Alright, let’s talk about these gluten free brownies, you know, the ones without that wheat stuff. My grandkid, bless her heart, can’t eat that gluten. Said it makes her tummy hurt somethin’ awful. So, I been tryin’ to figure out how to make her some good ol’ brownies she can actually eat.
Now, I ain’t no fancy baker, mind you. I just use what I got and try to make it taste good. First time I tried makin’ these gluten-free things, they was a disaster! Tasted like dirt, I tell ya. Fell apart like sand. The kids, they wouldn’t even touch ’em.
Then I heard tell of this Enjoy Life Gluten Free Brownie Mix. Said it was allergy-friendly and you could find it most anywhere. Sounded promising, so I went and got myself a box. Well, I baked ’em up, followed the directions and all, and they looked alright. Smelled okay too. But when we tasted ’em… somethin’ was missin’.
They weren’t…chocolatey enough, you know? And there was this strange taste, kinda like… flour, but not the regular kind. My grandkid, she took a bite and made a face. Said it tasted “funny”. Kids, they don’t hold back, that’s for sure. So, that mix, it was a no-go.
- It wasn’t chocolatey enough.
- It had a weird floury taste.
- The kids didn’t like it.
So, I figured, I gotta do this myself. Started askin’ around, readin’ some things on that internet thingamajig. Turns out, you gotta use different kinds of flour when you’re bakin’ without gluten. Heard tell of oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour, even wheat flour – though that last one don’t make no sense for gluten-free, does it? Someone’s pullin’ my leg, I reckon. And then there’s rye flour, whatever that is. Sounds fancy.
I tried a few different things. The almond flour, that one made the brownies too… crumbly. Like they’d fall apart if you looked at ‘em wrong. The coconut flour, it made ‘em taste like… well, coconuts. Which ain’t bad, but it ain’t brownies, you know? The oat flour, that one seemed the best. Gave the brownies a nice texture, kinda chewy, but still held together.
But it ain’t just the flour, see. You gotta get the chocolate right too. I used to just use whatever cocoa powder I had on hand. But now I know better. You gotta get the good stuff, the dark chocolate, the kind that smells so strong it makes your eyes water. And don’t skimp on it neither! More chocolate, the better, that’s what I say.
And then there’s the sugar. I like to use a mix of white sugar and brown sugar. The brown sugar, it gives the brownies a little somethin’ extra, a kinda caramel flavor. And a pinch of salt, that’s important too. Brings out all the other flavors, you know? Makes ‘em pop.
Now, I ain’t gonna give you no fancy recipe. I don’t really use one. I just throw things together until it looks and feels right. But I’ll tell you this, the key to good gluten free brownies is good ingredients and a whole lotta love. And don’t be afraid to experiment. If it don’t turn out right the first time, try again. That’s what I do.
And if you’re usin’ a regular ol’ cake recipe, the one with the wheat flour? Well, that ain’t gonna be gluten-free, no sirree. You gotta find a recipe that’s made for gluten-free bakin’, or you gotta figure out how to change it yourself. It ain’t rocket science, but it takes some fiddlin’. But trust me, when you see that smile on your grandkid’s face when they take a bite of a brownie they can actually eat… well, it’s worth all the trouble.
So that’s my two cents on gluten free brownies. They ain’t always easy to make, but they sure are worth it when you get ‘em right. Just remember, good flour, good chocolate, and a whole lotta love. That’s all you need.
And if your first batch ain’t perfect? Don’t you fret none. Just keep tryin’. Even an old woman like me can learn new tricks, and you can too. Now go on and bake somethin’ delicious.
Tags: [gluten free, brownies, baking, dessert, allergy-friendly, chocolate, flour substitutes, recipe, oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour]