Wheat free recipes, version 1.0: S. Dorsey, 2008. Do not distribute without permission of author (kludge@panix.com) About Rice Flour- There are a whole bunch of different kinds of rice flour, which is the problem. First, we have long grain white rice flour, which is probably what folks think of as "rice flour" but even that seems to come in very different grades. For example, the "Arrowhead Mills" brand that is aimed at the health food market is much more coarsely ground than the "Meera" brand that is available in Indian supermarkets. Secondly we have short grain rice flour, or "mochi." This is sweeter and more gummy, and can often be used in place of gluten to make cakes and quickbreads hold together, as well as for making mochi balls and sticky rice cakes in themselves. And thirdly we have brown rice flour, which is sort of like whole grain rice flour. It has more bulk to it, and a yellower color, and it tends to form larger crumbs. Here are some recipes: ------------ Muffins 1 cup Fearn Brown Rice Baking Mix 1 egg 2 tbsp oil 1 tbsp honey (or golden syrup) 3/4 cup milk Preheat oven to 400'F. Beat egg, add oil, honey and milk along with beaten egg to brown rice baking mix. Stir until smooth. Add inclusions like blueberries or nuts. Pour into muffin pan and bake 20 minutes. Makes approximately six muffins, which come out very light and cakey but without much flavour. I think making these a little bit sweeter would help some, or adding some cornmeal. These muffins do not keep, so eat fast. --------- Traditional Corn Muffins 2 cups coarse white cornmeal 3 teaspoons baking power 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup water 1 cup milk 2 eggs 2 tablespoons warm bacon fat. Mix together the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar. There is probably no need to sift unless they prove to be lumpy. Add water and milk and stir until mixed, then add the eggs and beat until they are well-blended. Last stir in the bacon fat. Fills 8 greased muffin pans. Bake for 30 minutes in a 400'F oven. The secret to this is bacon fat. Nothing else works properly. If you absolutely have to make these vegetarian, use 4 tablespoons of sweet butter, but note that the consistency will change and the tops of the muffins will not split open as nicely. Shortening and oil are just futile. --------- Modernized and Updated Corn Muffins 1 1/2 cups finely ground cornmeal 3/4 cup rice flour 2/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 2 eggs 3 tablespoons butter or margarine Preheat oven to 400'F and grease a muffin pan. Mix together all dry ingredients In a seperate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and butter. Melt the butter in advance if necessary. Combine the two mixes until they are just mixed together, and fill pans. Bake 20 to 25 minutes The addition of the rice flour gives a lighter and slightly more fluffy muffin, but these muffins do NOT keep. They become hard within a few hours of cooling, so eat them fast. These also have far more sugar in them. --------- Salvadorian Style Rice Pancakes 2 cups rice flour 4 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tablespoon sugar 2 cups milk 1 egg 1 tablespoon butter In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Whisk in the milk. Beat the egg slightly and mix it in. Melt the butter and whisk that in too. Let the batter rest for five minutes. Fry on a griddle. Cook until golden brown. --------- Gingerbread Cookies (Adapted from JoC) 3 1/2 cups white rice flour (finely ground if possible) 1/4 cup butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup black molasses 1 tablespoon xanthan gum 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon allspice 2 teaspoons ground dried ginger Zest of 1/2 orange 1/2 teaspoon salt. Melt butter and blend in sugar and molasses until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, spices and salt, along with xanthan gum. You will need to add about six tablespoons of water to get the right consistency. Bake in a moderte oven 350' for about ten minutes. Comes out pretty cakelike but a little gritty at times. Very good flavour balance, though. -------- Shortbread (adapted from JoC and the Mystery Chef Cookbook) 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 1 cup butter 1 teaspoon vanilla dash of allspice 2 cups white rice flour (Coarse grind is better here, I think) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder Melt the butter and beat until foamy. Add the sugar and cream until blended completely. Add the vanilla and allspice, then mix in the rice flour, salt, and baking powder (which may mean working in with the hands). Drop onto pan. Bake 20 minutes at 375'F. ------------ Almond Cookies (adapted from Arrowhead Mills package) 3 tbsp oil 1/3 cup golden syrup 1 egg 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/2 cup almond butter 1 1/2 cups white rice flour (Finely ground if possible) 1/2 cup potato flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum Preheat oven to 350'. Cream oil, syrup, egg, and vanilla with almond butter. Seperately mix all dry ingredients thoroughly, then combine. Form into balls and place on oiled cookie sheet. Bakes for 10-12 minutes or until light brown. Honestly, I don't like these cookies anywhere near as much as Andrey's Favorite Cookies. I think I am just going to dump this recipe from the list completely. -------------- Andrey's Favorite Almond Cookies (started out life as JoC macaroons!) 