Gluten Free High Fiber Bread

If you're gluten free like me, you long for a taste of wonderful warm bread straight from the oven. And in that longing you've tried numerous recipes to make your own bread that doesn't taste like cardboard.  Go ahead and raise your hand!  There are several wonderful blogs out there with great gf bread recipes; however the best one I've found is from glutenfreegreenmommy.blogspot.com

I did modify Kim's recipe to fit my taste buds, which I think you've got to do if you want to find the right gf bread for you.  The first time I tried the recipe I used 1c of Living Without's High Fiber Blend and 1c of brown rice flour - but something was missing.  So I continued to experiment.  Next up I use garbanzo bean flour instead of the brown rice flour, I love the flavor but it can be a bit heavy.  So the next time around I used 1c of millet and OMG! The best GF BREAD I've had since going GF!  Even the girl will gobble this up and John thinks its my best tasting bread - even though it doesn't taste like wheat flour.  I'm using a breadman bread machine on the GF Cycle.

Without further ado - here it is!

Gretchen's GF High Fiber Bread
3 eggs
1tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4c canola oil
1&1/3c hemp milk
1Tbs & 1 tsp agave nectar
3Tbs brown sugar
1c High Fiber blend*
1c millet flour
1/2c tapioca flour
1/2c potato starch
3tsp xanthum gum
1 & 1/2 tsp salt
2 packages of Red Star dry active yeast

*High Fiber blend recipe: 1c sorghum flour, 1/2c teff flour, 1/2c millet, 1/2c tapioca flour, 1/2c potato starch (make in advance and store in an air-tight container)

Step 1: Proof yeast.  I heat the 1 & 1/3c of hemp milk in the microwave for about 1 minute - you want the milk to be a little warmer than body temperature.  Then I add some sugar, a tablespoon or so, to the milk and dissolve it.  I let it sit for about 5 minutes to make sure its not too hot - then I add the 2 packets of yeast and set it on the back of the stove & I turn on the oven to provide consistent heat.  I've found my gf breads rise better when I proof the yeast and I get a really good yeast flavor in the bread.

I just added the yeast to the hemp milk

The yeast beginning to proof

oh...I see bubbles!

Well look at that!

Step 2: Lightly beat eggs.  Add eggs, apple cider vinegar, canola oil, agave nectar and brown sugar directly into the bread machine pan.  Make sure you've got the paddle in the bottom!  I've forgotten it a couple of times - TPITA!

Step 3:
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, makings sure the flours, xantham gum and salt are blended well.

Step 4: Add proofed yeast to the bread machine pan, then add in flour. (don't forget to turn off the oven if you were using it to provide a warm location to proof your yeast)

Now its ready to dive into the mix!

Step 5: Plug bread machine pan into the machine and press start.  On the breadman I'm using the GF cycle for 1.5lb loaf on medium color.  You will want to use a spatula during the mixing cycle to ensure all the flour is incorporated into the bread while the machine is mixing.  You can also add flax seeds, sunflower seeds, or any nuts your interested in adding at this point.  Some people like to remove the paddle after the bread is done mixing - but I'm too lazy to do that.  To each their own.

In the mix

Beginning to rise!

Fully risen bread - ready for baking!

Ohhhh its done!!!

 Now you have to wait til the bread is done.  When it is done remove it form the loaf pan and eat after its cool - if you can wait that long. The smell is amazing!  And the taste and texture is like taking a bite into a fresh baked slice of bread from the bakery down the street - only it came out of your bread machine (or oven)!

Experiment with this recipe as I have done - you may find you like to use different oil, a different type of milk, or egg substitutes.  Find the GF bread you've always been looking for.  The key to this recipe is the millet flour, the hemp milk and agave nectar.  Now if I could only figure out how to make a sourdough - I may play with this and make a starter from it...but I'm not that adventurous yet with my GF baking!