Elizabeth Barbone's Profile

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Gingerbread

@Valerie D.--The molasses gives the baking soda enough of an acid lift. So, in this recipe, adding vinegar won't help with the lift. In recipes where there isn't an acid, vinegar is a good idea.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Gingerbread

@jdbknits--The recipe should work with a blend. All gluten-free a/p flour blends are different. My main issue is that most have too much xanthan gum, giving you an odd texture. If your mix contains xanthan, omit the 1 teaspoon xanthan in the recipe and watch it while you mix. It shouldn't look rubbery. If it does, add a splash of milk or orange juice. Let me know how it goes!

@CindyV--Flax and water for this one! Since the recipe contains four large eggs, I'd do four tablespoons ground flaxmeal and 3/4 cup hot water. Whisk together, let stand for about five minutes, and then add along with the other wet ingredients. Without the eggs, I'd bake the bread in a smaller pan, like two 9 x5 or muffin pans instead of the 9x13. The finished cake might not rise as high.

@Beckyleeprice--Really? May I ask why? (am just curious.) Melted butter will work. The finished cake won't be as moist. The crumb will be drier and a little more, well, crumbly.

Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas

@Emmmcn--That should work. Just be sure the coconut oil is firm and not in a liquid state.

Gluten-Free Tuesday: Easy Pizza Crust

@TheOrangeCat--Actually, Chebe includes modified manioc starch. I've tried to make a copycat version and without the modified starch, it comes out rather different.

Simplify Dessert With This Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake

@AnnieNT--Ha! Love it! I almost made a "Big Fat..." reference but didn't end up working it in!

@Listonic--There are recipes created to with black beans as an ingredient, brownies are a popular one. For this recipe, I think replacing the flour with beans would give you a cake that was unpleasantly heavy and damp. However, they do make black bean flour. :-) You could always try swapping some of the flour for black bean flour. This way, you'd get the benefit of the beans without the additional moisture.

I wish I had a more detailed answer for you. I just haven't tried this recipe with black beans. I hope this helps!

How to Make Buttery-Sweet Gluten-Free Corn Cookies

@Grisha--For people like myself who have celiac disease, the gluten-free diet isn't a fad. It's my joy-- and a privilege-- to write this column for people who live on a restricted diet.

Gluten-Free Fluffy Lemonade Pie

@fleder and SueBoo--Sorry about that! The corrections are listed above.

Easy Gluten-Free Plum Cobbler

@DreamSong777--Hmmm, I haven't had that experience. Like most cobblers, the topping was a bit wet right on top of the fruit but not sandy. As for the egg, I'd worry that it would make the batter too wet.

Gluten-Free All Day Lemon Cake With a Choice of Toppings

@Fieldofpoppys--It sounds like it needed to be mixed a little more before going into the pan. Also, I haven't doubled the recipe. Perhaps next time try it without doubling? :-)

Gluten-Free All Day Lemon Cake With a Choice of Toppings

@Fieldofpoppys--That is so weird. I've tested the recipe with white rice flour but usually make it with brown. So it wasn't the brown rice flour. Hmmm...Did you make any other ingredient swaps?

How did the batter look before baking?

Gluten-Free Fresh Pasta

@Conniehatch--Did you include the xanthan gum? I've made this recipe many times and have never had it turn out wet. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this. :-)

Gluten-Free All Day Lemon Cake With a Choice of 2 Toppings

@kalajo--Sorry about that! The sugar is now in the recipe. It's 3/4 cup!

Gluten-Free Tuesday: Graham Crackers

@Viv Ann E--That should work. If the dough seems soft, an experience I've had with arrowroot in the past,add two tablespoons more rice flour. Let me know how it goes.

How to Make Crispy, Crunchy, Totally Addictive Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle

@Gina_--Hmm...good question. My first thought is that they would crack when pressed together with a hot marshmallow and chocolate. Perhaps don't spread the batter out as thin. Try spreading it out to about 16 x 11-inches. And when the brownie comes out of the oven, cut it into large squares right away.

Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle

@IndyAmy--I don't bake with artificial sweeteners; so I can't give you a certain answer. I believe Splenda for baking would work. It's a 1:1 swap. As for stevia? I don't believe it would work in this recipe.

Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle

@Mendoncook--Absolutely! Brown rice flour works great in this recipe!

Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle

@Grapist--Nice combo! Let me know how it goes!

@DrGaellon--I didn't test the recipe with wheat flour but I think using 2 ounces of all-purpose flour should work!

How to Make Crispy, Crunchy, Totally Addictive Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle

@Jammin--I didn't test this recipe with wheat flour. However, you could swap the 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of white rice flour for 1/2 cup of all-purpose wheat flour. I believe it will work well. As for materially better? This brittle is awesome. I can't imagine how wheat would make it better, just slightly different. :-)

How to Make Crispy, Crunchy, Totally Addictive Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle

@Sillygirl--If you click on the blue bar that says "get the recipe", you'll find all the amounts plus the method. Enjoy!

How to Make Gluten-Free Fig Bars

@Craig_Hochscheid--I was born with a variety of life-threatening food allergies (tree nuts, soy, sesame) and celiac disease. At the time, there were few safe prepared foods. My favorite as a kid? "Popcorn cookies!" I thought they were the greatest thing ever. Only they weren't popcorn and they weren't cookies. They were rice cakes my mom rebranded, if you will, as "popcorn cookies".

In the eighth grade, my class trip was to Washington, DC. We lived in NY and it would be the first time I'd ever set food on a plane. I was so excited. However, my parents were called to the school. Because of my allergies, the school decided I was not allowed on the trip. My school required that I attend school during the three days my classmates were on the trip. I sat in an empty room, no lie, for three days and did worksheets.

Despite my food allergies, I decided that I wanted to learn how to bake. So off I went to the Culinary Institute of America where one chef-instructor told me I was a waste of his time because my allergies would preclude me from "significantly contributing to the industry."

The reason I attended the CIA was to learn how to bake so I could apply those techniques to allergen-safe food for people like me.

Over the last few years, you're right, the term gluten-free (along with nut-free, peanut-free, and egg-free) became more mainstream.

What does this mean for me? It means that occasionally I can eat out at a restaurant that serves gluten-free food. It means that I can buy gluten-free ingredients to create recipes like the ones you see in this column (a few years ago, I would have had to order ingredients through a catalog), and it means that I can buy a box of mainstream breakfast cereal--something that was unthinkable only a handful of years ago.

Will the bubble burst? Sure! Are folks eating gluten-free who aren't diagnosed with celiac disease? Yup!

As I've mentioned, the availability of gluten-free foods, recipes, and menus has improved my life and the lives of many like me. What I'm wondering is how does it adversely affect you so much that you hope it goes away?

Gluten-Free Fresh Pasta

@Carolcamille--I think so! I don't own a KitchenAid pasta maker, so I'm not familiar with it. However, as long as you don't get the dough too thin, it's pretty sturdy.

@Igorjoyce--I didn't. When I pat the dough out, I generously flour it with brown rice flour. If you find the pasta is sticking, dust with brown rice flour and you should be all set!

What's the Best Way to Brew Iced Coffee?

Am sitting here laughing. My husband always brews over ice or does "diner style" and claims it's the best. I, on the other hand, prefer the cold brew method. Of course, we jokingly bicker over which is the better method. I'm just waiting for him to see this and, you know, gloat.