3 Gluten Free Rusks Recipes You Will Love

Before we share our delicious gluten free rusks recipes with you, first you need to understand what gluten-free baking involves. When you have a better understanding of gluten-free baking you will be well on your way to making healthier recipes in no time. 

What does gluten free mean?

Gluten is typically a blend of proteins in flour that configure an elastic arrangement responsible for the structure in baked goods. The most commonplace flours and grains which contain gluten include:

• Barley
• Wheat
• Rye
• Kamut
• Spelt
• Other wheat relatives

Pure oats, even though gluten-free, have created controversy due to the cross-contamination with wheat during the manufacturing process. Oats also contain a protein which is alike a protein found in gluten which can pose a problem for those who have celiac disease. You can buy oats which are certified gluten-free which is an ideal choice for people with severe gluten intolerance.

Other baking ingredients for baking (besides flour) which are considered to contain gluten

While certain grains are the primary gluten sources, it can also be found in products which have derivatives of such grains. For example, vanilla extract, baking powder, certain starch-based thickeners, and confectioner’s sugar may contain gluten. Always read the food labels carefully and select certified gluten-free options whenever possible.

Gluten-free baked goods versus standard ones

It can be an uphill battle to replicate your favourite gluten-based baked treats precisely. However, once you have learned what gluten-free foods taste like, and the typical texture, it becomes easier to keep tabs on your progress in becoming an exceptional gluten-free baker.

Since gluten-free goods lack the structure that is usually added by using gluten, the end result might seem crumblier than the wheat-based equivalent. As a result of the combination of flours utilised, they might become stale quicker. Figure out what ingredients and combination of ingredients provide the best texture, taste, and freshness once you start learning to bake gluten-free.

All-purpose flour versus self-raising flour

There are a vast variety of flour available for purchasing in stores. You can find almost everything at most grocery stores, including tapioca flour, coconut flour, almond flour, corn flour, and more. As far as wheat flour is concerned, there are various types as well.

Bear in mind that all types of wheat-flour contains various percentages of protein and gluten. Such percentages are what differentiate one type of flour for a specific recipe to the next.

The most commonplace wheat flour that people buy is refined white flour. This is basically wheat flour which is often bleached and free from its nutritional value. However, it is an excellent choice for cooking and baking alike. White flour has two variants: self-raising and all-purpose. People often confuse the two.

All-purpose flour

All-purpose flour is a highly versatile type of flour found on the shelves. Most recipes that state “flour” are usually referring to all purpose flour.  It can be used for just about everything, from baking chewy bread to making fluffy biscuits or flaky pie crusts. It is also commonly used for coating veggies and meat, or as a thickening agent in soups, sauces, and gravies.

When all-purpose flour is milled, both the hard wheat (containing gluten) and soft wheat are milled. The outcome contains 10-12 percent protein, which is a modest range. Due to the nutrition being stripped during the manufacturing process it is typically enriched to add the nutrients back into it.

Typical nutrients include riboflavin, iron, thiamine, and niacin. A bleaching process is used for whitening the flour.  Even though, all wheat contains gluten, all-purpose flour contains less gluten than bread flour.

The gluten level can differ from one brand to the next, which is why people who bakes a lot, typically prefers a specific brand and stick to it. Because gluten is what adds elasticity to the dough (making it stretch and bubble with gas), flour that does not have a high level of gluten (such as all-purpose flour) is not suitable for baking bread or recipes that necessitate the dough to rise.

Self-raising flour

Self-raising flour is an excellent choice for baking muffins, tender biscuits, and pancakes. Self-raising flour is manufactured from wheat; however, the wheat has a low protein content (8.5% protein). This type of wheat is a staple in the Southern region since it is where it originates from. 

Self-raising flour is also enriched for adding nutrients. It contains baking powder and salt which are distributed equally throughout the flour and is the acting leavening agent. Self-raising flour assists with making dough rise without the need for adding yeast. However, due to the leaving effect, you must be careful when using it as a replacement for other kinds of flour.

The outcome may not be what you desired or expected. The same applies for all-purpose flour if the recipe stipulates self-raising. Never add baking powder to a product that is labelled as self-raising flour. Also remember that self-raising flour expires sooner than all-purpose flour.

3 Gluten Free Rusks Recipes

Easy gluten free rusks recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ Cup Gluten free baking flour
• ¾ Cup Sugar
• ½ Cup oil
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3 Eggs
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 Pinch baking soda
• Yellow food colouring

Method:

Add the eggs to a mixing bowl and beat it with an electric mixer.

• Add the sugar and beat again (make sure it is mixed well).
• Add oil and beat again.
• Add the vanilla essence.
• Add a few drops of the yellow food colouring.
• Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and fold the mixture, using a spatula.
• Grease an oven pan with oil and sprinkle some flour.
• Pour the batter and spread out evenly.
• Preheat the oven to 180° Celsius.
• Bake the mixture for 35 minutes.
• Place the baked rusk cake on an oven rack or plate and cut into slices.
• Grease an oven tray and place the pieces on it.
• Bake for another 30 minutes at 180° Celsius (15 minutes from each side).

