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bonnie's gluten-free french bread

(2 ratings)
Recipe by
BonniE !
Cottonwood, CA

I was amazed at how really good this bread is! This was my first attempt at baking gluten-free bread, and it was so easy that I have to say that as a bread baker, I feel very encouraged because this recipe has opened a whole new world of gluten-free baking for me. I do hope you will also embrace this opportunity to start baking your very own delicious gluten-free breads and rolls! Enjoy! The original recipe is by Carol Kicinski at Simply Gluten-Free, and I included tweaks by Daisy Janie. The photos are my own. Thank you, ladies for pointing me in the right direction!

(2 ratings)
yield 2 loaves
prep time 20 Min
cook time 2 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For bonnie's gluten-free french bread

  • 2
    tablespoons dry active yeast (do not substitute)
  • 2
    teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/2
    cups warm water--warm to the touch, not hot
  • 3
    teaspoons xanthan gum
  • 2
    tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2
    cups super fine white rice flour
  • 1/2
    cup superfine sweet rice flour
  • 1
    cup tapioca starch
  • 1 1/2
    teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 3
    large eggs
  • 1
    teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2
    teaspoons cornmeal
  • 2
    tablespoons melted butter
  • **in place of the flours and starch you can use 3 cups of a good, pastry quality gluten free flour blend

How To Make bonnie's gluten-free french bread

  • Look at that texture!!
    1
    TO START: Assemble all ingredients before you make the recipe. Prepare two bread pans or one large bread pan, grease generously. If you are making French bread, spray a French bread pan (with 2 forms) with gluten-free, non-stick cooking spray or brush with more olive oil and sprinkle a teaspoon of cornmeal onto the bottom of each pan. You will need to put it on a cookie sheet or have corn meal everywhere.
  • 2
    MIX THE YEAST: Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water in a large mixing bowl, and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Let sit for 5 -6 minutes (10 if the yeast has been in the fridge) or until it is foamy and doubled in size. Mine was cold from the fridge, so it took about 15 minutes to double in size.
  • 3
    MIX THE GUM AND OIL: In a small bowl stir the xanthan gum with the olive oil until the xanthan gum is dissolved. Set aside. (Mixing the xanthan gum and olive oil together before adding to the batter makes it work better)
  • 4
    MIX EGGS AND VINEGAR: Beat the egg whites of two eggs in a small bowl until frothy, but not peaks. (beating the egg whites gives it its sponge texture) Slightly beat the other eggs and the yolks in another small dish, add the vinegar. Set both aside.
  • 5
    MIX THE FLOURS: (Don't mess with these flours because this recipe really works) Combine the flours, tapioca starch (or gluten-free flour blend) and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or just the regular beaters – don’t use a dough hook) and mix to combine.
  • Notice how thick the batter/dough is.  Don't add any more flour!
    6
    ADD INGREDIENTS: Add in the yeast mixture, xanthan gum mixture, and the frothy egg whites and beaten eggs and vinegar mixture. Turn the mixer to low to incorporate the ingredients (so it doesn't fly all over the kitchen), then to high and mix for 3 minutes on a timer. Do not add any more flour! Do not beat any longer! This will be a very stiff batter type dough.
  • 7
    PLACE IN PAN: Spoon the batter into greased bread pans, or the forms and shape into an oval with a spatula. If you are making French loaves, using a razor blade or sharp knife cut 3 or 4 diagonal slashes on top of each French loaf.
  • 8
    LET IT RISE: Cover the loaves with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise. Let rise for 30 minutes or until the loaves have doubled in size.
  • 9
    This is how it looks 30 minutes later. We are ready to bake it!
  • Add about an inch of water in a bread pan to the oven while your bread cooks.  It gives it that tender, moist inside, and nice crunchy crust on the outside!
    10
    BAKE IT: Place a baking pan on the floor of your oven (or on the bottom shelf) and fill it with about an inch of really hot water. This keeps it humid and makes the inside of the bread moist and the crust crusty. Position the rack you are baking the French bread on in the middle of the oven, or if making sandwich bread, put the bread pans side by side on the rack. Turn the oven on and preheat to 400 degrees. Brush the top of the loaves with the melted butter and bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. The bread pulls away from the sides of the pan.
  • It makes great toast!
    11
    OTHER OPTIONS: A gluten-free recipe that makes 2 loaves of French Bread or 24 Crusty Rolls or 2 small loaves of sandwich bread or one extra large loaf. If you are making the extra large loaf of sandwich bread, do increase the time 10 to 15 minutes more. You can make crusty rolls by scooping the dough into 2 standard sized muffin tins, letting them rise 30 minutes and baking for about 20 minutes.
  • It slices so easily, too!
    12
    Here is how it looks! Enjoy!
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