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12 July 2013

Gluten-Free Spice Redux

Baking Trial 056, 12 July 2013


Resurrecting the gluten-free spice cake -014 of last March, an update was performed, tweaking the formula with more-accessible ingredients and a simplified-improved batter makeup process.

The chiffon-based method (emulsion plus French meringue) formerly used was abandoned after it was recognized (and reinforced by failure after failure!) that GF blends are unable to stabilize the pre-aerated batter sponge’s delicate structure after baking & cooling.

Also, the guar and flax hydrocolloids repacing the gluten generally need a lot of working to develop, and it was suspected that the egg whites might beneficially be added early in the batter processing, instead of being incorporated at the last moment as a French meringue.

Finally, it has been mentioned elsewhere that salt and leavening might best be added late in batter systems, so as not to interfered with air incorporation and to forestall premature gas generation. This is reflected in the late-addition step in the process described below.

Milk, Whole         50.1g heat-treat to 175°F: ~40s. in microwave
Raisins, Whole      30.7g
Honey               25.9g
Butter, Unsalted     6.9g softened
Vanilla Extract      2.8g
Cinnamon             2.2g
Nutmeg               1.4g
Allspice             1.1g
Cloves               1.0g

Ginger               0.5g
Lemon Extract        8 drops
Lecithin, Sunflower  0.9g  hydrolyzed, powdered blend
Rice Bran Extract    0.6g
Milled Defatted Flax 0.4g

Egg Whites          64.1g from 2 large eggs

Milk, Whole         21.0g
Ascorbyl Palmitate  0.4g fat-soluble vitamin C, fine powder
Vitamin E oil       8 drops
  
Oil, Sunflower      42.0g
Egg Yolks           38.6g
from 2 large eggs

Flour, GF AP        87.0g Glutino® Gluten-Free Pantry brand
Sugar, granular     80.0g superfine baker's sugar
Flour, Rice RS      10.0g heat-treated cooked rice

Baking Powder        5.0g
Sea Salt, Fine       1.7g
Baking Soda          1.3g

Combine the heat-treated milk, raisins, honey, butter, spices, and additives, and pureƩ in a food processor to a fine slurry. Add the egg whites, extra milk, and vitamins, stirring to mix well, then set aside.

Make an yolk-oil emulsion by beating the yolks until uniform and frothy, then drizzling in the oil to create a thick mayonnaise. Add liquid mixture and blend till uniform.

With mixer running, sift in flour-sugar mixture, and mix on high speed a full seven minutes; if doubling the batch, up mixing time to 10 minutes. Let mix sit for a few minutes while preparing the canoe-pan cups: 10% sunflower lecithin in palm shortening, with cinnamon and nutmeg melted in. After-coat with nonstick spray.

Sift in the mixed leavening-salt drys, and beat another four to five minutes to achieve uniformity in rising during baking.

Dispense ¼cup (60ml.) batter into prepared canoe-pan cups, then bake 18min. at 320°F (160C) over a boiling-water pan.

 
Cake rise was good, with relatively minor shrinkback near end of bake and during cooling. Total yield for trial scaling was 8 cakes, with a very good baking loss of only 4.5%. Pan release was clean.

Analysis of ingredients and outcome for this trial:

Figure     per 52g (average) cake
Water       21.5g
Protein      2.6g
Fats         7.7g
Carbs       11.8g incl. ~500mg resistant starch
Fiber        0.8g
Sugars      16.4g
Sodium      245mg
Energy      189kCal
 
Sensory evaluation & comments from the Browne Crowe Bakes Sensory Evaluation Team:

  • Well-developed, cinnamon-tangy spice taste and aroma
  • “I would buy and put in my kid’s lunch every day.”
  • Moist and tender, not gummy or rubbery.

Overall the outcome of Trial 056 is satisfactory.


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