Gotcha - Xanthan Gum was on the top shelf in the supermarket

[forge]

I had difficulty finding Xanthan Gum in our Coles Supermarket, I found it in Coles Online and still could not find it in the shop. A super tall male assitant found it on the top shelf.

It was worth finding. I used it for peanut biscuits and made some coconut flour bread rolls and it really adds the glue. It is supposed to be 1 teasp per cup of non wheat flour, but I used double for coconut flour. There is a niche market out there for someone who wants to sell nut flour with X in it.

It is easy to use and should save all those eggs that people use for glue in nut and flax flours.

 

[iHs]

In the UK. Xanthum Gum (Dove) tends to hide a tiny bit on the supermarket shelves where 'Freefrom' products are sold.

 

[forge]

here is the link http://shop.coles.com.au/online/mobile/national/nu-vit-xanthan-gum

 

[JTL]

Never heard of it so had a google around ....

Xanthan gum is a sugar-like compound made by mixing aged (fermented) sugars with a certain kind of bacteria. It is used to make medicine.

Xanthan gum is used for lowering blood sugar and total cholesterol in people with diabetes. It is also used as a laxative.

Xanthan gum is sometimes used as a saliva substitute in people with dry mouth (Sjogren's syndrome).

In manufacturing, xanthan gum is used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in foods, toothpastes, and medicines. Xanthan gum is also an ingredient in some sustained-release pills.

How does it work?
Xanthan gum swells in the intestine, which stimulates the digestive tract to push stool through. It also might slow the absorption of sugar from the digestive tract and work like saliva to lubricate and wet the mouth in people who don't produce enough saliva.
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-suppl...edientId=340&activeIngredientName=XANTHAN GUM

 

[forge]

Here it is on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthan_gum There is a huge amount of valuable info it is worth a read.

You probably have used products with Xanthan in it. Xanthan is widely used commercially as a baking enhancer as I did and it is in salad dressing, toothpaste and cosmetics and a whole range of other products and even in "mud" used in the drilling for oil industry.

Xanthan has a peculiar property whereby it thickens and holds igredients together nearly like a glue and if you shake it up it willl flow. That is why it is commonly used in salad dressings to stop the ingrediants separating while it is in the bottle yet shake it up and you can pour it out.

With my bread mix I used a basic bread mix with 3 cups of wheat flour and substituted 2 cups of wheat flour for 1 cup of coconut flour (1 cup wheat flour + 1 cup coconut flour 3 tsp Xanthan) and this made 6 bread rolls not tiny or huge but small medium size. I used wholemeal flour and they ended up fairly dense but they were definitely bread rolls and tasty.

Three of us had one bread roll eah for lunch and one bread roll each for dinner. No one has complained of after effects.

 

[Nyxks]

its very common in Gluten Free backing, but its early subbed for other options as well such as Psyllium Fiber, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds, Gelatin (non vegan) and Agar Agar (vegan).

I tend to use Flex or Chia seeds instead of Xanthan Gum

 

[forge]

Thanks @Nyxks It is all new to me.

I have not found any of the special ingredietns locally available. Xanthan gum is the first one I have found and it should help me use the 25 lb bag of coconut flour I bought - ( a saving of $150 Australian). It would be good to mix them up a bit but so far I am pleased with my results.

The bread rolls are on the agenda as an occasional treat ( lot of messing around without a bread maker) and I made (not cooked) chocolate balls with almond flour and coconut flour crushed peanuts and desiccated coconut and I put some Xanthan in that too.The choc balls are Ok but later I found a warning not to use too much or they end up slimy when you chew.

so it will be good to get around to trying all the alternatives.

 

[Nyxks]

@forge - You might try looking on Pinterest for ideas and options, if you are going the vegan side of things there are plenty of alternatives out there for replacement of eggs and other animal products and a bunch of no bake options for treats (my mate and I make a no bake chocolate chip cookies that are allergy friendly that I take to work with me and can share with any of the kids who have allergies as they are nut, soy, coconut, sesame seed, poppy seed, dairy, gluten, peanut, yeast and egg free).

 

[forge]

Thanks @Nyxks I will check it out no bake sounds good I made some no bake rum balls yesterday without the rum (choc/vanilla)

I am definitely not a veggie I just don't like excesses, especially eggs - they are on the suss list for heart disease and recomended max 8 per week on at least one site. 8 sounds like excess to me tho.

 

[forge]

@Nyxks I can't find the recipe for non bake lo carb choc chip cookies and you please post it.

Thanks

 

[Nyxks]

@forge - depends on what you mean by low carb, but http://www.veganricha.com/2014/06/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-bars-no.html is the base recipe I've adapted for my own use, I don't use the coconut oil or nut flours - i use regular sunflower oil and in place of the nut n oat flour I use Teff n Rice Flour. For the sweetener I use Agava Nector instead. The dairy alternative I use is rice milk. Took some experimenting to find the right mix alternatives, but the base works well if you don't have to cater to allergies.

 

[forge]

Thanks @Nyxks I see what you mean, maybe I can make something similar with what I have in the cupboard.

I am sure the wild turkeys in our yard will eat it if it is a dud.

Here is my vanilla choc balls
No cooking mix then roll into balls

1 cup almond meal
1 cup crushed peanuts
1 cup desiccated coconut
100ml coconut flour
1 level tsp Xanthan gum (optional but it is a glue)
50ml olive oil
100ml sweetener (more or less to taste)
125ml cocoa
3 tsp gelatine
3 tbspoons vanilla (more or less to taste) or rum or rum essence.

add water and hand mix to a stodgy dough roll into balls then roll in desiccatedd coconut.

Store in the fridge, the mix should firm overnight as the coconut gets softer and the mix dries out.