Article courtesy: Mary Fran Wiley of Frannycakes
This post is part of the Gluten-Free Ratio Rally, a group of gluten-free bloggers inspired and empowered by Ruhlman‘s Ratio and started by Shauna at Gluten-Free Girl. We get together each month and post many different takes on the same theme. This month that theme is Gluten-Free Tarts and the rally is being hosted by Heather from Discovering the Extraordinary.
Yeast breads make me nervous. Very, very nervous.
Most likely because I never made yeasted bread before going gluten-free. I don’t have a lot of experience knowing how the dough or batter should behave.
Cakes, I got. Muffins & pancakes? We are good to go. Gluten-free cookies? Just call me an expert. Bread? Well, I am still learning. But I would qualify today’s recipe as a success.
The ratio: 5:4
Gluten free flours:liquids. Add a splash of oil for flavor. Call it winning.
I am serious. This is the easiest yeast bread I have made, and one that has a great flavor. There is an egg in there as part of the liquid, but it also helps beef up the structure and add a wee bit of lift.
Yes, this dough is wet. And a little sticky. You just have to trust me. It works. And it is darn good.
The flavors
Brown butter in place of the traditional olive oil. Sage on top. A sprinkling of sea salt. The yeasty flavor that you only get from home made or artisan loaves.
This is some seriously delicious bread.
It would make good sandwich bread when sliced in half. (Do I see paninis in my future? I sure hope so…)
Want a different flavor? Use good olive oil in place of the browned butter. Swap out the toppings. Mix something into the dough.
This months participants
Heather | Discovering the Extraordinary made Rosemary and Garlic Focaccia Bread
Carol / Goodness Gluten Free made Gluten Free Garlic and Parmesean Focaccia
Morri | Meals with Morri made Sweet Cinnamon Raisin Focaccia Bread
~Aunt Mae (aka ~Mrs. R) made Focaccia Bread
Silvana / Silvana’s Kitchen made Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Focaccia
TR | No One Likes Crumbley Cookies made Gluten Free Cheesy Herb Focaccia
Shauna| Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef made Gluten-Free Cherry and Almond Focaccia
- 1½ cups (355 ml) warm water
- 13 grams (1½ tablespoons) active dry yeast
- 3 grams (½ teaspoon) sugar
- 45 grams (3 tablespoons) butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 500 grams (3½ cups) GF All Purpose Flour (I use Cup4Cup)
- 2 teaspoons xantham gum (omit if your flour blend contains this or a similar ingredient such as guar gum or Expandex)
- generous sprinkling of chopped fresh or dried sage
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Preheat your oven to 150 degrees. Turn it off once it is warm.
- Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper and grease well with olive oil or butter.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar.
- Melt butter over medium-low heat and continue to cook until it turns brown and starts to smell slightly nutty. Be careful not to burn the butter. Let cool slightly.
- Add the egg and browned butter to the bowl of the stand mixer, and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the flour, salt and xantham gum (if using). Mix on a low speed for 3 minutes. You will have a slightly shaggy and tacky dough.
- Spread the dough into the baking dish with a spatula, trying to make it even.
- Cover the pan with a towel and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sprinkle the dough with the sage and sea salt.
- Put the pan in the oven, then drop the temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.
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