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YumA little background about this blog: How it started
Ever since I was young girl, I secretly wanted to be a writer the way other people want to be rock stars or Wimbledon champions or astronauts. I never told anyone. And it took decades for me to actually have the chance to give it a try. There’s something about a seven year career itch that takes 20 years to start itching. You don’t take it seriously at first. But there it is, itching at you day after day: try it try it try it.
I listened carefully to what I was saying deep inside and realized that I would finally need to yield to this longing. But how would I start and what would I write? I considered going back to school for my PhD in philosophy; it is something I had always wanted to do. But that might have required moving to a new part of the country for a teaching job afterwards, and my husband and two sons would not be able to move with me (at that point in time). Next.
There is a common sense dictum that you can be “successful” if you do what you love, and another one that writers should write about what they know. I knew I loved philosophy and asking lots of questions, but I also loved to eat and entertain and I knew a lot about cooking and baking. I merged the two- I would write about food. I would be a “food philosopher”. And so my new writing career took shape.
I started writing at the beginning of 2002. But as so often happens, life throws curveballs: after decades of carting around a challenged immune system that led to bad seasonal allergies, two bouts of mono and more cases of strep throat, bronchitis and pneumonia than a person is entitled to have in one lifetime, I was diagnosed with celiac disease at the end of 2002.
After three published books, a revised/expanded edition, one Foodphilosopher.com website (2003-2011), hundreds of classes, demos and speeches, and commitments for several more books, I’ve been getting that same seven year itch again – but after only nine years. Oh my. What to do? I think Wimbledon will have to wait. I am going to road-test the immediacy of the blogosphere with the hope that it will be interesting and fun and keep me going until my next seven (or nine or twenty) year itch arrives.
So welcome to My Gluten-Free Table. It will give you a taste of life in and around my kitchen. I’ll be serving up delicious recipes, commentary, and classic tales of baking and cooking in a home where food is excitement and eating is a celebration.
About Annalise Roberts
After being diagnosed with celiac disease in 2002, Annalise devoted herself to developing gluten-free baked goods that taste just as good, if not better, than their wheat flour counterparts. Gourmet magazine featured several of her recipes in its November 2005 issue; she was the first gluten-free writer to have her work published in a mainstream food magazine. Since then, her recipes have been featured in newspapers and magazines across the country, including Yoga International, American Dietitian, Today’s Diet and Nutrition, Living Without, Gluten-Free Living, Autism Advocate (magazine of the American Society of Autism), and Today’s Dietitian.
Annalise is the author of four gluten-free cookbooks that are sold in North America and overseas. Translated editions are available in South America and Eastern Europe. An expanded and revised edition of her best-selling book, Gluten-Free Baking Classics (April 2006), was released in September 2008. Gluten-Free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine, a collection of recipes developed for the Zojirushi bread machine was released in April 2009. Annalise and her sister, Claudia Pillow, PhD, joined forces to write the third book, The Gluten-Free-Good Health Cookbook (January 2010). The focus of this unique work is on managing daily food-related decisions in order to strengthen the immune system, prevent disease and lose weight by eating real food. It provides food choice explanations and guidance, cooking advice, and more than 140 flavorful, culturally diverse, gluten-free recipes. Her new (fourth) book, Gluten-Free Baking Classics – The Heirloom Collection was released in January 2015.
Annalise has worked with celiac support groups across North America and taught gluten-free cooking and baking classes in the New York metropolitan area. She wrote for and managed the www.foodphilosopher.com website with her sister (2003 to 2011), and started MyGluten-FreeTable.com in 2011.
Until she began writing in 2002, Annalise’s background had largely been in communications and marketing. She graduated as a Henry Rutgers Scholar from Rutgers College (her thesis was “The Evolving Relationship between Mass Media and Foreign Policy Decision Making”), earned an MBA from New York University Stern School of Business, worked at CBS, Inc., Dow Jones & Co., Merrill Lynch, two New York City ad agencies, and for many years during the 1990’s, taught a database (big data) and direct marking class at the Rutgers University School of Business (the first college class in the country about using big data for marketing purposes). More recently, she taught an Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar (The Big Think on Wellness) at the Rutgers Honors College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She lives in New Jersey with her husband (and she has two young adult sons who are out and about).
Dear Annalise,
I want to thank you for your wonderful cookbook, GF Baking Classics. You can’t imagine how much joy it brings me to bake from your recipes. I want to share one of my all-time favorite experiences. When my celiac-diagnosed son went away for a weekend with a church group, I offered to organize all the food. My son would rather starve than bring attention to himself by eating “special” food, so I made an effort to make all the food for the group gluten-free. My son was mortified by the thought of sharing “weird food” and hoped no one would know who was responsible for it until he overheard one girl ask, with evident amazement, “Who made these muffins?” and another girl reply, “God???” Clearly, your chocolate ricotta muffin recipe did more than provide a tasty treat. Your recipe allowed my son to feel “normal”, even proud, a gift for which I will always be grateful.
Thank you!
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth!
Thank you so much for sharing that story. It brought a big smile to my face and touched my heart. And I can really identify- my son is not big about self-identifying either. Like you, it was really important for me to figure out a way to make delicious food at home. I didn’t want him to feel deprived. It was bad enough when they served pizza, cake, etc. at school, at parties, and after sports. It was really important for him to come home and feel “normal”.
And we love those muffins, too!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Can you make your bread recipes from Baking Classics in a breadmaker?
hi!
You can’t make them in the large 2 pound machines, because the bread recipes in my book are for smaller (more llike 1 pound) breads. And they also need a bit of tweaking for a machine. What machine did you want to use and what size? I am currently finishing up recipes for the 1 pound Zojirushi!
very best regards,
Annalise
Hi! I am so excited to have found your blog! I just purchased your Gluten Free Bread Machne recipe cookbook and was wondering if I could use those recipes in my Zojirushi BB-PAC20 with the gluten free cycle or if I would have to manual input the settings! Thanks! I know this is a newer model so I wanted to be sure before I baked anything!
Thanks so much!!
hi!
I contacted Zojirushi about this just to be on the safe side. It appears they have programmed the new machine based on my book! They also seem to have tested my recipes in the new machine with the new gf setting and they said it worked well. That said, I have not tried the new machine. But they maintain it is just like the old one except for the color and this setting for the most part. So if it were me (because I am a big tester!), I would try it first with the new GF setting and then with my settings to see if it makes a difference in your bread.
Please let me know how you make out. I’ll be looking forward to hearing back from you.
very best regards,
Annalise
Thanks so much for your quick response! I will hopefully be making some tomorrow! I will let you know!
Hi! I made the French Italian bread today in my Zojirushi bb-pac20. I added the liquids first first, then added the dry ingredients next making a well for the yeast at the top just like my machine advises. I did not preheat anything as my machine has a 33 minute rest time where it raises the temperature. I set it on the GF setting, dark crust. When I removed it, it was only about 2.5 inches tall in the middle. Why do you suppose it fell a little short. It was crusty on the outside and tasted good, although rather light on top. Should I have preheated everything first? Should I try again using your settings manually? Any advice to get a taller laf would be great! Thanks so much!
hi!
Well, for a true test, it might be best to preheat. Even though my preheat is shorter, a jump-start can help. In fact, when your home is warm, it sometimes helps to preheat more than the temperature in the recipe (see page 18). What is the temp in your home today?
You might want to try my settings next (with the preheating), see how it goes and then revisit there GF setting.
best,
Annalise
Have you experimented with sourdough gluten-free bread? I truly miss that flavor and am a very experienced baker. I’ve just started experimenting to make my own sourdough starter from wheat, but, I would love to try it with a gluten free alternative. Let me know if you need a tester for any of your recipes, or if you explore this alternative. I just received some of the Authentic Foods flour. It is not carried near me, so I had it shipped from the company. Thanks for all the good work you do. I love both books: Gluten-Free Good Health and Gluten-Free Baking Classics.
Charli Vogt
hi!
I have– but I haven’t come up with a sour dough that I think is excellent (but I am really fussy). I will keep your information for when I am finally successful so I can find out if you might want to test.
I’m glad you are enjoying my other recipes!!
very best,
Annalise
If you could, please include me in your sourdough discovery process! So far, I’ve tried adding vinegar, buttermilk, sour cream and yogurt, but still searching for that authentic taste. Thank you!
hi!
I will indeed. Funny, I’ve tried all those additions myself, as well as the famous “potato water” starter. But because I was used to really amazing wheat based sour dough, none of comes close.
But fear not- you are now on my list!
Happy holidays!
very best,
Annalise
Thanks so much. I’ll be watching for your note.
Charli Vogt
Hi Annalise!
When my son was diagnosed with celiac disease 3 years ago, your book, Gluten Free Baking Classics was the first gluten free cookbook I bought, and it’s still my favorite! You have done a wonderful job of finding great flour blends and developing recipes to replace the things he loved but could no longer eat. I am forever grateful. I was wondering, now that strawberry season is upon us, if you have a recipe for gf shortcakes?
Thanks so much.
Erin Gora
h!
I’m glad you are enjoying my work! And although I don’t have an actual recipe for strawberry shortcake, I do make it several ways with my recipes: with my vanilla layer cake or my vanilla sponge cake or my biscuits (made with a little extra sugar). I make fresh whipped cream and either create an actual layer cake (with the sponge cake or vanilla layer cake recipes), or serve the biscuits with a big spoonful on the side. I hope this give you some ideas to create your own version!
very best regards,
Annalise
Hello Annalise,
We recently discovered a family member who has been diagnosed with celiacs disease and used it as an excuse to upgrade our 12 year-old bread maker to a Zojirushi BB-CEC20 which looks (I think) almost exactly like your Zojirushi BBCC-X20 and perhaps has the same timer functions that we can easily follow the recipes in your book, “Gluten-Free Classic Recipes for the Bread Machine”.
Thanks for authoring the book, it has made us more confident to make gluten-free breads for our family!
