Changing over to gluten free and you're so confused you don't understand what to do next? Most people start reading all those suggestions about baking and wonder, "Do I really need to buy all of those different types of flour"?
So, from my own experience in the kitchen here's some tips that I have found generally useful when you are trying to substitute just the starches.
Cooking: Arrowroot and cornstarch are always interchangeable when it is being used as a thickener in sauces and gravies. Normally though, you will find you need a larger proportion of arrowroot over cornstarch to achieve the same final results.
Baking: Now in baking substitutions can easily be used as long as you follow some simple rules which go with many of the different varieties. Read over these below, copy this if you want to and post it somewhere for quick reference.
So, from my own experience in the kitchen here's some tips that I have found generally useful when you are trying to substitute just the starches.
Cooking: Arrowroot and cornstarch are always interchangeable when it is being used as a thickener in sauces and gravies. Normally though, you will find you need a larger proportion of arrowroot over cornstarch to achieve the same final results.
Baking: Now in baking substitutions can easily be used as long as you follow some simple rules which go with many of the different varieties. Read over these below, copy this if you want to and post it somewhere for quick reference.
- potato starch and potato flour ARE NOT the same thing. These two products are never interchangeable.
- tapioca starch and tapioca flour ARE the same thing. These two can be interchanged at all times.
- Tapioca starch/flour, potato starch and arrowroot are interchangeable in any baking recipe at all times. Remember though, for best results, never use more than 1/4 cup of the replacement starch. Therefore if your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of potato starch and you will use arrowroot, add 1/4 cup arrowroot plus increase one of your other flours by 1/4 cup (quinoa, chickpea, sorghum - whichever variety the recipe uses.)
- as a general rule, potato starch is very heavy and dense so if you use too much your baked good will probably just dissolve in your mouth.
- if too much tapioca starch/flour gets used, the final result means your baked goods often get rubbery.
- many people substitute corn starch for potato starch. Corn starch is very seldom a good replacement for arrowroot or tapioca starch recipes though.
- corn flour should never be used as a substitute because of its strong corn flavor. Corn flour is best when it is used with corn meal.
- before measuring potato starch, always stir the product well. Potato starch is heavy so it has the tendency to clump. It is impossible to get accurate measurements when it is all clumped together.
