IThis is just one of the ways we have
to "think outside the box" to make gluten-free bread. My excellent sous chef,
Jean Duane of the Alternative Cook (she develops gluten-free DVDs at
www.alternativecook.com), also helped me show how to make bread in a bread
machine by mixing the bread dough on the DOUGH setting, and then setting it to
BAKE, rather than let it go through the usual two rising cycles that most bread
machines require.
The basket of bread shown above is an
example of the many gluten-free choices we can create in our own kitchens. Many
of these breads are from my forthcoming book, 1000 Gluten-Free Recipes,
to be published in Fall, 2008.
Many factors affect the success or
failure of homemade baked bread. Here is a summary of that part of the lecture:
Acid (lemon juice or
vinegar)––boosts yeast;
encourages browning.
Altitude––higher
altitudes = faster rising;
lower altitudes = slower
rising
Dry Milk Powder––feeds
yeast, smoothes crust,
tenderizes crumb. This is
not Carnation, but rather
products from Bob's Red
Mill, Ener-G, or substitutes
like Better Than Milk.
Eggs––promotes rising,
lightens crumb, affects
color
Expandex––“normalizes”
crumb, enhances rise,
prolongs shelf life (use about
12 to 15% of total flour in
recipe)
Fiber (flax, rice,
bran, rice polish, cereal,
etc.)––boosts nutrients, but
produces coarser, heavier texture
Unflavored Gelatin powder––binds
ingredients; adds moisture
and protein (good in rice
breads, egg-free breads)
Humidity
a. Rising: higher
humidity = better rising
(too dry and crust dries
out, inhibiting rise).
b. Baking: baking dish
of ice cubes in bottom of
oven to humidify, prevent
dry-out.
Lecithin––emulsifies
(binds) liquid and oil;
promotes finer texture (good
in egg-free bread).
Salt––inhibits yeast,
enhances flavor (I use table
salt or sea salt; kosher
salt has a different texture
and measures differently).
Sugar—feeds yeast,
smoothes crust, tenderizes
crumb, encourages browning.
Ingredient Temperature––all
ingredients at room
temperature promotes better
rising.
Room Temperature––(75°F
- 80°F)
warmer rooms mean faster
rise. Let bread rise in
closed environment (e.g.,
microwave oven with hot
water; oven with light on,
or on top of dryer or
heating pad or warm
countertop.
Water: highly
chlorinated or softened
water (has higher sodium
content) can inhibit yeast;
bottled or filtered water is
recommended if you don't
have good tap water..
Xanthan gum: provides
structure and elasticity
in place of gluten. Replace xanthan gum with 1½ times
more guar gum. If you can’t
use gums, rely on eggs,
pectin, gelatin, fruit
purees but they won't do as
well as xanthan or guar gum.
Yeast––makes bread
rise; about 2¼ teaspoons per
1½-pound loaf; varies with
recipe.
If you want to know more about baking
bread, be sure to attend the 2nd Annual Gluten-Free Culinary Summit where I will
be a featured speaker, along with some of the country's finest gluten-free
chefs. For more information or to register, go to
www.theglutenfreelifestyle.com.
Fried
Zucchini Blossoms
Two
years ago this week, I was walking down a side street in Florence, Italy, and
saw one of those sights that I'll remember forever--- but unfortunately didn't
have my camera ready to capture the moment. A handsome young man was walking
down the street towards me, holding a big wicker basket overflowing with bright
yellow zucchini blossoms. It would have been the sort of photo that deserved
framing or might have appeared in the pages of a food magazine. But before I
could get my camera focused, he disappeared into a doorway and was lost forever.
A year
later, in Italy again, I read a book called A Thousand Days in Tuscany,
by Marlena de Blasi. The
opening scene describes a celebratory feast featuring fried zucchini blossoms.
After those two events, I was compelled to fry my own zucchini blossoms, but
unfortunately I can't find them in any grocery store and don't know if my
farmer's markets will have them this summer. So, I made a note on my calendar to
plant zucchini this year. Last week, I planted so much zucchini that I will be
the terror of the neighborhood, foisting zucchini on unsuspecting neighbors and
friends---but saving the blossoms for myself so I can fry these delicate little
flowers. I'll let you know how it goes in about two months.
If you want to fry your own zucchini blossoms later this summer, now is the time
to plant!!!
Whole
Food and Wild Oats Establish
Gluten-Free Aisles
In case you haven't visited
your local Whole Foods or
Wild Oats, the two stores in
my neighborhood are doing a
fantastic job of organizing
gluten-free foods into one
location in the store. Wild
Oats has had a gluten-free
aisle for some time and it
makes shopping so much
easier. The Whole Foods
store where I teach cooking
classes in Highlands Ranch,
CO, has moved most of its
gluten-free items to a
special location in the
front of the store where
it's readily visible. Newly
diagnosed celiacs tell me
they especially like this
arrangement because they can
readily find what they want.
This is especially helpful
since these newly-diagnosed
folks aren't familiar with
health food stores to begin
with. Thanks to these stores
for meeting our needs with
clearly labeled gluten-free
items.
Food
for Thought
“Laughter is brightest where food is best.”---Proverb
Where
in the World is Carol?
In May,
I was a guest speaker at the Gluten-Free Lecture Series, "The Art and Science of
Gluten-Free Gastronomy" and spoke about baking bread. I also presented a class
on gluten-free flours at Whole Foods Market in Highlands Ranch, CO. Watch for my
next Whole Foods class on Saturday, July 14, at 2 PM. It will feature summer
pies made with gluten-free pie crust from my book, Gluten-Free 101.
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My
mention of any particular company or product in this newsletter does not
constitute an endorsement by Savory Palate, Inc. Please do not regard the
information in this newsletter as medical advice. Seek the counsel of a
qualified health professional.
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