Re: abour GF flour mixes and xanthan gum

[Guest guest]

I use Bette's Featherlight mix for general cooking, mostly because my

dh can't tolerate much bean flour. Some of the newer make your own

mixes contain bean flour because it is healthier and more of a whole

grain. If you like 'white flour' in your baked goods, you will love

the featherlight mix. I make up a big batch and keep it in my fridge.

I occasionally use Bob's Redmill GF general purpose flour which does

contain bean flour when I want flour already made up. You will need to

add xanthan gum to each recipe as you need it, the portions change

depending on what you are making. Carol Fenster has a great guide to

using xanthan gum on her website www.savorypalate.com look in her ezine

January 2005. I included it below your letter, and created a new

folder under recipes on the Yahoo site called Baking tips.

Cheryl in Colorado

christineheiner wrote:

i'm just a tad confused about GF flour mixes. i really need to make

my own to save money. i have several of bette hagman's books, but she

lists so many different flour mixes........is it best to use the

specific flour mix she mentions for each particular recipe, or can you

interchange the flour mixes? does anyone have any luck using old ,

favorite wheat recipes, but replacing them with GF flour mixes? if i

want to try that, don't i need to havae a flour mix with xanthan gum,

or do i just add that when i make a recipe and not to the whole flour

mix itself? i hope these questions are making sence, i really need

some help.

christine

----------------------------------------

Subject:uses for xanthan gum carol fenster

from carol fenster ezine Jan 2005

Format is:

Where?

How Much?

Tips for Success

Salad Dressings

1/8-1/4 tsp. per cup of liquid

Mix with dry ingredients first (e.g.; salt, pepper), then add liquids.

--------------

Cookies

1/4 tsp. per cup of flour

Especially important when honey is the sweetener because honey makes a

softer cookie.

-----------------

Cakes

1/2 tsp. per cup of flour

Sift dry ingredients together.

-------------------

Muffins, Quick Breads

3/4 tsp. per cup of flour

Sift dry ingredients together.

--------------

Bread

1 to 1 1/2 tsp. per cup of flour

Sift dry ingredients together.

-------------

Pizza

2 tsp. per cup of flour

The softer the dough, the better.

-----------------

Thickener for Sauces

1 tsp. .in place of each Tbsp. of thick-ener (e.g., cornstarch) in

original recipe

Mix with dry ingredients first (e.g., salt, spices) then add liquids

from carol fenster ezine Jan 2005

[Guest guest]

Cheryl,

I have tried mixing my own flour mixes, but it gets really messy, and the last

time it didn't get mixed well and we had all different results in the baking.

How do you do it to insure a complete blend, and not make a huge mess, and what

do you store it in?

Thanks,

Laurie

" cheryl in colorado " wrote:

>I use Bette's Featherlight mix for general cooking, mostly because my dh

>can't tolerate much bean flour. Some of the newer make your own mixes

>contain bean flour because it is healthier and more of a whole grain.

>If you like 'white flour' in your baked goods, you will love the

>featherlight mix. I make up a big batch and keep it in my fridge.

__________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

> Cheryl,

>

> I have tried mixing my own flour mixes, but it gets really messy,

> and the last time it didn't get mixed well and we had all different

> results in the baking. How do you do it to insure a complete

> blend, and not make a huge mess, and what do you store it in?

I use a large jar with a screw-top lid and a flour funnel (had a wide

mouth). I leave enough room for shaking after I measure out the

ingredients.

ygg

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

I think the key is using a wide bowl (I use a large square tupperware container which I also store my flour mix in) instead of a tall narrow canister type to make mixing more thorough. I use a wire whisk and mix after each new flour (or starch or whatever) addition so that each ingredient is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next. The whisk seems to do a good job with the flours--just be gentle stirring so you don't "pouf" it up everywhere. It works for me.

Re: abour GF flour mixes and xanthan gum

Cheryl,I have tried mixing my own flour mixes, but it gets really messy, and the last time it didn't get mixed well and we had all different results in the baking. How do you do it to insure a complete blend, and not make a huge mess, and what do you store it in? Thanks,Laurie

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

I think the key is using a wide bowl (I use a large square tupperware container which I also store my flour mix in) instead of a tall narrow canister type to make mixing more thorough. I use a wire whisk and mix after each new flour (or starch or whatever) addition so that each ingredient is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next. The whisk seems to do a good job with the flours--just be gentle stirring so you don't "pouf" it up everywhere. It works for me.