Jerry Kuchera
hi!
I hope you find some recipes that you really like. Please let me know if you have questions as you start baking. I also hope you are able to try some of my recipes for bread made in the oven. You’ll be able to find the Rustic Flat Bread recipe here on this blog and the hamburger bun recipe on my Foodphilosoher.com website. And Gluten-Free Baking Classics has artisan breads and even flour tortillas.
Very best,
Annalise
Annalise,
I was diagnosed with Celiac disease about 4 months ago and with all the internet surfing I’ve done I just found your website and blog. How refreshing to read some of your postings and replies to your readers! There is so much misinformation about eating and cooking gluten free. You seem to have a very balanced approach. I am a microbiologist although I haven’t worked in the field for years but I am a scientist at heart. My husband is a physician who is boarded in both Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine. He had warned me when I started researching to go to trusted sites and even with that I find lots of conflicting information. I will be reading your blog with interest and using your recipes. I have been an avid baker and that has been the most challenging and disappointing change I’ve had to make. It seems that everything I bake is an experiment and many times a failed one. Thanks and I’m looking forward to better results!!
hi!
I’m very glad that you are able to find recipes and information here to help you on your new gluten-free journey (and you will find a lot more recipes and information on http://www.foodphilosopher.com, the website my sister Claudia and I have been writing and maintaining since 2003). And yes, you are so correct about all the well intended but fact-light information of the internet. Beware of chat rooms everywhere- they seem to contain the widest variety of not-always-dependable-information. Try Gluten Intolerance Group of America for correct listings for GF food, drink and medicine.
And please let me know if you have any questions as you start baking and cooking your way through my recipes (or others). I am here to help.
very best regards,
annalise
Yesterday was my birthday and I modified our favorite family birthday cake (chocolate) using your flour mix and a little xanthan gum. It was amazing! My husband and son say that you would never know it’s GF. It looked and tasted like a cake baked with wheat flour. I used Authentic Foods superfine flours and they are worth the price. I bought xanthan gum months ago but had only used it once because I had read about sensitivity to it with reactions similar to gluten. I notice that your recipes use less x-gum than many others I see. Thanks again. This was a momentous occasion in my kitchen!!
hi!
So glad the my brown rice flour mix worked well for you. As for the xanthan gum issue, yes I do use less than most other gluten-free recipe developers, but I think I should let you know that the proportion of people who have reactions similar to gluten is extremely small. It just might seem large because some of those very few people who are sensitive are very vocal about it on the web. But the reality on the ground is that most people who consume xanthan gum have no problems. It is actually used in many, many everyday foods that are not produced for the GF community. Moreover, most GF products on the market use xanthan gum because it is widely tolerated (and most recipes do as well).
Very best,
Annalise
Hello Annalise,
Having some friends with Celiacs, I have been challenged to find recipes for baking that taste great. Since purchasing your book a few months ago, I feel like Julie and Julia as I rush through making something from every category! Yesterday, it was your apple pie recipe, absolutely delicious! My Grandmother, who taught me everything about food, would never know it was gluten-free. Next it is on to the breads, have to master this. One of the questions my friends ask is how much sugar, fat, etc is in the recipe. Do you have calorie and fat information for your recipes? I have voluntarily gone off of gluten for the past eight weeks since reading a book about the multiple effects of gluten on the body, and have lost 10 pounds, eat less and feel better.
Thank you for your great work, it is inspiring.
Kind Regards,
Michael
hi!
I love the image of you working your way through my recipes like Julie and Julia (are you blogging about it?)!
And the apple pie recipe has been a favorite recipe in my family for decades (even when it was made with wheat- although it is actually better now with my gluten-free crust).
I’m afraid to disappoint you with my answer to your question, however, in that I don’t have calorie or fat information for any of my recipes. It really comes down to me not being a believer in treating baked goods as a main component of our diet; they should be a happy, occasional, carefree indulgence. And they should be as good as possible. And they should be made with as little fat and sugar as possible in order to make them fabulous — and that typically means they will have fat and sugar and calories. In any case, my breads have relatively little fat or sugar- but just enough to make the bread as good as it can be. I hope you give some of them a try.
Congratulations on sticking to an eating routine that is making you feel good!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hi Annalise,
Could you give me some direction in making a decent pancake! I used your classical flour blend with a pancake recipe …okay with like 15 different pancake recipes. They all come out AWFUL!!! gooey, sticky, stuck to the pan, greasy… yucky…okay well I guess that explains enough. I need help and my kids would really like a nice fluffy pancake. …oh and did I mention they are allergic to eggs? so I usually just make flax eggs…which could be the problem, not sure but don’t know what else to do/try. Thank you for any wisdom you can pass along!!
Blessings Dearie, and thank you for all the hard work you put in for us gluten free foodies!
Allison
aka gypsy mama
Hi!
Not sure which recipe you are using, but you don’t need a flax egg in any pancake recipe. Just make the recipe without it and add a touch more baking powder if you think you need it. I have a recipe in my book Gluten-Free Baking Classics, but since you can’t use eggs, you would have to tweak many of the recipes. Cybale Pascale has recipes that are gluten and egg free and she uses my flour blends. Hope this helps some!
Very best,
annalise
Dear Annalise ,
I prefer not to use canola oil and many if not all of your baking recipes call for canola oil.What do you suggest as a substitute? Truthfully, I like your book a great deal but would not have purchased it had I been aware of the frequent inclusionof canola oil in many of the recipes as an ingredient!
Btw, you might want to read up all some of the controversial health issues related to use of canola oil, cold pressed or otherwise. In Europe, many chefs will no longer sanction the use of canola oil due to the omega 3:6:9 oils imbalance that heavy canola oil use can create for some individuals.
Great website.
hi!
Thank you!
The only other oil that comes close to replacing canola oil in my recipes is grapeseed oil. My recipes are not calibrated for a heavy, flavorful oil like olive oil (except in the recipes where I do use it, mostly in my breads). Some people have used coconut oil in my breads as well- but it really changes the flavor. If you try either of them and have a problem, let me know and I will help you.
And, I am aware of the controversy about canola, but I don’t use much of it, so I’m not concerned at this point. In fact, I don’t really eat a lot of any baked goods (just small quantities as a weekend treat and small tastes when I test recipes). In addition, I make sure I eat enough of the other better-for-me fats I need to be healthy. I can’t imagine what kind of food people would be eating in which they would have a heavy use of large quantities of canola or any vegetable oil. If they stick to vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, lean meat and fish, with the occasional grain dish (including rice, pasta, bread, cookies, oatmeal, quinoa, etc. , they’d be a lot better off. This is what The Gluten-Free Good Health Cookbook, that I wrote with my sister Claudia, is about).
Let me know if you have any other questions!
very best,
Annalise
Hi Annalise,
Since we have 8 family members on a Gluten Free diet and I’ve
tried every cookbook out there, yours is still number one.
Any news about the publication of your new book?
I also wondered if you have a recipe for an apple cake?
Regards, Jola
hi!
It is very good here that you and your family are enjoying my recipes. Thank you for posting this and letting me know.
And I have been actively working on some incredible new recipes for the last several years, but only semi-working on getting them published. The gluten-free cookbook market has become very crowded with new entries and there is, in my opinion, a glut of books shouting for attention. I’m waiting for the dust to settle.
What kind of apple cake are you hungry for? I do have a couple of new ones.
Very best,
Annalise
I hope the dust settles soon because I’m looking forward
to your next book.
The apple cake I remember had the apples incorporated in the
batter with walnuts as an option. Some recipes call for sour
cream in the mix.
Just a cake that would go with a hot cup of cinnamon apple tea.
Thanks so much, Jola
hi!
I know just the cake you are talking about! I will contact you by email to so we can work out the fine points.
Very best,
Annalise
First, thanks for your book GF baking classics for the bread machine. I have been having a lot of fun with it.
But I have a question.
Before your book I found that I was getting the best results on my Zo.. Bread machine with Pamela’s GF bread mix with a little added baking powered. But I did not like the eggy taste so I experimented with a mix of one egg and then homemade egg sub of flax and water. It made a pretty good loaf of bread. My only complaint was that it was a little too moist for a long time.
I have now made about 3 loaves of bread with your cookbook (basic and rye sandwich breads). The bread tastes better and I think the consistency of the bread is better…. On the day of the baking. But the next morning the bread is much dryer than I like it and after a few days the bread likes to crumble…. Or it’s much easier to fall apart in a sandwich.
Also my bread only rises to about 3 1/2 inches. That does not bother me except your book mentions 4 to 4.5 inches.
So. Is there something that i can do or not do to make the bread stay a little moister for longer than 12 hrs
hi!
Well there could be several things going on with the height of the bread.
The millet and sorghum flour- which brands?
What brand and how old is your xanthan gum?
What kind of milk are you using?
What is the temperature of your house and what is the humidity?
Where are you putting your machine when it is running? and how close to a wall is it? Is there anything directly over it?
Are you whisking the dry ingredients together well?
Let me know the answers and we will work from there.
On the bread drying out, yes, it doesn’t last long, but you should be good for two full days. After several days
though, my gf breads get old like many homemade breads (even the ones I used to make with wheat). My recipe
doesn’t have enough fat, sugar or preservatives to keep it in good shape for much longer. GF whole grain flours tend to be dry to begin with, and the starches tend to dry out faster.
But some questions:
Are you leaving it out on the counter?
How are you wrapping it?
Very best,
Annalise
PS. I also got your email and have answered your questions there as well! You can respond back to my questions in either place.
Finally checking in at your blog. Love your Baking Classics is an understatement. Have been gf since diagnosis in 2006. Yours is the only book I’ve trusted. Recently started using Babycakes Coves the Classics as a friend is dairy and egg free and wanted to experiment there. Everything I make from your book gets glowing reviews: not the least of which come from my four children (both gf and non) who barely leave crumbs on plates. Most recently did pecan pie, apple pie with crumb topping. A favorite is lemon pound cake and sour cream coffee cake. Those and so many others are just divine. in fact I made both chocolate and vanilla cakes for a “black and white cookie” effect and children lined up for seconds!
