Recipes
© Max Richens 2000-2004. Feel free to pass them on and modify for
your own needs
When I was diagnosed as suffering from Dermatitis Herpetiformis it was
recommended that I went on a gluten free diet. In other words:- no Wheat,
Barley or Oameal or products containing them. This took a lot of things
out and most of the commercial stuff was also prepared for yeast and dairy
free diets.. a bit of a catch all. Some of the gluten free breads
available had all the consistency of a thinly sliced insulation brick (and
most of the flavour). The advantage was that six weeks into the diet the
symptoms went away and I began sleeping again. At present lapses let
themselves be known by irritating return of the syptoms.
A search round the found some recipes which I set about modifying to my
needs as most are American and a touch sweeter than I like.
My main trials were to get a replacement for bread and after a while I
got down to a basic flour recipe on which I could build. Having a
large city nearby means I can get a lot of ingredients from Indian and
Chinese Supermarkets without paying Health Food Store prices. You would
need to test the ingredients yourself as I probably have more tolerance
that would a Coeliac.
- One part Rice Flour
- One part Glutinous (sticky) Rice Flour
- One part Potato Flour
To this base I added things like Corn Flour, Cornmeal, Soya Flour,
Tapioca flour ,Gram flour, Buckwheat flour ( not wheat but a relative of
rhubarb!), Millet flour and Quinnoia ( a little strong flavoured) . My
initial tests were as soda breads but these did not have the keeping
properties I wanted. They were super when hot and like rock the next
morning.
I found a source of Xanthan gum to put back some of the stickiness that
is needed. Now I have buns ( no jokes at the back) that will freeze well
and keep out for well over 24 hrs and also prepare loaves that can be cut
and frozen and keeps well enough in a bread bin.
Obviously you need to keep an eye on on the vitamin and nutritional
needs as without some soy or gram flours there is very little protein.
Commercial wheat bakers now have to put a number of substances, such as
folic acid, into their product to replace those removed in the flour
refining process..
The following breads are numbered in the order of development. Obviously
my preference is for the most recent but others may prefer the closer
texture from the earlier loaves. The Favourite #3 is too sloppy to make
buns unless you have muffin rings. Use #2
My Favourite Bread loaf #3 modified for light white loaf. Very good
keeping and eating
This was heavily modified from one given in 'The Gluten Free Gourmet' by
Betty Hagman (Look in Waterstones under diet books). I cut down a lot on
the sugar as it was much too sweet, and added a little salt. I also
adjusted the gum slightly and did without the guar gum.
White Loaf
- Flour Mix 600gram
- Tapioca flour 70gram
- Salt 1.5 tsp
- Sugar 2 tsp
- Xanthan Gum 2 tsp
- Eggs 1
- Vinegar 1.5 tsp
- Warm liquid ( milk/water) 380gram
- Olive oil 3 tbsp
- yeast Dried yeast 2.5 tsp
- sugar 1 tsp
- liquid 1/2 cup .
Preparation
Add the dry yeast with the 1 tsp of sugar and the ½ cup of warm
liquid and allow the yeast to activate. Grease a 2 lb loaf tin and lightly
flour. Mixing Add the dry ingredients and mix thouroughly. When mixed add
the wet ingredients and mix thouroughly. The consistency should be similar
to cake mix. Beat/mix for several minutes to ensure that the gum is well
distributed and will act on the liquid.
Put into the bread tin, it should be half full, and leave covered in a
warm place to double. Preheat the oven to Gas 8 and then put the loaf in
the middle to cook. After 10 minutes cover the top of the loaf with foil
to prevent it burning and then continue to cook for a further 50 minutes.
Turn the loaf out of the tin and finish off for a further 3-5 minutes.
Allow to cool and then eat. It can be sliced and frozen for eating later
but it does keep for a couple of days if stored in a bag
Bread 2 lb mix #1 slightly better for buns.
- 700g flour mix (see above)
- 60g Soya flour
- 60g cornmeal
- 30g corn flour
- 60g granulated sugar
- 10g (heaped tsp) salt
- 20g (3 tsp) Xanthan Gum
- 2 pkt of dried activated yeast
- Sift or mix these dry ingredients and then mix in
- 90g softened butter or margarine (Norpak works best as less water )
- 3 eggs beaten
- one and a half tsp cider vinegar
- Mix it all together and then add about 350 ml of warm milk/water to
give dough texture. Cover and leave to double size in a warm place.
Knock back and put into a greased loaf tin or divide into about 14 buns.
Leave to rise again and cook at gas 5 for 25-35 minute until sound.
- For a bread machine you may need to modify the liquid amount. When
cooled split the buns and freeze. Defrosting in a microwave works well
as does leaving in a warm place. Keeps well. Some soaked Quinnoia adds
some texture and maybe some poppy seeds? The corn meal gives a bit of
colour and slightly more open structure.
- Substituting some Tapioca flour (manioc flour) for some Soya will
make the bread more 'sconey'.