Super tasty vegan gluten and sugar free rusks recipe (Biscotti)

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 Cups almond flour
• 1 Cup lightly toasted unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• Zest of an orange and a lemon
• 1/3 Cup chopped pecan nuts

Wet ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons with flax meal
• 6 Tablespoons of Water
• 4 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• 3 Tablespoons of Stevia extract (recipe sweetener)
• 1 Teaspoon of almond extract (additional recipe sweetener)

Chocolate sauce ingredients:

• 100% Cocoa unsweetened baker’s chocolate
• ¼ Cup of powdered erythritol
• 1 ½ Teaspoon melted coconut oil

Method:

Dry ingredients:

• Sift the almond flour into a mixing bowl.
• Grind the sunflower seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor. Do not grind it too fine otherwise you will end up with sunflower butter.
• Add the grinded sunflower seeds to the almond flour and one teaspoon of baking powder.
• Add the orange and lemon zest to the mixture to give it a nice citrus flavour.
• Add chopped pecan nuts to the mixture (you can use any type of low-carb nut here) and mix everything with a whisk.

Wet ingredients:

• Mix the flax meal with water (a great substitute for eggs, and binder). 
• Add the flax meal to a separate mixing bowl.
• Add the melted coconut oil to the flax meal and then the stevia extract, followed by the almond extract.
• Mix all the wet ingredients very well.

Mixing wet and dry:

• Add the wet ingredients onto the dry ingredients and mix well with a spatula until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• The dough is dry. You can start using your hands to bring everything together nicely.
• Preheat the oven to 300° Celsius.
• Place the dough in the centre of a sheet baking tray lined with parchment paper.
• Use your hands to form a log (about ten by three inches).
• Place it in the oven for approximately 35 minutes.

Making the sauce (while the biscotti rusk is in the oven)

• Shave 2 x Tablespoons of the chocolate.
• Add the chocolate into a bowl that is sitting on a double boiler on top of a pot with water.
• Wait for the chocolate to melt and add a ¼ cup powdered erythritol followed by 1 ½ teaspoon coconut oil.
• Mix until it is nice and silky.

Finishing off:

• Take the biscotti out of the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing it into fingers (one-inch pieces).
• Place the biscotti fingers onto a sheet tray with a cooling rack.
• Bake in the oven for another 25 minutes.
• Allow the biscotti rusks to cool for a few minutes.
• Use a whisk to drizzle the chocolate sauce over the biscotti rusks. (If your chocolate sauce cooled down, you can heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds while stirring in between).

Super easy gluten free all in one breakfast rusks

Please note: I have replaced the bran flakes with special K gluten-free cereal. I have also removed oats from the recipe due to the controversy surrounding whether oats are gluten-free or not. Pure oats do not contain gluten, however, end up being contaminated during the production process. Oats are not recommended for people who have celiac disease.

Ingredients:

• 500g Self-raising flour (gluten-free)
• 5ml Baking powder
• 5ml Salt
• 1 Cup brown sugar
• ½ Cup sunflower seeds
• ½ Cup linseeds
• ¼ Cup sesame seeds
• ¼ Cup desiccated coconut
• 1 Cup special K gluten-free cereal
• 50g Chopped pecan nuts
• 1 x Extra-large egg
• 1 Cup olive oil
• 1 Cup buttermilk

Method:

• Add the gluten-free self-raising flour, baking powder salt and sugar to a bowl and mix.
• Add the sunflower seeds, lin seeds, sesame seeds, desiccated coconut, Special K cereal and chopped pecan nuts to the flour mix.
• In a separate bowl, add the egg, olive oil, and buttermilk and whisk.
• Add the egg mixture to the rest of the ingredients (seeds and flour mix) and stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball.
• Add the dough to a greased oven pan and spread it out evenly.
• Bake at 35-40 minutes at 180° Celsius.
• Place an oven rack on top and turn the baked rusk mixture onto the rack. 
• Cut into fingers.
• Arrange them slightly apart on the oven rack.
• Dry out for three hours at 100° Celsius.

You can check out the various recipes for gluten free muesli on YouTube to incorporate into this recipe to make your own gluten free muesli rusk recipe.

Useful tips for using gluten-free flour

• If you are using a gluten-free recipe which necessitates all-purpose gluten-free flour, be sure to use one that is certified gluten-free.
• Mixing with other flours: you can blend gluten-flour with other gluten-free blends. Try to stick to a ration of three to one. For instance, if the recipe says one cup of flour, use ¾ cup of gluten-free flour with a ¼ cup of another blend (this does not apply to coconut flours or nut flours though).
• Replacing wheat flour: using one large egg instead of ¼ cup of oil and adding xanthan gum works especially well, contingent on the amount of flour you are using. Generally, you can use ¼ teaspoon for every cup of flour.

BONUS: The best gluten-free flours for baking

• Teff flour
• Almond flour
• Brown rice flour
• Buckwheat flour
• Arrowroot flour
• Amaranth flour
• Sorghum flour
• Oat flour
• Corn flour
• Coconut flour
• Chickpea flour
• Tapioca flour
• Tigernut flour
• Cassava flour

I hope that you will try these delicious gluten free rusks recipes and feel free to let me know how they turned out. Just because you or any of your family members are gluten intolerant, does not mean that there are no tasty and gluten free recipes out there that you can enjoy.

Various healthy and gluten-free substitutes are available for wheat flour, perfect for those who have non-celiac gluten intolerance, celiac disease, or people who simply avoid gluten for other reasons. Certain gluten-free flours contain more nutrients, making them a healthier choice to incorporate into your diet. Most gluten-free flours necessitate combinations or adjustments of various kinds of gluten-free flours to make a tasty end product. Always evaluate the recipe carefully.