Amaranth flour
Amaranth flour is made from the seed of the Amaranth plant, which is a leafy vegetable. Amaranth seeds are very high in protein, which makes a nutritious flour for baking. Alternative names: African spinach, Chinese spinach, Indian spinach, elephants ear.
Wheat free Gluten free Arrowroot flour
Arrowroot flour is ground from the root of the plant, and is very useful for thickening recipes. It is tasteless, and the fine powder becomes clear when it is cooked, which makes it ideal for thickening clear sauces.
Wheat free Gluten free Barley flour
Barley only contains a small amount of gluten, so is rarely used to make bread, with the exception of unleavened bread. It has a slightly nutty flavour, and can be used to thicken or flavour soups or stews. Blended with other alternative flours it is also fairly versatile for cakes, biscuits, pastry, dumplings etc.
Wheat free 
Gluten free Brown rice flour
Brown rice flour is heavier than its relative, white rice flour. It is milled from unpolished brown rice so it has a higher nutritional value than white, and as it contains the bran of the brown rice it has a higher fibre content. This also means that it has a noticeable texture, a bit grainy.
It does have a slight nutty taste, which will sometimes come out in recipes depending on the other ingredients, and the texture will also contribute to a heavier product than recipes made with white rice flour.
It is not often used completely on its own because of its heavier nature.
Bulk buying is not recommended as it is better used when fresh, store in an airtight container.
Wheat free Gluten free Buckwheat flour
Buckwheat flour is not, despite its name a form of wheat, buckwheat is actually related to rhubarb. The small seeds of the plant are ground to make flour.
It has a strong nutty taste so is not generally used on its own in a recipe, as the taste of the finished product can be very overpowering, and a little bitter. Alternative names: beech wheat, kasha, saracen corn.
Wheat free Gluten freeChick pea flour (also known as gram or garbanzo flour)
This is ground from chick peas and has a strong slightly nutty taste. It is not generally used on its own.
Wheat free Gluten free Cornflour
Cornflour is milled from corn into a fine, white powder, and is used for thickening recipes and sauces. It has a bland taste, and therefore is used in conjunction with other ingredients that will impart flavour to the recipe.
It also works very well when mixed with other flours, for example when making fine batters for tempura.
Some types of cornflour are milled from wheat but are labelled wheaten cornflour.
Alternative name: cornstarch.
Wheat free Gluten free Cornmeal
Ground from corn. Heavier than cornflour, not generally interchangeable in recipes.
Wheat free Gluten free Maize flour
Ground from corn. Heavier than cornflour, not generally interchangeable in recipes.
Available in the UK in wholefood stores.
Wheat free Gluten free Millet flour
Comes from the grass family, and is used as a cereal in many African and Asian countries. It can be used to thicken soups and make flat breads and griddle cakes. Because it lacks any form of gluten it's not suited to many types of baking. Available in the UK in wholefood stores.
Wheat free Gluten free Potato flour
This flour should not be confused with potato starch flour. Potato flour has a strong potato flavour and is a heavy flour so a little goes a long way. Bulk buying is not recommended unless you are using it on a very regular basis for a variety of recipes as it does not have a very long shelf life.
Wheat free Gluten free Potato starch flour
This is a fine white flour made from potatoes, and has a light potato flavour which is undetectable when used in recipes. It's one of the few alternative flours that keeps very well provided it is stored in an airtight jar, and somewhere cool and dark.
Wheat free Gluten free Quinoa flour (pronounced 'keen wa')
Quinoa is related to the plant family of spinach and beets. It has been used for over 5,000 years as a cereal, and the Incas called it the mother seed. Quinoa provides a good source of vegetable protein and it is the seeds of the quinoa plant that are ground to make flour. It's a rarity to find quinoa flour in the UK, although quinoa itself is widely available.
Wheat free Gluten free Rye flour
Rye flour is a strongly flavoured flour, dark in colour. Breads made with rye flour are denser than those made with wheat, for example pumpernickel which is virtually black. Rye flour has a low gluten content, but it can also be used for recipes such as pancakes and muffins.
Wheat free Gluten free Sorghum flour
This is a relatively new flour on the market, and not readily available in the UK. It is ground from sorghum grain, which is similar to millet. The flour is used to make porridge or flat unleavened breads. It is an important staple in Africa and India.
This flour stores well under normal temperatures.
Wheat free Gluten free Soya flour
Soya flour is a high protein flour with a nutty taste. It is not generally used on it's own in recipes, but when combined with other flours is very successful as an alternative flour. Can be used to thicken recipes or added as a flavour enhancer.
It needs to be carefully stored as it is a high fat flour and can go rancid if not stored properly. A cool, dark environment is recommended and can even be stored in the refrigerator.
Wheat free Gluten free Stamp Collection all purpose flour
This flour, produced by The Stamp Collection, is 100% organic and wheat free. It is a blend of barley, rice, millet and maize flours. This flour works well in a wide variety of recipes, from soufflés to biscuits, and pancakes to pastry. It can't however be used to produce bread, although bread type products can be made from it. The all purpose flour absorbs liquid slower than wheat flour, and so additional time allowance needs to be made when using in recipes to allow liquid to absorb fully.
Wheat free Gluten free Tapioca flour
Tapioca flour is made from the root of the cassava plant, once ground it takes the form of a light, soft, fine white flour. Tapioca flour adds chewiness to baking and is a good thickener. Although difficult to source in the UK tapioca flour is an excellent addition to any wheat free kitchen. It's a fairly resilient flour, so storing at room temperature is no problem.
Wheat free Gluten free Teff flour
Teff comes from the grass family, and is a tiny cereal grain native to northern Africa. It is ground into flour and used to prepare injera, which is a spongy, slightly sour flat bread. It is now finding a niche in the health food market because it is very nutritious, although currently it's a rarity to find in the UK.
Wheat free Gluten free White rice flour
This flour is milled from polished white rice so it is very bland in taste, and not particularly nutritious. White rice flour is ideal for recipes that require a light texture, for example our herby dumplings. It can be used on its own for a variety of recipes and has a reasonable shelf life, as long as it is stored in an airtight container to avoid it absorbing moisture from the air.
Wheat free Gluten free
