Gluten Free Bread

Buying gluten free bread from a store is usually an unpleasant experience, as it invariably resembles nothing more than a solid lump!


It takes a lot of experimenting and no doubt a few ‘failed attempts’ before you perfect your gluten free bread.

You shouldn’t expect gluten free bread to be an exact copy of ‘normal’ white bread made with wheat flour. It’s gluten that gives bread its elasticity and cakes their springy texture. Therefore, gluten free breads will not display the same characteristics as ‘normal’ bread.

Gluten free flours are a little more difficult to work with than regular flours are, but it’s just a matter of getting used to cooking with them.

Your gluten free bread will seem drier, harder and have a darker texture than wheat bread. But they will contain excellent nutritional value and offer you a variety of flavours.

Try including xanthan gum with your recipe. This ingredient replaces the elastic qualities that gluten free flours lack and will help make the bread less crumbly.

There are plenty of different ways to make gf bread. A wide variety of flours with better flavors and an improved nutritional balance are now available.

Gluten Free Bread Recipe

Hi Peter, I’ll give you my favourite recipe for gluten free bread. I am also lactose intolerant as some celiacs are, so this gluten free bread has no milk in it either.

Ingredients:

470ml water
3 x 60g eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 x tpsn vinegar
1/2 cup chick pea flour
1/2 cup brown rice bran
2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup potato starch (This is instead of arrowroot because ‘arrowroot’ may not necessarily be arrowroot. According to my dictionary, arrowroot can be arrowroot starch mixed with other starches which lends the danger of some wheat starch mixed in. Potato starch works fine.)
1 tblespoon xanthan gum
1 tblespoon raw sugar
3 tblespoons brown sugar
1 tspn cinnamon
1 1/2 tspn iodised salt
3 tblespoons blanched slivers of almonds
2 tspns dry yeast

Method:

Put in bread making machine in order shown above. Set for a 1.25kg loaf with a dark crust.

God Bless – from Bill

Not all bread making machines are created equally! Some will knead gluten free dough better than others and some gluten free bread recipes will work better than others.

Keep practicing and experimenting. Try lots of different ingredients to make a variety of delicious and healthy, gluten free bread!

To avoid cross contamination, I suggest you use a different bread maker from the one used for all the family. If not then ensure thorough cleaning of the blade and bowl.