Baking for someone who needs gluten-free food
Choose a biscuit explicitly labelled gluten free, then check the rest of the recipe. Coeliac UK also advises preventing cross-contact from shared surfaces, utensils and stored ingredients.
Who is this for?
Using custard creams as a cake ingredient
If the recipe calls for whole or crushed custard creams, consider both the biscuit weight and its vanilla filling. Schär suggests baking with its custard creams, but that suggestion does not establish how they will work in every recipe.
What should you check?
Check the dietary claim first, then measure the biscuits the recipe needs and consider how their filling will be used.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Check the exact pack for a gluten-free claim and read its current ingredients and allergen information. A conventional biscuit with the same name may have different ingredients. | I’m baking for someone who needs gluten-free food, so the words “custard creams” alone do not tell me whether the biscuit is suitable. |
| Recipe quantity | Match the recipe’s biscuit weight to the pack. Schär’s listed pack has five 25 g portions; the checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda Free From packs are 125 g each. | If I need only part of a pack, individually wrapped portions may be useful. For a larger batch, I’ll measure the amount the recipe specifies. |
| Filling | Check whether the recipe uses whole biscuits or separates the filling. Asda lists Schär’s filling at 25% of that product; Sainsbury’s lists 18% vanilla-flavour filling for its own product. These figures do not measure cake performance. | I want to know how much cream goes into the mixture when I crush the biscuits whole, rather than assuming every custard cream has the same composition. |
| Other dietary needs | Check each required claim on the exact pack. The checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda Free From listings say milk free; a lactose-free claim is not the same claim. | If the cake must also be free from milk, I’ll check the biscuits and every other ingredient rather than relying on a gluten-free label. |
| Preparation | Check other ingredients and keep gluten-free food away from crumbs. Coeliac UK advises cleaning shared work surfaces and utensils to prevent cross-contact. | The biscuits are only one part of my cake; I need to consider how the whole bake is prepared. |
Mistakes to avoid
-
Choosing a conventional pack with the same biscuit name
Asda lists wheat in its conventional custard creams, while its separately listed Free From custard creams are labelled gluten free.
Match the full product name and gluten-free claim on the pack before using it in the cake.
-
Treating similarly named listings as one formulation
Similar online names are not a substitute for the ingredients and allergen information on the biscuit pack you receive.
Read that pack before baking, particularly if the cake has requirements beyond being gluten free.
-
Assuming gluten-free biscuits make the whole cake gluten free
Other ingredients or crumbs on shared equipment can affect a bake intended for someone who needs gluten-free food.
Check every ingredient and follow Coeliac UK’s advice to clean shared surfaces and utensils.
Relevant brand references
These references describe particular biscuit products, not every biscuit made by each brand.
Schär
Schär describes its gluten-free custard creams as suitable for baking.
- Asda lists five 25 g portion packs and a filling that makes up 25% of this product.
- The manufacturer’s baking suggestion does not establish the result in a particular cake recipe.
Tesco
Tesco lists a 125 g Free From custard-cream product labelled gluten free and milk free.
- The listed pack weight can be checked against the quantity in a recipe.
- Check the ingredients and allergen information on the pack received rather than relying on a similarly named listing.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s lists 125 g Free From custard creams described as gluten free and milk free.
- Its listing specifies an 18% vanilla-flavour filling.
- That filling figure describes this biscuit; it does not establish how a cake will turn out.
Asda
Asda lists both 125 g Free From custard creams and a separate conventional custard-cream product.
- The checked Free From pack is labelled gluten free and milk free.
- Asda’s separately listed conventional 400 g pack contains wheat; check which pack you have.
McVitie’s
McVitie’s describes its Gluten Free Original Hobnobs as oat biscuits, not custard creams.
- They are a different gluten-free biscuit option if a recipe allows a substitution.
- They do not provide the custard-cream filling called for in a custard-cream recipe.
M&S
The checked M&S white-chocolate-coated custard creams list wheatflour and milk.
- Do not treat that particular product as gluten free because it has “custard creams” in its name.
A Joybuy product option
This Schär custard-cream pack is an option to consider when a cake recipe calls for gluten-free custard creams, particularly if opening smaller portions would be useful.
Image unavailable
Schär Gluten Free Custard Creams 125 g
Schär suggests these gluten-free custard creams for baking. The 125 g pack contains five 25 g portions, and Asda lists the filling as 25% of the product. Measure the biscuits required by your recipe; the baking suggestion does not establish how they will perform in every cake.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ordinary custard creams in a gluten-free cake?
Do not rely on the biscuit name. Asda’s checked conventional custard creams list wheat flour and wheat starch; choose a pack explicitly labelled gluten free for a cake that needs gluten-free ingredients.
Do gluten-free biscuits make the finished cake gluten free?
No. Check every other ingredient and prevent cross-contact during storage and preparation. Coeliac UK advises cleaning shared work surfaces and utensils.
What if the cake must also be free from milk?
Check the exact biscuit pack and every other recipe ingredient. The checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda Free From custard-cream listings say milk free; a lactose-free claim is different.
How should I choose between portion packs and a single pack?
Use the biscuit weight in your recipe. Schär’s listed 125 g pack contains five 25 g portions, which lets you open smaller quantities; the checked Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda Free From products are 125 g packs. Check filling details separately if the recipe uses whole biscuits.
What if an online description differs from the pack I receive?
Read the current ingredients, allergen information and dietary claims on the pack before baking. This matters especially when you are choosing the biscuit for someone with more than one dietary requirement.