There are a variety of flours that can be used in a bread machine
Due to allergies and gluten intolerance (also known as celiac disease or celiac sprue), it is becoming more and more common for people to not be able to eat a traditional loaf of bread that contains wheat flour. There are a variety of flours on the market, made from other grains, vegetables and legumes, that, combined with such binders as gelatin and xantham gum, make a tasty loaf of bread. All it takes is a little know-how and practice.
Flours to Avoid
When baking without flour, it's easy to know to avoid any flour identified as "wheat flour," or some variation of this. However, it's also important to know , if you are avoiding wheat flour, that bulgar, jamut, durum, spelt, Einkorn, semolina and triticale are also wheat flours. If gluten is being avoided, rye, barley and oats should also be avoided.
Flours to Use in a Bread Machine
White and brown rice flour is the basis for most recipes that don't use wheat flour. Rice bran, sweet rice flour and rice polish can also be used to supplement a recipe. Potato starch flour, potato flour and tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch, cassava flour and cassava starch) can also commonly be used to aid in making a rice flour loaf of bread. Additionally, cornstarch, corn flour, cornmeal and popcorn can be used to supplement rice flour, as can arrowroot flour.
Bean and nut flours are also becoming more and more common; garbanzo bean flour is popular to combine with rice flour for a nice loaf of bread. Soy flour is another popular option that is also high in protein. Nut flours, like almond flour, are also high in protein, though should only be used in small amounts in combination with other flours due to their crumbly nature.
Additional Ingredients
Because wheat-free and gluten-free flours don't stick together as wheat flours do, xantham gum, guar gum and gelatin can be added to bread machine bread recipes to approximate the texture of wheat breads and help the loaves of bread stick together so they are not crumbly.
Combining the Flours
There are currently many books available full of recipes for wheat-free and gluten-free baked goods. The internet also includes many blogs and websites where people who bake wheat-free or gluten-free loaves of bread have discussed their experiences and methods for making a perfect loaf of bread. In general, two parts rice flour to two-thirds part potato starch flour to one-third part tapioca flour equals a nice three-cup flour combination that's a good place to start.
Tags: rice flour, loaf bread, wheat flour, wheat-free gluten-free, also high