The Gluten-Free Toast Loaf

It may not be adequately scientific, but migraines drove me to eliminate gluten, following my own research down the rabbit hole of chronic pain etc.

This journey into the bunny warren of bread-alternatives has definitely engendered more than its share of experiments. The main challenges were coming up with a cohesive symbiosis of ingredients that are soft enough to allow the loaf to rise, but aren't too wet inside once the baking is finished. I know there are an exhausting number of books out there in the Toronto Public Library on how to make bread without gluten, but here experimentation is the name of the game, the journey being just as important as the destination. Although the toast eaters in this home might declare the quality of the toast to be the pinnacle of their concern.

This option is very popular in our household right now, especially cut a little bit thick, and toasted with determination and thoroughness.

It's tricky to make bread that does that bread thing without gluten in it. However, there are some secret ingredients that help the cause. One of them is xanthan gum, one of them is starch like tapioca, and one of them is a bean flour like white bean flour or chickpea flour. In addition to that, some grain flour, rolled oats, etc. Tapioca starch adds wonderful springiness and sponginess, and also functions as a powerful prebiotic, nourishing your optimal intestinal flora as well as you. The combination of ingredients that I am sharing with you here is by no means the only option, but we've been quite happy with the texture and taste of this little toast loaf.

equipment needed:

loaf pan lined with parchment paper

kettle

measuring cups

measuring spoons

mixing bowls

mixing spoons

oven 

(personal hack: I use a small roaster oven -- the kind other people use for thanksgiving -- to rise and cook my bread loaves, especially when it's hot outside and I don't want to run the oven. You can often pick them up for dead cheap on kijiji)

ingredients:

A)
1 1/2 cups warm water (comfortable bath warm)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp bread yeast

B)
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 heaping tsp mountain salt
1/2 cup white bean flour (or chickpea flour)
1 cup sorghum flour (you can opt for other flours like millet or buckwheat, but may need a little less buckwheat as it absorbs more water)
1 cup quick oat flakes
3/4 cup tapioca starch


directions:

1. combine A), stir well, and set aside
2. in a separate mixing bowl, add all ingredients from B) and mix very very well until completely combined.
3. when A) has foamed up, add it to B), and mix well.
4. the dough should be sticky, but hold its form.
5. scoop it into a lined loaf pan, and smooth the surface with wet hands or a wet silicone scraper.
6. allow to rise. I do this in the oven with the light on, or in my little roaster oven, or on the counter in the sun
7. after it has risen for 3 hours, bake at 375 for 1 hour
8. when finished, remove from pan, and let cool on a cooling rack
9. store in an airtight wrap (we keep it in the fridge, but you do you)