1st attempt at making biscuits for the trail

Hi Dianne,

Seeing Jon Fong at the GGG inspired me to give dry baking a try. I made this cornbread recipe with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free baking flour for dinner in a regular oven and it turned out great.

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/RCP00245/serrano-chili-cilantro-cornbread-muffins.html

I gave the same recipe a try with a Caldera Cone, Ti Pot, aluminum baking cup and tea light candles. It took more than a half hour but it turned out excellent.

I can't help with how to improve gluten free biscuits but if you think the disappointing results are in some way related to the dry baking you may want to start with a recipe you have had success with baking in a regular oven and see how it turns out dry baked. It helps to reduce the number of variables when troubleshooting.

At the GGG Jon said the Ti can handle the heat of dry baking without doing harm to the pot (despite the discoloration). I am sure he or someone else here can provide a more technical explanation about Ti and temperatures.

The TJ's mix doesn't have gums right? Did you add xantham gum?

Btw, baking soda will react to vinegar :)

I really like the GF baking flour mix that Betty crocker has, it has the gums in it :-)

Well, now that you mention it, Sarah, the King Arthur flour mix doesn't have gums in it, it cites a blend of rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and brown rice flour. I wouldn't think that would be a problem, since the gums contribute gooeyness, keeping the bread together, don't they? The biscuit held together fine, it was just dense and bland. Maybe the gums help with leavening too, I don't know.

Yes, I know that vinegar reacts to baking soda, I was wondering if the fizziness would help with leavening. The baking powder in the mix + vinegar ought to equal gas, which might help plump the bread? Irish Soda bread uses buttermilk and soda to act as leavening, the buttermilk contributing a little acidity. I'm allergic to dairy, though, otherwise I might try it. I've heard if you don't have buttermilk, you can "make your own" by adding apple cider vinegar to regular milk to sour it a bit.

baking powder has baking soda and acid

cream of tartar is a powdered acid for food

I dry bake using either the Epicurean (Esbit) stove, 4 tealights or the FLAT CAT Stove -using a simmer ring with the pot elevated. I have found that alcohol stoves tend to overheat in the low position. I only test and validate cooking methods with our gear as there are way too many other stoves out there.

Also, the carbon felt pad does not go in the pot but on the lid. If you use carbon felt int he pot, you will probably over heat your titanium pot. PM me and I will send you some tips.

Best regards – Jon

So, I could use a little of each, baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar? I know I have some around here, somewhere, I used to use it for my yarn dyeing projects.

Adding a little soy milk powder or coconut cream powder would help with the fat and flavor, but they won't contribute any acidity.

I can say with all the GF baking I do at home, it can be bland – so yeah, flavor is everything. It may also need a lot more salt :)

If you are going to be at GGG/SoCal next weekend, I'll bake you a loaf of bread!

"So, I could use a little of each, baking powder, baking soda, and cream of tartar? I know I have some around here, somewhere, I used to use it for my yarn dyeing projects"

You need recipe. It's chemistry. You need correct ratios. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda to 1/2 teaspoon baking powder for example.

Cream of Tartar – for whipping eggs for making lemon meringue pie. It is powdered acid which might work better than vinegar if you didn't want to take liquid.

I have had good luck baking with an Outback Oven, combined with a Caldera Cone and their new simmer ring. Never tried gluten free however.

blog post about the process:

http://backpackingtechnology.com/food-and-cooking/the-outback-oven-used-with-the-caldera-cone-stove-and-windscreen/