My friends on the farm, Maple Grove Farms that is, recently sent me a sample of their gluten-free All Purpose Baking Mix to try out. Now those of you that follow me regularly know that weekends are where I shine in the breakfast department though I still look for products that will get me in and out of the kitchen quickly but deliver on taste. Maple Grove definitely fit the bill perfectly as the pancake recipe was right on the box.
Maple Grove’s mix is a blend of potato and corn starches along with rice and corn flours and has a really fine consistency which make for easy mixing – read no lumps. The batter mixes-up to the perfect consistency that holds together in the pan before the heat takes over and the pancakes begin to rise. Some products I have tried go all runny and leave you with crepes vs. real fluffy pancakes. Maple Grove’s cook-up wonderfully fully and brown and crisp absolutely perfectly. Best of all, a little goes a long way. I followed the instructions on the box for one batch of pancakes and since I prefer one large vs. several small, the recipe yielded two rather large pancakes, which was perfect.
Now for the taste. These pancakes had a truly great flavor that played so well off the saltiness of the butter from the pan. Add a bit of real maple syrup and you are in for a real treat. These pancakes have a great light and airy texture and don’t leave you feeling like you ate a rock afterwards as is sometimes the case.
But don’t just use this for breakfast. I do not bake so I am afraid this mix will only see pancakes and waffles. This mix appears to be highly versatile and even the box has ideas for a range of uses. Or better yet, try incorporating it in your favorite recipes as a flour substitute. If you do give it a go, please let me know what you think.
Maple Grove Farms make a range of gluten-free products that you can view on their Web site – where you can also locate stores in your area or order online.
