Post by mandie68 on Mar 18, 2012 23:44:27 GMT -5
• Baking and Cooking Ingredients
See also “Dairy Substitutions” and “Egg Substitutions” below.
• Baking Powder: An acidic leavening agent. Choose double-acting, which means it reacts twice: first to the liquid, then again from the oven heat.
• Baking Soda: An alkaline leavening agent; used alone or with baking powder.
• Bread Crumbs: Store-bought gluten-free varieties are available, but the best ones are homemade (see page 243).
• Broth (mushroom or vegetable): My favorite store-bought vegetable broth is Imagine No-Chicken Broth, because of its light color and great taste. Try making a savory
Mushroom Broth of your own from the recipe on page 244.
• Cellophane Noodles: Good in Asian dishes.
• Chocolate Chips: Read labels carefully to verify that they’re gluten-free.
• Cocoa: Natural cocoa has been untreated and is acidic; Dutch, European, and alkalized cocoa have been processed with alkali, which makes them more alkaline. Be
sure to use the type of cocoa specified in a recipe to ensure that it reacts correctly with the leavening agent, usually baking powder or baking soda.
• Coconut flakes: Most recipes in this book use the large, natural, unsweetened flakes.
• Cream of Tartar: An acidic leavening agent from sediment produced in winemaking.
• Gelatin: In place of animal-based gelatin, use plant-derived agar. Follow package directions. I prefer the powder over the granular version because it dissolves more
quickly and thoroughly in liquid.
• Guar Gum: From the guar plant; performs same binding function as xanthan gum. It may be used interchangeably or together with xanthan since their natural synergy
produces better baked goods.
• Pasta: Use the brand your family will eat, but my favorite for sturdiness and appearance is Tinkyada gluten-free pasta.
• Sea Salt: Lighter and gentler than kosher salt without the additives found in table salt.
• Tofu: Use extra-firm for entrées where you want it to hold its shape while cooking and soft or silken for sauces, dips, and in baking, where it will be pureed with other
ingredients.
• Vanilla: Despite years of misinformation, vanilla is gluten-free since it is distilled; gluten can’t survive the distillation process even if it was present, which is unlikely in
U.S.-made brands.
• Vinegar: Apple cider, balsamic, champagne, mirin, red and white wine, sherry, umeboshi (plum)—but not malt vinegar. Vinegar is a principal component in salad
dressings; the acidity of apple cider vinegar transforms milk into buttermilk, and vinegar is a great finisher for soups and sauces.
• Xanthan Gum: Critical for baking, it performs the function of gluten by keeping baked goods from crumbling. Don’t forget it or you’ll be sorry. Or use one and a half times
more guar gum instead.
• Yeast: It comes as active dry yeast and instant (or quick-rising) yeast. Use the type specified in the recipe.
See also “Dairy Substitutions” and “Egg Substitutions” below.
• Baking Powder: An acidic leavening agent. Choose double-acting, which means it reacts twice: first to the liquid, then again from the oven heat.
• Baking Soda: An alkaline leavening agent; used alone or with baking powder.
• Bread Crumbs: Store-bought gluten-free varieties are available, but the best ones are homemade (see page 243).
• Broth (mushroom or vegetable): My favorite store-bought vegetable broth is Imagine No-Chicken Broth, because of its light color and great taste. Try making a savory
Mushroom Broth of your own from the recipe on page 244.
• Cellophane Noodles: Good in Asian dishes.
• Chocolate Chips: Read labels carefully to verify that they’re gluten-free.
• Cocoa: Natural cocoa has been untreated and is acidic; Dutch, European, and alkalized cocoa have been processed with alkali, which makes them more alkaline. Be
sure to use the type of cocoa specified in a recipe to ensure that it reacts correctly with the leavening agent, usually baking powder or baking soda.
• Coconut flakes: Most recipes in this book use the large, natural, unsweetened flakes.
• Cream of Tartar: An acidic leavening agent from sediment produced in winemaking.
• Gelatin: In place of animal-based gelatin, use plant-derived agar. Follow package directions. I prefer the powder over the granular version because it dissolves more
quickly and thoroughly in liquid.
• Guar Gum: From the guar plant; performs same binding function as xanthan gum. It may be used interchangeably or together with xanthan since their natural synergy
produces better baked goods.
• Pasta: Use the brand your family will eat, but my favorite for sturdiness and appearance is Tinkyada gluten-free pasta.
• Sea Salt: Lighter and gentler than kosher salt without the additives found in table salt.
• Tofu: Use extra-firm for entrées where you want it to hold its shape while cooking and soft or silken for sauces, dips, and in baking, where it will be pureed with other
ingredients.
• Vanilla: Despite years of misinformation, vanilla is gluten-free since it is distilled; gluten can’t survive the distillation process even if it was present, which is unlikely in
U.S.-made brands.
• Vinegar: Apple cider, balsamic, champagne, mirin, red and white wine, sherry, umeboshi (plum)—but not malt vinegar. Vinegar is a principal component in salad
dressings; the acidity of apple cider vinegar transforms milk into buttermilk, and vinegar is a great finisher for soups and sauces.
• Xanthan Gum: Critical for baking, it performs the function of gluten by keeping baked goods from crumbling. Don’t forget it or you’ll be sorry. Or use one and a half times
more guar gum instead.
• Yeast: It comes as active dry yeast and instant (or quick-rising) yeast. Use the type specified in the recipe.