Reddit mentions: The best baking powder

I always feel awkward, it's unrelated :D

The thing hardest for me is I'm one of those oddballs who can't have Oats either. While I don't like oats, it does mean skipping some recipes I would like to try.

When eating out, aim for potatoes and fruit. For example. Chick Fil A is safe 6/7ths of the time (the other 1/7th is Sunday, when they are closed). If you have trouble with their fries, report the location to corporate. It's their policy to use separate friers. Then of course, don't eat there again. But yeah, potatoes and fruit are almost always safe. Avoid granola, and shared friers. When eating out, aim for somewhere that is good for vegans. Use the Happy Cow app, and the Find Me Gluten Free app.

Tell your friends where you definitely cannot eat (When I'm at my mom's, we say "Anywhere but Jack or Burger King, for example. They know I can't have Chinese either, due to Soy Sauce). Buy some gluten free granola or other snacks to carry. As I can't have oats, I like Aldi's granola. There's another brand that's good, they come in colorful brands, but it's so hard to eat D:

Aldi for tortillas. I went 5 years without them and now can't survive two weeks without them. I just made myself 6 breakfast burritos with some Vegan Egg, Soyrizo (one of the only safe faux meats. I can point you towards some others too), and olives. That's breakfast for a week. I have some bean and rice burritos in the freezer too. I took some with me when I went to my mom's last week. I buy Schär's bread. A) it is THE hands down best gluten free bread there is. B) It's vegan, and C) you can find it at 99% of Walmarts. That and some peanut butter might be a good just in case to carry. If you know you'll be out with friends, maybe even just tell them you can bring your own food, make it easier on them. If they insist on making you something, explain what you need clearly. If they can't understand, offer to bring the ingredients (don't forget pans! I've never had an issue with pans, but I know that partly depends on the pans in use, and partly on cleaning methods, etc. It's a pretty iffy situation. I wouldn't buy a pan used though.)

Lastly, find a flour you like. This will enable you to cook for yourself. For me, I buy Bob's Red Mill Cup4cup normally, but Namaste is by far the best. If your local Costco has some, stock up. It's a lot cheaper than other flours that way (I paid $12 for 5 pounds. Granted, not great, but tons better than $17 for 4 pounds for Pamela's, for example)

Oh, and last tip: Go buy some baking powder. Red can, Rumford brand. Double check that it's the gluten free one, mine is but I don't know if they have others. This will be nice to have around the house.
Here is the Amazon link: Link

> Which type of flour should I use from the selection I have listed above?

Any of the flours is fine. They'll all make pizza. The higher-protein ones will make a chewier crust, the lower-protein ones will make a more tender crust. And there are other factors at play than just the protein percentage—two flours with similar protein levels can make different crusts.

Of your choices though, I would stick with the "strong flour". Probably would make a crust closest to what you expect.

> Would fermenting the dough for longer (days in advance) help?

Absolutely. One option is to decrease the yeast slightly and let it rise in the fridge overnight. Another option (my preferred option) is to decrease it significantly and let it rise at room temperature overnight. I do approximately 0.1% active dry yeast relative to the weight of the flour—so for 500g flour, I'd use 0.5 grams yeast.

A longer fermentation contributes to both flavor and texture. An interesting note is that over a long enough time (~12 hours or more), the gluten in the dough will develop quite a bit on its own. When I'm feeling lazy, I do my 24-hour rise with absolutely no kneading.

> If yes, could I freeze that dough for future use?

Yes, though I've never tried it myself.

> How close to that magical Neapolitan crust can I expect to get with my current setup if I do everything right?

Eh. As others have mentioned, you really need the perfect flour and a very, very hot oven. But...

> What other things could I do to get as close as possible?

Some ideas:

• Adding a bit of sugar will help the dough brown in the low temperatures of your home oven. You can use granulated sugar, but I like diastatic malt powder which has a complex sweetness itself and also contains an enzyme which does something to create sugars from the carbohydrates already in the flour. This is especially helpful over a long rise, during which yeast will consume sugar, thereby inhibiting browning.
  
  
• You can add a little oil and/or soy lecithin to the dough. This is untraditional in Naples, but will help achieve some of the tenderness that you get from cooking the pizza in 90 seconds at super-high temperatures.
  
