The Fresh Loaf

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gluten free Hamelman

mcs's picture
mcs

gluten free Hamelman

Hello Loafians-

I have some friends who have asked our bakery to produce some gluten free breads. I told them I would look into it, not so much as a money making venture, but more as a service for friends. Anyway, I've found 4 million gluten free recipes online, but am wondering if anyone knows of a definitive source for gluten free recipes- kind of a 'Hamelman' of gluten free. Or maybe it's you? Since I've never even eaten the stuff, I don't know if I would recognize a good loaf from a bad one. I'm hoping to dedicate the beginnings of two mornings a week to this if it works out. Thanks.

-Mark

ejm's picture
ejm

My dad has been on a gluten-free diet for years. Mom makes a gluten-free flour mixture and replaces it cup for cup in any recipe that calls for regular flour. She says that the addition of guar gum or xanthan gum and arrowroot and tapioca flour are essentials to stop the finished product to be too grainy and dry. (This is the main problem with gluten-free baked goods. There's a reason that we all use wheat!! )

There is a good flour mixture listed here: http://www.ellenskitchen.com/faqs/glutfree.html

I've made bread, cake and muffins for Dad when my parents visit. He says they're good... (but he's polite.) Muffins are definitely more successful than bread. And of course, because there is not gluten to develope, there is no kneading. I don't know if you ever make cakes as well but "No Egg" cake made with rice flour instead of wheat flour is very successful.

There are a number of forbidden ingredients for the gluten-free diet that may come as a surprise. This list of "Foods to Avoid" from the Canadian Celiac Association may be handy: http://www.celiac.ca/EnglishCCA/egfdiet2.html#avoid

Hope that helps.

-Elizabeth

(No matter what anyone tells you, spelt is forbidden to those on a gluten-free or wheat-free diet. It's an early form of wheat.)

 

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks for the feedback, Elizabeth. That definitely helps, and I'll be checking out your links that you've listed.

-Mark

http://thebackhomebakery.com

fertileprayers's picture
fertileprayers

Charlotte Fairchild

The Book of Kudzu by William Shurtleff uses kudzu root instead of arrowroot because it is a higher quality thickener. I haven't used the ingredients you are talking about to make bread because I am endeavoring to be alkaline, and I will be looking at these sites, for sure. Thanks,

Charlotte 

 

pizzameister's picture
pizzameister

I have been experimenting lately with yeasted gluten free breads, first bringing a mixture of 2:1 water:rice flour just to a simmer and stirring/whisking to make a thick paste.  Then adding other softer textured flours (quinoa, millet, etc.) to make a very stiff batter, adding an egg and a very little xanthan gum as well.  So far these have come a little bit denser than desired, but are very moist and not at all grainy.   The latter was the result of pre-cookng the rice flour.  Interestingly enough, after adding other ingredients it all comes to a nice warm temperature which encourages the yeast.

Cinnamon raisin has been wonderful, especially when toasted.  I have also found that these keep very well out of the fridge for at least 5 days and stay moist.

After doubling in size (second rise in a bread pan), there has been some shrinkage factor when baked.  I plan on continuing the work to see how we can improve!!  But we have been happy with and encouraged by the initial results.

Work in Progress,

Pizzameister

mcs's picture
mcs

1.  How much is 'very little xanthan gum'?

2.  What do you mean by 'precooking the rice flour'?

3.  Would you be willing to post a recipe when you have things worked out to your liking?

Thanks.

-Mark 

http://thebackhomebakery.com

pizzameister's picture
pizzameister

Mark,

The recommended amount of gum, per the bag, is about 1 t. per cup of flour.  I am working at around 1/4 t. / cup, but have been slowly increasing.

Precooking to make a paste with the water for the recipe. It comes together into a thick paste within only a minute or so after coming to a very low simmer.  This prehydrates the rice and does away with all of the grittiness.

I am thinking that some of the shrinkage may be a result of having done this, but it definitely takes care of the dryness and grittiness, which I have always "loaved" :-)    Maybe it is also partly the lower amount of gum used?????

Just playing around with this, but be happy to share recipe in more detail. Will try to get this done tomorrow.  Maybe someone can jump on it and improve it faster than I am going to get it done.

Growing Super Peel www.superpeel.com business takes up much of my free time.

PM

Any interest in a GF Toll House Cookies, I have been working on that, too.  Go with the recipe on the chip bag (I don't add the nuts) and use approximately 40% Bob's Red Mill Brown Rice Flour and 60% Millet Flour.  Increase the total flour by about 1/4 C. (2 1/2 C.).  Adjusting the flour blend toward higher % rice flour will make a flatter cookie, and a puffier one the other way.  Bake 7 1/2 min.  Another work in progress, but awesome!

pizzameister's picture
pizzameister

Mark,

The author you are probably unknowningly referring to is Bette Hagman.  Mike Avery has mentioned that he tried some of her recipes years ago and that customers did not even know they were eating a GF bread.  He didn't remember which recipes though.

PM

mcs's picture
mcs

Thanks for your responses, I appreciate the insights and have some homework to do now. 

-Mark 

http://thebackhomebakery.com

ejm's picture
ejm

I was reading various posts in the round up of Weekend Herb Blogging #121 and came across the blog "Gluten-Free Bay: Cooking, Eating and Thriving Without Gluten". There are a number of posts about gluten-free bread. It appears from the photos that there are a number of successful gluten-free bread recipes there as well as links to other gluten-free sites.

If I were you (and next time I have to make bread for my dad), I would be inclined to approach some of the gluten-free bloggers to consult with them. These four look like they are actively searching for decent bread recipes:

I'll be really interested to hear what you think about the various breads you come up with, Mark.

-Elizabeth

KipperCat's picture
KipperCat

I noticed this book at our local library, but can't recommend it one way or another.

The gluten-free gourmet bakes bread : more than 200 wheat-free recipes / Bette Hagman.

 

I  remember that Gourmet Magazine once featured 3 gluten free baked goods that their staff insisted were as good as the regular versions - chocolate chip cookies, lemon cake & something else.  At any rate, I'm sure you could find it at their website.  Does your bakery do sweets as well as breads?

mcs's picture
mcs

Betty Hagman, as pizzmeister also suggested, seems like the go to girl. I'm just trying to bypass the 'Betty Crocker' recipes and go right to the real deal. It sounds like through all of your suggestions, I can do that. I'll let you know how the recipes turn out.

KipperCat, we do breads and pastries, so I'm trying to keep things 'dough related'. Since this is a one man show, I have about 6 different bread doughs and 3 different pastry doughs, and everything is made from those. No cakes or that kind of thing. There's a good local bakery that fills that niche. Thanks.

-Mark

http://thebackhomebakery.com