Monday, March 16, 2015

Requested Sandwich Bread Recipe

This is a basic bread recipe, very reliable and once you have it mastered you can introduce all sorts of flavors to the recipe by changing the high protein flour you use by using buttermilk or goat milk powder and by adding nuts and seeds.  It will keep for about three days double wrapped in cling wrap in the kitchen counter or freezes beautifully.  You can also use this recipe to make bread rolls.

Gluten Free Bread                                                                                                                   

3 cups flour mix                                 1 tablespoon yeast   

½  cup high protein flour (oat**)            ½ cup lukewarm water                       

¼ cup sugar                                        2 teaspoons sugar

2 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum              ¼ cup shortening

½ cup dry milk powder                       1 ¼ cups hot water

¾ teaspoon salt                                  1 tsp apple cider vinegar  

                                                            1 egg plus 2 egg whites                           

 

Grease 9 x 5 loaf pan. Make foil collar about 1 1/2 inches in height and place around loaf pan to allow bread to rise.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flours, sugar, xanthan gum, milk powder and salt in the large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer.  

In a separate bowl, sprinkle yeast into the lukewarm water with the 2 teaspoons of sugar added and let dissolve.

Melt shortening in 1 ¼ cups of hot water.

Pour vinegar and shortening mix into dry ingredients and blend on low.  Add egg and egg whites and beat for a few seconds.  Add the dissolved yeast.  Beat at highest speed for 3 ½ minutes.

Pour dough into pan. Let dough rise until doubled in bulk (about 35 minutes).

Put bread in oven for 1 ½ hours until internal bread temperature is between 190 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  It must be about 200 degrees internally to ensure the bread is cooked through.


If the outside browns too much before the 1 1/2 hours, cover with foil and continue to bake for the full time.


** use any high protein flour you like such as sorghum, oat, quinoa or any bean flour.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

St. Patrick's Day Offerings!

Luckily for us celiacs, the traditional St Patrick's Day dinner of corned beef, cabbage and mashed potatoes is totally, naturally gluten free.  However, many Americans like to have a slice of Irish soda bread with their dinner.

Here is the recipe I always use adapted from the Ballymaloe Healthy Gluten Free Eating cook book.  Remember there is no yeast in this recipe and so it relies on baking soda and buttermilk to give it lightness.  Once the wet ingredients have been added to the dry the baking soda starts to work and to get the best airy bread you must work fast and with a light touch.  Do not over mix or knead in any way or your bread will become tough.  Anyone used to making southern biscuits will know this.  Here goes and best of Irish luck!

White Soda Bread

14 oz gluten free flour mix
 (mine is rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch to keep the white soda bread white)
2 oz dry milk powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (if your flour mix contains xanthan gum just add 1/2 teaspoon)
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
10-12 fl oz buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450 F.  Whisk all the dry ingredients together into a large bowl.  In a separate bowl whisk together the egg and the buttermilk.  Make a well I. The center of the dry ingredients and pour in most of the buttermilk mixture all at once.  Using one hand, with your fingers stiff and outstretched (like a claw), stir in a full circular movement from the center of the bowl to the outside in ever increasing circles, adding a little more buttermilk if necessary.  The dough should be softish but not too wet and sticky.

Mix as quickly and lightly as possible and as soo. As the dough all comes together turn it out onto a gf floured surface.

Wash and dry your hands.  With rice floured fingers, roll the dough lightly, just to tidy up the shape. Pat the dough into a round about 2 inches in height.

Place the dough on a baking tray lightly dusted with flour.  With a sharp knife cut a deep cross in it, letting the cuts go over the sides of the bread.

Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F for a further 25/30 minutes or until cooked.  To check if it cooked, tap the bottom of the bread.  It will sound hollow when it is cooked.  Cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy!