Celebrate National Pastry Day: Gluten-Free
National Pastry Day is a wonderful holiday that celebrates the art of making and enjoying pastries. Or, if you’re gluten-intolerant, a day to get creative and try something new—fear not, there are plenty of gluten-free pastry recipes and techniques that can help you indulge in your love of pastries.
When it comes to making gluten-free pastries, alternative flours are key. Almond flour, coconut flour, and rice flour are all great substitutes for wheat flour. They can be used on their own or in combination with each other to create a gluten-free flour blend that works well in pastry recipes. Another important aspect of gluten-free pastry making is using the right amount of moisture. Gluten-free flours can absorb more moisture than wheat flour, so it’s important to use recipes that take this into account.
When it comes to gluten-free pastry recipes, there are plenty of delicious options to choose from. Gluten-free pie crusts made with gluten-free flour blends are a great alternative to traditional pie crusts. Gluten-free croissants made with a blend of rice flour and tapioca starch are a tasty and flaky option. And gluten-free puff pastry made with a blend of gluten-free flours and xanthan gum can be used to create a variety of sweet and savory pastries.
National Pastry Day is a great opportunity to indulge in your love of pastries, even if you are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease. With the right techniques and recipes, you can enjoy all the delicious flavors and textures of pastries without any of the gluten. So go ahead and indulge in some gluten-free pastries today!
Gluten-Free Croissants:
Ingredients:
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1/2 cup cold water
1 tbsp. active dry yeast
2 tbsp. warm milk
1 egg, beaten
Instructions:
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt.
Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the chilled butter into the flour mixture until it becomes crumbly.
In a separate small bowl, mix the yeast and warm milk together. Let it sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast becomes foamy.
Add the yeast mixture and cold water to the flour mixture and stir until it becomes a dough.
Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds, like a letter. Then, fold it in half from top to bottom, making a smaller rectangle. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out again into a large rectangle. Repeat the folding process and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough one last time into a large rectangle. Cut the dough into triangles, about 4 inches wide at the base.
Starting at the base of each triangle, roll up each croissant and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Brush each croissant with the beaten egg.
Bake the croissants for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown and flaky.
Let the croissants cool on a wire rack before serving.
Gluten-free Kouign-Amann:
Ingredients:
2 cups of gluten-free flour blend
1 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
1/2 cup of warm water
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Extra butter for brushing
Extra sugar for sprinkling
Instructions:
In a bowl, mix together warm water and yeast. Stir to combine and let it sit for a few minutes until the mixture becomes frothy.
In another bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour blend, salt, and sugar.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a dough forms.
Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
Roll the dough into a rectangle shape, about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread softened butter evenly over the dough.
Fold the dough in thirds, like a letter.
Roll the dough again into a rectangle shape and fold it in thirds again.
Repeat step 8 for a total of 3 times.
Roll the dough into a circle shape, about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut the dough into 12 wedges.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Grease a muffin tin or baking sheet with butter.
Take each wedge and roll it up, starting from the wide end.
Place each roll into the greased muffin tin or baking sheet.
Brush each roll with melted butter and sprinkle with some sugar.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.