Tell someone you can’t have wheat and they’ll most likely look at you and say “What do you eat?” Honestly? Right now, it is a lot of string cheese and apples. I have used Pamela’s Wheat-Free Bread Mix before and loved it. But, like many specialty items, it is expensive (I want to say $5 for a bag). It was a great bread, but not one I could use to make a sandwich.
So, I started looking online to find a bread I could make myself…from scratch. This takes quite a few ingredients, but if you’re a wheat-free baker, you should get used to having these on hands. I do have to tell you that I found the recipe here, but figured I’d give my take on the product.
Allergens: Soy (The recipe calls for egg, but I used an egg replacer.)
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast (or 2.25 teaspoons if you buy in bulk)
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
1 cup brown rice flour
2 cups white rice flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons of Xanthum Gum (or, if you’re cheap like me, 1 tablespoon of dry pectin)
1/3 cup soy powder (can use 2/3 powdered milk if you can’t have soy)
1.5 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
Dissolve the 2 tea. sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Pour the yeast on top and mix, otherwise it rises REALLY slow. Set aside for 10 minutes or until it is really foamy.
Combine the water and shortening in a saucepan until it melts. Set aside until it is lukewarm.
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then add the yeast. Blend and then add the shortening/water mix. Blend again. Add in the eggs or your egg replacer.
At this point, you should knead the bread for a few minutes. If you’re like me and have never kneaded bread in your life, here’s a little primer on how to do so. Let me point out that you SHOULD NOT knead bread on wax paper. It just doesn’t work. Do it on your counter top or on the table.
Place the dough in a warm place (anywhere here in Texas is warm!) for about an hour, letting it double. For some reason, mine didn’t double. Place your dough in greased pan(s) about 3/4 full.
Cook uncovered at 400F for 10 minutes. Cover with foil and bake for 50 more minutes.
The Verdict: My bread didn’t rise, thanks to my not kneading it enough. KNEAD YOUR BREAD, PEOPLE. Otherwise, it tasted pretty good…though I think it could have been a tad sweeter. I’d like to try it again, though I’d add a bit more sugar and knead the ever-living daylights out of it.
