Table of contents

Questions about the Ruut cassava flour:

1. Is cassava flour fermented and is it low in histamine?

2. Does cassava flour contain hydrocyanic acid?

3. Why does Ruut cassava flour cost more than other flours?

4. What is the best-before date for Ruut products?

5. Does Ruut cassava flour have organic certification?

6. Are laboratory analyzes carried out with the Ruut cassava flour?

7. Is cassava flour the same as tapioca starch?

Questions about the order:

8. How much does delivery to Austria and other countries cost?

9. Are Ruut products also shipped to Switzerland?

Questions about baking and the recipes:

10. Can I substitute cassava flour 1:1 for wheat flour?

11. How can I substitute ingredients in your recipes?

12. How can I replace the egg in your recipes?

13. My bread/roll is not baked through, why?

14. Why aren't my rolls/loaves of bread rising?

15. Do I have to freeze the bread/rolls after the first day?

Answer:

Questions about the Ruut cassava flour:

1. Is cassava flour fermented and is it low in histamine?

Our Ruut cassava flour is made without fermentation. It has a neutral taste and is low in histamine.

2. Does cassava flour contain hydrocyanic acid?

The raw cassava root usually contains a proportion of hydrocyanic acid. However, if it is processed into flour, the majority of the hydrocyanic acid disappears due to the production method and thus hardly poses a danger to us with the normal constitution of an average adult person. There are two factors to consider when processing the raw root: First, there are two varieties of cassava root, one bitter and one sweet. The sweet variety contains much less hydrocyanic acid than the other. The root that we use for our flour is only the sweet variety. Furthermore, the proportion of hydrocyanic acid is reduced by processing the root, which means that the consumption of the flour is safe for us.

In our case, the processing of the root consists of peeling, drying in the oven and grinding. In addition, the flour is normally cooked or baked by the consumer in the kitchen, i.e. further processed and in particular heated, which reduces the hydrocyanic acid content even further. But even in the raw state, the consumption of our flour in small quantities is harmless. You would really have to consume a lot of it for the hydrocyanic acid content to become dangerous. Cassava root is not the only plant that contains hydrocyanic acid. It is believed that there are over 1000 plant species worldwide that contain hydrocyanic acid or the enzyme that is converted to hydrocyanic acid. We test our cassava flour for the respective hydrocyanic acid content, which is why we can basically guarantee that normal and intended consumption is harmless.

3. Why does Ruut cassava flour cost more than other flours?

Many people ask us why our cassava flour is "so expensive" and we often answer by asking why other flours are so cheap. At Ruut, we keep real food prices, which means that the smallholders can really make a living from it. The big, common flours of wheat, corn, and the like are all subsidized and commonly grown in large monocultures to make them cheap to produce. Unfortunately, they are often not good for the environment/diversity because of this. Furthermore, the other flours are usually only sold in supermarkets, which unfortunately are not interested in a margin from the flour, but only in the customer base (since they assume that the customer always buys more than he actually intended and the supermarket still gets his profit).

As a small trader specializing in flour and baking mixes , we could of course not survive with a zero margin. One must never forget that a farmer has to make a living from his produce. If the flours in the supermarket are so cheap, one has to ask how the farmer is doing? Do farmers, as producers of our food, deserve to live on the brink of poverty or can only survive on subsidies? As children of a farmer ourselves, we clearly say "no".

Here at Ruut we strive to show you a clear chain of production so we can ensure our product is made fairly and is of the best quality. We work exclusively with independent small farmers in Peru, who are paid directly by our local producer to sell the cassava roots. This allows farmers to negotiate the price themselves (direct trade) instead of being dependent on market prices (e.g. when a wholesaler stands between the grower and the manufacturer). The small farmers in Peru do not receive any subsidies for their products, as is usual in Europe. It is therefore all the more important to pay the farmers fair prices. All the farmers we get our cassava root from work in a traditional way and without huge monocultures, which is beneficial for nature.