  
• Sourcing some Antimo Caputo 00 flour really will make a difference, even in a home oven. The Caputo flour will brown even less than most ordinary flours, which is why I tend to punch it up with the malt powder. But it's remarkable what a difference it makes even compared to flours having similar protein content (10-12%, I think?). The dough stretches easier, and is more tender. I get mine on Amazon.
  
  
• You can get extreme and use a preheated cast-iron pan under your broiler/grill. This will get your temps up.

I could track some things. This is what I bought from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BR0K5DE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006XL9W7W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07144K4T6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047YX0J8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And this is the Candian flour I bought from ebay.co.uk July 2017 (not the same seller nor listing):

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marriages-Very-Strong-Canadian-White-Flour-1-5kg/253510013459?hash=item3b065fd213:g:LoUAAOSwrIlaspP3

I also bought directly from kingarthurflour.com but I didn't register so I don't remember what I bought exactly.

All those purchases were shipped to a US address (except the UK ebay purchase), the forwarding company, and from there shipped internationally to. I can't tell you exactly how much it costs because I never shipped the flour alone, I always had other items. But, 1-2 kgs would cost $27-$35 depending on the forwarder/account type etc.

Locally I think things have changed, I have seen pizza flour in Safeway (Altamimi in Riyadh). It's not as good as Caputo or King Arthur, but it is better than our local flour no doubt. So maybe that would be a first step. But /u/Complex_Magazine definitely must try Caputo/King Arthur. In the same store I have even seen dry yeast, that was a pleasant surprise.

And yes to the diastatic malt. I don't know what it does but it improved my pizza! I bought this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WGUYX96/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I make the best pizza in my town (at home), I dare anyone say otherwise, just because I bought good flour and was tutored by /u/dopnyc. The restaurants either make cakey pizza or they're pizza chains. It seems no one buys good flour. I've heared there are pizzarias in big cities who do use good flour, but they're nowhere near me.

While the concept of using malted rye is interesting, you definitely want to stick to malted barley.

http://www.chefkoch.de/forum/2,14,712534/Diastatic-Malt-Powder-in-Deutschland.html

https://www.bakerybits.co.uk/diax-diastatic-malt-flour.html

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WGUYX96

Based on the discussion above, it looks like 'Backmalz' might be German for diastatic malt. Maybe.

https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=Backmalz&_sop=15

I'm 99.9% certain that one of these will be a winner, especially the ones referencing 'enzymes.' Malt strength is measured in lintner, so if you can find one of these that mentions that, it would be ideal. It would also be good to find one that specific talks about barley. If necessary, you might message some of the sellers for clarification.

The baking powder is like magic. It has something to do with changing the pH of the skin, both drying it out so it gets crispy faster and increasing the reaction that causes browning. They are honestly better than deep fried wings IMO.

The baking powder we use is called Rumford and we found it at Walmart. Supposedly other brands like Calumet (made by Kraft) contain sodium aluminum sulfate as a leavening agent, which isn't obvious when used in baked goods, but can leave a metallic taste when used to season meat. That's the word online at least, the aluminum free stuff was about the same price and the baking powder I had on hand was like 5 years past the use by date so i replaced it.

This is my go-to easy, crowd-pleaser cake. Since becoming vegan, I simply replace the 4 eggs with egg replacer (I used Ener-G Egg Replacer), and there is no difference in taste or texture:

PUMPKIN CAKE

4 EGGS (for best results, measure 4 eggs'-worth egg replacer powder into bowl, then add corresponding amount of water, then use electric mixer to whip until blended into fully-mixed froth; then add the other wet ingredients to the bowl)

1 CAN LIBBY'S 100% PURE PUMPKIN (or any brand)

2 CUPS SUGAR

1 CUP OIL

2 TSP. BAKING POWDER

2 TSP. BAKING SODA

1/2 TSP. SALT

MIX INGREDIENTS AND ADD:

3 CUPS FLOUR

1/2 - 1 TBSP. CINNAMON (OR TO TASTE)

MIX, THEN ADD:

1 - 1 & 1/4 CUPS CHOCOLATE CHIPS

POUR INTO GREASED AND FLOURED 12 CUP BUNDT PAN (I USE JOY SPRAY)

BAKE 55- 60 MINUTES AT 350 (CHECK AT 50 MINUTES AS OVEN TEMP. VARIES)

COOL 20-30 MINUTES

Once the cake is cooled, place a plate upside-down on top (soon to be bottom) and flip the whole thing over so you can lift the pan off the cake, which is now on your plate. Then shake powdered sugar over the top of the cake. Now serve!