Questions: I have been using Bob’s because that’s what my locals stock. I am so used to mixing my own blend based on your recipe that I never bothered to order AF classic. I’m always worried it won’t be right. Should I worry? I’d be eager to taste the difference based on your analysis in terms of grit or shrinkage.
I’ve been looking into cake pops and I’m of course looking to you. Everything I’m finding seems lacking. What recipe if any would work from your book? I was hoping either a cake or donut hole recipe would work.
Thank you thank you thank you for all your work and dedication. You are amazing!!
hi!
So glad to hear you are enjoying my recipes (and that everyone around you is enjoying them, as well). It’s good to hear that my work has helped you to adjust to a gluten-free life.
I do think that Authentic Food GF Classic Blend is an excellent, dependable product and I use it myself pretty much all the time now (it is my brown rice flour mix made with their extra finely ground brown rice flour). I used to make my own brown rice flour mix with their extra finely ground brown rice flour and locally bought potato starch and tapioca starch (usually Bob’s Red Mill). But it’s just so nice to be able to open a bag of flour and bake that I pretty much switched over. Bob’s Red Mill is a great alternative, although it is slightly less finely ground, and as long as you have had good results, you could stay with it. However, some day it might be nice to throw caution to the wind and order up a bag or two of the GF Classic Blend from AF; do a side by side to see for yourself whether the larger expense is worth it to you at this point.
As for cake pops- fun idea isn’t it? I think you could use any of my cake recipes, but cut the recipe in half (just like my vanilla cupcake recipe is really just my vanilla layer cake recipe already cut in half). I’ve used my cake recipes to make mini-cupcakes, and making them into a cake pop is pretty much the same thing. If you have more questions about it, I’m here!
very best regards,
Annalise
Hi, I have the same concern as bobkeenan…..my bread isn’t reaching your height so I was wondering what you suggested?
By the way, love the chocolate chip cookie recipe and so does my family!
hi!
There were several things we tweaked. He was using a Fleischmann’s RAPID rise yeast. We switched to Red Star active dry yeast. (And by the way, both my testers and I have had significantly better results with Red Star active dry yeast tthe last four years in terms of rise). He also might have had one of the weird/bad batches of Xanthan gum that Bob’s Red Mill sold late last summer and into fall (I got stuck with a bag myself. It was like xanthan gum on steroids- way too strong). So he bought a new bag. We raised the temperature of the liquids (try 90º F).
For you, I’d also want to make sure that your machine is away from the wall and that you are using skim milk (instead of 1 or 2% because the fat will reduce the rise a bit).
Please let me know if you have already tried these things and if so, I will work with you on trying some others.
very best regards,
Annalise
Used Fleischmann’s active yeast but will look for Red Star and I did use 1% so I’ll switch to skim for baking. As well I’ll try the temp raise just to check off all suggestions 🙂 All other suggestions were covered. Thanks
hi!
Good! Please let me know how it works out.
Very best,
Annalise
Hello!
I was recently shopping at a Fruitful Yield store. The gentelman behind me noticed my cart full of GF items and the first thing he told me was that I needed to purchase your book and go to your web page ! I am looking forward to trying these great recipes. Thank you!
Denise
hi!
I hope you find something you like! Please let me know if you have any questions as you go along.
Very best,
Annalise
Hi — and THANK YOU for the amazing book! When my child was diagnosed with celiac a few years ago as a toddler, several other moms told me this was a must-purchase. I was too overwhelmed by the prospect of making a flour blend at the time, but after trying some of your recipes at my pals’ homes, I was hooked. We have our own droplet-covered copy of your book now and it is my family’s go-to source for baked goods.
I am happy to see that you have replied to comments here recently b/c I have one for you! My child has been wanting to make a bundt cake for many months and he tells me this is the weekend, as it is his dad’s birthday. Do you think your chocolate cake recipe (chocolate fudge cake, p. 57) would work in a bundt pan….??
Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this — and thanks again for this treasure of a book! It is not an exaggeration to say it has improved our lives immeasurably!
Monica
hi!
I happen to know that there at least several people who have successfully used my chocolate fudge cake recipe in a large bundt pan because they have written to tell me about it. Although I have not done it myself, I would say that you’d have to start checking for it to be done after 40-45 minutes. And here’s a chocolate ganache glaze for you:
CHOCOLATE GANACHE GLAZE
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Combine chocolate, heavy cream, and corn syrup in a small, heavy saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir to blend. Cool slighlty before drizzling over cake (cool glaze until it has thickened but is still pourable).
Cooks Note: extra glaze that drips down under the rack can be scraped up, rewarmed and drizzled back over the cake to make a thicker topping.
©2012 by annalise roberts
Please let me know how you make out on the cake or if you have any other questions. And thank you very much for your very kind words about my work.
very best regards,
Annalise
Wow… thank you SO MUCH for such a speedy reply! Truth is the birthday is tomorrow, so we made the cake today. It looks great so far — I have successfully gotten it out of the pan (greased it with canola and dusted with sweet rice flour). I’m a little worried it’s going to sink overnight, but either way, I’m sure it will be delicious. I would include a photo, but I don’t see a way to do that here…
Thanks, too, for the ganache recipe. I will have to try it next time, as the head baker has a vision that includes red hearts frosted onto the top and sides of this thing… Next time, though!
Once again, THANK YOU again for such a speedy reply. And all the scrumptiousness.
Monica
hi!
You’re welcome. Not sure why it will sink unless it’s underdone. But in any case, I’d keep it in the frig over night and then take it out a couple hours before you’re going to serve to let it get to room temperature.
And red hearts are always a good way to go!
best,
annalise
I just bought your GF Baking classics for the bread machine and was very excited. My 18month baby girl has JIA – juvenile Arthritis.. and loves bread. But she cannot have sugar or potato’s as it aggravates inflammation in her joints. Every recipe of yours contains sugar and potato starch in the book. So I was most disappointed. Can I substitute these items? please give me hope. thanks
hi!
My advice for the potato starch is this:
Is there a good substitute for potato starch?
Option 1: replace all the potato starch with more tapioca flour. This will give you a light baked good but without that “certain something” in the way of richer mouth-feel that the potato starch gives. It will also be a little softer, and much mushier in texture. Ultimately, it will be less likely to hold as much of it’s rise.
Option 2: replace 1 cup potato starch with 1/2 cup more tapioca flour and 1/2 cup corn starch first in an simple recipe. Then replace that 1 cup of potato starch with 1/2 cup tapioca, 1/4 corn starch and 1/4 cup sweet rice four, make the same recipe and see which version you like best.
Option 3: One enterprising baker on the west coast created his own concoction for his son with my mix: he divides the total amount of potato starch in half and uses 1/2 arrowroot and 1/2 extra finely ground sweet rice flour. So when the mix calls for 1 cup potato starch use 1/2 cup arrowroot and 1/2 sweet rice flour. But arrowroot is expensive (at least where I live). So if you want to try a less expensive version of this arrowroot/sweet rice flour option, replace 1 cup potato starch with 3/4 cup tapioca (which is much like arrowroot) and 1/4 sweet rice and adjust from there (or 1/2 cup tapioca and 1/2 cup sweet rice and see which you like best).
I don’t use a lot of sugar in any of my bread recipes; what little there is helps to balance the flavor and feed the yeast. But if you need to leave granulated sugar out entirely, can use things like coconut sugar or date sugar?? If not, although I don’t specialize in sugar-free baking and haven’t spent much time dealing with it, I’d try a sugar substitute like Splenda.
Please let me know if you have more questions about this or need help when you start testing with substitutes.
very best,
annalise
this is great.I will try it. I also have beetroot sugar, so I think I will try this as well. And where I live Arrowroot is the same cost as all the replacements.
excited to try this. Hope renewed. thanks for your guidance and prompt reply.
I want to make your Irish soda bread but don’t have buttermilk powder. I have buttermilk…if I replace the water and powder in your recipe will the bread still turn out?
Can’t wait to have a favorite addition back on the menu for Saint Patricks Day.
Thanks!
hi!
As long as it’s not a full fat buttermilk, you will be fine. The buttermilk powder is low fat and so it’s not really, really thick like full fat buttermilk. The full fat version would make the bread heavy and dense and it won’t rise as well.
I hope you enjoy it! I really look forward to making it each year.
very best,
Annalise
Hello Annelise,
I hope you are still monitoring this blog. I made a wheat Chocolate Irish Soda bread by following a recipe from the Great British Bake-Off. It was wonderful! I want to make the same type of bread for my GF sister. I thought I’d use your Irish Soda Bread as the jumping off point, but I hope you can advise me as to how to add cocoa powder to that recipe. Should I decrease the amount of flour in proportion to the amount of cocoa? Thoughts? Thanks.
Hi there Karen!
Yes, still here helping people and answering questions. Just haven’t created new recipes for a while.
Yes you should decrease the amount of gf flour in proportion to the amount of cocoa. I’m not sure exactly what amount of cocoa your recipe calls for, but you should end up with the exact same amount of brown rice flour mix plus cocoa as the total amount of brown rice flour mix in the original Irish Soda Bread recipe in my book.
Please let me know how you make out!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hi, I’ve had your first book for a few years now and I LOVE it!! I just bought your GF Baking Classics for the Bread Machine, and I was wondering if I would get the same results with the Zojirushi BB-CEC20 (Home Bakery Supreme) or the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 (Home Bakery Virtuoso) as the models you mention in the book have apparently been discontinued. Also, is it possible to substitute olive oil or another oil for canola oil (I’m trying to avoid GMOs and most canola is GMO)? Thank you so much for your help!!
hi!
I’m happy to hear you are enjoying my recipes!
As for the bread machine, Zojirushi has assured me that you can use either for my recipes. I have also heard from many people who have purchased these newer machines and they have told me that they have been able to use them without a problem. If you have any any questions after you get your machine, you can always email me through this blog and I will be more than happy to help you.
