There is a conflict of interests at play (to do with speed, not animal welfare, don’t panic) in baking that is both gluten-free and vegan. It can be an absolute nightmare. Can’t get your buns to rise? Plagued by a soggy bottom? Fear not. Snackalina is here with some hints and tips to help you get the best out of your baked goods.

But, Snackalina, you aren’t getting enough protein…!

I know! Tell me about it! As annoying as this common, anti-vegan myth is, in baking it’s actually true. Even more so when you are also having to adapt to your new, gluten-free pantry. Here’s the low down.

Gluten is a protein found in the grains, wheat, barley and rye. This long strand of protein irritates the bowels of the gluten intolerant and has even worse, long-lasting health implications for coeliacs (but we won’t delve into any of that here). But it does provide structure to your bakes. Bread is a prime example, the sticky, gluey nature of gluten, once your delicious ball of dough has been properly kneaded, traps the bubbles produced by yeast. Keeping them nestled in your dough, allowing it to hold its shape while you bake it to tearable, shareable perfection.

Without gluten, it’s really important that we have a replacement. Something that is going to function in a similar way to gluten. In free from baking, a common substitute is Xantham Gum (cue spotlight and shiny choir of angels noise). Some off the shelf, gluten-free flour blends already contain this, have a mooch through the ingredients list, if a recipe calls for it, you really do need it, and now you know why.

The other protein that functions as a binding ingredient in loads of baking comes from eggs. Thankfully there are some great, cruelty-free options out there to swap into your recipes.

First up to the stage is aquafaba. In common English, chickpea juice. This viscous, off white substance is poured away unknowingly by so many people as they drain their cans of chickpeas. STOP! Pour it into an airtight container and save it in the fridge. It whisks into light fluffy meringues and makes for a great egg white substitute.

Second into the ring, Flaxseed. These bad boys are thirsty, they suck up water and expand into little, gelatinous globules. They are a great replacement for eggs in anything cakey and they rate highly in the nutrition stakes too.

Slow down, Snackalina, you’re losing me.

Speed is the next thing that you will need to bear in mind before you start making vegan, gluten-free substitutions willy-nilly.

When you’re baking with vegan ingredients and you’re using a fast-acting raising agent, like bicarbonate of soda, you need to move at lightening speed. As a general rule, get your wet ingredients sorted in one bowl and get your dry ingredients together in another. Once you add the dry to the wet you are on the clock, get your mixture in the oven as quickly as you can. You want your raising agents to be doing the hard graft inside the oven so that you can serve the fluffiest cakes in all the land. Get your timings right and you’ll be sure to chimes of, “no way… that’s gluten-free AND vegan?!”.

This fast and furious rule doesn’t apply to breads though. Yeast needs time to do its thang Miss Thing. The bonus here is that you can’t over work gluten-free flour, in the absence of this protein you really need to give your dough a proper good knead in order to get your xantham gum to pull its weight in the mixture. A stand-mixer with a dough hook is great, or a hand mixer with dough hook attachments will make your life a lot easier when working with gluten-free doughs.