I’ve tested 6 different waffle recipes and the one from ChefSteps was the clear winner, likely from their use of Diastatic Malt Powder. The one waffle recipe I have yet to try is this Liege one which goes into great detail to match flours used traditionally. I have also yet to try to make pearl sugar.

It's entirely possible and not hard to bake vegan.

Check out Ener-G egg replacer. I use that to make pancakes.

My GF has also had success using stuff like applesauce or bananas in place of eggs, but I'm sure that the books listed by other commenters have more details and exact instructions.

It's barley malt syrup, here's the Amazon link. I generally use it for boiling bagels, but put some in bread to try the flavor. Diastatic powder malt is actually better for baking bread as a dough enhancer. I use this too occasionally.

I am vegan, I bake a little. I use this for all my cakes/cookies/breads and it works great.

I bought some on Amazon. I think it was the cheapest per ounce that I saw. I used it in some bagels and they came out great. I haven't tried any other brands though, so I'm not sure how it stacks up.

Mayonnaise alternatives: veganaise, earth balance, spectrum

Butter:Earth balance

Milk: There are all kinds of different milks, almond, soy, coconut, cashew, and most places carry a bunch of different brands these days

Cheese: You can buy cheese alternatives here, or just browse to see the different kinds available and look for them locally.

Soaps: You can also see different brands of soaps here and either order, or just look for the brands you see on there locally. (I do that a lot.)

Egg alternatives: bananas, flax seed, applesauce, ener-G Egg replacer, the vegg

Hope this helps!

Seemed easy to find on Amazon.co.jp?

https://www.amazon.co.jp/Hoosier-Hill-Farm-%E3%83%95%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%BC-%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A0/dp/B008T9LX3C

Amazon. A pound of it has lasted me months.
https://www.amazon.com/Diastatic-Malt-Powder-Barry-Farm/dp/B0001AVRRE is what I use.

I've been tweaking this recipe for a few weeks. I did a 24 hour cold ferment, with the last few hours at room temp. I baked this using a screen and a steel on the lower rack ~550 for 5m then moved to the top for a couple minutes to brown the top. It was the first time using malt powder https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008T9LX3C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Flour (100%): 271.09 g | 9.56 oz | 0.6 lbs

Water (63%): 170.78 g | 6.02 oz | 0.38 lbs

IDY (.5%): 1.36 g | 0.05 oz | 0 lbs | 0.45 tsp | 0.15 tbsp

Salt (1.5%): 4.07 g | 0.14 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.85 tsp | 0.28 tbsp

Oil (1.5%): 4.07 g | 0.14 oz | 0.01 lbs | 0.9 tsp | 0.3 tbsp

Sugar (2%): 5.42 g | 0.19 oz | 0.01 lbs | 1.36 tsp | 0.45 tbsp

DMP (.5%): 1.36 g | 0.05 oz | 0 lbs | 0.54 tsp | 0.18 tbsp

Total (169%): 458.14 g | 16.16 oz | 1.01 lbs | TF = N/A

I wonder if you could make something comparable from freeze dried butter and salt - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0096I6XSU/

^and ^^maybe ^^^a ^^^^little ^^^^^msg

They do indeed make powered butter.

https://www.amazon.com/Augason-Farms-Butter-Powder-lbs/dp/B0096I6XSU/ref=sr_1_11?crid=2OTKWUMRXSCE0&keywords=augason+farms+emergency+food&qid=1564502095&s=gateway&sprefix=augason+farm%2Caps%2C316&sr=8-11

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008T9LX3C/

I managed to find a link now that i'm on a computer. http://www.amazon.com/Ener-G-Egg-Replacer-16/dp/B0014DZGUQ

I have magic brand: https://www.amazon.ca/MAGIC-Baking-Powder-225G-24/dp/B06XR196HY/ref=pd_sbs_325_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06XR196HY&pd_rd_r=5846f6c0-647f-11e8-82cb-956118da8fd6&pd_rd_w=bNawF&pd_rd_wg=pcA7B&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_p=3743643050606576516&pf_rd_r=56PXEPAVNRH9ZME0XKC0&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=56PXEPAVNRH9ZME0XKC0

doesn't say aluminum free, but does list corn starch...that's what I had at home when wife got it. I will need to get something else.

I do have bob redmill baking soda, but I assume I cannot use that interchangeably.??

Maybe they mean butter powder? Which is a thing I also had no idea existed.