Q Why does gluten-free bread taste like sawdust? We have been brainwashed into thinking that you need to glue gluten-free breads together, because without gluten bread falls apart and is dry and crumbly! Of course it is dry and crumbly if you make ‘bread’ from potato flour and corn starch, both highly processed starches that need something […]
Q Under what circumstances would you advocate xanthan gum in baking and when is it not needed? The gluten found in wheat flour plays an important role in the texture of our familiar baked goods. When absent, as in gluten-free flour, baking results sometimes don’t live up to our expectations. Xanthan gum, when added in […]
Q Have you got any reliable tips for making gluten-free and milk-free bread? Most homemade/machine recipes I’ve tried end up very crumbly and heavy. Ones to buy are very expensive if not on prescription. Gluten-free bread doesn’t have to be crumbly or dense if you treat it more like cake batter and add a few […]
Q What is the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates? This is one of the most common questions I’m asked in my clinic. Over the years carbohydrates have developed a negative image and so people tend to assume they are all the same. However, carbohydrates are one of three necessary macro-nutrients that provide calories in […]
Q How do I make my favourite recipe gluten-free? Can I just substitute gluten-free flour and if so, which sort? My advice would be not to adapt the recipe because the result is often inferior to what you’re used to. Instead, use a recipe that’s been specially developed for someone who can’t have gluten. The […]
Q Since starting a gluten-free diet I have noticed that I have put on weight. Is this normal? Many people who begin eating gluten-free foods gain weight. There are several reasons for that. Gluten is damaging to the gut, so as people remove it out of their diet and the gut starts to heal, its […]
Take a moment to review what’s understood about coeliac disease and revisit the foundations of the gluten-free lifestyle, with Lyndel Costain’s checklist of safe foods and those to avoid… Gluten is a type of protein found in grains including wheat, barley and rye. Gluten becomes sticky and malleable when combined with water, making it ideal […]
Q Do you have any suggestions for making the best possible bread to use for run of the mill sandwiches? We do make some lovely GF breads, but they always seem overly indulgent and a little heavy… Gluten free sandwich bread needs to be soft enough to accommodate a good amount of filling and not […]
Q Why is gluten free bread so much more expensive? Raw Materials ‘Standard’ UK bread is made from wheat flour alone, grown in the UK, milled in massive, computer controlled mills and delivered to bakeries in 30 tonne bulk tankers with very little human intervention. To make gluten-free bread you need to use up to […]
Q Is it possible to overwork gluten-free bread dough. When do you know when to stop? Mastering the art of making a gluten-free bread is a very difficult process. I have had many attempts at creating a recipe for gluten-free bread with many disappointments, but determination made me keep working and developing this recipe. From […]