Sorghum stalks; sorghum flour baked goods; USDA The photo to the right is by the USDA; it shows sorghum stalks (pretty, aren't they?) and baked goods made with sorghum flour. Sorghum is a gluten free flour. The gluten free cinnamon raisin bread I made just a few hours ago didn't require sorghum; but I substituted two of my favorite nutritious gluten free flours for flours I didn't happen to have on hand. And it worked!
During the rise cycle, I peered in through the window, looking anxiously to see if the bread was creeping up the sides of the pan. It wasn't -- though it was a little puffy in the very center. I held out hope, anyway. And, low and behold, when I looked in through the window about 40 minutes later, during "bake," the bread had risen to a golden crown.
I couldn't believe it! I had made various substitutions, and everything I'd been told about breadmaking emphasized, not only that recipes needed to be followed to the letter, but also that factors seemingly out of one's control -- such as altitude and humidity -- could doom a loaf to hockey-puckdom regardless. And did I mention that no substitutions should be made whatsoever. Whatsoever!
And yet, I made several substitutions. Instead of soy flour and potato starch flour, I used amaranth flour and buckwheat flour. (The other flours required -- white rice flour and tapioca flour -- I did have, and used the correct amounts.) Instead of using 1.5 teaspoons of salt, I used only a teaspoon, because I was using sea salt, which tends to be more potent. The recipe called for 3 extra large eggs; I just had large eggs (not extra-large) so I used four eggs. I also added the eggs much later than I was supposed to (by accident). And, when it came time to add the cinnamon, I looked through every single spice bottle and still couldn't find the cinnamon, but I did have cinnamon sugar -- so I used the same amount of that -- along with about 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon I was able to scrape out of the one old jar I could find! Picture later, when I download it from the camera.
During the rise cycle, I peered in through the window, looking anxiously to see if the bread was creeping up the sides of the pan. It wasn't -- though it was a little puffy in the very center. I held out hope, anyway. And, low and behold, when I looked in through the window about 40 minutes later, during "bake," the bread had risen to a golden crown.
I couldn't believe it! I had made various substitutions, and everything I'd been told about breadmaking emphasized, not only that recipes needed to be followed to the letter, but also that factors seemingly out of one's control -- such as altitude and humidity -- could doom a loaf to hockey-puckdom regardless. And did I mention that no substitutions should be made whatsoever. Whatsoever!
And yet, I made several substitutions. Instead of soy flour and potato starch flour, I used amaranth flour and buckwheat flour. (The other flours required -- white rice flour and tapioca flour -- I did have, and used the correct amounts.) Instead of using 1.5 teaspoons of salt, I used only a teaspoon, because I was using sea salt, which tends to be more potent. The recipe called for 3 extra large eggs; I just had large eggs (not extra-large) so I used four eggs. I also added the eggs much later than I was supposed to (by accident). And, when it came time to add the cinnamon, I looked through every single spice bottle and still couldn't find the cinnamon, but I did have cinnamon sugar -- so I used the same amount of that -- along with about 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon I was able to scrape out of the one old jar I could find! Picture later, when I download it from the camera.
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