Perhaps it’s just coincidence but in the last few weeks I’ve met a number of people – online and in person – who have asked me about gluten-free bread. Making bread suitable for coeliacs has been become much easier with the wide availability of flour mixes (I use Dove Farms). However, it seems that people often end up with a dry brick when they attempt to make a loaf for the first time using such a mix.
So, in the hope that everyone will enjoy a light and flavoursome loaf, I’m sharing this recipe. This has not let me down yet. As the recipe points out, the dough needs to be much wetter than for a wheat bread and there is no need to knead. So, this is actually a very easy bread to make and much nicer than the gluten-free loaves typically found in the local supermarket.
Equipment needed
Either 1 large loaf tin or two standard ones e.g. one 33cm x 13cm x 8cm tin; or two 25cm x 11cm 7cm tins. Well greased or oiled.
Recipe can be halved to make one, good-sized loaf.
Preheat oven to 200C.
Dry ingredients
- 800g gluten-free bread flour blend
- 300g mixed dried fruit (I used Neal’s Yard Ultimate Berry mix, but you can make up your own, e.g. cranberries, golden sultanas, blueberries, raisins etc).
- 150g chopped pecans
- 4 tbls caster sugar
- 4 tsps quick action yeast
- 1 tsp fine salt
Wet ingredients
- 2 tbls Maple syrup (or good flavoured honey)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 8 tbls sunflower oil – or other flavourless oil
- 650 ml warm whole milk, or semi-skimmed
Method
- In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients together using a hand-held whisk to mix thoroughly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
- The mix will be very wet. Leave to stand for 3 minutes and the mixture will tighten. However, this is a very soft, wet mixture so do not compare with the texture of wheat flour, bread dough. It also requires no kneading as there is no gluten. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin/tins, and level off with a spatula.
- Allow to stand in a warm place for 45 – 60 minutes, covered with Clingfilm.
- Bake in preheated oven on middle shelf for 45-50 minutes if large tin, or 25-35 minutes if using the smaller tins.
- Remove from oven and let stand for 3-4 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife round the edges of the tin/s to loosen. Turn out onto a cooling rack.
Notes: Do not over-bake as the bread will dry out. Again the baking is shorter than bread made with wheat flour, but gluten-free flours behave differently. Also, they require and absorb more liquid; hence it looks wet and porridge-like when you transfer it to the tin, but that is okay.