Bread 2 lb. loaf #2 modified by Maggie and Jenny for a much improved
loaf
- 700g Flour Mix
- 60g Soya flour
- 60g cornmeal
- 30g cornflour
- 15g ( 3 tsp) granulated sugar
- one and a half heaped tsp salt
- 3 tsp Xanthan Gum
- 10g of dried activated yeast
- Sift or mix these dry ingredients and then mix in
- 3 eggs beaten
- one and a half tsp cider vinegar
- Activate the yeast in a small amount of the milk, and 1 tsp of sugar.
Mix it all together and then add about 450 ml of warm milk/water to give
dough texture. Cover and leave to double size in a warm place. Knock
back and put into a greased loaf tin. Leave to rise again and cook
at gas 7 for 25-35 minute until sound.
- For a bread machine you may need to modify the liquid amount. When
cooled (as if ! I eat the crusts hot..) slice the loaf and freeze.
Defrosting in a microwave works well as does leaving in a warm place.
Keeps well. The cornmeal gives a bit of colour and slightly more open
structure.
Lasagne attempt #2. 2003 Much improved
- 120g flour mix as above.
- 40g Gram flour
- 40g cornmeal
- 1 level tsp salt
- 1 level tsp Xanthan Gum
- Sift or mix these dry ingredients and then mix in
- 1 beaten egg
- then 2 tbsp oil
- and 20-50 ml water if needed
- Mix it all together to give dough texture. Cover and chill for 1 hr.
Knead and roll out thinly using cornflour/ cornmeal to prevent sticking.
It works better with a rolling pin than a pasta machine. Layer it with
the lasagne filling of choice and cook This is much improved over my
previous attempt. You cut it into thin strips as noodle aand can freeeze
uncooked to cook later.
Yorkshire pudding mix. Excellent
- 2 tbsp flour mix as above.
- 2 tbsp Gram flour
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp Tapioca Flour
- 1 level tsp salt
- 1 level tsp Xanthan Gum
- Sift or mix these dry ingredients and then mix in
- 3 beaten eggs
- 200-400 ml milk
- Mix it all together to give a good batter and leave to stand for 30
minutes. Get the oven hot ( mark 8 -9 ) and if you are using the small
12 pudding trays then this will do 18-20 puddings. If you are doing a
large roasting tin for example for Toad in the Hole then set each flour
to 3 tbsp but leave the egg and salt. put a little oil in the tins and
get them hot in the oven. Add the batter to the hot tins and put in top
of oven until well risen and cooked .
Maggie's Sweet Pastry
- 250g of flor mix
- 125g ground almonds
- 180g of Norpak/marge/butter
- 1 egg
- 1 banana
- 1-2 tsp Xanthan Gum
- Mix well adding a little liquid if needed and leave to chill for an
hour (overnight is best as it allows the gum to work). Roll out and use
on apple pies etc.
- Leave out the banana and replace the ground almonds with Gram (pea)
flour and salt to taste will work for savoury pies. Increase the fat for
a shorter pastry.
Maggie's Choux pastry
- 90g Cornflour
- 1 tsp Xanthan gum
- sifted together
- 60g butter
- 130ml water
- 2 eggs lightly beaten.
- Put the water and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the
sifted flour and beat until it forms a smooth ball. Add the egg a little
at a time; aiming for a smooth, glossy mixture of piping consistency.
- As Profiteroles:- makes 16 using two spoons.
- Bake on a damp baking sheet at gas 6 for approximately 35 minutes or
until the profiteroles are well risen , crisp and golden brown. Take out
, prick them to allow the steam to escape and put back in the oven for 5
minutes to firm. Fill with cream or Ice cream and cover with chocolate
sauce.
- You could also pipe the mixture to produce eclairs or make a choux
ring.
Max's biscuits
- 60g mixed flour
- 30g soya flour
- 30g flaked rice
- 60g dessicated coconut
- 30g ground almond
- 90g fine sugar
- 30g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Xanthan gum
- Mix all the dry ingredients well
- 120g Butter/Norpak/Marge
- 1tsp vinegar
- Add the fat and vinegar and mix to a dough. Roll into balls and
flatten onto a greased, floured, baking tray. Cook at gas 4 until golden
brown and JUST firming (about 20-25 mins) Cool on a wire rack.
Max's muffins. excellent.
- This give about 6 good size muffins very quickly.
- 130g millet flour (looks like cement mix)
- 40g Cocoa Powder (whichever variety is 'clean')
- 90g sugar
- half tsp Xanthan gum
- half tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- one tsp cream of Tartar
- Mix well. Then add
- 50g butter/Norpak/Marge . Work in and then
- 1 beaten egg with enough milk/water to give a dropping mixture. Beat
thoroughly but quickly.
- Put into Muffin cases in muffin tins and bake at the top in a
preheated oven at gas 4 for about 25 minutes.
Links
Gulten-free Products
incuding Xanthan GumSell various mixes for breads, cakes and treats
for Coeliac condition. Xanthan Gum
Coeliac Society Have recommended
gluten free supplies