Quick Answers
Gluten free pastries can easily become dry and crumbly, but there are several tips to help them hold together better:
– Use gluten free flours that contain gums or starches like tapioca, potato, rice, or xanthan gum to add binding. Flours like almond, coconut, and cassava lack gluten so need help binding.
– Add binding agents like xanthan gum, guar gum, psyllium husk powder, ground chia or flax seeds. Usually 1/2 to 1 tsp per cup of flour helps.
– Include fat like butter, oil, shortening, or eggs to help add moisture and richness.
– Replace up to 25% of flour with masa harina or cornstarch which helps structure.
– Mix lightly and don’t overwork the dough to avoid developing the gluten.
– Chill dough before baking to let structure relax.
– Brush pastries with milk, egg, or butter wash before baking for a shiny top crust.
– Bake at a slightly lower temperature for a bit longer time to prevent excess browning.
– Store completely cooled pastries in airtight containers to retain moisture.
– Add fillings or toppings like fruit, nuts, or streusel that distract from crumbling texture.
Gluten free baking can be tricky, especially when it comes to flaky and tender pastries. When the gluten structure provided by wheat flour is missing, it’s easy for pastry doughs and baked goods to end up dry, dense, and crumbly. Luckily, with a few adjustments and substitutions, you can create gluten free pastries with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture and golden crust. Read on to learn the secrets for keeping your gluten free pastries from crumbling apart.
Why Gluten Free Pastries Crumble Easily
Gluten is the protein found in wheat flour that gives dough structure and chew. It’s what allows yeasted breads to rise high and gives cakes and cookies a nice even crumb. Gluten strands crosslink and form an elastic network when flour and liquid are mixed and kneaded. This framework stretches as gases expand during proofing and baking, preventing collapse. It also holds in moisture and gives baked goods a satisfying texture.
When you remove gluten containing flours like wheat, rye, and barley, you take away this protein web. Gluten free flours made from rice, tapioca, corn, nuts, and starches lack this natural binding ability. Their doughs and batters don’t hold together as well which can lead to a gritty, crumbling texture.
Gluten also absorbs a good amount of the liquid added to a recipe. Without it, gluten free baked goods tend to be drier and more prone to falling apart. Even small amounts of regular wheat flour can improve the structure drastically. But for those avoiding gluten entirely, other solutions must be used.
Choosing the Best Gluten Free Flours
Not all gluten free flours are created equal when it comes to binding and moistness. Choosing the right balance of flours and starches is key for tender pastries.
Gluten Free Flour Options:
– Rice flour – Very crumbly with no binding power. Best mixed with other flours.
– Tapioca flour – Slightly gritty texture but absorbs moisture well. Adds chew.
– Potato starch – Very light texture and neutral flavor. Mix with rice or tapioca flour.
– Cassava flour – Adds dense, chewy texture like tapioca. Can taste beany.
– Almond flour – Absorbs moisture but very delicate crumb. Combine with starches.
– Coconut flour – Extremely absorbent so needs lots of liquid. Adds flavor.
– Gluten free oat flour – Can add hearty texture but limited binding.
– Guar gum/xanthan gum – Not flours but add elasticity and binding.
Ideally, choose 2-3 gluten free flours and starches and experiment with ratios to get the best balance of moisture, structure, and lightness.
Using Binders
While gluten free flours provide a base, you need to add binding agents to mimic the elasticity and cross-linking of gluten strands. Here are some common binders to help hold gluten free pastry dough together:
Xanthan Gum – A thickener made from fermented vegetable or corn sugar. 0.5-1 tsp per 1 cup of flour is a good addition. Be careful not to add too much as it can make dough gummy.
Guar Gum – Derived from guar beans, it acts similarly to xanthan gum to improve moisture retention. Use sparingly as it thickens dramatically.
Psyllium Husk Powder – Made from the husks of psyllium seeds, it forms a gelatin-like network that sticks well. Start with 1/2 tsp per cup of flour.
Ground Chia or Flaxseeds – These form a gluey gel when water is added that can help bind dough. Use 1-2 Tbsp per cup of flour.
Gelatin – Unflavored powdered gelatin whisked into the liquid ingredients can improve elasticity. Use about 1 tsp per cup of liquid.
When adding binders, err on the side of less as too much can make your pastries dense and gummy. Test to find the right balance for each recipe.
Techniques for Binding
In addition to ingredients, technique also plays a key role in preventing gluten free pastries from crumbling. Here are some tips:
– Gently mix wet and dry ingredients – Avoid vigorous stirring to limit developing the gluten free flours too much. This can make them dense and tight.
– Don’t overwork the dough – Kneading develops gluten so gently shape dough and stop when it just holds together.
– Let doughs rest before rolling – Give the starches time to absorb liquid and relax before shaping to prevent cracking.
– Roll dough between plastic wrap or wax paper. This minimizes sticking and tearing of delicate dough. Chill first for easiest rolling.
– Brush dough with wash before baking. An egg wash, milk, or melted butter helps form a “glue” top crust.
– Keep wet fillings or toppings separate so bottoms stay crisp. Place them on just before serving instead.
With a gentle touch and the right flours, even the most tender gluten free dough can come together beautifully.
Adding Richness
One benefit of avoiding gluten is it allows you to add extra fat and eggs for flavor and moisture without making baked goods tough and greasy. Richness helps counteract dryness in gluten free pastries. Some ways to up the richness:
– Use all butter instead of shortening or oil
– Add an extra egg yolk or two
– Substitute evaporated milk for regular milk
– Fold in sour cream, cream cheese, mascarpone
– Swirl in Nutella, cookie butter, or dulce de leche
– Coat pastry with chocolate ganache or buttercream frosting
The added moisture and fat tenderizes pastry dough as it bakes so you get that signature flaky texture and keeps it from drying into a crumbly mess.
