How I Came Up With Gluten Free Artisan Bread
I wish I could say that the whole idea behind this bread was mine and solely mine. But that would be a lie. A while ago I came across the cookbook from Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. and Zoe Francois called Gluten Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Their idea for artisan bread taking only five minutes a day was absolutely revolutionary!!
I decided to use my gluten free pizza crust dough in place of their recipe for gluten free bread dough. WOW!!! The bread was GLORIOUS!! And they were so right about the 5 minutes-a-day thing. It literally takes only FIVE minutes of hands-on time!!
What Is Psyllium Husk Can I Replace It
Psyllium husk is our gluten for this bread: it provides the binding properties and elasticity that help make the dough easy to work with, knead, and shape. It gives the structure and support for the bread to rise, as well. Psyllium is a form of fiber that is derived from the husks of plantain seeds. It has a lot of health and digestive benefits, but its the gelling, fiber-filled aspects of the plant that were after!
From my experiments: you need psyllium husk for good gluten-free bread. For my bread recipes, I wouldnt try to replace it. It makes the dough workable, so it doesnt squish all over the place. Its also what makes your bread chewy and stretchy.
NOTE: psyllium husk and psyllium husk powder are different. You want the full husk. I usually find it in the supplement area of most grocery stores, and you can also find it for sale online.
Secrets To Foolproof Bread Baking
See how easy bread baking can be in my free ecourse!
From my cookbook, Bread Toast Crumbs.
For best results, use a digital scale. It makes all the difference with bread baking.
Note: If you are using a different brand of gluten-free flour, you may not need all of the liquid. Because all gluten-free flours and mixes absorb water at a different rate, you may find your dough to be much more liquidy than mine this is due to the flour. This is what I suggest: add the liquid a little bit at the time, mixing with a spatula to combine. Reference the video to see what the dough should look like as far as texture goes.
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Tips For Measuring Gluten
The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the spoon & level method. Using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After youve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup.
Friends, please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup. If you do you may get more flour than the recipe calls for.
Also, measure flour using nested measuring cups. Do not measure dry ingredients in a liquid measuring cup.
How To Freeze Homemade Gluten Free Bread
Before freezing, allow your freshly baked loaf to cool to room temperature and then slice.
Place your slices in an airtight container. I found containers at Ikea that are the perfect size, but I also store the slices in a freezer-safe Zip-loc bag , with a slight slant on them so its easy to pull pieces apart.
You can reheat the frozen bread in a toaster or in a microwave with it wrapped in a tea cloth or paper towel. Start by reheating 30 seconds, and then 10 seconds at a time until warm.
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Tips For Baking The Perfect Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
- I highly recommend baking your gluten free sandwich bread in a Pullman pan. But if you dont have one, you can switch out for a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan instead.
- Be sure to pick the right yeast: You need instant yeast for this recipe, although you can substitute active dry yeast with a few extra steps .
- If youre not using a pan liner, make sure your non stick cooking spray is gluten free! I like to use coconut or olive oil.
- Let your homemade gluten free sandwich bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, but then transfer it to a cooling rack so it doesnt get soggy from escaping steam.
- Bake your gluten free sandwich bread in the center of the oven. Youll enjoy a consistent baking temperature and better airflow, and youll keep your bread from hitting the roof of the oven.
- If you dont have a bread knife, be sure to use some kind of serrated knife for slicing. Otherwise, you may squish or tear your bread.
How To Make A Gluten
If you know anything about making traditional sourdough bread, you probably understand that the key ingredient, and the thing that makes sourdough what it is, is a good sourdough starter.
For a normal sourdough starter, this involves mixing wheat flour and rye flour together with water, and leaving it out to collect wild yeast spores. You feed this yeast on a schedule in order to keep it alive and available for baking.
You can get some gluten-free sourdough starter from a gluten-free friend, or you can ask at your local wheat-free bakery.
It might be easier to make your own sourdough starter if those options arenât available to you though. The full gluten-free starter recipe will be below, but hereâs the basic idea.
You may need 1-2 weeks to get a strong, working gluten-free sourdough starter, so plan ahead!
At room temperature, youâll need to feed the sourdough starter every 24 hours or so.
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Ultimate Gluten Free Sticky Monkey Bread
If youve ever had sticky monkey bread, you know its a mouthwatering treat.
