Tuesday, January 29, 2013

GF Muffins that'll fool you!

...as in, they don't taste gluten free. This is important for the Debater, who won't eat anything that doesn't taste real. As in, how things used to taste before she went GF.

Anyhow, it's been something of a challenge to come up with food that she'll eat, but through research, trial and error, and a process of refining, we're getting there.

One of the things that works for us is this muffin recipe from celiac.com. I like it because it's quick and easy, lends itself to making up ahead of time as a muffin mix, and is almost endlessly adaptable.

Here is one of our adaptations, which has become a family favorite:

Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins

1-1/2 cups gluten free flour mix (I make my own; see below)
¼ cup flax seed meal (I grind my own in the Blendtec from seeds, but you can also buy it)
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder (I use an aluminum-free brand)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan or guar gum
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in coconut oil until it resembles coarse meal. I do this in a Kitchenaid mixer with the whisk attachment. Sometimes if I'm feeling efficient, I'll make up several batches one at a time (I don't feel confident enough in my GF baking to double/triple/quadruple/multiply the recipe), putting each one in a zip-top plastic bag, which I then label and put in the freezer. The last batch, I go ahead and make into muffins.

Add 1 cup lemon juice (fresh-squeezed is best) and 2 eggs. Stir until mixed and then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Toss 1 cup blueberries with a little flour, and stir in by hand. Spoon into prepared muffin cups. (I use silicone muffin cups, so I don't have to do anything to prepare them. I suppose you can generously grease a muffin tin, or use paper liners, something I haven't done in two years, since I bought the reusable silicone liners.) This recipe makes about 12 large muffins.

The girls like it if I sprinkle the tops of the muffins with raw sugar crystals before baking.

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If your oven is anything like mine, that means you'll end up baking the muffins for 35 to 40 minutes before they're done.

Gluten Free Flour Mix

Currently, my homemade gluten free flour mix consists of:
1 part brown rice flour
1 part white rice flour
1 part starch (usually two starches combined, like 1/2 tapioca and 1/2 arrowroot or cornstarch)

What's your favorite muffin flavor?


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2 comments:

  1. I like this recipe, but I am going to veganize it by replacing the eggs with applesauce

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    1. Great idea! When I make this for egg-free people, I use the flaxseed-meal egg replacement -- add 1/3 cup boiling water to 2 TBS ground flaxseeds, stir and let stand until it thickens and becomes the consistency of raw egg white. Equals 2 eggs.

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