnog, cinnamon-sugar mixture or Nutella.

Cinnamon-"Sugar" Topping:

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a small bowl.  In another small bowl, combine 1/2 cup sweetener (such as granulated sugar, xylitol, erythritol, coconut sugar, Splenda, Stevia in the Raw, Stevia, Truvia) with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.  Dip the top of muffin in the butter and then dip in the cinnamon-"sugar" mixture.

This mixture can be also used for any muffin, cupcake, toast, oatmeal, coffee, sweet potatoes, winter squash and any ingredient which you think would be great. Nutmeg can also be added to the cinnamon mix, if desired

• 
  

* All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend

1 1/2 (180 g)  cups oat flour
1 cup (123 g) sorghum flour
1 1/2 cups (188 g) cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup (58 g) corn flour (masa harina)

549 / 4.5 =  122 grams/cup

Printable Recipe for Gluten Free Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread


Resources

"How to Use Applesauce Instead of Oil When Baking." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 25 Jan. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.<http://www.livestrong.com/article/429838-how-to-use-applesauce-instead-of-oil-when-baking/>

Layton, Jean McFadden., and Linda Johnson. Larsen. Gluten-free Baking for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2012. Print.

"Pixie Dust Xanthan Gum Replacer." GlutenFree Doctor. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.http://glutenfreedoctor.com/pixie-dust-xanthan-gum-replacer/

"Rice Flour & Blood Sugar." LIVESTRONG.COM. LIVESTRONG.COM, 10 Sept. 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.<http://www.livestrong.com/article/541050-rice-flour-blood-sugar/>

"Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread." Sourdough Pumpkin Quick Bread. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.<http://www.culturesforhealth.com/sourdough-pumpkin-quick-bread-recipe>

"The Baking Circle Community | King Arthur Flour." The Baking Circle Community | King Arthur Flour. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.<http://community.kingarthurflour.com/content/quick-bread-muffin-recipe-conversion>