You’ll be amazed by the versatility of tree?nut ingredients and how they add flavor, functionality and nutritional value to gluten?free baked goods. Nut flours, nut butters, nut pastes and other forms of tree?nut ingredients improve the taste and the texture of gluten?free baked goods, giving them a healthy halo that keeps customers craving more.
And there are certain sweet baked goods that are naturally gluten-free, simply because they are made from tree-nut ingredients
Macarons (French Almond Macaroons)
These delectable cookies resemble tender, nutty meringues sandwiched with a creamy filling. Ubiquitous in France, macarons are now almost as popular as cupcakes in many parts of this country. Classically they are made with blanched almond flour but pistachio flour and hazelnut flour formulas are also popular.
Italian Macaroons, Pignoli Cookies, Rustic Macaroons and Amaretti
Italian cookies rely on ground nuts for substance and flavor. Chewy Italian?style macaroons, made from Almond Paste, Macaroon Paste or Kernel Paste have many fans as do their cousins, the pine?nut covered pignoli cookies. Amaretti cookies, made with Kernel Paste, are an addictive sweet with a long shelf?life because they are dried thoroughly during baking.
Nutty Meringues
Crisp and crunchy meringues made with ground hazelnut or walnut flour are an earthy treat. They keep well and are easily packaged.
Nut Butter Clusters
Upscale versions of the “Rice Krispies Treat” are gaining in popularity. Use puffed rice or other gluten?free cereal and bind it with caramel syrup or marshmallow. Roasted nut butter, in addition to dairy butter, adds richness and toasted caramel notes.
Nut flours improve gluten-free flour blends
Bakers often need a combination of ingredients to replace the flavor and function of wheat flour when baking gluten?free products. Manufacturers offer various gluten?free flour blends for this purpose. Here are some tips on working with nut products in combination with these gluten?free blends.
Tree nuts are good sources of unsaturated fat. Almonds, pistachios and walnuts are high in linolenic acid, plant sources of beneficial omega 3 oils. Using nut flour or ground nuts along with gluten?free flour blends enhances the health profile, flavor, texture and appearance in gluten?free baked goods.
The flavors of skin?on almonds and hazelnuts compliment the taste of whole grains such as buckwheat and millet, which are often used in gluten?free formulas.
In crackers, nut flours or coarser nut meals add both flavor and a pleasing crispness.
Nut meals or finely granulated nuts improve mouth feel and add chewiness. These characteristics help balance any gumminess in a gluten?free formula.
For more nutty ideas, visit www.americanalmond.com .
