Multi Blend Gluten Free Flour Mix and WAFFLE recipe

REPOST:
This is a repost of a Facebook note that I wrote on 20 June, 2011.




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As some of you know, Todd is gluten intolerant, and so in order to make it better for him to eat, I'm having a go at gluten-free cooking and baking.  Today being father's day, I made him gluten free waffles with a flour mix I found on the 'net.


It's a VERY popular mix, on many sites, including http://glutenfree.wordpress.com (where i found it first - kate is one hella-talented writer and baker!), celiac.com and many others.  This mix is touted as a great "beginner's mix"... perfect for me!!!  (and so many others too!)  As gf bakers get more confident, they rely less and less on "cure-all" mixes like this, and get more adventurous, but I'm just learnin' so I'm gonna go with this for now.  So, I'll put down the recipe for the flour mix and notes about the flour(s), and then the waffle mix, along with some notes at the end about how gf works with this recipe.


Multi Blend GF Flour Mix


1 c brown rice flour
1 1/4 c white rice flour
1/4 c potato starch flour
2/3 c tapioca starch flour
3/4 c sweet rice flour
1/3 c cornstarch
3 tsp guar gum (or 2 tsp xanthan gum)


* I tripled this recipe, and it fits nicely in an ice cream bucket.
* you can use straight brown rice flour instead of the white and brown - it's healthier actually, and in some opinion (I agree) tastes better.  white rice flour is the one that gives items the chalky, gritty taste/texture, so you want to use the white sparingly.
* you can use any combination of brown and rice flour that suits you, as well as "superfine rice flour".  i haven't found superfine yet, so that might be just an American thing.
* you can use pure buckwheat, amaranth, or quinoa flours in place of the rice flours as well.
* this mix can be used for sweets, tortillas, waffles, pancakes, etc.
* if using it for the following, add extra xanthan or guar gum PER 1 CUP OF FLOUR MIX to your recipe:
           breads 1 tsp/cup
           cakes/quickbreads   1/2 tsp/cup
           cookies   1/4 tsp/cup
*use CUP FOR CUP when wanting to replace traditional wheat flour in your recipes.
*guar gum is the least expensive, but you can also use xanthan gum. (edited to add: I've read that you when using guar vs xanthan, you want to use 1.5 times the amount of guar.  Ie: 2 tsp xanthan = 3 tsp guar.)
*I found the tapioca (68 cents!) and sweet rice flours ($2.49!!!) at Superstore in the Asian section (I'm sure Save-on would most likely have them in WL folks), and white and brown rice flours in the bulk section at Save On Foods... the remaining ingredients I got at a local place called Organic Grocer.  All told, my ice cream bucket of flour cost about $12 (and that is just an estimate, I can't remember how much I paid for the rice flours last year).  Next shopping I'm going to check out T&T Supermarket (a biiiiig Asian grocery store here in the Lower Mainland), and I'm guessing I should be able to find other stuff there too.
*this mix will take LONGER TO ABSORB your liquid, so don't panic if it's SUPER watery at first, like I did this morning. :P  I ended up adding extra flour to my waffle batter, the first thing I made with it, which it still tasted GREAT, but made for very thick, hard to pour/dish out batter.  And coming from someone who makes waffles at least twice a month, I do *kinda* know what I'm talking about. LOL  I will be trying it out on some cookies for T's lunch tomorrow.


****A lot of those notes above are a combination of stuff I've learned in some basic researching on the net regarding gluten free baking.  Some GREAT sources that I've found are:
http://glutenfree.wordpress.com
http://www.celiac.com
http://www.cookingglutenfree.com




*OLD SCHOOL* Waffle Recipe


--> I'm calling it old school because it came from one of my mum's OLD cookbooks, and my mum doesn't even remember which book I got it from (but I remember what it looked like!), and SHE doesn't remember using a recipe with shortening in it, but I do... LOL  I remember making them *myself * over 10 years ago, and have no clue where the recipe is from.  I have compared it to other waffle recipes though, and the ingredients are pretty standard.


1 2/3 c flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 2/3 c milk
6 tbsp shortening, melted
2 egg whites, beaten stiff


sift dry ingredients.  beat together yolks, milk and shortening (do NOT add yolks DIRECTLY to shortening or it will cook them); add to sifted ingredients.  beat until mostly smooth (there will be lumps of shortening though - just ensure your flour is all blended in); fold in egg whites.


*I usually double this recipe, and on my Belgian iron, I get 11 waffles with a doubled recipe.  I keep the leftovers in an airtight container, and we toast them (like Eggos) and eat throughout the week.  (and the boys LOVE just having a 1/4 of a waffle for a snack. ;) )
*the first time you try these gluten-free, give your mix time to absorb - don't panic like I did and add extra flour.  Mine still turned out great, but I think they'd have been fine had I just left the flour to do it's thing for longer.