Can I Substitute Rice Flour for White Flour?

For those who suffer from celiac disease or wheat intolerance, shopping for food or baking at home can be difficult. However, alternatives such as rice flour can give acceptable results in a range of recipes.

The Problem

Gluten is the sticky protein in wheat flour that prevents baked products from crumbling. It traps pockets of air, and allows bread to rise and achieve an acceptable texture. Substituting rice flour in place of wheat flour is possible but tends to result in a crumblier product with a different texture.

Using Rice Flour

Rice flour is not suitable for yeast cookery but can be used for baking biscuits, cakes, dumplings and cookies. It tends to absorb more water than wheat flour and recipes may need adjusting to take this into account.

Useful Additives

For a general-purpose baking flour, cookbook author Carol Fenster suggest using a mix of 1 cup rice flour, 1/2 to 3/4 cup potato starch and 1/4 cup tapioca flour as a direct substitution for wheat flour. Adding a small amount of xanthan gum can help replace the elastic qualities of wheat gluten, making pastry easier to handle and bread less crumbly.

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References

• Wheat-free.org: Wheat Free and Gluten Free Flours
• Ellen's Kitchen: Flour Substitutions and Gluten Free Baking
• bbc.co.uk: Gluten-free Recipes and Information

Resources

• Celiac Sprue Association: Gluten-free Flour Formulas