STORECUPBOARD HEROES Which bags deserve space on your shelf? Here’s our guide to some familiar friends and unusual alternatives – including gluten-free
BUCKWHEAT GLUTEN-FREE
Despite its name, buckwheat is free from wheat and gluten, and comes from a plant in the rhubarb family. It’s easily substituted for plain flour, but has a nutty, bitter flavour, so you could mix it with another gluten-free flour or ground almonds. Buckwheat’s great in blinis and drop scones, and adds flavour to pasta and pizza dough.
SPELT
Called the ‘marching grain’ by the Romans for its energy-giving protein, spelt’s gluten structure makes it easier to digest than wheat gluten for some people. A hybrid of an ancient wheat grain and grass, spelt has a slightly sour, rye-like flavour. Try mixing white spelt half-and-half with plain flour to lift your recipe out of the ordinary. Wholegrain spelt is available, too.
GRAM GLUTEN-FREE
Gram, sometimes called ‘chana’ or ‘besan’ flour, is made from ground chickpeas (called ‘chana dhal’ in their split, dried form). It feels more granular than wheat flour and makes tasty flatbreads, batters for deep-frying (as for pakoras and bhajis) and thickens soups and stews. Gram flour’s protein content is higher than most, giving a slight eggy texture – vegans can use it as an egg substitute.
GRANARY
Granary flour is strong (see right), with a toasty, caramel taste that bakes to a golden colour and crust. Granary is a trademarked name, but similar flours are described as ‘malted’. Malting is a process where grains are soaked, sprouted and oven-roasted, creating the malty flavour. Granary flour is all-wheat, whereas other malted flours may contain a combination of wheat, barley and rye.
‘00’
Double zero refers to the way millers grade flour in Italy, ‘00’ being the finest grade (a little like baby powder). Italian ‘00’ flour is made with durum wheat, which is usually used for pasta. However, you can use ‘00’ flour to make crisp pizza dough and other breads in place of strong flour (but you may need to add more liquid to the recipe). It’s also used in biscuits and bakes, but it’s best to follow a recipe rather than freestyle with this flour.
CORNFLOUR GLUTEN-FREE
Made from maize, use this for thickening sauces, creating crispy coatings for frying and improving baking. Try replacing 1-2 tbsp flour with cornflour in light bakes (like Swiss roll or pound cake). If an American recipe uses ‘cake flour’, mix 80 per cent plain flour and 20 per cent cornflour. Avoid ‘sponge’ flour, as it has raising agents. 50 BBC Good Food Middle East June 2018
