What's wrong with Corn Flour (not starch but the flour) ?

~Flawed Design~ · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 30

I've read a million recipies in the last two week on making GF foods, and I rarely come across anyone using corn flour, which is very yellow and yummy and a fine fine flour.
Many recipies call for corn meal, many more call for corn starch. . .but almost never corn flour, and because of that I am afraid to use it as a substitute.
Does it yield very poor result or something?
I'm sure many of you have tried it.

I'm talking about baking with it.

PS: I am not read many of the recipies in this website. . . maybe they do call for corn flour.
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Suspected Celiac since 2-2-2007.

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

Corn flour is uncommonly used, in the US anyway, because it is not widely available. Bob's Red Mill makes corn flour but it is not considered GF (last time I checked it anyway) because it is made in the same plant as their gluten line. I have several cookbooks from the UK, and they use cornflour extensively. Can you find GF cornflour in Canada where you are? Be careful to make sure the one you are using is not CC with gluten grains. This may require a call to the manufacturer.

Edited to add - I did find GF corn flour at the gluten free mall.
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

dp14304 · Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Toronto, ON

Hi everyone. I fairly new at this gluten free lifestyle but I've been being extremely careful with not consuming any gluten whatsoever. I have just returned from Whole Foods with Stone Ground Golden Corn Flour Masa Harina because I wanted to try making corn tortillas. I never dreamed this wasn't technically gluten free with the ingredients being just Stone Ground Corn and lime. It doesn't have the gluten free symbol on it. Has anyone had any experience with this or should I just completely stay away from it. Thanks for your help. Denise

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

Corn flour can be manufactured on shared lines with gluten grains. You would need to check with the manufacturer to know if it is. Is there a phone number on the package? I would check it out before I would eat it. Let us know what you find out.
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

dp14304 · Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Toronto, ON

Colleen. Thanks for your help. I will contact Bob Red's Mill and then post what I find out.

Denise

The Edifying Conscience · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2343

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

TEC - you're remembering our potato starch discussion. The cookbooks I have from the UK refer to cornstarch as maize starch. Corn flour is another beast entirely. Whew - it gets confusing, doesn't it?
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Fidissimus · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 1459 Location: Portland, OR.

ostrich · Joined: 30 Mar 2006 Posts: 3960 Location: Nebraska

I have that issue too. The last time I made corn muffins they tasted like sand. Let us know what they say!
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Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

The Edifying Conscience · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2343

Thanks Colleen! Maybe that is the reason why I'm confused.

Os and Fidd,
Have either of you tried the corn bread book in the Hagman Bread book? I think it's pretty darn good when baked in a cast iron skillet, but it may be a bit gritty as well. If not, which recipes are you using?

cruelshoes · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 2325 Location: Washington State

OK - I called Bob's Red Mill (I think I need to put them on speed dial). I talked to Jennifer. The cornmeal and corn flour that they offer are processed in their NON-GF facility. They do not ELISA test it, and do not market it as GF (No GF symbol). There is a possibility of cross contamination. I used it once before I knew that, and both I and my son had an unmistakable gluten reaction. I personally will not use it.

They do offer a GF cornbread mix that is GF. The cornmeal for that mix is processed in their GF facility. But because of limited space in their GF mill, they do not offer a GF corn flour or cornmeal as a part of the GF line.

So - the corn flour/meal in the GF cornbread mix is GF, but the cornflour and cornmeal that they offer as standalone products are not.

Hope this helps!
_________________
-Colleen
Dx 8/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
9-YO son Dx 11/05 via bloodwork/biopsy
Daughters have negative bloodwork - so far!

A woman is like a tea bag-you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. - Eleanor Roosevelt

ostrich · Joined: 30 Mar 2006 Posts: 3960 Location: Nebraska

Thanks Colleen!

TEC - I don't have a cast-iron skillet...does it make that big of a difference? And I don't quite remember where I got my recipe from.
_________________
Ostrich :>--O==={

I lie below, you float above
In the pretty white ships that I am dreaming of

Linda

The Edifying Conscience · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2343

This link will take you to the list of BRM products that are certified gluten free as Colleen previously mentioned.

The Edifying Conscience · Joined: 29 Aug 2005 Posts: 2343

Confused no more!

Edited appropriately