How to Cook with Barley Flour
Barley flour is a nutritious non-wheat flour that comes from the barley plant and is a popular baking ingredient. Despite containing some levels of gluten, which may mean it’s not an option for people with coeliac disease, the flour has been associated with various health benefits including helping to reduce blood pressure and keeping cholesterol levels under control. It’s also rich in fibre and carbohydrates.
But the real appeal of barley flour is its flexibility and all-purpose nature; it can be used to bake so many different tasty foods! It’s becoming increasingly popular commercially and is a favourite of bakers for its nutty taste and thick texture. In this article, we‘ll take a look at some of our favourite barley flour recipes and what you need to do to get the most out of it when using it at home.
Barley Bread
There’s nothing like a warm loaf of bread out of the oven, and barley bread has a thick texture that many people prefer over other varieties. It’s generally tastier and crunchier. Here’s a quick and easy recipe that you’re sure to enjoy.Though it is not completely gluten-free, barley flour-based bread contains less gluten than more conventional wheat-based varieties.What you need:
- 2 cups of barley flour
- 3 ½ cups of bread flour
- 1 tsp of yeast
- 2 tsp of baking powder
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of linseed
- 2 tsp of sunflower seed
- 1 cup of water
- 2 tsp of olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 200-220 degrees
- Sift salt, flour and baking powder
- Use blender to blend water, olive oil and seeds into a liquid
- Add it to the flour mix and create a dough
- Put the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet
- Use implements to spread evenly into the desired shape (we recommend a flatbread)
- Bake for 20 or so minutes
- Serve!
Blueberry Muffins
Often you’ll find that muffins made with all-purpose flours can be very dry. Barley flour muffins are significantly more moist, however this can means they are less firm and crumble more easily. Ideally, you should let these muffins cool before eating.
What you need:
- 2 cups of barley flour
- 2 cups of blueberries
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup of milk
- 2 tsp of sugar
- ½ tsp of salt
- ½ cup of butter
- 2 tsp of baking powder
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 190 degrees
- Whisk the salt, baking powder and barley flour
- Blend or mix the butter and sugar
- Add the eggs, milk and vanilla and beat together
- Add the baking powder, salt and barley flour mix and stir together with the blueberries also
- Fill previously greased muffin cups, sprinkle sugar on the top
- Bake for 30 or so minutes
- Let the muffins cool then enjoy!
Pancakes
This simple receipe is a nice alternative to ordinary pancake and you’re sure to notice the difference in taste!
What you need:
- 1 egg
- ½ cup of buttermilk
- 1 cup of barley flour
- 1 tsp of sea salt
- 1 tsp of sugar
- 1 ½ cup of baking powder
- ½ cup of sour cream
Directions:
- Beat the egg, sour cream and buttermilk together to a nice, think consistency
- Sift the barley flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into a bowl
- Add the egg mixture and stir
- Put onto a hot plate until brown
- Flip and cook the other side
- When it looks golden and delicious, serve with whatever takes your fancy (ice cream, butter, honey, jam, etc)
As discussed, barley flour can be used to cook many different kinds of foods in addition to those mentioned here. It’s popular in the cooking of cookies, porridge and just about anything you’d ordinarily use other kinds of flour to make. Stay tuned for more healthy cooking ideas and recipes here on our blog!
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