Gluten free baking means relearning everything

YAKIMA, Wash. — Baking can be just as much about treats as memories. The smells, the warm kitchen, time-honored recipes developed by mothers, grandmothers, passed down through generations become infused in a family’s kitchen history.

But what happens when the ingredients in those recipes are suddenly unfriendly?

Jenny Simmons knows. Several years ago, she discovered her son cannot digest gluten — a naturally occurring protein found in wheat, rye and barley, ingredients found in almost every area of the kitchen.

With her husband and other children also suffering gluten sensitivities, Simmons was forced to eliminate bread, flour and hundreds of other familiar ingredients from her kitchen. Her baking traditions were soured.

“When you go gluten free, all that you thought you knew goes out the window,” Simmons said.

Two years ago, Simmons opened Jenny Mae’s Gluten-Free Bakery in Yakima. She is a self-taught baker and is happy to help families struggling to eliminate gluten from their lives.

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Gluten free products have become more numerous as awareness of gluten intolerance — most often associated with celiac disease — has increased. Celiac is an autoimmune condition that creates a toxic reaction when people eat foods containing gluten, causing damage to the small intestine, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. More mild forms of gluten intolerance also exist.

The only treatment is to eliminate gluten from a patient’s diet. Overwhelmed patients often make Simmons’ bakery their first stop after the doctor’s office, she said.

“At least half the fun is talking with people who come in,” she said. “I always try to tell them they’re lucky — they’re lucky they know.”

All of the products at Jenny Mae’s are gluten free. Most of her goods are also free of soy (a common allergen) and dairy, Simmons said.

“There are so many great substitutes,” she said about baking. “It’s always fun to experiment.”

Experimentation is the right word to describe what happens in a gluten free kitchen.

“It’s much more of a science with baking than with cooking gluten free,” Simmons said, because gluten is the “glue” that holds recipes together.

Thankfully, substitutes abound and many foods are naturally gluten free — including potatoes, rice, corn, all vegetables and fruit, meat and dairy. There are 20 to 30 types of gluten free flour, Simmons said, and xanthan gum or guar gum can be used to add “stickiness.”

Her best advice for gluten free baking is have patience and forgive your mistakes.

“It’s OK if you mess up — because you will,” she said. “Don’t get frustrated.”

And forget everything you ever knew about baking.

“You want to find a good cookbook with tips and advice and always follow a gluten free recipe exactly,” Simmons said. “Read it top to bottom. Leave yourself time. There’s never any shortcuts or rushing.”

Two of her favorite gluten free cookbooks are “125 Best Gluten-Free Recipes” by Donna Washburn and “Gluten Free Baking Classics” by Annalise Roberts.

Cleaning up the kitchen is an important part of transitioning to a gluten-free lifestyle, she said. Gluten can contaminate appliances — particularly toasters — and they will need to be replaced. She recommends getting light nonstick pans (avoid glass and dark pans), a good flour sifter and a hands-free mixer. Going gluten-free also means examining all your spices, sauces and other kitchen staples to make sure wheat, rye or barley aren’t hiding somewhere unexpected.

“It’s a shock to your system. It will be interesting to see what you have left,” Simmons said. “Gluten is in a lot of stuff.”

She also recommends replacing any porous-surface prep areas, such as cutting boards, which can trap gluten.

The most difficult part of going gluten free is the loss of convenience, Simmons said. Drive-thrus can become off-limits. Finding safe places to eat on vacation is more of a hassle. But people adjust.

“You google ‘gluten free’ before you go,” she said of planning trips. “You do have to plan a little more. You travel with your own food.”

More restaurants are also offering gluten free options: Red Robin, Outback and Olive Garden all have gluten free menus, as well as several Yakima restaurants, including Antojitos, Geppetto’s, New Thai, Taj Palace, Waffles Cafe and Russillo’s Pizza, Simmons said.

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One of Simmons’ favorite parts about baking gluten-free is the excitement of trying to re-create a favorite food. Everyone has their own comfort food that they miss most, Simmons said. She encourages customers not to give up on them completely.

“Come in with 10 foods you really miss, and if I can’t find the recipe, I bet I can find someone who has it,” she said. “You can make almost anything.”

Jenny Mae’s Gluten Free Bakery is at 8308 Ahtanum Road in Yakima. You can reach it at 509-833-5096 or www.jennymaes.com.

 

Recipes courtesy Jenny Simmons.

 

Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup Earth Balance Soy-Free

2 eggs (or egg substitute)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup rice milk (or milk substitute)

2 cups pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons molasses

21/2 cups favorite gluten-free flour mix

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 teaspoons pumpkin spice

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

 

Glaze

11/2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup palm shortening

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch salt

3 tablespoons rice milk (or milk substitute)

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees or 350 degrees for convection oven. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or use parchment paper.

In medium bowl, cream sugar and Earth Balance. Add eggs, vanilla, rice milk, pumpkin puree, molasses and mix well. Scrape down the sides of bowl at least once during mixing. In separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients, and then slowly add to creamed sugar mixture.

Using a small cookie scoop (about one heaping tablespoon), drop dough on prepared pan.

Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes. Let cool on wire racks.

Mix together ingredients for glaze and frost cookies before serving.

 

Gluten-Free Baking Powder Biscuits

21/2 cups favorite gluten-free flour mix

1 tablespoon xanthan gum

3 tablespoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons favorite dried herbs (optional)

2/3 cup Spectrum Organic Butter Flavor Shortening

11/2 cups rice milk

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or use parchment paper.

In medium bowl, blend all dry ingredients. Cut shortening into dry ingredients. Mix together rice milk and vinegar; using fork, lightly blend with dry ingredients.

Pat out dough on a surface lightly dusted with sweet rice flour. Dough should be about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out biscuits with 21/2-inch cookie cutter. Place biscuits on prepared pan.

Bake 12-14 minutes, until lightly browned.

 

For more pictures and Jenny Simmons’ recipe for Gluten-Free Buffalo-Style Chicken Fingers, go to the Appetite food blog, www.yakimaherald.com/ blogs/appetite.

 

* Savannah Tranchell can be reached at 509-577-7752 or [email protected].

Gluten-Free Buffalo-Style Chicken Fingers

3 cups crushed gluten free cornflakes

3 tablespoons finely snipped parsley or cilantro

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breast

1/2 cup favorite creamy dressing

2 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional for flavor)

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a 15x10x1 baking pan and set aside.

In shallow bowl combine crushed cornflakes, parsley or cilantro, and sea salt. Cut chicken breasts into strips about 1/4-inch wide and 3 inch long. In large bowl combine 1/2 cup dressing, water, nutritional yeast and hot pepper sauce. Coat chicken in sweet rice flour then coat in dressing mix. Roll chicken strips individually in crumb mixture to coat; place in a single layer on prepared pan.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and crumbs are golden.

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Gluten free Recipes with Bill & Sheila