Since my first ever gluten free bake I have been on a huge learning curve. To begin with, I thought that it couldn’t be that much different to normal baking… after all, it’s still putting together ingredients and seeing what you end up with, right?

Well, here are a few things I’ve learned along the way which I wish I’d known when I  began…

• Don’t throw yourself in the deep end. One of my first bakes was gluten free bread… which was an absolute disaster! Definitely start off with something simple, like a gluten free Victoria Sandwich.
• 9 times out of 10 most “normal” recipes will need some adapting in order to work gluten free. Ever tried baking gluten free bread using a normal bread recipe? Don’t… you’ll end up with a rock!
• Possibly the most important tip of all: gluten free flour requires a lot more moisture than normal flour. Using the right amount of liquid can transform a bake from a complete disaster to a triumph. Adding a little bit of milk to cake mix is essential to ensure a lovely moist sponge and bakes like biscuits and bread always start with much a wetter dough.
• Weigh everything properly and precise for the best results. I don’t believe you need fancy equipment to be a successful baker, but I highly recommend investing in a pair of digital scales as they can give you a more precise measurement.
• Be careful when substituting ingredients. If a recipe specifies a certain type of ingredient, it’s probably there for a reason. That doesn’t mean you can’t substitute any ingredients – just think carefully about the ingredient’s function in the recipe.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment with unusual ingredients. Ever heard of Psyllium husk? Check out my list of Essential Gluten Free Ingredients to find out more.
• Keep looking for inspiration. I find a lot of inspiration from “normal” baking blogs, Pinterest, cooking programmes and magazines – a lot of recipes can be easily adapted, don’t be afraid to give it a go!