Take some of the guesswork out of the shopping search--use this list to find flour alternatives.
Potato Starch Flour
This
is a gluten-free thickening agent that is perfect for cream-based soups
and sauces. Mix a little with water first, then substitute potato
starch flour for flour in your recipe, but cut the amount in half. It
can be purchased in a health food store.
Tapioca Flour
This
is a light, white, very smooth flour that comes from the cassava root.
It makes baked goods impart a nice chewy taste. Use it in recipes where
a chewy texture would be desirable. It would work nicely in bread
recipes such as white bread or French bread. It is also easily combined
with cornstarch and soy flour. It can be purchased in a health food
store.
Soy Flour
This nutty tasting
flour has a high protein and fat content. It is best when used in
combination with other flours and for baking brownies, or any baked
goods with nuts or fruit. It can be purchased in a health food store.
Cornstarch
This
is a refined starch that comes from corn. It is mostly used as a clear
thickening agent for puddings, fruit sauces and Asian cooking. It is
also used in combination with other flours for baking. It can be
purchased in a health food store.
Corn Flour
This
flour is milled from corn and can be blended with cornmeal to make
cornbread or muffins. It is excellent for waffles or pancakes. It can
be purchased in a health food store.
Cornmeal
This
is ground corn that comes from either yellow or white meal. This is
often combined with flours for baking. It imparts a strong corn flavor
that is delicious in pancakes, waffles, or simple white cakes. It can
be purchased in a health food store.
White Rice Flour
This
is an excellent basic flour for gluten-free baking. It is milled from
polished white rice. Because it has such a bland flavor, it is perfect
for baking, as it doesn't impart any flavors. It works well with other
flours. White rice flour is available in most health food stores, but
also in Asian markets. At the Asian markets it is sold in different
textures. The one that works the best is called fine textured white
rice flour.
Brown Rice Flour
This
flour comes from unpolished brown rice. It has more food value because
it contains bran. Use it in breads, muffins, and cookies. It can be
purchased in a health food store.
Kamut and Spelt Flours
These
are ancient forms of wheat. While they aren't appropriate for
gluten-free diets, they are excellent substitutes for plain wheat flour
as they add wonderful flavor and consistency.
Substituting Gluten
Wheat
flour contains gluten, which keeps cookies, cakes and pies from getting
crumbly and falling apart. It is what makes baked goods have a good
texture because it traps pockets of air. This creates a lovely airy
quality that most baked goods possess when baked with traditional wheat
flour. In order to help retain this structure when using non-wheat
flours, gluten substitutes must be added to a gluten-free flour
mixture. For each cup of gluten-free flour mix, add at least 1 teaspoon
of gluten substitute. Here are three very good substitutes for gluten.
- Xanthum Gum
This comes from the dried cell coat of a microorganism called Zanthomonas campestris. It is formulated in a laboratory setting. This works well as a gluten substitution in yeast breads along with other baked goods. You can purchase it in health food stores. - Guar Gum
This is a powder that comes from the seed of the plant Cyamopsis tetragonolobus. It is an excellent gluten substitute and it is available in health food stores. - Pre-gel Starch
This is an acceptable gluten substitute. It helps keep baked goods from being too crumbly. This, too can be purchased at most health food stores.
Substitution is the solution
If
you are ready to try some recipes, start with recipes that use
relatively small amounts of wheat flour like brownies or pancakes.
These turn out lovely and the difference in taste is minimal. Here are
two gluten-free flour mixtures that are suitable for substituting wheat
flour cup for cup.
- Gluten-Free Flour Mixture I
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour - Gluten-Free Flour Mixture II
6 cups white rice flour
2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
The above mixtures can be doubled or tripled. Another option is to purchase a gluten-free flour mixture at a health food store to avoid the guesswork involved in substitutions. This flour mixture can usually substitute wheat flour cup for cup, but read the package directions to be sure. Keep these flour mixtures stored in containers at room temperature and keep them on hand to simplify your baking routine.