The quality of our product and our customer service is our priority at Ruut. All of our fields are organically grown, without any pesticides or artificial fertilizers. Each batch from Peru is carefully analyzed in the laboratory to ensure quality.

4. What is the best-before date for Ruut products?

After production in Peru, our flour has a shelf life of at least 2 years. The waffle mix has a shelf life of 20 months after manufacture. For the bread baking mix , we have previously set 16 months after production as the best before date (MHD) because we do not yet have sufficiently reliable data as to whether it may last longer. If we have the data, we will adjust the MHD if necessary.

Correct storage is important so that the bread baking mixture does not run out prematurely. So it is best to keep them in a cool and dark place. Otherwise the yeast may expire prematurely and no longer react during baking.

5. Does Ruut cassava flour have organic certification?

Ruut works with small farmers in Peru who do not use pesticides. As an ancient plant in South America, cassava is very undemanding and is rarely attacked by pests. For this reason, the farmers in Peru, at least we know for sure from the fields that we have selected, usually run their cassava fields without the addition of pesticides and artificial fertilizers. The cassava plant itself is very good at compensating for drought and periods with too much water, which makes maintaining the cassava fields very easy for the farmers.

Another advantage of the fields that we harvest for our flour is that they are not operated as monocultures. Other types of plants often grow in the fields (e.g. useful plants for animal feed) and the farmers also work according to the principle of rotation. This means that there are no large areas that are only planted with cassava, but a different crop grows in each field, but this changes according to the respective harvest. For example, the cassava field is surrounded by coffee fields, cocoa bean fields, banana fields and plantain fields, which rotate after the harvest. In this way, the diversity of nature is preserved and all plants get enough nutrients without artificial fertilizers or pesticides.

We don't currently have organic certification, but we're working on it. At the moment it is more important to us that we can guarantee that our farmers work without pesticides than the organic seal itself. Since we work with various, independent small farmers instead of one large producer, it is very complicated and expensive to go organic -To get certification, since we would have to apply for certification from each individual farmer.

6. Are laboratory analyzes carried out with the Ruut cassava flour?

Very few companies do detailed food analysis on every batch of their products these days! At the beginning of our search for the right flour, we were surprised at the quality differences in the cassava flour market. At Ruut, we attach great importance to the good and pure quality of our flour, which is why we check each batch before the flour is packed into the bags.

The manioc root for our flour comes from Peru. So that we can be sure that the fields on which the roots grow meet our standards, we have our contractual partners on site who send us samples for analysis in Germany. Of course, we only harvest those fields where the analysis agrees. After the flour is harvested and made, samples are taken again to be tested in the lab for things like heavy metals, mycotoxins, microbiology and gluten. Here, too, only the flour that has passed the analysis is sent to our warehouse for further processing.

We also occasionally test for pesticide residues, but we only work with farmers who don't use pesticides anyway. That means we haven't had any problems with it so far. All analyzes that we carry out are made here in Germany at an accredited laboratory.

7. Is cassava flour the same as tapioca starch?

No it is not. Cassava flour is the flour of the whole root and contains all of the fiber that is in the root. That's why you can bake with ruut much better than with tapioca flour, which consists only of the pure starch of the cassava root.

Questions about the order:

8. How much does delivery to Austria and other countries cost?

We deliver all our products to Austria, Switzerland and all other European countries. The corresponding shipping costs are displayed during the purchase process after entering the recipient's address. There may be additional customs costs when crossing the border to non-EU countries. Unfortunately, we have no influence on this, as these are determined by the recipient country and are only visible after delivery.

9. Are Ruut products also shipped to Switzerland?

We also deliver to Switzerland. The shipping costs are displayed during the purchase process after entering the recipient's address. It may be that the Swiss government charges customs fees, which we here at Ruut unfortunately cannot influence and do not know in advance. However, we assume that there will usually be no customs costs, since our Swiss customers have not reported any problems to us so far.

