Cassava Flour Will Change Your Gluten-Free Baking for Good

Welcome to our food series called Eat It Up, where we share the kitchen gadgets and foods that we can’t cook without.

Gluten-free baked goods can be prone to tasting sandy and dry, but those days are about to be behind you. We’ve discovered a new GF flour that mimics wheat flour pretty closely and tastes fairly indistinguishable. Bob’s Red Mill Cassava Flour ($9) comes from the cassava plant, a starchy tuberous root found in South America. It has a mild flavor and fine texture that makes it ideal for baking. Beyond being GF, it has the added bonus of being paleo-friendly too!

Though it can be used in cookies, pizza crust, biscuits, and other essential baked goods, we had to try it first in brownies. This particular recipe is slightly “heathier” as it calls for maple syrup instead of sugar. The results shocked us (in a good way). As the brand promises, this flour is very comparable to wheat flour in terms of how it bakes and tastes. It has no weird grittiness or slightly off flavor. The only change we may make to the recipe for next time is to bake it less to result in a fudge-y rather than cake-y brownie.

Cassava Brownies

(Makes 9 brownies)

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Recipe Notes: For a fudgier brownie, reduce the cook time by 5 minutes or so or until the brownies are mostly set but still wiggle a little in the center. Allow them to cool fully before cutting into pieces. For square brownies, cut off the ends before cutting into even pieces.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks, divided

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/4 cup coconut oil or ghee

• 1/4 cup cassava flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil an 8×8-inch pan.

2. In a double boiler over low heat, melt 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and coconut oil or ghee. Whisk frequently while melting and let cool to just slightly warm.

3. While chocolate mixture cools, combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla until thick and foamy.

4. Fold cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs until evenly combined. Add dry ingredients and remaining 1/4 cup chocolate pieces and fold into chocolate mixture until no streaks of flour are visible.

5. Pour into prepared pan and smooth evenly.

6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool, then slice and serve.

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(Photos via Brittany Griffin/Brit + Co)