Regarding your questions about olive oil: some of my dairy and egg free recipes already use olive oil, and the ones that do not, only use a couple of teaspoons, so it won’t matter what oil you use. The breads that contain dairy and egg (and that also have a longer life), use several tablespoons of oil. Therefore, for these breads, you should use the very lightest olive oil possible so you don’t weigh down the bread.
You can also you grape seed oil.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Great! Thank you for your quick reply. By the way, yours is the best cranberry nut bread ever, GF or not. I made it for Thanksgiving dinner a couple of years ago, and it was gone before any of the traditional gluten containing breads!
I love that recipe, too! Been making it for almost 10 years in it’s gluten-free form (and I made it with wheat for more years than I can remember before that.
Hi, my mum gave me your book (Gluten-Free Baking Classics) a few years ago now. And I just can not stop using it. We even cook the focaccia in our wood fire oven and it is just wonderful. My husband is from Italy and loves it when I make the fresh pasta. He even said he can not taste the difference. I would like to thank you for creating such a fantastic book. We are having the crepes tonight, which my kids love. Even here in Australia we love your book. Thanks
Thank you for your very high praise! My sister Claudia lived in Australia for several years when I first diagnosed and she told me how well versed your country is when it comes to gluten-free food. Even back then, she told me the grocery stores and bakeries were filled with gluten-free options. So it is nice to hear that my recipes, including those for fresh pasta, focaccia, crepes have made such a positive difference to you and your family.
By the way, I love your idea for cooking the focaccia in a wood fire oven. I’m going to try to figure out how to do it on my grill as a more of a flat bread because I don’t actually have a wood burning oven. Bet you can amazing food with it!!!
I want to thank you so much for your wonderful book, Gluten Free Baking Classics. It was literally a relief to be able to make my daughter some DELICIOUS chocolate chip cookies. I am a baker and even have a baking blog, and now there’s a possibility my daughter is gluten sensitive so thanks to you and your wonderful book I can still make so many things she loves. I don’t know how you have gotten rid of that “traditional” GF grainy-ness, but the pancakes, waffles and crepes are all outstanding and totally satisfying for our whole family. Can’t wait to try the sandwich bread today. So glad you found your calling and niche to help so many people. —Geni
hi!
I’m so glad that as an experienced wheat baker, you’ve been able to make and enjoy my recipes and that they’ve made your daughters transition to a gluten-free diet easier. I know how hard it can be when you suddenly can’t eat favorite foods; it was so much easier for me (and my son, who also has celiac) once we knew that we would be able to enjoy the baked goods that we really looked forward to in a gluten-free version. Let me know if you have any other questions as you bake your way through the other recipes in my book or blog.
I checked out your blog and it is really lovely!
very best regards,
Annalise
Thank you Annalise for all the meticulous work that you do in creating your recipes.
I’ve been extensively using your Classics book for two years, since my husband was diagnosed
with Celiac disease. When I serve guests recipes from the book, I don’t tell them ’til after
they’ve eaten that it was gluten-free. Most are amazed that G.F baked goods could taste so good!
I always made my own wheat bread before my husband’s diagnosis, so your book is a real
treasure.
Jill
hi!
Thank you for writing to let me know how my work has made such a positive difference to you and your family. It’s really is nice to hear such good feedback. Please let me know if you need any help converting treasured family recipes as you go through the holidays! I’d be happy to give input on best ways to proceed.
Very best,
Annaluse
Annalise,
my daughter (25yo) is not able to tolerate Xanthan Gum.
Do you have any options to replace it in the Pumpkin Roll?
It sounds wonderful!
Louanne
hi!
Can you use Guar gum?
If you can’t use any gum, then there is a small group of gluten-free cooks who like to use a combination of finely ground flax seeds and or chia seeds and or psyllium husk – sometimes all three, sometimes only two. I’ve tried several combinations in several different categories of gluten-free baked goods, but I was never able to recreate something that had a normal texture; ie. I don’t think they produce gluten-free baked goods that resemble classic-style wheat baked goods (which is what I strive for).
That said, if this is your only alternative, I suggest you try a few of the more combinations for yourself to see which gives you a texture you are happy with. Although I can’t recommend any of them, if you write me at my email through this blog and let me know a little bit about your GF baking experience and what GF recipes you’ve been using and which ones you like, and I can give you more specifics on which gum replacement combinations I’d stay away from. It helps to know a bit more about your palette and preferences. Mine run pretty classic, but maybe you’re already enjoying more alternative styles.
very best,
Annalise
Have had celiac since 2000 and always loved fried chicken, fish and chicken fried steak. Found that Gluten Free Pantry French Bread and Pizza mix makes a great crust for the above. Use canola oil at 355 degree in a deep fryer, fry daddy is the best, (trans-fat free) and my family likes it just as much as a regular batter. Gives a nice golden crust. Thought I would share.
hi!
Isn’t it nice to be able to have a few convenience items that help to make our lives better and “normal”? Beth Hilson, the original creator of Gluten-Free Pantry has become a friend of mine and I’ve been cheering her on from the sidelines for years. Especially good to know her mixture makes good friend chicken (which is something I haven’t had in years). Now I may have to make up a batch!
Thank you for sharing. I hope you and your family enjoy the holidays!
very best,
Annalise
How sweet of you to reply and to take the time to visit my blog. Your cookbook is literally a blessing to me and my family. Can’t wait to get another one for Christmas. It is on my list! 🙂
Thank you!
And I hope you and your family have a happy and delicious holiday season.
What bread would you suggest with a cheese fondue? I need something that won’t crumble too easily. I have your bread machine book, is there any recipes from there you would suggest?
hi!
When I make fondue I always use my submarine sandwich bread from Gluten-Free Baking Classics because it is a crusty with a softer, chewy interior. There’s not a lot a ingredients in it and so it is a good carrier for the luscious cheese. If I had to choose a bread from my GFBC Bread Machine book, I guess I would go with the French-Italian because it is very plain and it will be soft is you use it on the first day. (Like most classic, non-processed French-Italian breads, it isn’t as soft the second day. I think this must have been the reason for all those wonderful egg-strata dishes passed down from from Italian home cooks!)
I hope you have a great meal!
Very best,
Annalise
Annalise (Food Philosopher Extraordinaire): Thanks for enlightening me. Your writing style is engaging, entertaining, and a pleasure to read. And your recipes are fantastic – even for non-Gluten-Free fans of yours! Keep on cooking, baking, teaching and writing.
Thank you Steve!
Your warm words of support are especially nice on icy-snow days like today.
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hi Annalise,
I found your book by way of inter library loan. I checked it out and first thing I made was the yellow cake for my daughter who has been on gluten free diet since June of 2012. I used to bake for my mother but the recipes were not all that good, the flour blends… I tried a few recipes for my daughter, they were ok but not good, she can be picky at age 39!
The yellow cake turned out wonderful! I even decorated it pretty for her as I am a cake decorator. She kept the cake on her counter top for a total of 4 days, being covered with a bowl that fit so it wouldn’t dry out so soon. On the fourth day she said mom the cake is still good but is getting a little dry but not bad. I said eat it up! Next I tried the chocolate, she loved it, fact that was also decorated and served with dinner with dad and I, she freaked when dad decided to take a double serving (because she wanted the cake to herself at home)! that cake also lasted a good 4 days, she stretched it!! Next I tried the white bread, she loved it and said Mom if you will make me bread at least once a week I will pay for the ingredients and your time, it was that good! The recipes are wonderful. Though I am having trouble with the shortbread one, I had the dough nearly frozen and it still spread to nearly nothing in the oven. Thankfully we decided to use it anyways for shortbread crumbs for a cheesecake, it was wonderful. But I would still like to have shortbread cookies for her. Can you help with what I may be doing wrong?
Otherwise thanks so much for that book, I purchased one on eBay so I have my own copy.
Thanks so much
Mary
hi!
I’m happy to hear that my recipes are working well for you and that you are all enjoying them so much. I will mention that if your daughter stores the cakes in the refrigerator, they might maintain their peak taste and texture for a longer period of time than if you leave them out on the counter.
As for your cookies, my first guess is that your pans might be thicker or darker than plain ol’ cookies sheets. If that is not the case, it could be your rice flour – are you using a fine grind like Authentic Foods? Also, are you creaming the butter and sugar really well? Let me know and we’ll take it from there!
By the way, my shortbread crust is very similar to the cookie recipe and I also use it for one of my cheesecake recipe.
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hi Annalise,
I have recently discovered your book gf baking classics as my 2 yo has recently been diagnosed coeliac. There is so much I want to bake from your book it’s fantastic.
I made your vanilla butter layer cake and halved the recipe. The flavour was really yum but I just wanted to ask about the cake height…is it supposed to be quite a thin cake because it’s a layer cake? The cake I made was just under 2cm thickness and I wondered if that is right or should it have risen a bitter higher?
Thanks so much.
hi!
That seems a it thin to me if it was baked in a 9-inch pan (I think about 22 cm by at least another cm, so here some questions:
Did the cake rise higher than the 2cm and then fall – or fall just in the middle? What color pans did you use and what thickness were they?
Could you have over-beaten it?
Were the measurements – if converted to metric done accurately? In particular, I was worried about the amount of the baking powder.
Did you use xanthan gum or guar gum?
What kind of milk did you use?
What kind of rise flour did you use? and was it finely ground or larger grind?
That’s enough questions for now! I’m glad you enjoyed the cake and fear not- we will try to figure out how to get it a little higher!
Very best.
Annalise
I have your Baking Classics book. I tried making the chocolate chip cookies and the triple ginger bread. The cookies were flat and kind of soggy in the middle. My triple ginger bread came out like a valley. Both are delicious. What did I do wrong? not enough flour? mix longer? problem with xanthan gum?
Thanks,
Susan
hi!
