Many people nowadays follow a gluten-free diet, whether for health reasons or a desire to improve their eating habits. If you've eliminated gluten from your diet, you've probably realized that bread is one of the hardest foods to replace. However, you can make delicious gluten-free bread using a special flour blend that will allow you to get the same consistency as regular bread.
Ingrediants
- 160 g of brown rice flour
- 160 g of tapioca flour / starch
- 175 g of corn starch
- 1 tablespoon (10 g) of potato flour
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) of xanthan gum
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) of gluten-free egg substitute
- 2 teaspoons (15 g) of salt
- ½ cup (35 g) of powdered milk
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 60 g of butter softened at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of apple cider vinegar
- 115 g of honey
- 1 sachet (2 teaspoons / 7 g) of active dry yeast
- 2 cups (500 ml) of hot water
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare the Flour, Pans and Yeast
Step 1. Mix the brown rice flour, tapioca flour / starch, corn starch and potato flour
To make sure that the gluten-free flour mixture is ready when you make the bread, mix the ingredients before you start kneading. Set aside.
If you can't find potato flour, you can use instant mash potato flakes. Pulverize them several times using a blender or food processor to achieve a fine, light consistency
Step 2. Grease 2 loaf pans
The doses of this recipe are enough to make 2 loaves, so you need 2 molds. It is important to grease them before placing the dough on them, otherwise the bread could stick to the bottom during cooking. So take 2 20 cm loaf pans and spray them with non-stick cooking spray.
If you want the crusty bread to have a buttery flavor, you can grease the baking sheets with butter instead of cooking spray. The spray can also be substituted for sunflower, coconut, avocado or canola oil
Step 3. Mix the yeast and water
To activate the yeast, pour 2 cups (500ml) of warm water into a bowl. Add 1 sachet (about 2 teaspoons or 7 g) of active dry yeast and mix it with water. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
The water temperature should be between 38 and 44 ° C. You should be able to dip your finger in without feeling any discomfort
Part 2 of 3: Making the Bread Dough
Step 1. Mix the flour, xanthan gum, egg substitute, salt and milk powder
In a medium bowl, mix 4 cups (600 g) of gluten-free flour mixture, 1 tablespoon (20 g) of xanthan gum, 1 tablespoon (15 g) of gluten-free egg substitute, 2 teaspoons (15 g) of salt and ½ cup (35 g) of powdered milk until the mixture is smooth. Set the bowl aside.
Step 2. Mix the eggs, butter, vinegar and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer
Attach the leaf hook that came with the mixer, then mix 3 large eggs at room temperature, 60 g of softened butter at room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of apple cider vinegar and 115 g of honey. Turn on the planetary by setting it to minimum power and let the ingredients mix for about 30 seconds.
- The planetary mixer is not essential for preparing gluten-free bread. You can use an electric mixer or mix the ingredients by hand. The end result will be the same, only you will need more time.
- After 30 seconds, the mixture will have acquired a slightly lumpy consistency. Just make sure all the ingredients have been incorporated well.
Step 3. Add dry ingredients to wet ones and let them mix
The procedure is simpler to perform by dividing the dry ingredient mixture into 2 groups. Pour half of the dry ingredients into the bowl of the mixer and let them mix at minimum power until they mix slightly with the moist ones. Then, add the second half of the dry ingredients and let it mix for 30 seconds or until smooth.
Since the dough is gluten-free, you don't have to worry about mixing the ingredients more than necessary, which can negatively affect the preparation of regular bread
Step 4. Pour the yeast-based mixture into the bowl
Once the dry ingredients have been incorporated, leave the power of the mixer to a minimum. At this point, start slowly pouring the yeast-based mixture into the dough. Once you have added the entire mixture, turn the speed up to medium-high power and let it knead for 4 minutes.
Once blended, the dough should have a consistency similar to that of a particularly thick cake batter
Step 5. Move the dough to the baking sheets
Once blended, pour it into the 2 greased molds. Divide it evenly between the pans and help spread it evenly with a spatula.
Once the dough is placed in the baking sheets, dip your fingers in the water and use them to smooth the surface of each loaf
Step 6. Let the dough rise
Place the baking sheets in a warm place, such as on a window sill, and cover them softly with greased cling film. Let the dough rise for about 30-60 minutes or until it has slightly passed the edge of the mold.
If you don't have cling film available, you can gently place a tea towel on the baking sheets while the bread is rising
Part 3 of 3: Bake the Bread
Step 1. Preheat the oven and place the rack in the right position
While the dough is rising, it is important to let the oven preheat so that it reaches the right temperature for baking the bread. Set it to 190 ° C and check that the grill is in the center so that the air circulates around the bread in both directions as it cooks.
Once the right temperature is reached, the oven will warn you with a beep or a light. Read the manual of the appliance to know how to warn
Step 2. Bake the bread for 45-55 minutes
Place the 2 baking sheets in the oven, centering them on the rack. Let the loaves cook for 45-55 minutes or until they are golden on the surface.
- Inserting a toothpick into bread isn't an effective way to tell if it's ready, so it's good to have an instant-read thermometer on hand. When cooked, the internal temperature of the bread should reach 95 ° C.
- When cooked, the bread will come off the sides of the pan. Try touching it - it should also be stiff to the touch.
Step 3. Let the bread cool in the pan, then place it on a cooling rack
When cooked, take the loaves out of the oven and let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Once they have cooled enough to be picked up, remove them from the baking sheets and let them cool on a rack for another 45-55 minutes or until they are completely cold.
To best preserve the bread, slice it after it has cooled and wrap one slice at a time with cling film. Keep the individual slices in the freezer and defrost them when you need them
Step 4. Season the bread
Once you have learned how to make gluten-free bread, you can try variations, such as a loaf made with oats and maple syrup or with tropical notes. Prepare the bread following the recipe illustrated in this article, then add your favorite ingredients to customize it as you wish:
- To make gluten-free oat and maple syrup bread, mix 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of maple syrup with the dough, then sprinkle ½ cup (45 g) of gluten-free oats on top before baking the pan.
- To make gluten-free bread with tropical notes, mix the yeast with ½ cup of orange juice (first heat it to about 45 ° C) instead of water. Mix the mixture with the other ingredients of the dough just as described in the original recipe. Then, before spreading the batter into the pans, add 2 180g cans of chopped pineapple.
- Make gluten-free pumpernickel bread by adding the following ingredients to the dough: 1 tablespoon (15 g) of cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon (15 g) of chopped dried onion, 1 teaspoon (5 g) of instant coffee, 1 teaspoon (5 g) of sugar, ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of caraway seeds and 3 tablespoons (65 g) of molasses.
Step 5. Done
Advice
- If you regularly make gluten-free bread, prepare the gluten-free flour mixture in large doses and store it in the pantry using an airtight container. This way it will be ready when you want to knead the bread.
- To flavor the bread, brush melted butter over the freshly baked loaves.