1 1/2 cups ground almonds or almond flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 egg white 1 1/2 teaspoons butter 2 teaspoons vanilla Melt butter, then cream other ingredients in together over a low heat. Stir until they are very well blended. Cool down, then form 2" balls and drop on cookie sheet. Squash down with the hand. Bake at 325'F for 30 minutes; baking too long will make the cookies hard and crispy long before they ever will burn. I like this with a more finely ground almond flour. Andrey likes it with a more coarse flour, like the Trader Joe's ground almond. -------------- Almond Cake 2 tbs Arrowhead Mills Brown Rice Baking Mix 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp dried orange peel 1 shake ground cinnamon Mix these well and set the mixture aside. In a large blender or mill, place: 4 eggs 1 cup sugar Blend these until smooth. Add: 2 1/2 cups almond flour. Mix well, then add in the baking powder mixture above. Place in two shallow cake pans, bake at 350'F until slightly browned. Icing ----- 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup cocoa Heavy cream Mix cocoa and sugar, add cream until the consistency is good. The secret to this cake is that the cake itself is not very sweet, but the icing is very sweet, and the two provide a nice counterpoint to one another. -------------- Oatmeal Cookies (adapted from several places including JoC) 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup white rice flower (Either fine or coarse seem okay) 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 teaspoon soda 1 tablespoon xanthan gum 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 egg 6 tablespoons soft butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 tablespoons water. Sift brown sugar, then add in other dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cut in the butter. Beat the egg, then add in, along with vanilla and water. Blend well, then refrigerate for about an hour. Roll into 1" balls and flatten. Bakes for 10-15 minutes at 375'. These cookies are _much_ less sweet than typical oatmeal cookies, and folks who like them sweeter could add some molasses or increase the sugar. --------- Pumpkin Bread (radically adapted from BH&G) 2 cups fine white rice flour 1 cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground clove (can use more if desired) 1 cup ground pumpkin 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs 1/3 cup melted butter 1/2 cup shaved almonds 1/2 cup raisins Combine 1 cup of the flour, the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Blend well with a whisk. Grind pumpkin in a food mill or blender, measure out one cup, and add to the mix. Melt the butter, add it also, along with the milk and eggs. Mix with a whisk until blended, then whip briskly for a couple minutes. Add in the remaining cup of flour and continue blending until smooth. Stir in the nuts and raisins. Pour into a loaf pan, bake at 350'F for 60 to 65 minutes or so. Cool on a wire rack. Leave overnight before slicing if you can wait. ------------ Banana Bread 2 eggs 1 stick butter 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1 1/3 cup mashed overripe bananas 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 cup potato starch 1 1/2 cups rice flour Preheat over to 350'. Beat eggs until frothy, and melt butter. Add water, sugar, and banana to the frothed eggs, then the melted butter. Add all the dry ingredients (baking powder last), mix well. Bake in a shallow 8 1/2" round or 8x8 inch square pan. If you put this in a deep loaf pan it may be too soft in the center. Bake for about 1 hour or until the middle is firm to the touch. ------------ Pretty Good Pound Cake (Adapted from JoC) 1 cup butter (2 sticks) 1 cup sugar 4 large eggs 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp brandy or dark rum 1 shake cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup potato flour 1 1/2 cup rice flour 2 tsp xanthan gum. Melt the butter over a low heat. Whisk it briskly, then blend in 1 cup sugar with the whisk. Beat in the four eggs one at a time, whisking each one until there is visible foam. Now, add in the nutmeg, vanilla, brandy, cinnamon and salt and beat again. Now, change from the whisk to a large wooden spoon and mix in the potato flour, rice flour, and xanthan gum. Poured into cupcake molds, this bakes in about 60 minutes at 325'F. -------- CORNBREAD: 3/4 cup cornmeal 3/4 cup rice flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 2 eggs 3 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup water 1 green onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, chopped Mix dry ingredients together well. Whip egg. Melt butter, then fry pepper and onion in butter. Mix butter, cream, water, beaten egg in with the dry ingredients. Do not mix too much, just until even. Do not add salt. You can increase the ratio of cornmeal to rice flour and that is a good thing. Pour into 9" pan, bake 25 min at 425 degrees. --------------------- Poultry Stuffing: 1/4 cup brown rice 150g (15 oz av.) bag of cooked chestnuts 1 tbs thyme 2 tbs rosemary pinch of salt 1 stalk celery 1/2 onion fresh parsley Olive oil to make sticky Cook brown rice until done. Smash chestnuts. Chop celery, parsley, and dice onions. Mix everything together. This is enough to stuff a capon, more than enough to stuff a duck, about half as much as needed to stuff a turkey or goose.