Gluten Free French Bread

GlutenFreeGirl's Note:

This french bread is amazing!! It tastes so similar to the wheat containing french bread. Plus it freezes wonderfully!!! It's crusty on the outside, and soft and tender within. It is fabulous alone, or made as little brushetta', using 'Joanne's Creamy Brushetta' recipe(#108383).You can make it from start to finish in about one hour!!

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 15-20

Yield: 2.0 loaves

• 2 cups rice flour (white)
• 1 cup tapioca flour
• 3 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons egg substitute (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
• 2 tablespoons fast rise yeast
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine , melted
• 3 egg whites , beaten slightly
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• melted butter , for brushing (optional)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, place flours, xanthan gum, salt, and egg replacer (if used).Blend with mixer on low.
2. In a small bowl dissolve the sugar in the water, and add yeast.
3. Wait until the mixture foams slightly, then blend into the dry ingredients.
4. Add the butter, egg whites, and vinegar.Beat on high for 3 minutes.
5. To form loaves, spoon dough onto greased and cornmeal-dusted cookie sheets in two long French-loaf shapes or spoon into special French-bread pans.
6. Slash diagonally every few inches.If desired, brush with melted butter.
7. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
9. Remove from pan to cool.

Reviews

[sunnyserf]

The people who make guar gum or xanthan gum recommend it be dissolved in the oil/wet mixture before being added to the recipe. It needs the oil or fat to be properly dissolved. Although recipes do work doing it the way that the author wrote, it works much better if done the other way and have a better texture. The guar gum also should not be used in recipes with a high acid content as the acid tends to neutralize it. The xanthan gum does a better job of combining starches. See Bob's Red Mill site if you are interested in recommended proportions for different recipes.
Although the rice and tapioca flours are 'safe' flours with a more neutral taste, I tend to prefer working with combinations of other flours for about a third the flour amount for the increased vitamins and proteins that they offer. Changing the starches can have an effect on the recipe if you are inexperienced in working with these flours.

[3cutekitties]

Thank you so much for this recipe GlutenFreeGirl, this is the first GF bread recipe that is not disgusting. I have tried so many since going GF, and they have all been like a brick. I have also tweeked this by using all brown rice flour instead of white, using 2 whole eggs instead of egg whites , using olive oil instead of butter, lemon juice instead of vinigar and adding in some ground flax seed & ground hemp seeds. I also add in a bit of pure coconut extract & vanilla. I bake it in a 9x13 loaf pan, cut it in half & freeze half because I can't possibly eat a whold loaf before it goes bad. This is the only GF bread recipe that almost tastes like real bread. Thank you so much. I will try the breadmaker some time soon, but haven't had any luck with the breadmaker GF bread yet. Great job GlutenFreeGirl. Keep posting PLEASE!!!

[peganmn]

This is a great gluten free bread. I can't help but wonder if the people who are adding extra flour are unfamiliar with gluten free bread. Gluten free bread dough will have a different, wetter texture than "normal" wheat dough. GF bread dough SHOULD be wet and sticky. I followed the reciepe exactly and it turned out terrific, though I put the whole thing into a regular loaf pan. It made a lovely loaf of bread for slicing.