Almond Meal adds scrumptious flavour to baked goods, and is particularly useful in gluten-free recipes. It can be used to replace grain flours completely in fabulous cakes, especially yummy with orange or chocolate. An extra egg or two may be required to bind recipes that have the flour replaced, or combine almond flour with tapioca flour. Almond meal also works brilliantly with gluten free flours including quinoa and coconut flour. Try it in a pie crust for a tangy lime tart. Almond meal can be added to most cake, bread, muffin and biscuit mixes.
Flour comes from all four corners of the world and has been used for millennia. Australia produces traditional flours like wheat, rye and barley, as well as many other diverse grain and seed flours.
Flour is gluten free if it does not contain any wheat (including spelt), rye, barley or oats in the ingredients. Naturally gluten free flours include buckwheat, millet, quinoa, rice, maize, besan (chickpea) tapioca and sorghum. Other gluten free substitutes are coconut, hemp, banana and potato flours, or ground pumpkin seed meal and almond or other nut meals/flours.
Flour can be processed in a number of ways, but essentially all flours are made from dried grains (or seeds or nuts) that are ground. Whole grain flours are made from the entire grain where as white flour contains just the grain endosperm after the outer bran and germ have been removed. Traditional stone ground flours are often preferred by bakers.
Yes, flour can expire if not stored correctly. Flour can go stale and have reduced nutritional content. Whole grain flours contain essential oils which can go rancid. All flour should be placed in an airtight container and stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight . Refrigeration is recommended for extended storage times or in warm climates.
Yes, flour can be stored in the freezer in a dry, air tight container.