One of the things I've made off and on over the last year (and really, the last twelve years) is bread. I've tried different ways, but I've had great success with this breadbook Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day which I bought in 2016 (I found the receipt in the book the other day!). I had really missed Artisan/crusty/peasant style bread. Oh, the days of going to Panera are long gone, but being able to make that kind of bread, and have a meal of heart bread and great cheese are back.
When I first bought the book I did make the Mix 1 and 2 as they suggest, and then one day I used the 1:1 flour blend I make and it turned out, so I started experimenting more with my flour blend and the recipes, and tweaking them a bit for our house. One thing I read early on in the gluten free journey was to add Xanthum Gum as you use it, not to your flour as you create the blend. This allows one to control the Xanthum Gum levels for baked goods. Generally, it's 1 teaspoon for each cup of flour for making bread, and half a teaspoon for most other baked goods.
The Mike doesn't care for the crunchy bread unless we are having soup for dipping :) , so I have worked on some other recipes in the book. If you're going to make a roll, or manipulate the flour, it really does help a lot (as they say) to refrigerate the dough after the initial rise.
One of my recent finds is a long loaf pan. This one has a small rise in the bottom, which could be used for a long pound cake or angel food cake, but I buttered it up and used it for bread!
I made up the Challah bread with my flour blend, added milled chia for more nutrients, and a bit more water for that.
I skip the initial "let rise in bowl" and I simply add it to the greased baking pan for it to do the rise. I let rise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on how warm or chilly the house is that day.
Placed just over half the dough in the pan after mixing, the rest I scooped as rolls in a separate pan.
I made up the Challah bread with my flour blend, added milled chia for more nutrients, and a bit more water for that.
I skip the initial "let rise in bowl" and I simply add it to the greased baking pan for it to do the rise. I let rise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on how warm or chilly the house is that day.
Placed just over half the dough in the pan after mixing, the rest I scooped as rolls in a separate pan.
Although this day was a little warm, I preheated the oven to 105ºF, then shut it off, and covered loosely with plastic wrap, and set in the oven to rise for the next 2 hours.
I thought half full on the loaf pan would be fine.
Then it rose in the oven.
Removed the pans from the oven, removed the plastic wrap, applied an egg wash of 1 egg and a splash of water, scrambled and then silicone brush for applying. I then preheated the oven to 350ºF and then baked for 55 minutes.
The rolls.
OMG This bread!
POOF. It was TALL. 
It did deflate a little bit, but held it's shape remarkably well. We managed to not cut into it until it had cooled completely. That was an endeavor!
This loaf lasted us a week. It was great for fresh with butter, for grilled cheese, for tuna melt (The Mike requested) , and for a cold ham and cheese sandwich.
I realized I probably should have done something simple to the bread, and remembered to do that this next time. . . . put a few slices in the top of the risen bread.
This week I made another full batch of the dough. I split the mix evenly among the two long loaf pans, and so they didn't rise to topping the pan.
Risen, egg wash, and three angled slices across the top.
Bake: 350F 60 minutes. Switched and rotated the loaf pans after half an hour.
Bake: 350F 60 minutes. Switched and rotated the loaf pans after half an hour.
Oh, YUM!
The only problem with this, is how to wrap the second loaf to keep it!
Bread Loaf Recipe:
Dry ingredients. Weigh and mix together.
920 grams / 6 cups of my Gluten Free Flour blend,* plus 6 teaspoons of Xanthum Gum
1 scant Tablespoon kosher salt (I generally under add salt, figuring we will be using the bread with plenty of salted things like cheese and ham :)
10 grams of rapid rise yeast, which for me is 1 1/4 envelopes.
30 grams/ 1 Tablespoon of milled chia more protein and fiber)
Wet ingredients:
4 eggs (farm fresh large/jumbo eggs for me, totaling 252 grams)
920 grams / 6 cups of my Gluten Free Flour blend,* plus 6 teaspoons of Xanthum Gum
1 scant Tablespoon kosher salt (I generally under add salt, figuring we will be using the bread with plenty of salted things like cheese and ham :)
10 grams of rapid rise yeast, which for me is 1 1/4 envelopes.
30 grams/ 1 Tablespoon of milled chia more protein and fiber)
Wet ingredients:
4 eggs (farm fresh large/jumbo eggs for me, totaling 252 grams)
1/2 cup of honey (farm fresh as well. Sometimes I have to heat it up or scoop it out if it solidifies--which happens if it's real).
110grams of Olive Oil (California Olive Ranch for me), or half a cup.
3 cups of lukewarm water (100ºF to 105ºF)
Weigh and mix the dry ingredients together in stand mixer bowl. Measure wet ingredients and add to a separate mixing bowl or container. All at once, add all the wet ingredients to the dry. Attach paddle and mix on low for a few minutes to incorporate all the ingredients, then turn to 6 speed, and mix for a couple minutes.
Grease two long loaf pans (15"x4"x4"), or one long loaf pan and one 12-muffin tin.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm /draft free area for two hours of rising. General temps for optimum yeast product rising is 80F to 115F. I put my oven at 105F.
When rising is complete, preheat oven to 350ºF. If bread was in oven proofing, remove from oven before preheating.
Remove plastic wrap from pans, scramble one egg with one teaspoon of water, and gently apply to the top of the bread with a pastry brush, silicone kitchen brush, or a folded paper-towel that won't lint/shred. Then, using a serrated knife, make three slices across the top of the bread.
When oven has reached temperature, place pans in center oven. Bake for one (1) hour for long loaf pan, 40 minutes for smaller rolls).
Remove from oven, let cool in pan ten minutes. Remove to cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing with serrated knife.
* One reason I started making my own flour mix was my desire to have more than "just" white flours in baked goods. Mine has brown rice flour, sorghum, and teff in addition to tapioca and potato starch.
110grams of Olive Oil (California Olive Ranch for me), or half a cup.
3 cups of lukewarm water (100ºF to 105ºF)
Weigh and mix the dry ingredients together in stand mixer bowl. Measure wet ingredients and add to a separate mixing bowl or container. All at once, add all the wet ingredients to the dry. Attach paddle and mix on low for a few minutes to incorporate all the ingredients, then turn to 6 speed, and mix for a couple minutes.
Grease two long loaf pans (15"x4"x4"), or one long loaf pan and one 12-muffin tin.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm /draft free area for two hours of rising. General temps for optimum yeast product rising is 80F to 115F. I put my oven at 105F.
When rising is complete, preheat oven to 350ºF. If bread was in oven proofing, remove from oven before preheating.
Remove plastic wrap from pans, scramble one egg with one teaspoon of water, and gently apply to the top of the bread with a pastry brush, silicone kitchen brush, or a folded paper-towel that won't lint/shred. Then, using a serrated knife, make three slices across the top of the bread.
When oven has reached temperature, place pans in center oven. Bake for one (1) hour for long loaf pan, 40 minutes for smaller rolls).
Remove from oven, let cool in pan ten minutes. Remove to cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing with serrated knife.
* One reason I started making my own flour mix was my desire to have more than "just" white flours in baked goods. Mine has brown rice flour, sorghum, and teff in addition to tapioca and potato starch.
