Simplifying "Really Good Yeast Bread"

Simplifying "Really Good Yeast Bread"

I've been thinking that the yummy yeast bread I previously posted might daunt a few of you because it has so many ingredients. Plus, I wondered if I can have a cheaper, simplified version that uses fewer specialty ingredients. I also wondered if my all-purpose wheat-free mix I keep in my freezer would work well to bake yeast bread. Here are two experiments and the results:

Experiment #1

Recipe as previously posted, except used lentil flour instead of sweet rice flour. Lentils are cheap and easy to come by and store, and grind easily in a blender(I grind a batch of lentils and store it in a quart size bag in the freezer). I substituted sugar for honey. I added a bit of molasses to complement the lentil flour. RESULTS: This bread had a really nice flavor. It was sweet and nutty, similar to a whole wheat flavor. The texture was light and airy. It was such a light loaf, that the bread was hard to slice. Perhaps I could have the batter a little thicker next time for a little more structure. It was really enjoyable bread.

Experiment #2

Used my all-purpose wheat free mix that I keep in the freezer. This is 1/3 part brown rice, 1/3 part oat, and 1/3 part starch(usually 50% tapioca starch and 50% cornstarch). Didn't add any other dry ingredients except for xanthan gum. Didn't add sweet rice flour or gelatin. Added a drop molasses. Used sugar instead of honey. RESULT: This turned out well. The loaf was about the texture of regular homemade part whole wheat yeast bread. Good flavor.

IN ADDITION:

I baked three batches of bread this day. When cool, I sliced and then wrapped the bread in plastic wrap, in groups of 2-3 slices. Then I stuck the slices in freezer bags. Two things were wonderful to see from this baking day- one, my daughter could have bread very conveniently out of the freezer, and often! Before, she had to patiently wait until Mom made time to bake bread for her. Two, I realized it is really easy to bake bread for her, with a mix prepared ahead of time, stored in the freezer. When I run out of this mix, I can just mix extra proportions of each dry ingredient, excluding yeast, next time I bake bread. The extra proportions can go into a big bowl, be stirred together, and then stored in a gallon size bag. It's great to see that even more simple, my all-purpose mix that I keep on hand works well. Grab the dry mix out(let it sit to room temp if you remember ahead of time), add yeast, whisk together flaxseed meal and water in separate container and let sit while you heat water. Add most of water and then oil and drop of molasses, then remaining water if needed. Mix 3 1/2 min. Spoon into pans...let rise, then bake...I will bake bread more often for my daughter now!

Really Good Yeast Bread!

The day before Christmas, I decided that I wanted to bake bread for my girls to have with our many bean soup. I used a recipe from Bette Hagman which I had liked pretty well, but my daughter hadn't eaten it very well when I baked it a year or so ago. It's called "Flaxseed Bean Bread." It uses "four flour bean mix." Instead of the "four flour bean mix," I decided to simply use oat and brown rice flour, and a little bit of potato starch to help lighten the loaf. It was a hit! The girls ate oodles of it! It was light and airy, moist, and had a nice flavor. My husband liked it as much or better than homemade wheat bread, he said! I enjoyed it too.

Flaxseed Oat-Rice Bread

1 c. oat flour(you can grind your own oats in a blender, it will take around 1 1/2 c. rolled oats)
2/3 c. brown rice flour
1/3 c. potato starch
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 t. salt
1 tsp. gelatin(to add protein content)
2 T. sweet rice flour(instead of almond meal, which Bette Hagman uses)
2 T. brown sugar
2 1/4 t. dry yeast


4 tsp. flaxmeal
1/3 cup cool water

1 T. honey
2 T. dairy free margarine or vegetable oil(I like canola)
1/2 tsp. dough enhancer or vinegar
@1 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)

For best results, let flour stand out several hours ahead to room temperature(I didn't do this, and it still worked great, but technically yeast works best when everything is warm).

Mix flaxmeal and 1/3 cup cool water. Let stand 5-10 min while working on rest of recipe. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Warm water to about 110 degrees(use thermometer, or test by hand- stick a finger in it, liquid should be warm-hot but not enough to burn your finger (if it's steaming, don't do so, it will burn!)

Add liquids(flaxmeal, honey, vinegar if using, and 1 c. warm water). You do not add all 1 1/2 cups water, add 1 cup water, then mix in dry ingredients, and add enough water, if needed, to make a cake batter-like consistency. (I wasn't sure exactly how thin, mine was like a thick cake batter, yet thinner than muffin batter I think, and it turned out well). It is definitely supposed to be much thinner than wheat yeast bread dough.

Mix on high 3 1/2 minutes. Spoon into "8 1/2" X "4 1/2" bread pan. Let rise until it reaches top. 35-45 min with rapid rise yeast or 60 plus minutes for regular yeast.

Bake 50-60 minutes, at 400 degrees. Cover with foil after 10 minutes, to prevent excessive browning.

Good luck! Gluten-free bread batter looks and acts differently from wheat bread dough, so have patience! Try it several times, and you'll get the hang of it. If it doesn't turn out one time, try to learn from it, and make your bread into crumbs for meatloaf, or dry and season into croutons... I hope to make a post for troubleshooting- hints for gluten-free bread making and possibilities for what may have happened if your bread didn't turn out right. I've come across lots of good info, I just need to take time to put it together and post it! : ) Meanwhile, I think a lot of the hints I've seen are from Bette Hagman's "Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes "Bread." Check it out from your library! She has lots of recipes for healthy gluten-free, homemade yeast breads.