Gluten-Free White Bread - Almost Supermarket Style!

Houmous Monster's Note:

Inspired by Carol Fenster's Bread recipe, this gluten-free (and now dairy-free) bread recipe is wonderful. Not too dry, soft but not crumbly, and with just enough flavour, this is perfect for sandwiches. It can also make a french style bread if you skip the rising stage.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 loaf

• 2/3 cup sorghum flour (also called juwar flour)
• 2/3 cup cornflour or 2/3 cup potato starch
• 7 tablespoons tapioca flour
• 3 1/2 tablespoons maize flour (masa de harina)
• 6 g active dry yeast (not rapid rise)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup of 40 degrees celsius water (minus three tablespoons if using whole eggs)
• 1 cup cornflour or 1 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup soymilk
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine or 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 whole eggs (if reducing the water) or 3 egg whites, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vinegar (cider, white or rice)

Directions:

1. To test your yeast before starting, mix the yeast, sugar and water in a bowl. Let stand for about five minutes, till it's foamy.
2. In a large bowl mix the first four dry ingredients (sorghum flour, cornflour/potato starch, tapioca, maise flour) and use a mixer at low speed to throughly blend the dry ingredients. This creates a basic gluten-free flour mix.
3. Measure out two cups of the basic flour mix. (Any left overs can be saved for other uses) To the two cups of flour add: the cornflour (or potato starch), Xanthan Gum, and salt. Again use the mixer at low speed to throughly combine the dry ingredients.
4. Now add the yeast mixture, margarine (or butter), vinegar, soy milk and three whole eggs (or egg whites if you prefer). Beat the mixture on high for two minutes to create a soft runny batter.
5. Use a non-stick (or grease and flour) a 8 1/2" x 4" bread loaf pan. Fill the loaf pan with batter and allow the batter to double in size.
6. Pre-heat your oven to 220C (425F). When temperature is reached place bread in oven for twenty minutes or till lightly browned. Then cover with aluminium foil and continue to bake for another twenty minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centre can be removed clean.
7. Turn the bread out on a cooling rack and allow to cool before slicing.

Reviews

[Chef #988596]

While this bread smelled great - almost like the real thing, it did not rise all that well. In fact it flattened out some in the oven. I used the cornflour but perhaps I should have used the potato starch. Also I found that the batter was extremely thick and not runny. I even added more milk, but still it was too thick. Obviously I did something wrong. Perhaps I'll try again if I can figure out what went wrong.

[Chef #399552]

Since we have several people with celiac disease in our congregation, I made this for Eucharist this Sunday. While it rose nicely and had a pleasant flavour, it was VERY crumbly. I'm not sure what corn flour is when a recipe already calls for maize flour. I used cornstarch after doing some research on the web. Next time I will try it with potato starch(second amount). Thanks for posting and I will defintely try it again.