Breakfast Muffins: trial 1

After 3 weeks of ingredient tracking, I was able to find the key ingredient for gluten free bakers - Xanthan gum. I called the store, and they said they don' t keep it on hand, but they can order it for me and it will be available in a couple of days. I was so excited! Armed with this key ingredient, I can now convert any basic baking recipe to a gluten free one. The key is to use 1/2 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum for every gluten free flour mix called for in baking muffins, cakes and cookies.
I got an SMS from the bakery supply shop last Saturday telling me my Xanthan Gum was available. I hurriedly made my way out, braving the storm warnings to make it to the store before it closes at 5pm. I arrive at the store, just to buy my Xanthan gum and came away with al more! I ended up buying stock of ingredients I know I would use, like rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, almond flour and Callebaut chocolate chips. Yes I know chocolate isn't that healthy but everything in moderation is ok, right?
Armed with my stock of GF free staples, Now, I have the freedom to bake to my heart's content. Feeling under the weather "E" wanted his comfort food of warm blueberry muffins. I however, wanted chocolate chip. As a compromise I decided that I make a basic buttermilk muffin base and divided up the batter to make different muffins.

Basic Buttermilk Recipe
makes around 12 muffins

1 cup Rice Flour (I used White)

1/2 cup Sorghum Flour
1/4 cup Potato Starch

1/4 cup Tapioca Flour/Starch

1/4 cup Almond Flour

1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Butter, melted

1 cup Buttermilk
(1 cup milk + t tablespoon vinegar, kalamansi, lemon juice)
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, the real thing please!
1 egg, beaten

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a muffin tin, or line with paper muffin liners.

 Sift together the flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt,. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg, buttermilk, and vanilla.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until mixed.
The beauty of gluten free baking is that you can stir and stir your batter, no problem of the gluten developing to make your baked goods tough. So stir til your hearts content!

I divided the batter to three. 

This is what I added

Muffin Mix 1: Blueberry Muffins

1/4 cup blueberry topping and zest from half a lemon

Muffin Mix 2: Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 Tablespoon Milk and 1/4 cup chocolate chips 

Muffin Mix 3: Orange Cranberry Muffins

1/4 cup dried cranberries and 1 teaspoon orange zest.

 Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins; fill the cups almost to the top. Bake in the preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 18 minutes.

The Result? One recipe, three different muffins. I ended up with 4 muffins of Blueberry
and the Orange Cranberry and only 3 of the Double Chocolate Chip. My first bite into

the muffins, made me completely forget they were gluten free. I give that to the

xanthan gum, I'm impressed with myself and my baking. My score: 10/10!

Now maybe I can move on to making hamburger buns, I've been craving for some meat

in between bread ever since I started this diet!