What is psyllium husk?

GF flour blend

A pre-mixed gluten-free flour combining 3-5 different flours and starches to approximate the behavior of wheat. Most quality blends follow a similar pattern: rice flour (structural backbone), tapioca or potato starch (binding, lightness), a whole-grain flour like sorghum or millet (flavor depth), and sometimes xanthan gum already mixed in. The leading commercial blends — Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, King Arthur Measure-for-Measure, and Cup4Cup — all work in our recipes. Two practical notes. First: if the blend already contains xanthan, skip any added xanthan in the recipe; doubling up makes the dough gummy. Second: for extra chew in pizza or flatbreads, swap 10-20% of the blend for glutinous rice flour (mochiko) — despite the name it contains no gluten, just creates a stretchier, slightly sticky crumb. Brand performance varies; if you're new to GF baking, start with the Bob's 1-to-1 blend.

GF 00-style flour

A finely milled gluten-free flour formulated specifically to mimic wheat 00 flour for pizza and bread. The leading brands are Caputo Fioreglut (Italian, sold in red bags, widely considered the gold standard) and King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour (US alternative). Both contain higher concentrations of protein-mimicking binders than a 1-to-1 baking blend, so the dough handles much closer to wheat — stretchable, foldable, and capable of holding shape during a stretch or shape. GF 00 is meaningfully more expensive than a standard 1-to-1 blend and isn't necessary for most home GF baking — reserve it for pizza doughs and rustic loaves where the structural difference matters. For sandwich bread, focaccia, and flatbreads, a standard GF blend plus psyllium husk gives nearly identical results.