(Xanthan Gum FREE)
It’s easy, I PROMISE!
I promise it is SUPER easy to create your own Gluten-Free Blend! Please believe me when I say you’ll be SO very glad you did! With a lovely blend of Gluten-Free Flours & Starches you absolutely can create an endless list of incredible Gluten-Free dishes without anyone being the wiser! It requires only very simple math and a kitchen scale. Trust me, it is TOTALLY worth the investment as you’re going to love how easy it is to enjoy ALL of your family favourites! So let’s get straight to it shall we?
You’ll LOVE this post if:
- You miss your favourite family recipes & need help to make them Gluten-Free.
- You would like to cook for someone who is Gluten-Free.
- You’re looking for a fantastic recipe to make your own Gluten-Free Flour Blend.
- You want to find a fantastic but easy substitute for wheat flours in your recipes.
- All of this Gluten-Free stuff overwhelms you.
Learn more about: HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN GLUTEN FREE FLOUR BLEND!
I created an entire post dedicated to the how & why of creating your own gluten free flour blend. Want to dive deep and really make delicious gluten free bakes? Then check out my post here.
Just need to make my Crazy Good Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend and get on with it? Then read on!
My Crazy Good Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
Check out this 40 sec how to video:
Ingredients in my Crazy Good Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
STARCHY FLOURS
- Sweet Rice Flour
Sweet Rice Flour is not the same thing as White Rice Flour. The only similarity they have is that they are both made from rice, albeit totally different types of rice. You can NOT substitute, as sadly they are not interchangeable. Sweet Rice Flour is made from glutinous (sticky glue like texture- not made from gluten!) rice & white rice is made from long and short grain white rice. Some even call it an indispensable ingredient in your gluten free kitchen! I couldn’t agree more! Sweet Rice Flour mimics gluten in gluten breads by giving the dough it’s stretchy, pliable properties. Sweet rice flour is readily found in Asian supermarkets, it can be labelled ‘glutinous rice flour’ or ‘mochiko flour’. But be sure to check the label as they are not always certified gluten-free. I prefer to use flours like Bob’s Red Mill Sweet Rice Flour which you can find at many local grocery stores & organic markets like Blush Lane Organic Market here in Calgary where you can find my favourite brand by Blush Lane Organics.
STARCHES
- Potato Starch
Potato Starch is a starchy flour that helps bind and hold dough together. However, Potato Starch is NOT the same thing as Potato Flour. Potato starch is a natural way to increase the moisture of the dough as potato starch absorbs and holds liquid. You know when you soak potatoes before baking so that they are more crispy? Well, that’s kind of how potato starch is made. Crushed potatoes are soaked in water, then the starch that comes out of the water is dried and becomes the white starch known as Potato Starch. Potato Flour, on the other hand, is created by using the entire potato which is cooked, dried and then ground. You can find Potato Starch at most grocery stores in the organic/natural foods aisle. I use Bob’s Red Mill.
- Tapioca Flour (aka Tapioca Starch)
Like other starches, Tapioca Flour (aka Tapioca starch) is a very fine white powder that comes from the pulp of the cassava plant. It is not the same thing as cassava flour however, which is made from the entire root of the cassava plant. It is used to help create the chewy texture and crispy crust in our Momma’s Marvellous Montreal Style Bagels. You can find Tapioca Flour at most grocery stores in the organic/natural foods aisle.
WHOLE GRAIN FLOURS
- Brown Rice Flour
Brown Rice Flour is made by finely grinding short grain brown rice. I like Bob’s Red Mill Brown Rice Flour as it is stone ground to a very fine texture. It lends a nice light fluffiness and slightly nutty flavour to our bagels. You can also find Bob’s Red Mill Brown Rice Flour at most grocery stores in the organic/natural foods aisle. To make this flour superfine, I simply blend it in my high speed blender. It does the trick!
- Sorghum Flour
Sorghum Flour is unrelated to wheat and totally gluten free! It has a mild taste & smooth texture making it an excellent flour for breads. Sorghum flour originated in Africa and is still used in Indian & African cooking such as Jowar Roti (flat breads made with Sorghum Flour). I buy my Sorghum Flour at Blush Lane Organics in Calgary, but you can also find it at most grocery stores in the organic/natural foods aisle.
