I developed this recipe because I don’t like (and don’t want to waste money on) the GF bread you can buy at stores, and also because I hated the fact that most recipes for GF bread are for small 8×4 pans instead of the regular 9×5 pans. People do 8×4 because it’s less likely to fall, but if you do it right, you can do a 9×5 that doesn’t fall.
Gluten-Free Bread
In a large mixing bowl mix
- 3 cups very warm water
- A squirt (yeah, I don’t measure this, but it’s not a lot!) of molasses. Remember that it’s the sugars that cause browning, and since this loaf sits in the oven for a VERY long time, too much sugar results in a scorched loaf.
Add 2 tablespoons yeast, and let set for 10 minutes. If you are using bread machine yeast, it doesn’t require the 10 minute soak. Check the label of your yeast to find out if it needs to be dissolved. Add the following and mix (I use a mixer on a medium speed through the rest of the recipe)
- 1/3 cup olive oil (or other oil)
- 4 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
Dry ingredients should be mixed, added to the liquids, and then mixed until the batter is smooth (In case you’re wondering why a math teacher would put amounts like “6/3 cups” instead of “2 cups,” the reason is that I use Bob’s Red Mill flour, and a 1/3 cup measure fits in the small bags nicely, so everything gets measured in thirds!)
- 6/3 cup potato starch
- 3/3 cup tapioca starch
- 5/3 cup sorghum flour
- 2/3 cup brown rice flour
- 2/3 cup ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon of salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Divide the dough evenly between two sprayed 9×5 bread pans. Use a spatula (sprayed with cooking spray) to smooth the tops of the loaves, and let rise for 25 minutes. Place loaves in the oven. Avoid putting the loaves too close to the top of the oven, as the bread cooks a long time, and this will cause the crust to overcook.
After 40 minutes, gently place a piece of tin foil over the top of each loaf, so the crust won’t burn, and raise the temperature to 425.
Allow the bread to cook for 30 more minutes. The goal is to have the internal temp at 208 degrees, so adjust cooking times accordingly. If you insert a thermometer, be aware that the loaf will probably fall in that spot!
A trick to help avoid fallen loaves: The loaves are very delicate at this point, and unnecessary jarring will cause them to fall. I usually shut the oven off and carefully remove the foil, and then leave the loaves to cool down gradually in the oven before I handle them. Once they’ve cooled for 15 or 20 minutes, I take them out, and very gently tip the pan sideways and pull the loaf out with my other hand and set it on a wire rack to finish cooling. Once they’re cooled I refrigerate the loaves for a couple hours before slicing. Store the loaves in airtight containers. Once the bread is more than a couple days old, I always toast the slices before using.