In the years since first making my Original Gluten Free Bread recipe, it still is a staple in our house. Even though I am now mostly paleo in my approach the rest of the family love this bread.
This recipe is the latest version. It remains easy to tweak so that it is “failsafe” for kids who need a low food chemical diet, and it is certainly many times better than any commercial gluten free or grain free bread on the market. This recipe uses pseudocereals (also called pseudo-grains, I’ve talked about it before here and here.) Here is my take: quinoa and buckwheat are not approved if you are paleo, on GAPS or SCD or are doing a Whole30. They don’t work for everyone, I completely agree. However, this recipe is provided for everyone who loved the original recipe and would like the new version of a nutrient dense, great textured, grain-free bread that is low food chemical and soy free.
Different flour combinations all can work well with this bread but all flours will absorb liquid differently. If you change the flour combinations take note of the following:
Using lighter flours like more potato or tapioca starch will mean you will need less water. Add it a bit at a time until you get the right sticky falling slowly off the spoon consistency. If it’s too runny your bread will over rise when cooking and then collapse when cooling).
Using heavier flours like more buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth etc will mean you may need more water. Add it a bit at a time until you get the right sticky falling slowly off the spoon consistency. If it’s too dry your bread will not rise when cooking and then have the consistency of a brick.
Don’t use too much tapioca flour, it results in a gummy bread.
If you don’t want to use xanthum or guar gum, try replacing it with a chia seed gel (soak 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in 3 tablespoons of water for 20 minutes until a gel forms) or use “pixie dust”. You may find you need to use less water if you omit the gums.
If you don’t want to use eggs, use the same method to replace the egg (make a chia or flaxseed egg)
- 150 g Quinoa Flour 5 oz / 1 cup
- 150 g Buckwheat Flour 5 oz / 1 cup
- 50 g potato starch approx 2 oz / 1/4 cup
- 50 g tapioca/arrowroot starch approx 2 oz / 1/4 cup
- 2 tsp xanthum or guar gum gum or replace with "pixie dust"
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried yeast
- 1/2 tsp honey or coconut sugar food for yeast
- 2 tblspn tablespoons / olive or coconut oil or melted butter/ghee 40 ml / 1.35 fl oz
- 360 ml warm water may need more or less depending on flour mix and if eggs/gums are used.
- 1 Egg or replace with chia/flaxseed egg
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Lightly grease and line with baking paper a small to medium bread/loaf tin.
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Sift or whisk all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
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Add the yeast and make sure it is well combined/mixed.
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In a separate jug combine warm water with the oil.
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Add water/oil to the dry ingredients and beat with a wooden spoon until well combined.
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Stir it really well. It is important that the ingredients are really well mixed. You are looking for a sticky SLOW fall off the spoon consistency. If you need to shake the spoon for the dough to fall, it’s too dry, add more water.
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Spoon mixture into your loaf pan and smooth out the top.
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Cover loosely (I use a plastic shopping bag) and leave to rise in a warm spot, about an hour or more depending on temperature.
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Preheat the oven to fan forced 200ºC or convection 220ºC.
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Cook 200ºC for 30 minutes then reduce the heat to around 180ºC for 10 minutes then take the bread out of the tin and put back in the oven for a final 10 minutes (50 minutes in total). This ensures that it is well cooked all the way through and gives a nice crust on all four sides. The bread is cooked when it sounds hollow on all sides when you tap with your knuckles.
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Remove from tin if you haven't already done so and leave to cool on a rack before cutting. Recipe freezes well - I will slice when fully cold and freeze. Toasts really well straight out of freezer (toaster on highest setting)
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Grease and line a loaf tin, I use a standard bread loaf tin.
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Add all dry ingredients and blend 5 seconds /speed 4
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Measure wet ingredients into bowl and blend 30 seconds / speed 6
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Turn to your dough mode and closed lid position (the little icon that looks like wheat) and knead for 2 mins.
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Scrape with spatula into your bread loaf tin and use spatula or your wet hands to smooth. Cover loosely (I use a plastic shopping bag) and leave to rise in a warm spot until risen to top of tin (depending on weather and your yeast can be anything from 30 min to 2 or 3 hours)
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About 10 minutes before fully risen turn on your oven to 200ºC fan forced or 200ºC Convection.
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Cook for 30 minutes at this heat then reduce the heat to around 180ºC for 10 minutes then take the bread out of the tin, turn it upside down and put back in oven for a final 10 minutes (50 minutes in total). The loaf should sound hollow when tapping and have a nicely browned crust.
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Leave to cool on a rack before cutting. Recipe freezes well - I will slice when fully cold and freeze. Toasts really well straight out of freezer (toaster on highest setting)
Egg is optional but helps give a nice texture to the bread.
Refer to comments above for replacements for gums and eggs.
For failsafe use rice malt syrup or approved sugar instead of honey, and use an approved failsafe butter or oil. Make sure your flour and starches do not contain any added preservatives.