Leavened arepas?

[Danl]

Not quite sure this belongs here, but I'll try anyway. Arepas are thick corn flour pancakes that are endemic to Colombia and Venezuela. Just corn flour, water, salt, and maybe a little butter. pat the dough into half-inch thick disks and fry to brown, and then bake to cook the insides. Anyone out there know about these? They're nice, but since there is no leavening, they come out somewhat dense. I tried making them with some baking powder, and they still came out dense. I'm assuming this is because the corn flour is gluten-free, so there is nothing to hold the gas in. Other strategies?

 

[MadelynK]

Hey! You’re right that corn flour is gluten free, so it’s harder to get a light texture. To make them less dense, you could try these:

1. Add a bit of all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup per 2 cups corn flour) to help with structure.
2. Increase the baking powder to 1-1.5 teaspoons per cup of corn flour.
3. Knead or whip the dough to add air.
4. Rest the dough before cooking to help soften it.

These might give you a lighter result! Let me know how it goes.

 

[Danl]

Thank you. I had similar thoughts. Especially adding a bit of flour to provide some gluten. As to kneading or whipping, if there isn't gluten, it's hard to understand how it will hold air. Same with adding more baking powder. I've heard that you can stir some cheese in the batter. That could help. Also, my understanding is that arepas are never really fluffy inside, but have a texture somewhat like the inside of a french fry. Of course, added flour and cheese make the recipe kind of unorthodox.

 

[LindaHolmes]

You could try adding a small amount of gluten free flour to the dough for more structure or experiment with different types of corn flour. Also, consider cooking the arepas for a longer time to dry them out a bit.

 

[Danl]

Not clear that any gluten-free flour really makes baked goods all that fluffy. Almond flour allegedly can make cake-like texture. Not clear how it manages to do that without gluten. Thick arepas are usually fried, to get a crust, but then baked for a while to make sure the insides are cooked. There is some discussion on line about making arepas more fluffy. Some say cook longer, some say cook shorter, some say cook at higher temperature, some say cook at lower temperature. Pretty confusing.

 

[retired baker]

Try a bit of mashed potato if flour doesn't suit you.