Soft pretzels

[Cooking4Fun]

I printed a pretzel recipe but can't find it online anymore. It's 3.5 cups of flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp melted shortening, 1 tsp salt, 0.5oz yeast, 1 cup warm water.

Also more water and egg yolk after forming.

I used a gluten free 1 to 1 flour and it doesn't look like a dough formed at all. Stayed floury. I had to add 7 tbsp water to get it to bind to itself. Letting it rise now but don't expect it will. Not the best recipe for gluten free?

 

[pepperhead212]

My first thought, when I saw that you had tried this with no gluten flour, is that pretzels would not be a good thing to do w/o gluten, though I haven't done much gluten free, except flatbreads.

 

[Cooking4Fun]

My first thought, when I saw that you had tried this with no gluten flour, is that pretzels would not be a good thing to do w/o gluten, though I haven't done much gluten free, except flatbreads.

I was thinking the shortening might of not help it as shortening actually prevents gluten from forming and nothing is improving the binding.

 

[GotGarlic]

Rather than try to fix a recipe that isn't working, I'd try one from a reliable source: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/gluten-free-soft-pretzels-recipe

 

[Cooking4Fun]

Where does one even find xanthan gum? The recipe looks virtually the same otherwise.

 

[dragnlaw]

Do you have Bulk Barn or the equivilent in the States? That's where I got mine. But I should think there would be lots of places near you.

Just try asking Google - "Xanthan Gum near me"

 

[Cooking4Fun]

What does Xanthan Gum do to a recipe?

 

[taxlady]

What does Xanthan Gum do to a recipe?

From Wikipedia,

Xanthan gum (/ˈzænθən/) is a polysaccharide with many industrial uses, including as a common food additive. It is an effective thickening agent, emulsifier and stabilizer which prevents ingredients from separating. It can be produced from simple sugars using a fermentation process, and derives its name from the species of bacteria used, Xanthomonas campestris.

 

[pepperhead212]

Xanthan gum is something I saw in many (most?) of those recipes for gluten free breads I've looked at. I've never tried a loaf type bread with it - only bread sticks and flat breads; though the flat breads didn't really need it (the original recipes never called for it), it did help them roll out easier. The breadsticks didn't really rise much, but I only tried it once - it was something I did for a friend, and she seemed less interested in it than I was!

Most of those "no gluten all purpose flours" are pretty much high starch, sometimes with the xanthan gum added already, though it will still be called for in the recipes. You'll have to experiment. I was just using whole grains, ground into flour.

 

[dragnlaw]

Xanthan gum has many roles in cooking but it's main role in bread making is to imitate the gluten. To give it some viscosity and elasticity.

 

[msmofet]

Xanthan Gum is available on Amazon.