Imagine a bundt cake, but way better. Its sticky and moist and has this sweet caramelized flavor thats impossible not to love.
This bread is the ultimate comfort food to satisfy your sweet tooth without weighing you down.
Pro Tip For Measuring Flour
The best way to measure gluten-free flour is the spoon & level method. Using a spoon, scoop the flour into the measuring cup. After youve spooned the flour into the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to level off the top of the measuring cup. Friends, please do not scoop the flour out of the bag with your measuring cup.
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Pro Tips For Baking Gluten
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients: As I mentioned above, this is the most accurate way to ensure that youre using the right measurements for your gluten free bread dough.
- Fully cool the bread before slicing: Its SUPER important to allow the sandwich bread to fully cool before slicing. I give the bread at least 1 hour cooling in the pan. If you dont, the bread will be gummy.
- Proof the dough in a warm place of at least 85F: Yeast really likes warmth, so placing your dough in a warm area, such as outside if its warm enough, or in your oven with the oven off but the oven light on, will help your dough rise much more quickly.
- Bake the bread on the middle rack: This will help prevent any burning of the top of the loaf, as well as underbaking the loaf if youve baked it on a lower rack.
- Dont forget the steam bath! This is crucial for creating a tough, crusty top of the sandwich bread.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the bread: This is just easiest when slicing through a thick crust.
- Top the gluten free sandwich bread with whatever toppings youd like! Oats, chia seeds, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc. are all great on top of the sandwich bread dough.
- Please do not swap in any flours that have not been recommended: Of course, you actually can, but then I cannot guarantee that the recipe will turn out. Almond flour will not work, nor will a gluten-free flour blend, as the recipe has not been written for that.
Is This Homemade Gluten Free Bread Suitable For Bread Machines
While theyre designed to make life easier, I cant recommend using a bread machine for this gluten free white sandwich bread recipe.
Again, its not because Im a fan of more work. Rather, Im a fan of consistent results, and you just cant achieve that with a bread machine. There are simply too many different models of bread machines to tailor this recipe, so I say skip the machine for best results.
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Why Would Someone Need A Gluten
Maybe you arent looking at this list for yourself, but because someone in your family has mentioned they need gluten-free bread at your next family get-together. There are several reasons they may have made this request.
First of all, they may have celiac disease. Celiac disease is a serious condition where even a small amount of gluten can make an individual very sick. People with celiac must avoid gluten entirely.
Another reason your family member may have requested gluten-free bread is that they are sensitive to gluten. Gluten sensitivity isnt a full allergy like Celiac, but most individuals with a sensitivity still require gluten-free food otherwise their stomach may be upset.
Either way, no matter what the reason, when someone asks for gluten-free bread it is critical that it is made without any gluten, just in case they have a severe allergy like Celiac disease.
A History Of Gluten Free Bread
When I nailed the recipe for this gluten free bread way back in 2010, I knew lunch would never be the same again. In the very best way.
When the first edition of the very first Gluten Free on a Shoestring cookbook came out, I was downright terrified that someone would take it upon themselves to post this entire recipe online, without permission. The horror!
It was truly revolutionary when I first created it, even though now it seems like old school gf bread. And I felt super protective of this recipe that Im sharing with you today, which is straight out of the second edition of my first cookbook.
Now, I wont lie: when I first learned that my son had to be gluten free for life, I distinctly remember saying, wait, so youre telling me he cant have a cupcake at a birthday party? ?
Of course, it quickly became clear that bread ? was going to be the biggest day to day issue with going gluten free. Especially in our bread-obsessed culture, we all define ourselves by whether we eat bread, how much we eat of it, and what type of bread we eat.
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How To Make Easy Gluten Free Garlic Bread
Alright! Lets make this easy gluten free garlic bread recipe.
First, youll need to preheat your oven. I like to use the broiler on high.
Next, cut your sub rolls in half. I used a package of 4 Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Sub Rolls and split them into halves, making 8 pieces of garlic bread.
Place these sub roll halves onto a baking sheet. I didnt use anything to line my baking sheet, but if you do, make sure you use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper. Parchment paper can ignite on a broiler setting.
Next, place a half stick of salted butter into a glass container. I used my glass measuring cup. Melt the butter in the microwave until completely melted. Pro tip: use the defrost function to melt it slowly and avoid splashing butter.
