When it comes to baked goods, white flour — bleached or unbleached — has no nutritional value. Whole wheat flour offers some fiber and nutrients, but can suffer in both texture and flavor. And then there’s the gluten factor. Many people are forgoing baked goods and other foods containing flour to cut down on gluten.
I’ve written about several gluten-free flours before, but there are more worth consideration. All of these flours are gluten free, and should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. During the rainy month of April, I turned on my oven and experimented with coconut, almond, and garbanzo flours and found them to be quite versatile as alternative flours. Here, then, an overview and recipes. April showers did, indeed, bring May … flours.
Coconut Flour
Made from dried, ground coconut meat, coconut flour has a slightly soft texture and lots of fiber. You need less to feel full; in fact, it has the highest fiber content of any flour. I tried using it as a substitute for 20 percent of the regular flour in most recipes. It also absorbs a lot of liquid, so baked goods that call for eggs are a good match. Coconut flour is also good as a breading for seafood, which complements its slightly sweet flavor.
Coconut Flour Doughnut ‘Holes’
Recipe from Coconut Mama; makes about 12 doughnut holes.
Batter:
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Prepare a mini-muffin tin with small paper or silicone liners. Roll dough into small balls; place in liners. Bake about 10 minutes; remove from oven and let cool.
Topping:
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Combine coconut sugar and cinnamon on a plate. Melt coconut oil. Brush each donut hole with oil, then roll in cinnamon sugar. Store in airtight container.
Almond Flour
High in protein and vitamin E, almond flour is made from skinned, blanched almonds that are ground into a fine meal. Since it holds moisture, almond flour is good in dense baked goods like brownies. With natural oils, it makes baked goods soft and moist, and can replace regular flour 1:1 ratio. Almond flour is also good as a substitute for bread crumbs for coating meats and poultry.
Almond Coffee Toffee Cookies
Gluten free heaven adapted from Raleys.com; makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 teaspoon fine ground dark roast coffee beans
2 1/2 cups lightly packed almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars, flaxseed and vanilla extract; beat in eggs and ground coffee. Stir in almond flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Stir in toffee bits. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls; roll tops in chopped almonds. Place balls on baking sheets and flatten slightly. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on top and firm to the touch. Cool, then store in a container with a loose-fitting lid, as they will be very moist.
Garbanzo Bean (Chickpea) Flour
Offering high protein, fiber and iron, this flour is most commonly used in making Middle Eastern falafel. If you mix some garbanzo flour with a little water, you have an easy hummus-like spread. It can contribute a strong bean flavor, so richer baked goods like chocolate or pumpkin breads, or savories like pizza crust, are best options. Good binding properties make it useful for coating fried foods.
Golden Chickpea Fries
Much higher in fiber than regular fries, these make an intriguing side dish with 4 to 6 servings.
2 cups garbanzo bean flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups Belgian ale
2 cloves garlic, minced
Oil for frying (canola or safflower)
Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with olive oil or other cooking spray; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine flour and salt. Slowly whisk in water and ale; add garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly, and cook a few minutes until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and spread mixture evenly into prepared dish; let cool, then cover and refrigerate an hour or until very firm. Cut into four equal pieces and remove from pan. Pat dry with paper towels, then cut 1/2-inch-wide “fries” and cook in batches in hot oil until golden brown. Drain well on paper towels, sprinkle with salt to taste, and serve immediately.