Measure your flour by weight rather than by cups or teaspoons
. Some flours are fine while others are very dense which means a recipe could be very different than you intended.
You can learn a lot about how a particular type of flour works by simply taking a few teaspoons, adding a few drops of water and working it into dough. Some flours will simply not become stretchy as this is caused by the protein molecules (gluten) changing shape as the mixture is worked. Try adding a little bi-carb soda or some gluten free yeast and seeing what happens. This simple experiment will give you a physical idea of how each flour works and is an excellent way to learn how to work with them.
Gluten free breads and cakes don't generally rise as well or hold their shape so you should consider using deeper pans to avoid a big mess, in particular with cakes, loaves, muffins and cupcakes.
Don't just restrict yourself to browsing gluten free recipes. Look at a variety of recipes then consider which flour or ingredient you could use to substitute. Most supermarkets sell a range of gluten free pre-mixed flours such as 'self raising flour' or 'plain flour' mix which can be used in place of self raising flour. But it is when you get creative that you will discover the best from your ingredients!
Many of our recipes will offer a gluten or dairy free suggestion in the recipe ingredients or method if we think an easy one is available. Watch for our new label icons coming soon for gluten free and other special diet meals.