Starches and Their Effect on Texture
Starches have a low protein content and very fine particles that can improve the dough, creating a fluffy, tender, and airy crumb. Here are the starches that Aran likes to use in her gluten-free breads.
Potato Starch
Potato starch, not to be confused with potato flour, provides a soft and tender crumb. It is a very finely milled and dense flour. If you cannot have potatoes, substitute the amount the recipe calls for with cornstarch. If you cannot have cornstarch, replace potato starch with half tapioca starch and half whatever other whole-grain flour is in the recipe. The final texture will not be the same, but the bread will come together.
Protein Content: Low
Hydration Capacity: Low
Flavor Profile: Mild
Tapioca Starch
Tapioca starch, extracted from the yuca root, helps bind and create a crisp thin crust in your bread. Tapioca starch becomes very stretchy when mixed with water so too much of it will result in a gummy interior. Cornstarch and arrowroot are good substitutes for tapioca (although somewhat less stretchy).
Protein Content: Low
Hydration Capacity: Low
Flavor Profile: Mild
Sweet White Rice Flour
Sweet white rice flour or glutinous flour is made from grinding short-grain rice. Just like brown rice flour, it is a hard grain to mill, so seek out the brands that say superfine on the label. The final texture will be much less gritty and your dough will hydrate better. It is very stretchy and elastic like tapioca starch and can also make bread gummy if used in excess.
Protein Content: Low
Hydration Capacity: Medium
Flavor Profile: Mildly sweet