Questions about baking and the recipes:

10. Can I substitute cassava flour 1:1 for wheat flour?

It is often written that cassava flour is a 1:1 substitute for wheat flour. However, this is misleading, because unfortunately it does not mean that you can take any recipe and simply replace the wheat flour 1:1. Nevertheless, there are a few recipes where it actually works, e.g. sauces, pancakes, shortcrust pastry. But you should always be aware that the result will still be slightly different. For example with shortcrust pastry. You can replace the wheat flour 1:1 with Ruut cassava flour , you will succeed in the dough, but the taste and consistency will be different than what you are used to. And then there are also recipes, such as yeast dough, bread, sponge cake, where it rarely works. Here it is still necessary to add a binding agent, other flours, possibly eggs and/or more liquid.

We have put together more about this in our articles on gluten-free flours or gluten-free baking .

However, we have many satisfied customers who tell us enthusiastically about their baking successes, including more complicated things such as a plait or different types of bread. For starters, it's important that you stick to the exact recipes. If you are a little more familiar with our flour, you are welcome to start experimenting.

To get a feel for baking with cassava flour, check out our recipes to see what's possible with Ruut!

11. How can I substitute ingredients in your recipes?

This is a question we get asked very often. Unfortunately, it is not that easy to answer, as our recipes are specially designed with the ingredients that it contains. Only with exactly these ingredients in the recipe can we guarantee that the recipe will be successful. As soon as an ingredient is exchanged, we no longer know how the baking result will be because we haven't tried it. And each ingredient behaves differently, even in combination with other ingredients. Especially with gluten-free baked goods, it is not that easy to replace an ingredient.

When we tried a recipe with different ingredient substitutions, e.g. B. honey instead of sugar, or oil instead of butter, then it is always there. Despite everything, there are a few ingredients that can be substituted where the difference should not be too big in normal cases:

• Butter: can usually be replaced with the same amount of margarine or coconut oil. Other liquid oils are also a butter substitute, but oil behaves differently than butter and cannot be substituted 1:1 in every recipe. It must be tried.
• Sugar: Sugar can often be substituted for honey. Depending on the sweetness, a little more or less can be used. However, since honey is more liquid, a little more flour should be used. The pastry will be softer with honey since the sugar crystallizes during baking and makes it crunchy, but the honey does not.
• Eggs: Eggs can often be replaced with apple pulp (1 egg = approx. 80 g apple pulp). Or with, for example, flaxseed or chia seeds (mix 1 egg = 1 tbsp flaxseed/ chia seeds with 3 tbsp water and allow to swell) or half a mashed, ripe banana (note the strong taste!). But there are also other alternatives such as soy flour with water, silken tofu or nut butter. Also, keep in mind what you're baking -- not all egg substitutes work equally well in cakes or breads. Our rolls can be baked with apple pulp instead of egg, for example.
• Milk/dairy products: Milk can usually be replaced with the same amount of a plant-based alternative without any problems. Yoghurt, quark, cream as well. Depending on the quantity, please note the taste of the alternatives. For example, soy tastes more intense than, for example, almonds.
• Xanthan gum: can often be substituted with arrowroot starch, guar gum, or locust bean gum.
• Arrowroot flour: can usually be replaced with potato, corn or tapioca starch.
• Flea seed husk powder: these are best replaced with chia seeds or ground flaxseeds. However, these replacements do not produce the same result.
• Corn starch: Corn starch can usually be replaced by potato starch or tapioca starch, or vice versa.
• Buckwheat flour: can usually be replaced by teff flour, for example.
• Rice flour: can usually be replaced with cassava flour.

Please note that we have not tried all of these substitute ingredients directly, but based on our experience and knowledge of flours and co., there shouldn't be a big problem. Always consider what you want to bake. Not every flour, binder, fat or egg substitute is suitable for everything. For example, there are flours that are better for sweet baked goods or some that are better for bread.

