Gluten free Cream Puffs... is it possible?

by Jesse Avalos
(Aliso Viejo, CA.)

Hello Chef Todd,

I have been experimenting with alternate flours for pastries. Now I am attempting to modify the standard cream puff recipe (water, shortening, flour and eggs), by replacing the all purpose flour with Quinoa Flour.
The batches that I have produced so far have not risen as high as I had hoped, when compared with a traditional cream puff.

Any suggestions for making Quinoa Flour a viable alternative?

Thank you,

Jesse


Chef Todd Says:
I'm not sure what type of dough you're using for "cream puffs", but traditionally, it would be pate choux. Review my pate' choux video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwoB1iZkZGg

The pate choux is leavened by steam and the protein web created by the eggs.

Wheat flour has protein (gluten) that will assist in the structure of your pate choux paste that quinoa flour will not, so you need to increase the leavening power.

I'd experiment with increasing the amount of egg in the formula, or perhaps adding a pinch of baking powder (although highly unusual).

Also, be sure you have a very hot oven (425F) to allow for the oven spring, steam quickly released that will help in leavening.

Chef Todd.