Yeast Free Bread – Flour variation

I just made my yeast free bread.  I have been reading a lot of gluten-free recipes that use almond and coconut flours because the almond flour has more protein than the traditional gluten-free flours.

I made this loaf of bread with almond and coconut flour as well as some flax-seed meal.  I also used oil this time instead of melted butter.  The bread did not rise as my previous loaves.  I am not sure if it is because the almond flour is heavier or because I used oil instead of butter.  I am thinking maybe I should try reducing the almond flour and either increasing the coconut flour or replacing some of the almond flour with rice flour to see if that makes a lighter bread.  Any suggestions from you out there who follow a gluten-free protocol.  I use this recipe because I follow a yeast-free diet.  I am reprinting the recipe below with what changes I made in the original recipe that I posted.

YEAST FREE BREAD

2 cups of flour (1 cup brown rice, 2/3 cup potato flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour)*  1 1/2 cup Almond Flour, 1/2 cup coconut flour)

2 tsp. Guar Gum (Xanthum gum can be used if you don’t have a corn allergy)

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Gelatin or Agar Agar

1 tsp. Salt

3 tbs.sugar or honey (probably could use agave)

2 eggs or egg substitute

1 cup milk or rice milk (all though I am sure you might be able to use soy or almond milk) I used half and half for a little richer bread.

1/2 cup melted butter or oil I used oil this time

I added 3 tsps. ground flax-seed meal.

Mix dry ingredients and liquid separately.  Combine and pour into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35 – 45 minutes.

Wheat Allergy/Gluten Intolerance

I realize that many individuals with food allergies have a definite wheat allergy.  For me the wheat allergy diagnosis back in 2000 along with being told to avoid barley and oats because of allergies and the possibility of molds, I found it very difficult to bake or buy breads and crackers.  To work around these limitations, I found myself baking gluten-free.  And I could not use corn products (corn starch, corn syrup, cornmeal or flour) because of a severe allergy on my test as well.

My first trip to a Health Food store out-of-town netted me with a gluten-free cookbook by Bette Hagman, rice flour, tapioca flour and potato starch (the three flours used to make her gluten-free flour mix) along with a few other ingredients for my first attempt.  In the beginning I was making gluten-free crackers, English muffins and  hamburger buns.  It was challenging but I was doing it.  Drat!  Then I realized that I wasn’t supposed to be using yeast!  That eliminated all three of these new-found recipes.

This realization drastically curtailed my bread and cracker baking.  I tried purchasing yeast free rice breads but they tasted like cardboard.  I read through yeast free cookbooks.  I wish I could tell you how many or which ones I read other than “Feast Without Yeast” (still available on Amazon) but that is the only one I can remember and I gave away everything I had when I moved into this house.  I do have a recipe that I used which was saved in my computer.  I don’t know where it came from but I did make substitutions.  This is more of a quick bread,  and for me, this bread was best when sliced and toasted.   Guar gum or Xanthum gum work as a binder.  Gelatin or Agar Agar (a form of sea weed used sometimes as a thickener in puddings) helps with moisture and bread texture.

YEAST FREE BREAD

2 cups of flour (1 cup brown rice, 2/3 cup potato flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour)*

2 tsp. Guar Gum (Xanthum gum can be used if you don’t have a corn allergy)

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Gelatin or Agar Agar

1 tsp. Salt

3 tbs.sugar or honey (probably could use agave)

2 eggs or egg substitute

1 cup milk or rice milk (all though I am sure you might be able to use soy or almond milk)

1/2 cup melted butter or oil

Mix dry ingredients and liquid separately.  Combine and pour into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35 – 45 minutes.

*I do know that I tried different gluten-free flours including Garbanzo Bean  in  my original baking.  Optional/I have made this for my daughter adding cinnamon/sugar mixture and raisins.

On July 25th I posted an E-Z tortilla recipe and promised to try it again.  I apologize for not having tried it yet. I have been battling a sinus infection and haven’t had the desire to do much experimentation in the kitchen.   I am going to give it a try this weekend and let you know how easy it was for me to make.  I  may have some non-wheat flours in the cupboard that I can try it with.  I also plan to make this yeast-free bread again to use as breakfast toast  and I have been wondering how it would work in French Toast.

I would appreciate hearing of any successes you may have had with cooking/baking gluten-free.  If you have any cookbooks to recommend, please do so.