If you’re new to alternative flours, it’s a bit of a hazardous landscape but hopefully once you read this, you’ll feel a little more confident whipping out the measuring cups. We’ll give you a breakdown on our faves, how to use them and how to make your own.
Oat flour stats
Benefits: Nutrient rich and high in fibre. Neutral slightly sweet flavour for baking. Super easy to make *method below
Top uses: Holds bakes together well. Crisp up nicely in a cookie.
Be careful: Can be dense if paired with too many heavy ingredients e.g lots of nut butter. (Do you need to say about making sure to use GF oats if someone is coeliac?)
Where to get it: You can make your own which is much cheaper than buying it. Otherwise you can buy it in health stores or online.
Making oat flour
(To make this gluten free use gluten free oats)
•Use 1 cup of oats at a time, any more doesn’t tend to blitz up as finely
•Add your oats to a blender and blitz for about 30 seconds, you may need to give your blender a break and then go again after about a minute
•Continue until you have a fine, powdery flour, this shouldn’t take more than 3 goes
Coconut flour stats
Benefits: High fibre
Top uses: Holding together bliss balls & fudge. Egg based pancakes and cakes.
Be careful: It takes MUCH less coconut flour than regular flour in a recipe. It is also HIGHLY absorbent so requires extra moisture. For baking it works best paired up with another flour, e.g almond.
Where to get it: Most supermarkets stock the ‘Groovy Coconut’ brand. It is readily available online and in health food stores
Almond flour stats
Benefits: High in protein, magnesium and weirdly almonds are one of the best natural sources of Vitamin E
Top uses: Baked goods, cookies and cakes, especially if paired with oat flour
Be careful: It is literally finely ground up almonds, we always have to remind ourselves of this in terms of quantity! (i’d maybe specify what you mean here, not sure everyone would understand)
Where to get it: You can make your own using blanched almonds in the same way we make oat flour. Be careful not to blitz it too much or you will end up with almond butter! If you don’t have the time to make it you can buy it in health stores or online.
Tapioca flour stats
Benefits: Easy to digest, allergy friendly.
Top uses: Holding together crumbles & baked fruit bars. Thickening jam, compotes and sauces. Crisping up fritters. It can replace corn flour, but less is needed, 2 tsp tapioca= 3 tsp corn.
Be careful: It can clump. To prevent this mix the tapioca flour in a separate bowl, with a small amount of whatever liquid you wish to thicken. Take the pan off the heat and then whisk in the tapioca mix. Return to the heat and whisk/stir regularly when added.
Where to get it: You can get it in most Asian supermarkets. Otherwise you can buy it in some health stores or online.
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