For whatever reason, I have been excruciatingly slow to embrace gluten-free baking. Maybe because the gluten-free goods from the store have tasted so terrible . . . or the cookbooks remind me of the depressing unsold cookbooks at the thrift store, put out by the American Heart association . . . or the feeling that I've given up enough, cooking without dairy, beef, and pork. I've always preferred to make something *else* entirely, rather than bake with substitutions.
But La Tartine Gourmande is seductive. Beautifully photographed, oh-so-French, so . . . aesthetic. Beatrice Peltre seems to revel in her careful choice of flours, from hazelnut to buckwheat to quinoa. *That* I could get on board with. So I have finally laid in a supply of flours, and have enjoyed the sight of the Composer eating five oatmeal-apple muffins in one sitting, many hazelnut-banana muffins at once, and some beautiful tiny molten chocolate cakes for his birthday.*
(*Do not try this at home unless you too are running sixteen miles every Saturday and have the metabolism of a twelve-year old.)
Oh, to have my twelve-year-old metabolism back! But the pimples weren't so pretty.
ReplyDeleteI will have to look into this book! We've been gluten-free (well, our son first, and then I fell into step) for five years so I'm an old hand and primarily use buckwheat, oat and rice flours, with teff, cornmeal (! we're southerners!), almond and tapioca sliding in behind. I love flourless chocolate cakes for birthdays--but they are heavier on the dairy.
Hazelnut flour! That's one I have not tried. The only gluten-free flours I resolutely refuse to use are anything soy-related and the despicable garbanzo bean flour. *Shudder.*
I could talk gluten-free baking all night long! Instead I think I'll check out the book--thank you for the recommendation!
I have found that for the most part, if I bake with gluten free flour no one really notices, except my tummy! Different brands perform differently and I have developed a definite preference, which is of no help to you given I live in Australia.
ReplyDeleteI have not been able to figure out how to make scones or pastry that work well enough for my satisfaction. But cakes, muffins and biscuits/cookies are just fine.
So lovely. Thank you for the recommendation as we have had some struggles with finding good recipes.
ReplyDeleteHave you found Bob's Red Mill new 1 to 1 Baking Flour? It has all the funky ingredients that gluten free recipes often incorporate right in the flour. So easy to use! I buy it in 25lb bags!
ReplyDeleteWould love to hear more of Bella's adventure one day and how you chose the location. It's likely we are going to have one who is ready for college long before we are ready for her to go, and we have often pondered something like this for her.
Anna I'm delighted to hear that the Composer is once again able to enjoy baking, I hope you have had equal success with ice-cream.
ReplyDeleteNo beef! I would miss that. I'm glad you found this book - something that makes it all worthwhile to embark on this gluten-free thing. When I (once in a while) eat gluten-free food, it does not fill up my tummy the way regular breads, etc. do. I sometimes wonder if I have an issue with gluten, but am trying to ignore it.
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Anna, if only a like button could be created for your posts...I admire your choice of words "laid in a supply of flours" and your sense of humor; "do not try this at home...":-)
ReplyDeleteI have a whisper mill, can I grind up flours in it for use in this book? I'm not sure where to buy hazelnut flour.
ReplyDeleteFarrah, I don't think you can grind nuts in a Whisper Mill--but check the instructions. Bob's Red Mill sells hazelnut flour.
ReplyDeleteThe best thing about baking gluten-free is seeing my celiac friend's eyes light up when I tell them it's GF! (They don't seem to bake for themselves). I've tried many many flours and had some great results (and some flops) but currently I'm not eating any starches, sugars or grains, so no baking for me for a few weeks. Glad you could bring some joy to The Composer, I must start running ...
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely book! I agree, most of the G/F cookbooks out there are so blah.
ReplyDeleteTwo I love: Cooking for Isaiah (gluten- and dairy- free from an editor of Rachael Ray's magazine) and The Allergen Friendly Bakers Handbook by Cybele Pascal (everything-free, but I sub back in the regular things my family can have, ie eggs). Both these books work from a flour mix that you put together. I've had success using this mix in regular recipes and that's my go-to blend now. I need easy with three small people underfoot. :)
A friend is gluten and dairy free (and low fructose!) so within the group we have made it a challenge to make food that she can eat and the rest of us want to! We've had a fair bit of success. My birthday cake this weekend, baked by another friend, was a gluten free, dairy free sponge cake, and it was delicious! (though since I have no dietary restrictions, I ate it with cream)
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