Today I ate a veggie sandwich on whole grain bread. It was Gluten Free, home made, and quite tasty, if I say so myself. I did have a picture of the bread as proof that it looked normal, but I can't find it. You'll just have to take my word for it.
Did I ever tell you about the time Otterpop said my bread tasted like cement? Probably not. After all, who's really reading this anyway? In those early years of gluten free living I did my very best to make
GF bread. Let me first say that my cooking skills were...
ummm... not quite as refined as they now are. Tactful, right? Yeah, it's just a little nicer than calling my hard work cement.
Really, though,
Otterpop was a good sport when I was learning to cook. Unfortunately things got much worse when I first went
GF. You see, adjusting to the selection of
GF "bread", or lack there of, was one of the most difficult things for me. I did find some substitutes that were just okay, but because it is the gluten molecule in wheat that gives bread it's fluffy texture, there really is no single ingredient in the
GF pantry that can compensate.
Despite the odds, I was determined to make
GF bread. When I had
Otterpop taste my first attempt, he quickly spit it out saying it tasted like cement. I made cement. Not really, but it did turn into a rock almost immediately. So maybe I unwittingly discovered an organic cement mixture.
Short story long, after years of accepting my life without bread I decided to try again. The problem I kept running into this time was that there is absolutely no nutritional value in the
GF breads available. And that is just not okay with me. I crave whole grain bread. In fact, when I was pregnant with Addie-Cakes I would open a bag of whole wheat bread and just smell it to satisfy that craving. I know. I'm weird.
I researched and tinkered and have come up with a fabulous whole grain recipe using buckwheat, millet, flax, and
teff as the whole grains. In all, there are
six (yes,
6) flours in this mixture, but the combination really works. The bread is soft, gooey-ish in that fresh bread sort of way, and quite tasty. In fact, I made some when
Madre was visiting. Her response was "
Ooh, Tera!", so it's gotta be good.
In terms of full disclosure, the bread is based in large part on
this Simply Sugar and Gluten Free recipe. In fact the directions are pretty much word for word. I have taken liberties with it, but Amy deserves much of the credit.
I've been promising a few people this recipe for a long time, so I do apologize to those who have waited so patiently. I hope you find this satisfactory. recipe. In fact the directions are pretty much word for word. I have taken liberties with it, but Amy deserves much of the credit.
Gluten-Free Whole Grain Sandwich Bread
makes 1 loaf
1/2 cup sorghum flour (or Bob's Redmill All Purpose Flour)
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup teff flour
2 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon instant or bread machine yeast
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 large omega-3 free range egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of sesame or other seeds to top bread
Preheat oven to 350
1. Whisk together sorghum, buckwheat, millet, potato starch, xanthan gum, and sea salt. Set aside.
2. Mix milk and water in a glass measuring cup. Heat to 110 – 120 degrees F. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature. Add 2 teaspoons of agave nectar and yeast. Stir to combine. Cover and set aside for a few minutes or until it’s a little bubbly.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg, olive oil, agave, and vinegar. Stir in bubbly yeast and milk mixture.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix on high periodically scraping down the sides.
5. Transfer mix to a 9x5x3 bread pan that has been prepared with oil and flour (or you can use the classic shortning method. I just don’t have any in my house)
6. Smooth the top with wet fingers. Sprinkle with sesame or other seeds if desired.
7. Bake for 45 minutes. Leave the loaf in the pan for about 5 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack. If the loaf starts to sink in the middle, turn it on it’s side. That usually helps. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark location. Wrap any leftovers after a day or two and freeze.
This can also be made in a bread machine with a Rapid Rise setting. Follow steps 1-3 and continue here:
Pour wet ingredients into the bottom of your bread maker. Top with dry ingredients. Turn on Rapid Rise Fast Bake or equivalent cycle. Remember to scrape down sides to help incorporate flours.
Once the mixing cycle stops, run a clean hand under water and quickly remove the mixing paddle. Smooth the top with wet fingers. Sprinkle with sesame or other seeds. Now is when your bread maker works it’s magic. When the cycle is over, check to see if the bread is done – it should sound hollow when thumped. I needed 10 extra minutes of baking time.
Remove pan from bread machine. Leave the loaf in the pan for about 5 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack. If the loaf starts to sink in the middle, turn it on it’s side. That usually helps. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark location. Wrap any leftovers after a day or two and freeze.