Once the butter is melted, add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, and if you like, a dash of salt.
Mix thoroughly.
Next, spread the butter mixture onto the top of each sub roll. Make sure each roll is thoroughly saturated with the mixture and that you spread butter all the way to the edges of the bread.
Now, if you would like to add cheese to make cheesy garlic bread go ahead and sprinkle each sub roll with a bit of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Check out my kid making this bread yes, its that easy!
You can see that I made half of our garlic bread cheesy and half plain.
Broil the bread on high for 1-2 minutes. For best results, watch the bread carefully as it can burn very quickly.
The Ultimate Gluten Free Bread Recipe
Bread lovers, rejoice. This gluten free bread is the real deal with a soft, chewy open crumb and a deliciously crisp caramelised crust. Its also super easy to prepare, and it behaves similarly to regular wheat bread: it can be kneaded and shaped, and goes though two rounds of rising. And its vegan no eggs or dairy products needed!
This post may contain affiliate links, which allow me to make a small commission for my referral, at no additional cost to you. For more info, check out the Disclosure Policy. Thank you for supporting The Loopy Whisk.
Before we get to the gluten free bread recipe, Ive got some news: I am writing a book.
Wait, lets put that in all-caps because this definitely feels like a shouting from the rooftops moment: I AM WRITING A BOOK.
I will have more details to share with you soon, but heres the short of it: its a gluten free baking book, covering everything from cakes and cupcakes, through brownies and cookies, all the way to pies and tarts and bread. In fact, there will be over 15 different bread recipes, from artisan loaves to enriched doughs like cinnamon rolls and babka.
To say that I am over-the-moon excited would be an understatement. And I cannot wait to share more book details with you over the coming weeks and months!
But for now: lets talk gluten free bread.
Before we get to the nitty gritty of how to make your own gluten free bread, heres a quick overview of the many reasons why its absolutely amazing.
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What To Serve With Garlic Bread
This garlic bread goes great with any pasta dish. Our family enjoys this gluten free garlic bread as the perfect side dish to our Cherry Tomato Pasta with Sausage.
I also use this garlic bread to extend a meal for our family of 6. Its perfect for frozen pizza night, as its fast to make and goes great with anything Italian! And bonus, the kids dont whine when the pizza is gone because theyve already filled up on this delicious garlic bread!
If you like, you can also add pepperoni to the cheesy garlic bread to make a pizza snack dipper ready to dip into your favorite pasta sauce. Its way cheaper than gluten free pizza for a family of 6.and it tastes better too!
Is Yeast Gluten Free
Yeast is naturally gluten free.
Most active dry yeast brands will be gluten free , but always read the label to make sure no other ingredients have been added.
To learn more about how to read nutrition labels for gluten, check out this article: Foods to Avoid When Eating a Gluten-free Diet.
Theres a free printable or download to help you know what is and is not glutenous.
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An Honest Disclaimer About This Gluten Free Bread
I’m not going to make any absurd claims: this is not to the standard of some of the master gluten free bread makers, such as Naomi Devlin or The Loopy Whisk.
But while their recipes are EXCELLENT, they use a lot of different flour blends and at the moment, getting hold of gluten free flours like this is just not realistic.
In fact, a lot of gluten free products are difficult to source so I have had to rely on my storecupboard at home.
So while this is not some gluten free artisan loaf recipe, what this IS, is a basic gluten free bread recipe which will suit your needs for a sandwich or slice of toast in the morning.
The best thing you can do is bake this gluten free bread recipe with enough time to give it 30 minutes to an hour to cool before you eat it.
This way you’ll still enjoy the warm dough and freshness from the oven.
If you can’t eat this within a few hours of baking it, I recommend using it for toast. I personally prefer all gluten free bread as toast, but this is where this loaf really comes into its own.
So if you’re struggling to get hold of gluten free bread at the moment, then this recipe is definitely for you.
What If I Dont Have A Baking Stone
A baking stone conducts heat into the loaf. Using one increases the height of the oven spring and helps to give an even bake on the base of the loaf. Gluten-free bread will work without a baking stone, but you will get a slightly bigger rise in the oven if you choose to use one. If you dont have a baking stone, preheat the thickest baking sheet that you have.
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