Other Tips for non-Crumbling Pastries
With the right recipes and techniques, you can create bakery-worthy gluten free croissants, pie crusts, galettes, scones and more that hold together perfectly. Here are a few other pointers:
– Chill dough thoroughly before rolling and baking to relax structure.
– Bake pastry at a slightly lower temperature (325-375°F) to prevent over-browning edges before centers are done.
– Avoid holes or gaps in dough that can lead to breakage when shaping. Pinch together well.
– Don’t slice into baked pastries when hot from oven or they may crumble. Allow to cool completely first.
– Store completely cooled pastries in airtight containers at room temperature to retain moisture.
– Distract from crumbly texture with crispy streusel, fruit fillings, nuts, coconut, or crunchy toppings that add varied textures.
With the right techniques and ingredients, your gluten free pastries can be just as flaky, golden, and melt-in-your-mouth as traditional ones. It just takes a bit of binder boosting, moisture balancing, and structure supporting to keep those pesky crumbs at bay.
Sample Gluten Free Pastry Recipes
Now that you know the secrets to keeping your gluten free pastries from falling apart, here are some recipe ideas to try it out:
Gluten Free Pie Crust
| Gluten Free Flour Blend | 1 1/4 cups |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp |
| Sugar | 1 Tbsp |
| Cold Butter, cut in pieces | 6 Tbsp |
| Ice Water | 3-5 Tbsp |
| Xanthan Gum | 1/2 tsp |
– In food processor, pulse together flour blend, salt, sugar, and xanthan gum
– Add butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form
– Sprinkle with ice water 1 Tbsp at a time and pulse until dough forms large clumps
– Shape dough into discs, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 1 hour
– Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment paper and use for pie or tart shells
Gluten Free Croissants
| Gluten Free Flour Blend | 2 1/4 cups |
| Sugar | 2 Tbsp |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Active Dry Yeast | 1 1/2 tsp |
| Milk | 3/4 cup |
| Butter, softened | 6 Tbsp |
| Xanthan Gum | 3/4 tsp |
| Egg Yolks | 2 |
– Whisk dry ingredients together. Warm milk slightly and add along with egg yolks, softened butter and whisk to combine.
– Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth ball forms. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
– Roll into rectangle and sprinkle with cold butter. Fold into thirds like a letter then chill 30 minutes.
– Repeat folding chilled dough in thirds 2 more times, chilling in between.
– Roll into long triangle and cut into triangles. Roll up from wide end. Place on parchment lined baking sheet, brush with egg wash and bake.
Gluten Free Scones
| Gluten Free Flour | 1 3/4 cups |
| Baking Powder | 2 tsp |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp |
| Sugar | 3 Tbsp |
| Cold Butter | 5 Tbsp |
| Eggs | 1 |
| Milk or Cream | 1/4 – 1/3 cup |
| Xanthan Gum | 1/2 tsp |
– Whisk dry ingredients together. Cut in cold butter until pea-size crumbs.
– In separate bowl, beat egg with milk or cream. Add to flour and mix just until incorporated.
– Turn dough onto floured surface and knead gently until it holds together. Pat into rounds.
– Cut into wedges, brush with cream or milk and sprinkle sugar on top. Bake until golden.
These recipes avoid crumbling by using a blend of moisturizing flours, milk or cream for tenderness, and xanthan gum or butter for binding. Chilling the dough before shaping also helps relax the structure.
Experiment with different add-ins like berries, nuts, citrus zest, vanilla, or spices to make each pastry your own. With the proper ingredients and handling, you can enjoy tender and flaky gluten free baked goods that hold together beautifully.
Tips for Storing and Serving Gluten Free Pastries
Once you’ve mastered keeping your gluten free pastries from falling apart when baking, you’ll need to take steps to prevent them from crumbling during storage and serving as well. Here are some useful tips:
– Let pastries cool completely before storing. This prevents condensation that leads to sogginess.
– Place cooled pastries in airtight containers or bags. Plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface also prevents drying.
– Store at room temperature instead of refrigerating which can make gluten free pastries stale faster.
– Enjoy baked pastries within 2-3 days for the best texture. Freeze for longer storage.
– When freezing, wrap pastries tightly in plastic wrap then foil. Thaw overnight in fridge before serving.
– Heat frozen gluten free croissants and danishes in oven until warm – microwaving makes them rubbery.
– Slice or tear pastries instead of biting into them to avoid crumbling.
– Dust pie and tart crusts lightly with cornstarch or powdered sugar before filling to minimize wetness.
– Serve pastries with accompaniments like whipped cream, fruit sauce, or ice cream that add moisture.
– Enjoy pastries right away instead of letting them sit out. Exposure to air can make them dry.
With proper storage and handling, your tender gluten free pastries can stay flaky for several days. Just be gentle and keep them away from moisture and air as much as possible after baking.
Conclusion
While gluten free baking presents some binding and crumbling challenges, you can make pastries with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture using the right ingredients and techniques. Choose a blend of moisturizing flours, add eggs and fat for richness, use starch and gums to mimic gluten’s elasticity, handle dough gently, proof adequately, and prevent drying. With the proper care and a delicate touch, your gluten free croissants, pie crusts, danishes and more can be just as flaky, golden, and tender as traditional versions. Now that you know how to keep those pesky crumbs at bay, get baking and enjoy the gluten free pastries you thought you’d have to miss.