Baking is one of life’s great pleasures. The alchemy involved in turning a gloopy batter into a baked treat is magical. And the process of measuring, mixing, beating, smoothing and decorating—all the while taking in gorgeous smells and delicious tastes (and if you’re like me, you take little tastes along the way...)—is heavenly.
I’ve been gluten-free and dairy-free for most of my life. At first, it was very, very hard. There were very few free-from ingredients available and practically no recipes. When I had to eat parsnips one morning for breakfast (and I loathe parsnips), I decided that enough was enough—and that I needed to start experimenting. Over the years there have been many failed attempts and disasters consigned to the rubbish. But as more and more ingredients became available, it has become easier and easier to make food that’s truly delicious—and often indistinguishable from something made with gluten and dairy. And I want to share these successes with you.
Gluten-free and dairy-free baking can be hard. It’s difficult to get the right combination of flours for different types of baked goods, and getting the right texture can be challenging, to say the least. Breads and cakes can often be too dry and crumbly, pastry can easily burn and fail to hold together, and cookies are usually either rock hard or horribly soft. So I’ve developed a set of flour mixes (see pages 8 to 10) I think tick all the boxes—producing bakes that really are just how you want them to be.
You’ll find I’ve also come up with some fairly unique methods! I’m a big fan of adding more moisture than normal to a gluten-free recipe, so I use a lot more water than generally used to make bread, for example. Once it’s poured in, it makes the batter sloppy and a million miles away from the firm dough people knead when making conventional bread. But once you’ve poured the batter into the pan and baked it (having skipped the kneading/punching down process entirely), it comes out as a delicious soft loaf with a crunchy crust.
Using more liquid in pastry dough and other recipes that need rolling out, such as cookies and flatbreads, does make it more difficult. But I’ve developed a couple of techniques to counteract that. Using a cutting board enables you to lift the dough and drop it into a pan. And rolling out between sheets of baking parchment means that you can roll the dough out evenly without it sticking to the surface or the rolling pin, as well as helping you to navigate it into the pan.
On the practical side, it’s important to get some basic equipment before you start. You’ll need pots, dishes and pans, cutters and a rolling pin, some scales or cup measures as well as measuring spoons and (unless you have serious upper body strength) some form of electric mixer and food processor. If you can beg, borrow or buy a stand mixer, that will make everything wonderfully easy. (Peter, I love you forever for buying me one!)
In this book you’ll find a wide variety of recipes (a few of which aren’t actually baked, but seemed to belong here anyway). There are everyday and every-now-and-then loaves in the Breads chapter, as well as breadsticks, buns and biscuits. The Cookies chapter holds many crunchy delights, from cookies to crackers. In the Cakes chapter, you’ll find a recipe for every type of celebration (even if it’s Friday and nearly the weekend), as well as doughnuts and muffins. There are recipes for Main Dishes, too, ranging from quick-and-easy pizza recipes to blowout meals like Beef Wellington. And to top it all off, a chapter of irresistible Desserts, whether it’s a comforting Sticky Toffee Pudding or pull-out-all-the-stops Profiteroles.
Many people come to free-from cooking because they have no choice. They might have celiac disease, or an allergy or intolerance that causes symptoms from nausea and migraines, bloating and bowel problems, chronic fatigue and depression, to eczema, asthma and even anaphylactic shock. Many find cooking hard, but have to persevere. I hope this book shows you how incredibly easy it can actually be to make gluten-free and dairy-free baked food. Whether it’s a Cinnamon Brioche Bun to enjoy on a lazy Sunday morning, a Turkish Lamb Pizza to take to work for lunch, Peanut Butter Cookies for an afternoon treat, Passion Fruit & Coconut Cheesecake for an indulgent dessert or Chocolate & Beet Cake for a birthday, these are all recipes that are do-able, even if you’re a complete novice in the kitchen. And, in trying out the recipes, I hope this book opens up a whole new world of food, transforming your experience. Baking can become an exciting and hugely enjoyable way to nourish yourself—and your friends and family. Enjoy!