Mixing gluten-free dough to create moist, tasty baked goods is an art. It’s perfected over time — no one gets a gluten-free baking project perfect on the first try
When you or someone you love has celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, it’s wonderful when you can still create the delicious baked goods everyone loves, only with a gluten-free twist.
Follow the six tips below when you’re mixing gluten-free dough to help develop your skills for baking wheatless products.
1. Increase Amount of Leavening Ingredients
When you’re converting a recipe to your own personal gluten-free version, you can’t always just switch the type of flour you use and expect it to come out the same. Sometimes you have to adjust the other ingredients as well.
Two of these ingredients are baking soda and baking powder — the leavening agents. Many experts recommend increasing the amount in each recipe by 25 percent.
2. Don’t Use Just One Type of Flour
Because there are so many different types of gluten-free flours, you can end up with many different tastes. To create baked goods that aren’t predominantly of one flavor, it’s best to mix multiple types of gluten-free flour evenly. For example, you could mix one part brown rice flour, one part almond flour and one part amaranth.
3. Beware of Oats
Think twice before adding oats to your gluten-free dry mix. While oats are inherently gluten-free, many brands are processed in facilities that also process wheat. If the package does not say “certified gluten-free,” cross-contamination could affect your final product.
4. Combine All Dry Ingredients Thoroughly
Since different types of flours have different colors, make sure you evenly mix all the dry ingredients until they blend into one color. You can use a wire whisk for even distribution.
5. Mix the Additives in Before the Wet Ingredients
The gluten in traditional flour is what gives dough its stickiness. Without it, gluten-free products can be dry and crumbly. There is a way to compensate for this however — use xanthan gum. Some bakers also use gelatin or agar. If you’re using additives, mix them thoroughly with the dry ingredients before adding the wet.
6. You Can Mix the Dough Longer
Mixing gluten-free dough doesn’t come with the same stress as regular dough. Since there is no gluten, you don’t run the risk of overdeveloping the dough. In fact, with gluten-free baking, longer mixing times are preferred. This gives the flour time to absorb water. Creating a fluffy dough leads to an airier final product.
Find Your Mixer
Dough Tech carries a selection of professional dough mixers that help you expertly create the gluten-free products your loved ones and customers are demanding. Mixing gluten-free dough doesn’t have to be complex, especially not if you have a quality mixer in your kitchen. Contact us today to find out more.
FAQs
Use xanthan gum or guar gum: Gluten-free flours lack the elasticity and structure that gluten provides, so adding a binder like xanthan or guar gum can help to hold the ingredients together and give your baked goods a better texture.
How to use gluten-free mixing method? ›
Understanding Gluten Free Baking
- Add Extra Liquid. Gluten free flours tend to absorb more moisture than traditional wheat flour, which can result in dry and crumbly baked goods. ...
- Mix it Thoroughly. ...
- Let the Batter Rest. ...
- Adjust Bake Times. ...
- Avoid Sticking. ...
- Let Baked Goods Cool. ...
- Freeze Your Treats for Later.
Tips and Techniques to make better Gluten Free Bread
- Use psyllium husk powder.
- Let the dough rest (not exactly the same as a bulk proof)
- Mix or knead thoroughly.
- Use less yeast.
- Bake in a tin with tall sides.
- Bake for longer, often at a lower temperature.
- Create steam in the oven.
- Use the tangzhong or scalded flour method.
Use xanthan gum or guar gum: Gluten-free flours lack the elasticity and structure that gluten provides, so adding a binder like xanthan or guar gum can help to hold the ingredients together and give your baked goods a better texture.
How to keep gluten-free dough together? ›
The three most commonly used binders in gluten free recipes are xanthan gum, guar gum and psyllium husk. You don't need to understand the science of these ingredients to use them but a little bit of knowledge will help you when making decisions in the kitchen and lead to the excellent results you want.
What is the mixing method to work dough for developing gluten? ›
Two steps, really: kneading and resting. I'm struck by how much arm work is necessary to get the right strength and tension in the gluten to give pasta dough its necessary extensibility. With bread, gluten brings structure and rise, but pasta's interested only in structure.
How to make gluten free dough less dense? ›
Xanthan gum helps make the structure of the dough smoother and softer. Even if you use a store-bought gluten-free flour mix, 5 g (1 level teaspoon of xanthan gum) to 500 g flour works wonders and the dough is also easier to knead.
How to make gluten free dough more elastic? ›
Psyllium husk is the crucial ingredient in gluten free bread baking. It acts as a binder, and it gives gluten free bread dough the elasticity, flexibility and extensibility it needs so you can actually knead and shape it without any problems.
How to make gluten free dough rise? ›
An easy way to create a good environment for gluten-free bread to rise is to turn your oven to 200 F; when it reaches this temperature, turn off the oven and place a shallow baking pan partially filled with hot water on one of the shelves.
Can you over mix gluten-free dough? ›
While conventional wisdom has taught us not to overmix our batters, we've found most gluten-free batters simply need to be stirred for longer. If you're worried this will turn your muffins and cakes rubbery, have no fear. Gluten-free recipes need to have more structure.
Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.
What is the closest gluten-free flour to all-purpose flour? ›
Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor.
What is the biggest challenge of making gluten free bread? ›
However, these alternative flours do not have the same properties as wheat flour, which can make baking gluten-free bread a challenge. One of the main challenges in making gluten-free bread is achieving the same texture and rise as traditional wheat bread.
Should I add extra xanthan gum to gluten-free flour? ›
If your “all-purpose” gluten free flour blend does not have a gum in it already, you should add it, and in general you should add 1/4 tsp per 1 cup of gluten free flour.
What does vinegar do in gluten free bread dough? ›
The addition of vinegar and sour cream helps the dough to be a bit more flexible when rolling out and also to brown slightly more easily when baked in the oven.
Can I use gluten free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour? ›
This can be tricky because gluten free flours react differently in pretty much every recipe. But in general, use in place of all purpose or whole wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio. For extra binding (since there is no gluten) you can add a pinch of xanthan gum depending on the recipe, but I don't find it necessary.
Should gluten-free batter rest before baking? ›
Let Your Batters & Doughs Rest
We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour. Note: This will also help batters become thicker and doughs to firm up.
How do you adjust gluten free flour? ›
Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.
How do you combine liquid and flour to form gluten? ›
Here's what you need to know: When you add liquid to flour, gluten starts to form. Additional agitation — like kneading, folding, or mixing — continues to develop that gluten, making the protein bonds stronger.