The most common causes of your flat cookie problem are usually: 1) you used a very thick (too thick) cookie sheet and your cookies melted before they could bake properly and then, after that they melted, you didn’t bake them long enough– so they were soggy; 2) your oven wasn’t really at the correct temperature (it was too low) and your cookies melted, and then after they melted you didn’t bake them long enough — so they were soggy; 3) your dough was too warm when you baked it; 4) you didn’t really incorporate the sugar into the shortening well and/or mix the dough well enough when you added the flour; 5) you forgot to add the extra 2 tablespoons of flour or you spooned the flour into the measuring cups too lightly and so you didn’t have enough flour in the dough; 6) the xanthan gum wouldn’t have caused your cookie to come out flat and soggy exactly, but sometimes if your xanthan gum is very very old, it might have contributed the problem- but it would not have caused it to be soggy.
The most common causes of your triple ginger bread collapsing in the middle are that: 1) you didn’t have enough flour in the batter (you spooned the flour into the measuring cup too lightly); 2) you over-beat the bread and it rose too fast and then fell; 3) bad xanthan gum would contribute to a fall over all but not necessarily just in the middle; 4) you had a very dark pan and/or a too hot oven and your bread rose too fast and then fell.
Do any of these sound like they might have contributed?
Very best,
Annalise
And/or on top of all the above, you could have used a very large grind flour and that would contribute to inbalance of liquid to dry in the recipe.
Which do you think it might have been?
Very best,
Annalise
Dear Annalise,
I just ePublished another book. This one’s about grinding flour. I included the following reference to your excellent book. I hope this is OK with you.
“If you are gluten intolerant, or know someone who is, I recommend the following book. I found it in our local library. It’s the best book I’ve found on gluten-free baking. I liked the author’s analytical approach.
Gluten-Free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine
by Annalise G. Roberts, May 23, 2009
Annalise is a real person, who actually responds to emails.”
Best regards,
Dale
hi there Dale!
Good to hear from you again!
Thank you for putting in a good word for me. I hope your books is very successful!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hello again, I wanted to let you know that your bagels made my daughter’s sixteenth birthday an utter success. The thing that she had been missing most since she has switched to eating GF were bagels…until now! They were chewy, a bit crunchy, gorgeous and delicious. All of our family, Gluten sensitive or not, at them and were mesmerized. Thanks again for your obvious labor of love. I also made your French Bread last night for the first time and I think she may have teared up that she could actually eat an artisan tasting piece of bread. I reviewed your book on my blog and am awaiting your GF Bread Making for the Bread machine book for my birthday. You make a huge difference to those who need to eat this way and their moms.
Hi there!
I checked out the picture of the bagels you made on your beautiful blog and I have to say I was ecstatic about how fabulous they looked. BRAVO! I haven’t made them myself in such a long time and now I think I’m going to have to do make a batch very soon. Thank you for sharing your touching story and for all your very kind words.
And let me know if you have any questions about the bread machine recipes once you get started.
Keep in touch!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Your compliments regarding my bagels were so sweet. I couldn’t believe I managed to impress YOU with them. Your recipe is honestly perfect and the directions help make it foolproof.
Thank you!
Hi Annalise,
I am (another) big fan of your Baking Classics book. I bought a copy for my mom when she was diagnosed with celiac, and it was the first thing I bought when my daughter was diagnosed two years ago. It is well loved & well used in our house!
I’m writing because I’m hoping you might give me permission to reprint one of your recipes. I’m a lettering artist in St. Paul, Minnesota, and I am celebrating a business anniversary with a “yearbook” of favorites, which I hope to publish early this fall. I’d like to include your Vanilla Cupcake recipe as a favorite, and of course I would attribute you as the author, list your cookbook in my resources, and provide a link to your blog. (And if you have a name for your new I-can-hardly-wait-for-it cookbook, I’ll include that too!)
Please let me know if this would be acceptable to you. I’ve had so many raves over those cupcakes the last two years that I’d love to give the credit where it’s due. Thanks so much for your consideration! (And feel free to email me directly if you like.)
Gina
hi Gina!
Thank you so much for your kind words and endorsement. It brought a big smile to my face. And yes, you may indeed reprint the recipe (with references to me, my cookbook and blog). Your ‘yearbook” of favorites is a lovely idea, and your website, ginasekelsky.com looks really good! I wish you much success with your business.
My new cookbook, slated for a late fall release, is very close to being named, but nothing is official yet so I cannot give you the name. I’ll be letting my readers know as soon as I can though.
Very best regards,
Annalise
I have an emergency. I need the recipe for gluten free pumpkin muffins or bread, the one that has a little molasses in it. I used to have a hand written copy but that got lost so I bookmarked the recipe on foodphilosopher.com I have been trying all day and even had friends try and we get that site to load. The muffins are one of the few gluten free things that my son likes, mostly because his friends will eat them w/o knowing they’re gluten free. And there’s a picnic coming up. Please help
hi!
I will contact you by email and send the recipes and check my site. Thank you.
Annalise
Hello Annalise. I made your sandwich bread today exactly as written. I was surprised that it rose so quickly (20 min.) and was up to the rim before I knew it. I only have coated bread pans and I guess the combination of these two caused it to fall while still in the oven. The flavor was delicious. Next time I make it, if I line my pan with foil and watch the rise do you think it may not fail then? I also thought I might cut the yeast down to 1½ tsp to slow down the rise. All your recipes look amazing and the science behind them intrigues me. I especially appreciate your take on the new ATK cookbook.
Thanks for that! I’ll be sticking to your recipes.
hi!
I’m glad you enjoyed the taste of the bread (and that you enjoyed my look at the ATK cookbook)! Now we just have to narrow down some next steps for you so you can get a better rise!
Your bread rose too quickly and that is one reason it fell in the oven. What kind of yeast were you using and what temperature was the liquid? What is the temperature of the room/place where you let your bread rise (was it perhaps over 80F?). If your home is very, very warm, you might need a slower rise in the frig for as least part of the time.
Other questions:
Did you flour the pan with rice flour? Perhaps you can flour it more next time. Not sure the foil will do it for you. I’ve used non-stick loaf pans. It isn’t as easy, but it can be done. Lots of flour after you spray on the cooking spray.
Is your pan not only coated with non-stick but dark metal?? If so, reduce the temperature of the oven by 25ºF.
What kind of xanthan gum were you using and how old is it? If it is old and/or wasn’t stored correctly by the distributor, the store or you, it might not be holding up your bread.
Is your oven running hot perhaps? When mine does, my breads rise too fast and then fall a bit.
What brands of millet and sorhgum were you using?
Is it possible that you spooned the flour into the cups too lightly? Sometimes, if the liquid to flour ratio is off, it can contribute my breads sinking just a bit. (I have weights on the blog, if you have a scale and think this might be it).
So let’s start with those. And we will figure this all out!
Very best,
Annalise
Hi, I just purchased both of your baking ebooks and am sad that they don’t have pictures. Do your books have pictures of all your breads / buns etc?
hi!
My printed books do not contain many pictures (less than a ten in black and white). They were published by a small publisher who did not consider it necessary to the book. As an author, I had no say in the decision (I was sad, too!). So sorry. My next baking book (coming out before the holidays, I hope) will have slightly more pictures in four-color. However, I try to write very specific instructions for my recipes. That said, if you have any questions, I’m here to help.
Very best,
Annalise
I had been talking about buying a bread machine for nearly a year. I discovered this website last week and am now the proud owner of the BB-Pac20 machine and your book Gluten Free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine. My machine arrived Saturday afternoon and I, and my family, enjoyed the most delicious loaf of bread Sunday afternoon. The bread was from a mix that I had bought about a year ago, and it turned out perfect.
Do you have a GF sourdough bread recipe?
I’m heading to my health food store tomorrow to get the flours so I can make the Oatmeal Artisan Bread tomorrow evening.
Thank you so much for being here and sharing your experiences and GF recipes with us.
hi!
The machine you have came out several years after my publisher asked me to write my bread machine cookbook in 2008 (the book was released in 2009). I wrote it using the Zojirushi machine available at the time– the BBCC-X20. The BB-CEC20 (the model that replaced mine and is currently sold) is the exact same machine as the one I used in the book, but with a few cosmetic changes. However, the new machine you have, the BB-PAC20, is a little different –and my publisher has not allowed me to update my book, at least yet.
The BB-PAC20 heats up from the top and bottom, unlike the other two models (my model and the BB-CEC20). The people at Zojirushi tested it with my recipes and said it worked with both the gluten-free and the HOMEMADE setting. But several other people who have written me about said it seems to work better with my recipes if you use only cooler liquids (under 75º F). You might also find that you need to add one extra tablespoon to the flour if the bread sinks a little. The bread rises faster than in my machine, and so it might need the little bit of extra flour so that it will be a bit heavier. You may in fact find that you don’t need the extra flour if your bread rises without sinking, or if it is too dry and dense.
If you find you are having problems, I will be happy to help you until you have a great bread.
And sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t have a gluten-free sour dough recipe that I think is delicious, at least not the way I remember sour dough. The other problem is that I don’t make any bread often enough (unless I’m testing recipes) to warrant keeping the starter alive with expensive gluten-free flour. As you know, even if you keep the starter dormant in the refrigerator, you have to feed the thing every week to keep it happy and in good shape. However, in my new baking cookbook (coming out later this fall), I have several great new artisan breads that have sour dough like characteristics and tang. You might want to take a look at them.
Let me know if you need any more input about the bread machine!
Very best,
Annalise
Hi!
Before I buy your books I wanted to know how often eggs are used, and/or if you have tried egg replacer substitute in your recipes. My 7 year old is allergic to both wheat and eggs! I did not want to get your books only to find they were not what I needed. I have been wheat free egg free baking since he was 18 months old, with hit and miss results. I use NRG egg replacer and/or flax meal in place of eggs, but there are limits to how much you can actually replace. Thank you so much
hi!
