Oven Problems

Well as you have noticed I haven't posted anything this past week...So sorry. It was not intentional on my part. It seems my stove/oven has a mind of its own and keeps blowing the circuit breaker, so we have literally been without a stove or oven the past week. Cooking on a hot plate is not my idea of fun, but a girls got to do what a girls got to do, right?

So, as you probably already know we have been having to eat out quite allot, which means for me it’s been pretty much salads, or sandwiches made with gluten free bread that I happened to have in our freezer. My husband ordered a new breaker which is supposed to arrive today hopefully, so things should be back on track by the end of the week.

I have in the meantime been mixing up several "MOCK" gluten free home blends to give a try. My plan is to try all the blends using just one recipe and then judge with a taste test to see which I feel performed the best. I am planning to try them all by making brownies, then pizzelles. I know some of you might feel pizzelles are just a holiday cookie, but I find them refreshing any time of the year. They are light, crunchy and delicious. They were one of my mom’s favorites!  Also, you can pretty much make them any flavor you like. Chocolate, anise, almond, peach.... well, you get the picture, I'm sure. 

Anyway, I don't want to post the "MOCK" flour mixes yet as I really want to test them each first so as not to steer you wrong. As you all know by now not every mix you have ever tried meets your own personal standards. Also, as you have probably learnt by now, you just can't replace gluten free flour in most regular flour recipes with good results. That’s why there are so many gluten free cookbooks on the market. It’s a different lifestyle. Kind of like trying to put a square in a round peg whole....

Some recipes are forgiving, yes, but others need other ingredients adjusted or you either end up with a gooey mess or a hard brick. Believe me, I’ve had my share of both! I already have four of the gluten free mock flour mixes all mixed and ready to go as soon as my oven is up and running. I hope you are as excited as me to see how the brownies and pizzelles turn out.

The "MOCK" flour mixes are definitely going to be a lot cheaper for you to make if you buy your gluten free flour in bulk by clicking on the Amazon button to the right of the blog to order the flours you will need to make them. Now I know it’s much simpler to buy a premade mix to bake with.... but it’s not cheap, especially if it turns out that you really don’t like the blend, as I did recently. Hence my attempt to bring you an easier way to have your cake and eat it too as the saying goes...I will be listing the specific flour brands that I have used also with each "MOCK" recipe as different brands even I have found react differently or have slightly different weights.

So, visit again and look for my "MOCK" flour reviews coming soon.

Sharon

 

Gluten Free Bread review:

Today I received my order from Gluten Free Mall. (Featured to the right of the blog).  I was pleasantly pleased at how fast I received my order, within four days to be exact. All my products were intact, the box was packed with bubble wrap, and even had a small freezer bag to keep my candy bar from melting. That's what I call service.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post I had ordered two loaves of bread from Bfree to try, and then give a review on them. A white loaf, and a brown seeded loaf. I have never tried their products before, actually never heard of them either until I found them at the Gfree Mall. 

If you have read my blog for any length of time you will know I am somewhat a bit picky about my gluten free bread. I have tried throughout the years many store-bought loaves and most of them have been tasteless, had a bad mouth feel, or just too expensive for my budget. Hence is why you will also notice many gluten free bread recipes posted here. Some oven recipes, some recipes using a bread maker. We all have busy lives and therefore don't always have time in the kitchen to bake, or else we prefer baking more enjoyable treats, like cookies and cakes.... guess that explains the few extra pounds I've noticed lately...

The loaves were exactly what I was hoping for! First let’s start with the white loaf. It reminds me of the WONDER bread I grew up eating. It kind of has that spongy texture that I remember more than the exact taste of the bread itself.  Yet it did not disappoint. I toasted it and smeared it with just a little butter so as to get the real taste of the bread. I found that the crust toasted quicker than the toast itself, so I just turned the toaster a little lower and toasted a second time to ensure it was toasted all over. 

The crunch was even, the mouth feel is almost to the perfection as if I was eating regular gluten bread. It is a nice thin slice, which is good, as the slices are actually a little longer than a loaf of regular white gluten bread. All in all, I would give this 4 1/2 stars, but only because the brown seeded loaf exceeded my highest expectations!

The brown seeded loaf has that chewiness that a regular gluten wheat bread might have. It toasted perfectly on my toasters lower setting, The edges were crunchy, the center moist and chewy, and the flavor I have to admit was the best flavor of any gluten free bread I have tried in years. So, I definitely give this loaf a 5-star rating!

The carb and sugar count in the brown seeded loaf is also lower, so my husband being a diabetic, says it’s even suitable for him to eat. He really enjoyed the flavor and crunch it had also. So, I guess hands up its a winner for both of us.

I really must say that if you haven’t tried Bfree's breads yet you are really missing out. If you can find them in a store local to you, I suggest giving them a try. If you can't find them locally you can purchase them to the right of this page in the Gfree Mall. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with their goodness.

Until next post,

Sharon