Gluten Free Blintz Souffle
This is based on a recipe from the Jewish Food List which has been reworked to make it gluten free.
This is based on a recipe from the Jewish Food List which has been reworked to make it gluten free.
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 large eggs
- filling:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- batter:
- 1 cup gluten free flour (i used 1/3 c brown rice flour, 1/3 c sweet rice flour, and 1/3 c tapioca starch)
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 cup melted butter cooled
- 2 lb. fresh ricotta
- 1/4 t ground cinnamon
- Carbohydrate 19.763269580373 g
- Cholesterol 224.658601167089 mg
- Fat 60.1735152654832 g
- Fiber 2.05982065875594 g
- Protein 10.1911409848268 g
- Saturated Fat 21.4858191077672 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (258g)
- Sodium 4826.32171955395 mg
- Sugar 17.703448921617 g
- Trans Fat 5.31353429533528 g
- Calories 645 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix together all batter ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth.
- Mix together all the filling ingredients in a large bowl.
- Pour half the batter into a lightly greased 9"x13" Pyrex dish. Tilt the pan to evenly cover the bottom.
- Spoon the filling on top and carefully spread filling out evenly. Pour remaining batter over the filling.
- Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
Starch selection dictates success when adapting classic baked dishes to a gluten-free format. Tapioca starch provides the elasticity typically lost when wheat proteins are removed, mimicking the structural stretch required to trap steam during baking. Rice flours supply the necessary structural bulk without developing tough gluten networks.
The Chemistry of Dairy and Eggs
Proteins coagulate when heated, transforming liquid batters into stable matrices. Fresh ricotta contains high moisture content; draining it slightly prevents excess water from breaking the emulsion formed by the two large eggs and melted butter. Sugar molecules interfere with protein bonding, keeping the curd tender rather than rubbery. Blending the batter ingredients in a machine rather than whisking by hand ensures the starches hydrate fully before hitting the oven.
Baking Dynamics and Texture
Heat transfer in a glass 9"x13" Pyrex dish occurs more slowly than in metal pans, requiring a moderate 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven setting to cook the center without scorching the exterior dairy solids. Baking for 45 to 50 minutes allows trapped moisture to expand the batter into a puffed, golden-brown crust. Over-baking releases water from the cheese matrix, resulting in a watery pool beneath the set custard layer.
