Our Daily Bread (Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

I adapted this wonderful recipe to try to make it a bit more nutritious. I also have a different way of shaping the buns. http://www.glutenfreehomemaker.com/2009/03/gluten-free-hamburger-buns-focaccia.html We use this for sandwiches, burgers, mini pizzas, with butter and jam, or plain.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 small buns

Ingredients

• 1  cup  brown rice flour (or teff or a combo of rice and teff)
• 1⁄3 cup sorghum flour
• 2⁄3 cup  sweet rice flour
• 1  cup tapioca starch
• 1 (2 1/2teaspoon) packet unflavored gelatin (use 2 1/2 teaspoons agar for the vegan version)
• 1  tablespoon xanthan gum
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder (or other flavoring as desired)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 2  teaspoons sugar (or honey)
• 1 1⁄2 cups warm water
• 1  tablespoon  yeast
• 4  teaspoons egg substitute (or 4 eggs if desired. The version with real eggs bakes up lighter and puffier than the no egg versio)
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1  teaspoon vinegar
•  olive oil, for shaping

Directions

1. mix yeast with water and honey and set aside.
2. mix the rest of the wet ingredients and add the yeast mixture.
3. combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
4. combine wet and dry and mix with a mixer on high until thoroughly combined. You may need to add extra water at this point, a Tablespoon at a time. The dough should be very soft when done. In the mixer it resembles pulled taffy, but a bit softer. The dough sticks to the sides of the bowl and also sticks to the mixing paddle and looks a bit stringy. If the dough climbs the mixing paddle or beaters, it is too thick. Add small amounts of water and let combine until the batter no longer climbs.
5. Drop the dough onto parchment paper or a silpat. The size doesn't matter. I usually make smallish buns (the size of one of those little hamburger buns at Mc Donald's) by using a heaping Tablespoon of dough for each. **UPDATE- I now use an ice cream scoop to measure out my buns. Dip the scoop in olive oil and then scoop the dough:)Thise bread is so versatile though. The original recipe calls for shaping the buns with an english muffin ring, but I don't bother. I dip my fingers in olive oil and gently shape the dough so that it makes a nice even shaped bun.
6. Let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes.
7. Then preheat your oven to 400, and bake for about 20 minutes. The tops should be lightly browned.
8. Cool the buns on a cooling rack and cut in half (if using for sandwiches) before storing.
9. I wrap each buns in saran wrap and then put in a plastic bag that goes into the freezer. When we want bread, I take out a bun, wrap in a damp paper towel (or you can warm them in the plastic) and nuke for about 20-30 seconds. From there I either eat it soft or toast it. It is wonderful either way and not at all crumbly like a lot of gf bread.
10. **updates- I have found that it works just fine to put the colled buns in a freezer bag as is -- no cutting and no wrapping. I just take out a frozen bun and nuke for 25-30 seconds and then slice as needed. Save s a ton of time.
11. Also -- I have not made these with garlic in a long time. I flavor the dough with extra honey -- just an extra long squirt of honey per batch.
12. Also -- I still use an ice cream scoop to get these on the cookie sheet, but wanted to mention that parchment paper does a great job here. And since I have been using honey instead of garlic, I have started using grapeseed oil in place of olive oil:).