Bread.... BREAD!!!

Remember bread? mmmmm... always have loved breads.... then I went grain free. Kinda sorta.. I would, and still do sometimes, do the grains, rice - corn. But no gluten. More grain free than gluten free cause gluten free doesn't mean grain free and neither gluten free nor grain free mean carb free! I also went sugar free. Yeah, there are times you need sugar (in bread to feed the yeast but I use a tablespoon and that is it), at least that's why I THINK you add the sugar to the bread dough. OK, I looked that up and sugar is NOT necessary for making bread. All RIGHT! Next time, no sugar in the bread which, NOW, suits me just fine.  :)

ANY way... back to my thought train here and post. Been doing this grain free sugar free thing here for almost two years now and have tasted a lot of ... well, not always so good things and some really good things. I came across guide for mixing your own gluten-free flour mix at The Bread Kitchen. I mixed my own using gluten/grain free flours and added a tsp of xanthan gum to the mix. I used 1 C light (not whole) buckwheat flour, 1 C amaranth flour, 1 1/2 C arrowroot flour, 1 1/2 C tapioca flour, 1 tsp xanthan gum (after I finally got some). USE the xanthan gum if the recipe you are following calls for it. USE it! It makes a HUGE difference. Needless to say, I type from experience on that note since I just now tried using it after almost 2 years of not using it.  :)  USE it! It's the stretch and glue in gluten free! Yeah!

THEN, I found this recipe from Art of Gluten-Free Baking for Gluten-Free Soft Sandwich Bread using her gluten-free all-purpose flour mix, which wasn't the same as what I mixed up since she uses rice flours. But it is where I got the adding the xanthan gum to the flour mix.

Today, I used Jeanne's bread recipe to make bread, but used just 1 T of sugar instead of the 4 called for. I also baked it for the 30 minutes called for, but that wasn't quite long enough, it was not quite done in the bottom portion of the bread. I will bake for 45 minutes next time I make it, and I will make it again. It is GOOD! It rose, it looks like bread, it tastes like bread.

Here is the recipe I used.

Soft Sandwich Bread, Gluten-Free

Ingredients

3 cups (420 g) Jeanne’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix
2 tsp xanthan gum (this is in addition to the xanthan gum in the flour mix)
4 tsp baking powder (reduce or omit if baking at high altitude)
1 tsp salt
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons active dry yeast (I like Red Star)
1 1/2 cups (355 ml) warm but not hot (about 95 degrees F/35 degrees C) milk (or milk substitute, or water)
2 teaspoons vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 extra-large eggs (about 1/2 cup/120 ml), room temperature
extra olive oil and tapioca flour for the pan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C/Gas Mark 5.  Oil and flour a 9 in by 5 in by 3 in loaf pan (standard US loaf pan).  I use a metal pan.

Place warm milk/water into a small bowl.  Whisk in 1 tablespoon of sugar until dissolved.  Whisk in yeast until dissolved.  Set aside to proof (get foamy and verify the yeast is working).

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, and the remaing 3 tablespoons sugar.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place eggs, olive oil, and vinegar.  Beat for a few seconds to combine.  Add the yeast mixture.  Beat a few seconds more to combine.  Add the flour mixture.  Beat on medium high for 3 minutes.

Scrape mixture into your prepared loaf pan (it should be a very thick batter and look kind of like soft serve ice cream) and smooth the top.  Place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until about half again its size in bulk (not quite double)–about 30 to 40 minutes at sea level.  Basically, you want it to look a bit puffed up.  I usually do this on top of the stove while the oven is preheating–this allows the oven’s warmth to help the bread rise.  Watch it–don’t let it rise too much.  It should only rise to the top or a bit above the top of the pan.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  If the top of the bread is getting too brown, place a tent of foil over it.  Bake for another 10 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Then carefully turn out onto rack to cool completely.  The bread is doing its last bit of baking during the cooling process, so don’t cut into it until it has cooled completely.  If you do, the bread might be gummy inside.
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Again.... I did use my own flour mix:
1 C amaranth flour
1 C light buckwheat flour
1 1/2 C arrowroot flour
1 1/2 C tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum

I did put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes after I cut my fist slice off and now I am heading in to get another slice, with butter, and home made frappuccino and read a book. USE Xanthan gum!