Re: abour GF flour mixes and xanthan gum

Cheryl,I have tried mixing my own flour mixes, but it gets really messy, and the last time it didn't get mixed well and we had all different results in the baking. How do you do it to insure a complete blend, and not make a huge mess, and what do you store it in? Thanks,Laurie

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

I think the key is using a wide bowl (I use a large square tupperware container which I also store my flour mix in) instead of a tall narrow canister type to make mixing more thorough. I use a wire whisk and mix after each new flour (or starch or whatever) addition so that each ingredient is thoroughly mixed in before adding the next. The whisk seems to do a good job with the flours--just be gentle stirring so you don't "pouf" it up everywhere. It works for me.

Re: abour GF flour mixes and xanthan gum

Cheryl,I have tried mixing my own flour mixes, but it gets really messy, and the last time it didn't get mixed well and we had all different results in the baking. How do you do it to insure a complete blend, and not make a huge mess, and what do you store it in? Thanks,Laurie

[Guest guest]

,

Yes, by white I mean that the color of the resultant baked good is

light as well as the texture, vs. a heavier texture of the sorghum or

bean flours. It is more like the gluten versions used to taste. I

have included the featherlight 'recipe' below.

Cheryl in Colorado

Bette Hagman's featherlight mix from the GF gourmet

bakes bread book:

For three cups of featherlight flour, mix

Rice Flour (1 part) 1 cup

Tapioca Flour (1 part) 1 cup

Cornstarch (1 part) 1 cup

(use arrowroot powder if corn is a problem)

Potato Flour**(1 teaspoon per cup) 1 Tablespoon

** DO NOT use Potato STARCH

For larger quantities use

2 cups each flour and 2 Tablespoon Potato Flour for 6 cups

3 cups each flour and 3 Tablespoon Potato Flour for 9 cups

4 cups each flour and 4 Tablespoon Potato Flour for 12 cups

lucky3668@... wrote:

I've probably seen it before, but what is the

Featherlight mix? Also, by "white flour" do you mean mainstream gluten

flour (like Gold Medal) that you buy at the grocery store?

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 10:55:30 -0700, cheryl in

colorado wrote

> I use Bette's Featherlight mix for general cooking, mostly because

my dh can't tolerate much bean flour. Some of the newer make your own

mixes contain bean flour because it is healthier and more of a whole

grain. If you like 'white flour' in your baked goods, you will love

the featherlight mix. I make up a big batch and keep it in my fridge.

I occasionally use Bob's Redmill GF general purpose flour which does

contain bean flour when I want flour already made up. You will need to

add xanthan gum to each recipe as you need it, the portions change

depending on what you are making. Carol Fenster has a great guide to

using xanthan gum on her website www.savorypalate.com look in

her ezine January 2005. I included it below your letter, and created

a new folder under recipes on the Yahoo site called Baking tips.

>

> Cheryl in Colorado

>

> christineheiner wrote:

>

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

I use either a 1 or 2 gallon baggie for smaller batches, or my huge

covered Tupperware bowl for larger batches. I use both a whisk to

gently mix the flours, and then tumble the baggie or bowl. Don't add

the xanthan gum until you get ready to bake a particular recipe. I

usually store it in a baggie.

Cheryl in Colorado

lisslands2@... wrote:

Cheryl,

I have tried mixing my own flour mixes, but it gets really messy, and

the last time it didn't get mixed well and we had all different results

in the baking. How do you do it to insure a complete blend, and not

make a huge mess, and what do you store it in?

Thanks,

Laurie

"cheryl in colorado" wrote:

>I use Bette's Featherlight mix for general cooking, mostly because

my dh

>can't tolerate much bean flour. Some of the newer make your own

mixes

>contain bean flour because it is healthier and more of a whole

grain.

>If you like 'white flour' in your baked goods, you will love the

>featherlight mix. I make up a big batch and keep it in my fridge.

__________________________________________________________________

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