BINDING AGENT
- Psyllium Husk
Psyllium Husk is one of the KEY ingredients to making this Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour so versatile! Please see my post (now here) on What are BINDING AGENTS and How to USE them. for more details on this incredible mix!
Always add a BINDING AGENT to your Gluten-Free Flour Blend!
ALWAYS make sure to use a BINDING AGENT to help mimic Gluten! I never add the binder to my Gluten-Free Flour Blend until I’m about to use it. WHY you ask? I’ve found that different BINDERS work better for different purposes. Adding your binder when you are ready to bake allows you the freedom to chose which one is best for each of your recipes!
See my post How to make almost ANY recipe Gluten-Free in 3-Simple Steps AND my post on What are BINDING AGENTS & how to use them in Gluten-Free Cooking to find out more about BINDING AGENTS and how to use them!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I really need to weigh the ingredients?
Yes! I have learn’t through experience that weighing ingredients using a scale whilst baking is super important and will allow you to reproduce great results every time! I’ve attempted measuring out the flours by volume (e.g. cups), then double checked the weights of each. They were off by quite a lot actually! It can mean the difference between the most incredible and beautiful looking bagel, to one that quite literally flops. The density of the ingredient makes a BIG difference in the volume of the flour. A new bag of flour may be packed down tight vs an already opened one. A gram will always be a gram of flour!
A KITCHEN SCALE IS WORTH THE INVESTMENT!
I use a very simple mini digital kitchen scale that I got for $19.99. Trust me it is well worth the investment! It is super easy to measure ingredients by weight. I think it’s WAY easier than measuring by volume (e.g. cups). To measure flour, place a bowl on the scale, press the tare button to zero your scale to the weight of the bowl, and then add your flour. Simple as that!
But what if I’m allergic to one of the flours in this blend? Can I substitute?
I am currently working on a post where I will share my favourite Gluten-Free flours and help you uncover the mystery of it all! That way if you’d like to experiment with different gluten free flours and starches you have laying around you can! Or if you have an intolerance to one of the flours I use in this recipe, you’ll be able to calculate exact ratios of a substitute flour or starch. Not all Gluten-Free Starches and Flours have the same flavours, protein content etc. So it’s best to do a little digging before you substitute so you are not disappointed. Or check out my post when it’s ready!
But how did you decide on the ratios of each flour?
Each of the flours and starches I used in this recipe have different properties, flavours and bring something different to your bake. With practice, you’ll be able to play around with the different percentages of each of the whole grain and starches that make up the 60:40 ratio (starches : whole grains). Check out my post here to learn more!
Why can’t I use just one type of Gluten-Free Flour? Why a BLEND?
If you try and use simply one Gluten-Free Flour without a binder, you’ll sadly be quite disappointed. Trust me, I’ve tried! There’s no one flour or binder that can do it all! Georgina, from “The Larder” explains if we use just one we may find:
- Sweet rice flour – too stodgy
- White rice flour – too grainy
- Coconut flour – too dry
- Oat flour – too crumbly
- Almond flour – too dense
I have found that using one flour just doesn’t mimic the properties of gluten nearly enough to have success. Therefore, a combination of flours and starches that mimic gluten as closely as possible are preferred.
ENJOY!
I am just so excited to share this How to Gluten-Free Series with you all! My hope is that this series will help make your cooking and baking experience easier in some way. From my Canadian World Kitchen to your World Kitchen, where ever you call home, I wish you much love in your journey.
If you’ve enjoyed this series so far, please share it with your loved ones or better yet, PIN it to your Pinterest page. I’d love it if you followed me with the links below 🙏🏻
Much love and hugs,
Equipment Needed
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g Sweet Rice Flour (aka Glutinous or sticky rice flour)
- 200 g Potato Starch I use Bob's Red Mill brand
- 150 g Tapioca Flour (aka Tapioca Starch) I use Bob's Red Mill brand
- 200 g Brown Rice Flour I use Bob's Red Mill brand
- 200 g Sorghum Flour I use Blush Lane Organics brand
INSTRUCTIONS
- Weigh out individual Flours & Starches.
- Sift together.
- *Store in an air-tight container & use within 3 months.
- **When ready to bake, make sure to ADD a BINDER & KEY ingredients!
2 Responses
I love this blend! Make it weekly!
I’m so happy to hear this Shanley! Thank you kindly for your comment 💜.