Almost all of my recipes contain eggs, except for several cookies, pastry doughs (apple turnovers, pigs in blankets, and a few others), both tart shells, and the artisan breads (including the submarine sandwich bread, focaccia, and English muffins, as well as many others). I don’t provide details in each recipe for using egg replacements. However, I happen to know that many people are able to successfully use my recipes with egg replacements, including egg replacer and flax eggs. That said, if you are looking for gluten-free recipes that are calibrated specifically to use egg replacements, my book may not be what you want.
But I can recommend two things: First, try some of the recipes here on this blog and on my old Foodphilosopher.com website baking archive to see if you are able to make them work to your liking. And second, take a look at the Cybale Pascals allergen-free baking book; she uses the same all-purpose flour blend as mine in that book and she has a very good palette and knows her way around a recipe.
And please let me know if you have any other questions.
Very best,
Annalise
Hi There!
I just have to say, your books have made my life. I was diagnosed Celiac five years ago and thought I’d never get to eat a yummy treat again. I bought your books and Have loved every creation I’ve made with them! Even my most GF weary friend have been fooled by the deliciousness of my creations. Pumpkin pie is my favorite and none of your books have a recipe for it. I figure it’d be the same as a custard pie? Should I pre-bake the crust prior to adding the filling?
Thank you so much for considering my inquiry and THANK YOU for bringing delicious back into my life!
Sincerely,
Ashley K.
Hi Ashley!
I haven’t included a pumpkin pie recipe because I use the recipe on the back of the Libby’s Pumpkin Puree can -except that I increase the spice a bit and I use half evaporated milk and half heavy cream in their recipe. It is very important to parbake the pie crust, as it is whenever you make any pie with my recipe (even quiche). I typically parbake the crust for about 10 minutes, as I describe in my cookbooks (Traditional Pie Crust recipe).
I’m very happy to hear how much you are enjoying my recipes! If you’re as much of a pumpkin lover as I am, I hope you get to try some of the pumpkin recipes here on this blog (Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Roll, Pumpkin Crumb Cake, and the new Pumpkin Doughnuts). And there are several others in my new book, The Heirloom Collection (Pumpkin Bundt Cake and Pumpkin Whoopie Pies).
Enjoy the holidays! And please let me know if you have any other questions I can help you with.
Very best regards,
Annalise
Dear Annalise, looking for g-f hors d’ouevres ideas for entertaining middle-aged friends, with their stressed digestive systems, I found my way here. Hope it’s ok to use your original recipes! Thank you for your skill & commitment, a pleasure to read your thoughts & experience. Best wishes, Nel from Hastings, England.
Dear Nel,
It is very OK to use the recipes here! I hope you find more than a few to serve throughout the coming holidays. I know I often turn to the mini crepe cup recipe on this blog. Sometimes I use the spinach filling, but sometimes I fill it with a crab or a mushroom filling. Kind of depends on my mood.
I hope you have a happy and delicious holiday season!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hi,
I received your cookbook and am excited to try some of the recipes. It looks like the GF Classic Blend from Authentic Foods can substitute for your brown rice flour recipe with the with the same results. Can any of their flours replace your bread flour recipe (e.g. Bread Flour Mix A)? Thank you.
Hi!
Sadly, Authentic Foods does not have a flour blend that is the same as any of my bread flour mixes. They do sell the potato, corn and tapioca starches, the sorghum flour and now, even the millet flour, but you have to buy them separately and mix it up yourself. It is probably less expensive (at least where I live) to buy the Bob’s Red Mill starches and flours— and they work really well in my breads.
Please note: I prefer the Arrowhead Mills millet (my first choice), if you can get it. The Authentic Foods millet is very finely ground, which doesn’t work as well in my bread recipes. I do not recommend it- at least right now until I figure out exactly how to adjust my recipes so I’m able to use it successfully. I also use Bob’s Red Mill millet —but you have to really make sure it is fresh (it should smell fresh and grainy and have a sweet grainy taste. It should never be bitter).
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Very best regards,
Annalise
hi i’d like to get the authentic flour (gluten free) I’m in Austin, tx
do you know if Sprouts carries it? I’d like to try to go gluten free.
The only thing i fear is that my energy will not sustain me to bake to the amt.
my family eats. Mainly tortillas ismy hang-up that’s gluten…
we all love breakfast tacos and torchy tacos.
Hi Sue,
I wish you much success in your quest to attempt a gluten-free diet. It is not the easiest diet to follow, but it is not impossible either. And for people like me with celiac (and/or for those with gluten sensitivity) it is the only way to eat. An easy way to fill your desire for gluten-free flour tortillas is a product that I wrote about here on this blog from Toufayan. https://mygluten-freetable.com/2013/07/gluten-free-wraps-from-toufayan-bakeries/ (And of course, corn tortillas are gluten-free.) I’ve also seen gluten-free flour tortillas from other companies at the grocery store. It’s just that the ones from Toufayan actually taste good.
I’m not which stores in Texas stock Authentic Foods (I’m not technically affiliated with the company- I just love and recommend their finely ground brown rice flour, finely ground sweet rice flour and finely ground GF Classic Blend), but you can always call and ask the store (and you can ask any store to get if for you if they don’t carry it). If you don’t luck out with it being sold in a store near by, you can always order it directly from them or on Amazon. I always recommend ordering more than one bag at a time so you can spread out the shipping cost.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Very best,
Annalise
I was wondering if these recipes are dairy free as well ?
Hi,
Almost all of my recipes have been tested with dairy-free ingredients by my testers (or me!). I talked about it on my Frequently Asked Questions page:
Is it possible to use milk substitutes?
Yes. You can use rice, soy, or almond milk in all of my recipes that call for milk. Rice and almond milk add less of an aftertaste, unless you like the taste of soy. Remember that the gluten-free flours are a bit transparent in flavor. In fact, I prefer using rice milk because it has the least taste and doesn’t have an adverse effect on the texture. Coconut milk adds a noticeable coconut taste and affects the texture and appearance of my recipes. You can use earth Balance® Buttery spread or Buttery sticks (not the shortening sticks) to replace the butter in my recipes (my dairy-free testers have done this; I myself have only done so in some recipes). Several bakers have also written to tell me that they like to use butter-flavored shortening in my pie crust and biscuits, but I prefer the earth Balance.
If you have other questions about dairy replacements, please just let me know.
Very best regards,
Annalise
I would like to make your gluten-free pizza crust. But I cannot find the pans you recommend. Can you point me to a source for the “pizza pans with ribbed bottoms” that are specified in your Gluten-Free Baking Classics 2e”. I have just seen pizza stones.
hi Marcia!
I started using inexpensive foil pizza pans that I picked up in the grocery store because I thought it would be easy and expensive way for people to make pizza- especially since the flours cost more than wheat. I also use the bottom of my inexpensive springform pans (the kind you use when you make cheesecake). The bottoms of the foil pan and my springform pans look like the pan in this link
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000VMI22/ref=twister_B00F1HUOYY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
However, even if you use a flat bottom pan, the pizza will be delicious. It’s just the ridges lets the air flow a bit under the crust and adds to the crispness. But you can crisp the bottom by putting it directly on the rack, so don’t worry.
And if you are a pizza stone lover, take heart: I’ve also started using a pizza stone for the final bake and I really like it.
Please let me know if you need more info. And rest assured, sometimes when I am making a lot of crusts for the freezer and I run out of ridged bottoms, I use flat pans and they work well.
Very best,
Annalise
Hi Annalise,
You mention that you haven’t had good luck with SAF instant yeast for your bread recipes. Does that include the pizza crust? I didn’t get a good rise last time, but I was too hasty with the proofing time.
Best,
Laura
Hi!
I never tried it in my pizza crust, so I can’t say for sure how it would work. But I did try it once in my rustic flat bread recipe (focaccia). I wanted to see whether it was just the bread machine that was impacting how well it worked with my flour and recipes. But it still wasn’t as good. A pizza crust doesn’t have to rise as high though, so if there was any recipe I’d risk it in, that would be it. Please let me know if you try.
Very best,
Annalise
Hi Annalise – I want to thank you for your fabulous recipe books and for sharing your recipes. I never tasted really great tasting gluten-free baked goods until I tried your recipes. My family loves your recipes too. I have both the Gluten-Free Baking Classics and The Heirloom Collection.
One of my favorites is the classic banana pudding that I used to make for my family, but I need a gluten-free version of the boxed vanilla wafers used in the recipe. Is there a gluten-free cookie recipe for the vanilla wafers used in the recipe, or something that would work and hold up as well in the recipe.
Thank you
Linda
Dear Linda,
I’m very happy to hear that you’re enjoying my work! I hope you’re able to keep baking your way through my recipes so you can create happy food memories for you self and your family.
As for your question about the vanilla wafers: although I haven’t created exactly what you’re looking for, I’ll contact you by email so I can help you better.
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hi Annalise~!
So happy to have found your web site~! Could you please provide me with “Your” Gluten Free Flour Blend using the Brown Rice Flour? I was trying to navigate to find it without much luck but will be devoting a lot of time to your articles.
Will be purchasing your cookbooks as well~!
J
Hi there!
On the bar across the top of the page there is a heading that says “Gluten-Free Baking“. Put your mouse over it and the words “Gluten-Free Flour Mix” will show up (as well as several other possible links of interest to you). Simply click on that. But just in case, here is the link. It’s better to read all the details because I provide a lot more than a recipe; I also explain how to purchase, store and mix and measure the flours.
https://mygluten-freetable.com/guide-to-flour-mix/
Please let me know if you have any questions as you get started. I’d be happy to help.
Very best,
Annalise
Hi Annalise,
I’ve been using your Baking Classics book for several years now and love it! Just got the Heirloom Collection book and I have a question about making the blends. The Authentic Foods Superfine Brown Rice Flour package says 1/4 cup = 40 grams, which would be 160 g/cup. Your new book says that it weighs 113 g/cup. Why the discrepancy? I’ve been using the weight stated on the package all this time, and it’s worked beautifully. Can you clarify?
