America's Test Kitchen Gluten-Free Flour Blend

Why this recipe works: When looking for a wheat-free substitute for all-purpose flour, no single gluten-free flour or starch behaves like wheat flour-a blend is a must. Because store-bought blends perform inconsistently-one product might deliver great cookies but subpar cakes-we decided to create our own. We found that two flours-white rice and brown rice-provided the right baseline of protein, starch, and flavor. Since different starches absorb water, swell, and gel at different temperatures and to different degrees, we enlisted both tapioca starch and potato starch to create the right amount of chew and structure. Milk powder was key to our blends success, contributing proteins that help improve structure in our gluten-free baked goods and, along with its sugars, undergo the Maillard browning reaction, which leads to more complex flavor.