You can find more tips on this on our blog , especially our article on gluten-free baking .

12. How can I replace the egg in your recipes?

As a rule, we don't want to have to completely do without eggs and dairy products in our recipes, because in our opinion the egg is often a great aid for gluten-free baking . It binds, it loosens the dough and your baked goods have a longer shelf life because they don't dry out as quickly.

Unfortunately, an egg is not that easy to replace. Dairy products can actually often be easily replaced with milk alternatives such as those made from almonds, rice or soy. There are egg substitutes made from apple market, linseed or chia seeds, for example.

1 egg = approx. 80 g apple pulp, or mix 1 tbsp of flaxseed with 3 tbsp of water and leave to swell, or mix 1 tbsp of chia seeds and 3 tbsp of water and leave to swell.

But there are also other alternatives such as soy flour with water, silken tofu or nut butter. Our rolls can, for example, be baked with 95 g apple pulp instead of egg. But it is always important to note that not every egg substitute works equally well. So you can't assume that the flaxseed egg will work equally well with bread and cake.

There are recipes that we have specially developed without eggs. We write at the beginning of every recipe whether it is vegan, gluten-free or paleo , for example. Just have a look through our recipes , you will definitely find what you are looking for. If we have tried an egg alternative in a recipe, then it is definitely included in the recipe. You just have to try the other recipes.

13. My bread/roll is not baked through, why?

One option could be your choice of psyllium pods. Because the psyllium husks used should really be ground as a powder. There are very fine psyllium husks that are deceptively similar to the powder. However, the powder is even finer, darker and more aromatic. The difference when baking is big, because the psyllium husk powder can absorb and bind the liquid much better, making your pastries much better.

Every oven bakes differently, next time try leaving the rolls or bread in the oven a little longer. In addition, you can check the temperature of the oven with a separate thermometer to make sure that your oven is really at the specified temperature.

Another common mistake is cutting the pastry too quickly. When your rolls come out of the oven, wait at least 1 hour before slicing them! For the bread you have to wait at least 2-3 hours. If you cut your rolls or bread too early (when they are still too warm!), the dough will still be moist and give the impression that they have not been baked through.

Also check whether you have done everything right with the yeast, i.e. that your rolls/bread have risen nicely. If they don't rise properly, it can also appear as if the buns are not baked through (read the answer: Why aren't my buns/loaves of bread rising?)

You can also find more tips in our blog article: Ruut's 6 tips on how to bake the perfect bun.

14. Why aren't my rolls/loaves of bread rising?

It's important that you pay attention to the exact temperature of the water (or whatever liquid is used) for the yeast. Because if the liquid is too hot, the yeast dies and can no longer react. If the liquid is too cold, it will not even be activated and will not react.

It's also important that you let the rolls or your bread rise in a warm place that doesn't get drafts.

Another reason your rolls/bread won't rise properly could be that the dough is too stiff. Because when specifying the flour, we use from-to information in some recipes. So you always start with the smallest amount and then see if you have to add more flour little by little or not. The dough should be light and soft. If it's too tight, it won't open properly.

Furthermore, it could be that your yeast has expired. So always pay attention to the BBD of your yeast. Store them in a cool and dark place for longer shelf life.

You can find more tips in our blog article: Baking gluten-free rolls.

15. Do I have to freeze the bread/rolls after the first day?

No, thanks to the excellent baking properties of Ruut, the baked goods stay moist for 3-5 days. It is best to store them at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. In order to restore the consistency to that of freshly baked, the rolls can simply be briefly baked again in the oven. To do this, slightly moisten the rolls and bake at 180°C, top and bottom heat, for approx. 8 minutes. The individual bread slices can also be toasted wonderfully, for those who like it a bit crunchy.

However, if you have a lot of bread or you just can't eat it all in a few days, we recommend freezing the bread in slices and then defrosting them in the toaster. This makes it juicy and crispy at the same time.