Ask the Chef
Food editor Beth Hillson answers your questions about special-diet baking.

Is there a gluten-free flour blend that doesn’t contain nut or rice flour? My daughter is allergic to both nuts and rice. She can't stand the smell or taste of quinoa flour and she doesn’t like corn flour because she says it’s gritty.

There are many wonderful gluten-free flours available. I often use sorghum flour in place of rice flour, as it contains more fiber and nutrients and has a very subtle flavor that doesn’t overpower recipes. I like millet flour and Montina flour for the same reasons.

I’m not aware of any commercial flour blends that meet your needs but you can make your own. Try this recipe for a good all-purpose blend: Mix 1¼  cups sorghum flour, millet flour or Montina with  ¼ cup arrowroot starch and ½ cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca starch flour). Add ½ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons guar or xanthan gum. Combine ingredients and store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container until used.

What kind of mixer works best for gluten- free baking?

Since gluten-free dough tends to be thicker and heavier than dough made with wheat flour, a heavy-duty (200 watts or more) hand-held or stand mixer is best. Stand mixers are preferable (consider KitchenAid and Cuisinart brands) but if space and cost are factors, look at these hand-held varieties: KitchenAid KHM7T, KitchenAid KHM9P (9 speed, 225 watts) or Cuisinart CHM-7 PowerSelect 7-Speed.

I am lactose free. What’s the best substitute for butter in your recipes?

Fleishman’s Salt Free Corn Margarine, Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or Shortening Sticks, and Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening make great butter alternatives in baking. If you have additional food sensitivities, check the labels carefully before making your selection. Click here for more substitution solutions.

I’d like to convert a recipe to gluten free but I don’t know how to substitute for self-rising flour. Can you help?

To make your own self-rising flour, combine 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend together and store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container. If you use a commercial flour blend, check the ingredients. Add the salt only if it’s not already in your blend. Click here for more substitution solutions.

What can I use in place of oats?

Before oats were certified as gluten free, many recipes for mock oatmeal cookies and crumble toppings used quinoa flakes or coarsely chopped almonds. These remain delicious alternatives if you can tolerate quinoa or almonds.

A lot of recipes call for cornstarch and I can’t have corn. What can I use instead?

Arrowroot, potato starch (not potato flour) and tapioca starch (also called tapioca starch flour) are interchangeable in baking. The texture and weight of each starch differ slightly but end results are much the same.

One of my favorite family recipes calls for cake flour. Is there any gluten-free alternative?

Cake flour is 1¾ cups regular flour and  ¼ cup cornstarch. For gluten-free baking, just mix 1¾ cups of your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend with ¼  cup cornstarch. If you can’t tolerate corn products, use ¼  cup tapioca starch instead.

Food editor Beth Hillson is a chef and cooking instructor. She is founder of Gluten-Free Pantry, one of the first gluten-free companies in the United States, and creator of Gluten-Free Pantry’s gourmet baking mixes.

This article was featured in the October/November 2009 issue.
Click here to subscribe to Living Without.