Thanks,
Holly
Hi Holly,
The discrepancy has to do with the fact that the package is giving weight for very, very packed flour. Mine is spooned from the package into the measuring cup before weighing. I know this for sure because many years ago I asked Steve Rice, the president of Authentic Foods- just to make sure that was what I was seeing – the same weight discrepancy you see- was real.
So then why aren’t you having any issues you ask? If you are measuring for each recipe by volume- after making the flour mix by weight, then it would be because you are shaking the container to aerate it before you spoon the flour into the cup. The proportion of the mix would be roughy the same and then you’d still be spooning it into the cup for the cake or whatever and get approximately the right amount.
If not, and you were measuring by using weight all the way, then I wonder if perhaps your bake goods are slightly denser than the ones I make from the same recipe? Anyway – let me know exactly what you are doing. It will help me answer you better.
And I’m glad you enjoy my recipes! And there are a lot of really wonderful ones in the new book. I hope you find some new favorites!
Very best ,
Annalise
Please have a version of your great book available as spiral or loose leaf bound
I’m on my second book, the pages fall out (and get lost)
Tonight I had to guess the ingredients for baking powder biscuits because the pages keep falling out
I’ve ordered another tonight
It’s very frustrating. If you think about it, most bakers have a kitchen that may become hot & moist, which will cause the binding to fail-I’ve been in printing/publishing industry for decades. It’s only a temporary binding. My cousin is on her second book for the same reason
Here’ s hoping this can happen
Thanks
Hi Nancy,
I’m sorry it has taken a long time for me to answer your question. Your post went directly into my blog’s SPAM (along with several other posts), I’m sad to say, and I never saw it. My WordPress blog had just been updated a couple days before you tried to post; I think my spam software somehow didn’t work correctly after the update. (I have the spam software because I had been attacked by something called bots several years ago.) It’s all fixed now, I hope.
To answer your concern, I’ve never personally received a letter about a binding problem in the 12 years since my first book was published, but I’m unable to give you the kind of response you deserve because my publisher, Doug Seibold, at Agate Publishing, controls the printing and production of my books. https://www.agatepublishing.com/about/agate/ . I will email you with his contact information.
I also think a spiral version of my cookbook would be lovely! I asked my publisher about it many years ago. He said it was expensive to produce. Oh well.
Again, so sorry for the delay in responding.
Very best,
Annalise
Just found your cookbooks online and was wondering if the Gluten free baking classics has the same recipes as the Heirloom Collection. Want to get both if not, but if the collection has all of the classics book would like to know beforehand. Thanks for your time.
hi Tammy,
The two cookbooks have totally different recipes. The first, Gluten-Free Baking Classics, contains a lot of the must-have recipes that a person with newly diagnosed gluten-intolerance might want to be able to eat again: pizza, sandwich bread, French/Italian bread, English muffins, bagels, chocolate chip cookies, butter cookies, sugar cookies, (and many other cookies), doughnuts, pie crust, tart crusts, corn muffins (and many other muffins),hamburger and hot dog buns, lots of layer cakes, cheese cakes, brownies, lemon squares, eclairs, biscuits, etc.
The newer book, Gluten-Free Baking Classics- The Heirloom Collection, contains recipes to round out your baking repertoire: bundt cakes, yeast doughnuts, cinnamon roll scones, Whoopie pies, thumbprints, Madeleines, apple turnovers, pigs-in-bankets, Brioches hamburger buns, pineapple upside down cake, and lots more muffins, cookies, cakes, and breads.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Very best,
Annalise
When are you going to publish another cookbook? I have your other ones and am ready for some new recipes! I love to bake!
Hi Debbie,
I’m happy to hear that you’re enjoying my efforts! And I do have some new recipes on this blog that aren’t in my published cookbooks, but as of right now, I’m not working on a new cookbook. The gluten-free cookbook market, which is fairly small to begin with, is kind of saturated right now. I am keeping my eyes out for opportunities though. So keep in touch!
Very best,
Annalise
I bought the gluten free baking classics book and was super excited about it. I love to bake and make my own bread products so I was pretty sad when my husband was diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity. The first recipe I made was the dinner rolls and they were amazing. We both were very happy with the result. Next I tried to make the buttermilk sandwich bread and it didn’t rise at all. I reread the recipe and realized my pan was non stick. So after purchasing a new one I tried again. The dough rose but fell after baking and the bread was very dense, hard, and crumbly. Then I tried the burger buns and they took an hour to double in size during rising. I put them outside, temp was 85 today. I store my flours in the fridge and thought maybe the cold of the flour and milk it just needed more time. They smelt great and looked really good after baking. I made them in the afternoon so they were completely cool by dinner time. They tasted okay but were crumbly and very dense. My husband didn’t finish his ? any thoughts on what’s going wrong? We ate the rolls fresh out of the oven but waited till the rest of the bread cooled. Does that make a difference in crumble and texture?
Hi Laura,
The recipe should produce a bun that is soft and not dense. So let me ask you a couple of questions.
What kind of yeast are you using? (I recommend Red Star; see Frequently Asked Questions here on the blog under Gluten-Free Baking on the top bar)
What kind of milk (I like to use skim or 2% in order to control for the amount of fat since milk fat can vary so much across the county)?
What brand millet and sorghum are you using?
Did you make sure your measuring glass for the liquid is really accurate (sounds like a stupid questions, but I’ve actually run into measuring glasses that are a tablespoon off!)?
What kind of pan did you use? Was it really thick? And is your oven calibrated?
How did you wrap the buns after you made them?
After I get the answers, I’ll also be able to make a few recommendations for the buttermilk sandwich bread.
Very best,
Annalise
Hi, Annalise! Using a recipe found on your site, I made the most delicious apple cider donuts last year. When I went to make them again this year, the link to the recipe no longer worked and my searching yielded no results. Could you point me in the direction of your delicious apple cider donut recipe please? I have two kiddos begging for a batch!
Dear Annalise,
I am looking for a GF recipe for pancakes and waffles.
Do you have such a recipe? I was hoping it was in your GF Baking Classics but it was not.
Could you help?
Sincerely, Margaret Ann
hi Margaret,
Yes no problem. The buttermilk pancake and waffle recipes are on page 196 of the second edition of Gluten-Free Baking Classics.
The sweet and savory crepe recipes are on the next page, 197. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Very best,
Annalise
Annalise,
I’m sad to see that you’ve taken down your recipes on The Food Philosopher site! I have all 3 of your cookbooks, but the website recipes were a great, quick reference when I was out of town. Do you have plans to put them back online in the future?
Missing your blog updates! Hope everything is going well!
Alexa
Dear Alexa,
Yes, you are correct; I took the The Food Philosopher site down several weeks ago. I wrote and published content for it from 2003 to 2011 and then kept it alive for another 7 years, for a total of 15 years. The good thing is that all the baking recipes that were on my website are in the second edition of my first book – Gluten-Free Baking Classics. The unfortunate thing for you is, they are no longer online, and for that I’m very sorry.
Back in 2003, The Food Philosopher was one of the first websites to offer free glutens-free recipes (there were no blogs back then!). I did it because I’d hoped to introduce people to my work and get them to try a recipe. Then maybe, if they’d enjoyed it, they’d tell others and spread the word. When the first edition of Gluten-Free Baking Classics came out in 2006, I continued working on the website because I felt it was still a good way to introduce people to my work. But I stopped updating it when I started MyGluten-FreeTable in 2011 (after blogging platforms became popular); I saw this newer blog as new better way to continue contact with the gluten-free community. I don’t have any plans at this time to put the recipes from my first website back online. Again, I’m very sorry. I will tell you this, however – it has warmed my heart that my work mattered to you. And even though I’m taking a sabbatical from writing cookbooks and testing recipes after 15 years of living and breathing it 7 days a week, everything is going well.
Very best regards,
Annalise
Annalise,
Thank you for your thoughtful response! I’m sincerely glad to hear that everything is going well for you. Blogging, social media, and media coverage of celebrities has created a culture where we feel connected to people that we don’t really “know” in real life. But when those people disappear or go offline, it feels like we have lost a friend nonetheless. Your cookbooks, your website, and this blog have really changed my relationship to gluten- free baking and have been and continue to be a real source of joy in my life! I hope you thoroughly enjoy your well-deserved sabbatical. But know that I’d love to hear more from you in the future.
Warm wishes,
Alexa
Hi Annalise,
I have been using your recipes for over ten years and am so pleased with the results…foolproof and great tasting! That said, I have a question about your recipe for Blueberry Muffins in GF Baking Classics (Revised & Expanded Second Edition) on pages 22 & 23. The instructions indicate that, after combining milk & oil, remove 1 tablespoon of liquid & discard it. For the size of my pans, I usually get ~ 16 muffins from one batch. I am curious as to the reason for discarding a tablespoon of the liquid. Divided among 16 muffins, would the extra tablespoon of milk & oil make that much of a difference?
Dear Patricia,
When I tested that recipe (over a decade ago now!!) I found that when I took out that 1 tablespoon of combined liquid, I got a slightly lighter and better shaped muffin. So did my testers. But I think that if you’re dividing the batter into 16 smaller muffins, you might not notice the extra liquid. At the worst, if you test it yourself in your own pan, you’d be stuck with 16 delicious, but slightly flatter muffins that you could keep for yourself– if you didn’t want to serve them to others. Not such a terrible problem to have?
Let me know what happens!
Very best,
Annalise
You & your kitchen testers are absolutely correct! I did try the recipe without discarding the Tbsp of liquid & was not happy with the results. Should have known better, but, always have questions! Many thanks for your very diplomatic suggestion. ? In the meantime, I am, once again enjoying the best GF blueberry muffins on the planet. ?
