Gluten Free Flour Blend

So, after suffering from anemia for almost nine years I discovered that it was caused from eating gluten.  Although I was a bit sad at the thought of giving up wheat I felt so much better that I decided to face the challenge head-on.  I was determined to learn, to experiment, and to try new foods.

When I first began experimenting with gluten free baking I did quite a bit of research. I bought Living Gluten Free For Dummies and Gluten Free Baking For Dummies and I looked through many different cook books.  I also met with a dietitian and attended a seminar on gluten free baking.  I quickly learned which flours I liked the taste of and which ones I didn't.  I decided I didn't want to use either guar gum or xanthan gum all the time.  I also realized that gluten free baking would be much more efficient if I had a supply of gluten free flour blend pre-mixed and ready to go. The book Gluten Free Baking For Dummies goes quite in-depth regarding the science, explaining such things as the protein to starch ration and what qualities of various flours will give you a soft, moist finished product.  After experimenting for a while I came up with the following blend.  

Gluten Free Flour Blend

• 3 1/2 cups brown rice flour
• 3 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
• 2 1/2 cups tapioca starch
• 2 cups arrowroot starch

Blend all ingredients with a large spoon until the color is uniform.  Store in a sealed container until needed. This blend is great for cakes, muffins, crepes, waffles, pancakes, cookies, and biscuits.  For breads and buns xanthan gum will need to be added to the recipe.