yeast free bread – Nat's Ladle

Gluten free bread sucks. Do you agree to this statement? I used to. No matter where in the world, and no matter whether from a breadmix, or a bakery – gluten free bread just sucked. And even if it tasted anywhere near something you would serve a human being, it was filled with crap. I know, I know what you are going to say – one doesn’t need bread, or any carbohydrates for that matter. There is absolutely nothing wrong with low-carb or paleo, ans, in fact, I believe many of the western world’s problems could be solved if people ate low(er) carb!

But, heck, I am German and married to an Italian – there is just no way I’m gonna give up bread forever, and even though I am gluten intolerant, there must be a way to make gluten free bread that doesn’t suck! Gluten free bread that doesn’t have a whole shelf of creepy ingredients in it. Gluten free bread that doesn’t have a dozen eggs in it (that’s not bread, that’s cake! And If I crave bread, I don’t want cake – sorry, Marie Antoinette!).

This was an experiment. One that turned out well. One that my (gluten eating) hubs couldn’t get enough of. One that reminded me very much of the texture of a good ol’ German sourdough – even though the taste is more in the tradition of the Irish soda bread. I didn’t have any dried yeast, so had to resort to soda. With an old trick I knew (putting a bowl of water in the oven), my bread got a lovely crust. And thanks to all-time favourite flax, this is egg free, but you won’t miss any eggs – the trick with the flax eggs worked! So this is not only gluten free, it is yeast free, gum free, egg free, and dairy free. And it doesn’t suck.

Gluten free? Check. Dairy free? Check. Yeast free? Check. Egg free? Check. Vegan? Check. Gum Free? Check. Soy free? Most naturally. Full of fibre and omega 3? Check. Sugar free? You have the option. Yummy? Check. Easy and quick to make? Check.

You can start now. You should have the ingredients. And it is really really easy. You don’t even need to preheat the oven – you really don’t!

Makes one loaf

150 g potato starch
100 g sorghum flour
50 g arrowroot
2 tbsp baking soda
2 tsp celtic sea salt
2 tsp sugar or honey
250 ml hot water (ca. 40 ° C)
3 tbsp ground flax seed, dissolved in 9 tbsp water (equals 3 flax eggs)
4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil

Mix the dry ingredients (potato starch, sorghum, arrowroot, soda, salt, sugar if using) in food processor with dough blade until one colour. Slowly add oil, flax eggs and honey, if using, with the blender running. Add vinegar and hot water and mix until you get a supple, uniform dough. There should not be any lumps in it whatsoever – it should be the smoothest thing ever. Turn off the processor, and with a silicon spatula, scoop dough into loaf pan. Sprinkle the loaf with sorghum or any other gluten free flour and notch several times with a sharp knife. Place on middle rack in an oven, and place another tray filled with water below the loaf pan. Turn the oven to 230 ° C and let bake for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven, and let the loaf cool on a wire rack.

Delicious Gluten Free bread with Olive Oil and Sea Salt or... — Delicious Gluten Free bread with Olive Oil and Sea Salt or…

Enjoy!

Mediterranean Style Gluten Free and Yeast Free Bread

Today it happened. Today was the day I made the decision it was time to enter new gluten free territory. To try the object of desire of countless celiacs and gluten free folks. To make with my own two hands the thing that turns good olive oil and coarse sea salt into the most desirable, seductive ménage de trois, the loyal companion of a good merlot, the reliable foundation for freshly churned butter, the satisfying partner of a bowl of steamy, creamy soup: Bread. Gluten free bread.

I made gluten free bread! I still can’t believe my luck! I tried gluten free bread, and it worked! I can serve my half-Italian husband Italian-style bread to dip into oil and salt. To nibble straight of the loaf pan. To enjoy with a chunky piece of good, salted butter.

Gluten free bread.

No, not that gluten free bread you buy in the supermarket, no no! I mean – fantastic gluten free bread. Yummy. Delicious. Easy to make. And – yup – healthy. And satisfying. And it makes you happy. What? Yes.

You read right: Today I made a bread that is GLUTEN FREE AND YEAST FREE AND VEGAN. And is healthy. Let me tell you what you will get when you try my experiment:

-proteins from brown rice, buckwheat, millet, eggs, chickpea, flax for your muscles
-calcium from brown rice for your bones and teeth
-magnesium from brown rice, millet to calm your nerves
-fiber from brown rice, millet, chickpea, flax to promote digestion
-iron from brown rice, sundried tomatoes and chickpea to boost your power
-zinc from brown rice to fight infections
-niacin from millet and sun-dried tomatoes for hairs and nails and to lower cholesterol
-omega 3 from flax and chia for healthy heart and brain function
-healthy fat from olive oil and olives – see above
-antioxidants from millet and sundried tomatoes to protect you against cancer
-serotonin from millet to make you happy. 🙂

Great with olive oil, coarse sea salt and a dry Merlot

Yes, all that in less than 30 minutes! (hooray!)

Shall we?

For one 20×20 cm baking pan

100 g brown rice flour
50 g millet
50 g chickpea flour
50 g buckwheat flour
25 g flax
25 g arrowroot
1,5 tsp sea salt
1,5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan
3 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp chia seeds, dissolved in 6 tbsp water (“chia eggs”)
5 tbsp olive oil (use a good brand)
1 tsp maple syrup or agave
approx. 120 ml or more warm water
sundried tomatoes, olives (as much as you like) or anything else you’d like to put in!
coarse sea salt to decorate

Preheat oven to 180° C. Use your food processor or any other standing blender. Whisk together all dry ingredients (flours, flax, salt, xanthan, soda, arrowroot) until well blended (one colour). Add the chia to the dry ingredients. Add vinegar, oil, and maple syrup and beat in food processor for a few seconds until incorporated. Pour warm water through your processor’s feeder until batter becomes smooth, firm and sticky (the texture is a bit like marshmallow) and homogenous. You might need to experiment with the amount of water (approx. 120-150 ml). With a wet spoon or spatula scoop into oiled pan. and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse sea salt and bake for another 5 minutes.