The Pantry Alphabet: X

What is it?

Do you have this ingredient in your pantry?

I do, but I haven't used it yet.

So, this week, no recipe clues. Just guess (remember, it's the letter X), and let us know if you have this and use it.

If you're a blogger who's used this ingredient, please share a link to one of your own recipe posts in the comments. I need ideas so I can put this ingredient to use.

(Spoiler alert: It's also known as E415.)

See you next Saturday, for the letter Y.

Last week: Worcestershire sauce.

Comments

No, don't currently have, and may never use it! I think it can be used in gluten free baking. I know certain brands of ice cream and bottled salad dressing use it as a emulsifier.

Xanthum gum? (I don't have any in my pantry, although my middle son probably does - and I have no idea what it's used for!)

I thought you might choose this. I know what it is and how/where/when to use it, but I don't have any. I'm not a coeliac but like to know how to cook for dear friends who are.

I'll now spend the next week pondering on what you might use for "y"!

Love and huggles, Michelle (with steady background snoring from Zebby Cat)

Forgot to add that while used as a thickener and stabiliser in many manufactured products it is especially good in gluten free baking to replace gluten's ability to "hold it all together and also stretch with the yeast gases". It is substituted by some with Guar gum.

How am I doing? Can you tell it is Saturday night here and not much is going on at "Chez Mickle & Zebby"? Gentle laughter from me ......

I'm quite sure I know what it is and what it is generally used for but don't have it and do not use it.

I needed it for a recipe I wanted to try, and saw the price on it at the market and just about fell over! Because I don't have to bake gluten free I passed on the recipe. So none in my pantry, and I've never used it.

What a great one! This stuff is massively expensive and seems to only come in large containers and used in tiny amounts (1/4 teaspoon here and there) so after needing it for a column, I gave the rest to a GF friend. Now I wish I'd kept some!

I've used this to make smoothies actually! Just a tiny bit helps keep it together so you can make a Starbucks-esque smoothie at home, without the ice separating.

It's also good to use in gluten-free baking.

And I agree - definitely expensive! But if you can get it on sale somewhere, it'll last forever!

I do have this if it is Xanthum gum! It's used in low-carb cooking as a thickener, but I have found it rather hard to work with. (You add it to the liquids and whisk like mad, but I can't seem to use it successfully without ending up with lumps. I've heard if you put it in a salt shaker so it shakes in only a very small amount that helps, but I haven't tried that yet.)

Before I saw your spoiler hint, I guessed Xylitol, which I happily have in my pantry. I'm using it in my coffee to try to avoid cavities but still have naturally sweetened coffee. It's a sugar made from birch trees.

My dad was allergic to gluten (celiac disease) and Mum used the X ingredient (at least I think it's the X ingredient) in her gluten-free flour mixture. Mum said that it made what had been dry grainy muffins/bread/cake into quite presentable baked goods.

Whenever Mum and Dad visited, I used it when making gluten-free bread: http://etherwork.net/recipes/glutenfreebread.html

Alas, I never blogged about it though.

Seen it on list of ingredients, but don't have it and don't know what to do with it. Think I've heard it mentioned on Iron Chef. LOL

Have it, use it for GF baking, though not much. When I have xylitol, I use that more! and who would have thought there are 2 X ingredients?

Well, Lydia, you know that I have used it for my gluten-free baking, but I'm not too crazy about what it actually is, so I increasingly make recipes where it's not needed. While it is expensive, it lasts a very long time. It is even used in salad dressings and ice cream in commerical products as a binder/stabilizer.

Shirley

Xanthum Gum used in most Bob's Redmill GF flour recipes. But I keep mine in the fridge to keep it fresh.

What everybody else said. know it, but don't use it - I leave that to the baking experts among us.

I knew it was Xanthum gum. Never have used it
but saying the word is fun!