Non wheat flours

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Non-wheat flours work best when mixed, as none of them can duplicate all the structural miracles of wheat. Here is a guideline as to what each does: Rice flour - provides a light dough, but retains a gritty texture and a crumbly dough. Also has a definite, though not unpleasant, flavour when used alone. This is the "workhorse" of non-wheat flour mixes. White or brown give pretty much equal results.Cornstarch - provides smoothness when mixed with rice flour. Also makes a light dough, but a very fragile one. Use tapioca starch if corn is a problem for you. No pronounced flavour. Tapioca starch (cassava starch) - provides a "chewiness" and helps smooth out rice flour. Go to your nearest Asian market - it's an eastern staple, and available inexpensively there. Usually quite non-allergenic (I know, someone out there reacts to it!), it

can substitute for potato starch and cornstarch. No pronounced flavour.Potato starch (not the same as potato flour) - usually available in small boxes in supermarket, in the baking section. Otherwise, ask your health food store. Provides a moister dough, prevents crumbling. No pronounced flavour. Do NOT use potato flour - very heavy texture, potato taste. If solanines are a problem, use tapioca starch instead. Sweet Rice Flour (also called sticky rice flour, or glutinous rice flour. It has NO gluten, but has a sticky quality when wet). This flour, found most easily in Asian markets, is used in small amounts in specific recipes, when you need that "gluten" quality to hold things together. Excellent in pie pastry (recipe will follow), biscotti, and some other recipes. Soy flour - used in small amounts, it adds moistness. However, in larger amounts, I find it's flavour very pronounced and overpowering. I quit using it long ago. However, if you are allergic to

everything else, you can mix 1/3 part soy flour with 2/3 rice flour, and it will work reasonably well. Oat flour - if you are allergic only to WHEAT, but not to other grains with gluten, oat flour works well in things like quick breads, muffins - hearty, substantial baking. It does not keep well, so buy small amounts and store in freezer.

Suzi

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Others that are wheat free include:* sorghum flour* millet flour* fava/garbonzo bean flourFrom a mom whose son is on a wheat free diet.  :-)RoseOn Jun 15, 2005, at 2:20 PM, Suzanne wrote: Non-wheat flours work best when mixed, as none of them can duplicate all the structural miracles of wheat. Here is a guideline as to what each does: Rice flour - provides a light dough, but retains a gritty texture and a crumbly dough. Also has a definite, though not unpleasant, flavour when used alone. This is the "workhorse" of non-wheat flour mixes. White or brown give pretty much equal results.Cornstarch - provides smoothness when mixed with rice flour. Also makes a light dough, but a very fragile one. Use tapioca starch if corn is a problem for you. No pronounced flavour. Tapioca starch (cassava starch) - provides a "chewiness" and helps smooth out rice flour. Go to your nearest Asian market - it's an eastern staple, and available inexpensively there. Usually quite non-allergenic (I know, someone out there reacts to it! ), it can substitute for potato starch and cornstarch. No pronounced flavour.Potato starch (not the same as potato flour) - usually available in small boxes in supermarket, in the baking section. Otherwise, ask your health food store. Provides a moister dough, prevents crumbling. No pronounced flavour. Do NOT use potato flour - very heavy texture, potato taste. If solanines are a problem, use tapioca starch instead. Sweet Rice Flour (also called sticky rice flour, or glutinous rice flour. It has NO gluten, but has a sticky quality when wet). This flour, found most easily in Asian markets, is used in small amounts in specific recipes, when you need that "gluten" quality to hold things together. Excellent in pie pastry (recipe will follow), biscotti, and some other recipes. Soy flour - used in small amounts, it adds moistness. However, in larger amounts, I find it's flavour very pronounced and overpowering. I quit using it long ago. However, if you are allerg ic to everything else, you can mix 1/3 part soy flour with 2/3 rice flour, and it will work reasonably well. Oat flour - if you are allergic only to WHEAT, but not to other grains with gluten, oat flour works well in things like quick breads, muffins - hearty, substantial baking. It does not keep well, so buy small amounts and store in freezer.    Suzi  What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. http://suziesgoats.wholefoodfarmacy.com/ Discover Have fun online with music videos, cool games, IM & more. Check it out!