Gluten free pastry is a suitable substitute for, or equivalent to, wheat-based pastry, but it will not "taste like pastry". GF flours used for baking are better as a mixture of flours rather than a single origin flour. Most commerically available GF baking mixes are easily made up at home. One of the most common flour mix is Bette Hagman [she writes GF cookbooks]. Below is a copy of the mix. BETTE HAGMAN'S ORIGINAL FLOUR MIX [Rice Flour Blend] 6 cups Rice Flour2 cups Potato Starch Flour1 cup Tapioca Flour GF Pastry 2 cups GF baking mix 7 oz [7/8 cup] butter 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp vinegar* 2 to 4 tbsp ice water Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Gradually add egg and vinegar. Add only enough cold water to form a ball. Divide dough into two. Using rice flour on bench-top, roll out dough. (dust with rice flour while rolling.) * do not use malt vinegar as it is wheat-based Ordinarily, the trick with good pastry is not to let the gluten develop - as this pastry has no gluten, you are staring one step ahead.
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