Hi Annalise:
I’m a recent convert to GF baking because my husband has issues with gluten causing “leaky gut” and a terrible rash if he eats too much. While we work to correct it, he’s virtually GF, so I’ve been experimenting with recipes to convert them. I picked up your GF Baking Classics and have tried several recipes, always using Bob 1-1 flour blend, so when I read your review of it I was surprised. I haven’t the time or inclination to make my own GF blend per your recipe, and overall I’ve been happy with Bob’s results.
But the real reason I’m writing is to let you know how thrilled we’ve been with the results on each of the recipes. His favorite was the coconut cupcakes (oh my…. I make them with a dark chocolate ganache glaze), but last weekend I made the chocolate ricotta muffins for the first time. I laughed when I read your comment about them not lasting until they cooled off.
Then I tasted one while warm and I quit laughing.
The next day we served them to friends with brunch and on the first bite everyone’s eyes rolled back in their heads and they all said, “OMG, those are SO good!” They can’t be GF?!?! Yes, they can!
I made one change, which was using 1/3 c buttermilk and 1/3 c almond milk because I know buttermilk makes things softer and lighter… and boy, did that work out nicely! Everything else was as written, although I did use Bob 1-1 GF flour. They really are amazing, like everything else I’ve tried.
So thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your work, research, care and creativity. It is greatly appreciated!
Kind regards,
Laura
Hi there Laura,
You are very welcome. Thank you so much for all your kind words. It’s always good to know that my work is making a difference to others.(And fyi- I’ve known more than a few people who healed their leaky gut after being on a gluten-free diet. It can make a world of difference to some people.)
As for your success using Bob’s 1 to 1 in my recipes – I’m happy it worked out in a way that made you smile! I do hope that some day you will be able to order a package of Authentic Foods GF Classic Blend (it is my Brown Rice Flour already mixed up in a bag) and try some of the same recipes to compare. You can order it on Amazon (free shipping with Prime), or Vitacost (less expensive than Amazon), or directly from Authentic Foods.
Anyway, please let me know if you have any questions as you bake your way through the recipes.
Very best regards,
Annalise
THANK YOU for the sandwich bread in GF Baking Classics! Since discovering my wheat allergy, the one thing I couldn’t easily replace was bread – the commercial gf bread is pretty much terrible and stupid expensive.
Knowing that I have an option for good, tasty bread when I want it is such a relief!
You are very welcome Stuart!
My mom used to make me a gluten free bundt cake that was ridiculously good. I have been on the hunt for the recipe and she says that she cannot find it but it was a recipe of yours!
Please help!
never mind found it!
Wonderful!
Let me know if you have any questions!
Hello, Annalise-
Your cookbooks are a real treasure! I make your sandwich bread at least twice a week. My whole family loves it! I also have made many of your cakes and cookies, particularly for a coffee group of retired folks. They also love your recipes. Their very favorite is your European Style Coffee Cake. It is delicious.
I have a question about ovens. My old oven died two weeks ago. I have been searching every brand for a good stove with an oven that is not a convection oven because of your warning in Gluten-Free Baking Classics that a convection oven will not brown the bread sufficiently. Is that still an issue with current convection ovens? If it is, do you have a solution for this issue??
Hi Meg,
I’m very happy to hear that you and your friends and family are enjoying my recipes! Warms my heart.
As for your oven question, I really can’t recommend a good oven right now because I haven’t shopped for a new one in a very long time. I still have my – now 20 year old- Thermador double oven, which thankfully, is cranking away. But to the best of my understanding, you can buy an oven that has both regular (conventional setting) and convection settings (mine do). The convection bake setting isn’t as good for my gluten-free bread recipes because it browns the outside before it has a chance to rise- thus making it more difficult for the bread to rise. But I do use my convection bake setting when I need to make multiple batches of cookies at the holidays because I can put in more than one tray at the same time without having to shift them around. I use the convection roast setting to roast vegetables (fantastic!) and roasts (makes a great roast chicken). If I had to replace my ovens now, I would most definitely buy one that allowed me to do a regular bake, a convection bake, and a convection roast – ie. a hybrid of both conventional and convection. Perhaps you can consider this when you go out looking. I’d be interested in knowing what you decide!
Very best regards,
Annalise
Hi Annalise, I have a question about measuring by weight vs by volume. In your newest cookbook, you have weights. I noticed that 6 cups of your brown rice flour weighs 678 grams (you state one cup is 113 grams).
I am in Canada and use Yupik brown rice flour. 6 cups weighs 1000 grams.
I think I should measure by weight.
What do you think?
Thanks!
Hi Katy,
I’m not familiar with Yupik but I found it on the internet. I can’t really find out whether it is stabilized, and most importantly, how fine the grind is, so I’ll try my best to answer you. The back of their package says it has 30 grams by 1/8 of a cup or 240 grams per cup. So, I’m guessing your calculation (of 166.7 grams per cup) must be from you measuring it at home (and not packing it into the measuring cup). If it were me, I’d try to mix up a very small batch of the brown rice flour mix using my weights of 113 grams per cup (say no more than the equivalent of 1 or 2 cups of brown rice flour, plus the appropriate amount of potato and tapioca starch). The difference between the two flours is actually about 3 grams per tablespoons per cup:
113 grams/per cup divided by 16 (which is the number of tablespoons in a cup) = 7 grams/per tablespoon,
minus
166 grams/per cup divided by 16 = 10 grams/per tablespoon.
Depending on your faith in measuring by weight (and ignoring the issue of the size of the grind), you can test a recipe (an easy basic recipe like a muffin!) with this combination first. If the muffin is needs more flour it will be a bit damp, won’t rise as well, and may have a flat top. If you think you need more flour next time, add back in 1 tablespoon of brown rice flour per cup of mix the next time you make the recipe (and two, if it still needs tweaking).
This is how I’d approach it- step-by-pain-in-neck-step – so you can see if my weights work for you at all. But you can also just make the blend using your flour’s weight per cup and see if the baked good is heavy and dense. If it is, remove some of the brown rice flour the next time you make the mix.
Hope this gives you a way to approach the test. Please let me know how you make out!!
And happy holidays.
Very best,
Annalise
Hi Annalise,
Thank you so much for your expertise in gluten-free baking! It enhanced my life, and I always looked forward to the Maple Walnut Cake for my birthday each year.
I’m ready to try the no-knead bread soon, as it doesn’t require eggs (I’m allergic to 4 of the top 8 now).
The ONE thing I’m missing most is McVitie’s Digestive biscuits with my afternoon cuppa. Do you have a recipe that I might be able to adapt? The GF digestives I’ve found on the web are atrocious…and I choose to live without the atrocious in my life. I’ll be happy to send you a pack of them if needed!
So grateful!
Diane
Hi Diane,
I’m happy to hear how much you have enjoyed my recipes (and that Maple Walnut Cake is a much requested favorite in my home). I hope you enjoy the no knead bread. And just so you know, there are more than a few egg-free breads in my books in the form of artisan breads – French-Italian, Multigrain, Submarine Sandwich, English muffins, Pecan raisin, Golden Italian with raisins and fennel, Rustic Flat bread, and others in my first book. And at least the same number in my newest book, The Heirloom Collection.
As for your question about digestives, I did a bit of research to familiarize myself with what you are looking for. I can only guess as to exactly what you are allergic to (wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts?), so I’m thinking that tweaking my gingerbread men recipe (from my first book- Gluten-Free Baking Classics) might be a good starting place. Leave out the egg yolk and all the spices (cinnamon, powdered ginger, cloves), substitute honey for the molasses, add 1 tablespoon of rice bran. Instead of rolling out the dough and cutting the cookies, you can roll the dough into a log and wrap it in plastic wrap, chill, and then slice and bake. Not sure of the baking time- it would depend on how wide and thick you cut the dough. You’d have to keep an eye on them. Another thing I’m not quite sure about is whether you should use just brown rice flour (substitute it for the 1/4 cup of sweet rice flour in the recipe), or use both, as called for in the gingerbread men recipe. It would depend on whether the cookies need a bit of “give”. Since I’ve never tasted one, you will have to decide which might be a good first test. You can also prick the unbaked cookies with a fork to give your cookies the right look.
Please let me know if you give this a try and how the cookies turn out!
Very best,
Annalise
I have been recently diagnosed with celiac disease.
I purchased a Zojirushi maestro bread machine model bb ssc10 which makes a one pound loaf of bread.
Purchaed it from Amazon and it came bundled with your cookbook Gluten-free Baking Classics for the Bread Machine.
The recipes in your book are for the Zojirushi BBCC X20 bread machine which makes a two pound loaf.
If I cut the recipes in your book in half will they still work in my machine I purchased which only makes a one pound loaf. Will I still get the same quality of bread.
Thank you for your help.
Adria Wilson
Hi Adria,
I actually developed and tested (including field testing with home bakers) almost a dozen recipes for the Zojirushi mini bread machine when it first came out in 2009. Unfortunately, my publisher didn’t permit me to do a revised and expanded version of my bread machine book. That said, I would be happy to send you several of the recipes if you’d like. But I wonder if you might be able to tell me if they work in the new revised, gussied up machine. It looks like Zojirushi added more than a few bells and whistles to it. Hope the new version works as well as the old one! I will contact you by email and you can let me know if you’re interested.
And to answer your question: I’m not sure cutting the 2 pound loaf recipe in half will give you the exact same quality in the one pound machine. In fact, I did not cut the recipe in half- my one pound machine recipes contain 2 cups of flour, 2 eggs, and 3/4 cup milk. etc.
Very best,
Annalise
Dear Annalise,
I’ve been baking using recipes from your GF Baking Classics for years. In fact, I just brought your gingerbread to a birthday party today. My friends all think I’m a genius in the kitchen….little do they know all my treats come from your cookbook! Thanks for making GF cooking easy and GF eating delicious.
Sincerely,
Mary Lou Bertrand
Dear Mary Lou,
Grateful thanks for you your very kind words about my recipes. It’s so good to hear that you are they are making such a delicious addition to you life.
I hope you have a happy and healthy new year. And lots of delicious moments.
Very best,
Annalise