Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Sandwich bread!

At last! Glory be! I've found a sandwich bread recipe TM will eat! I'm so so so excited, you have no idea. It's worked 3-4 times now, so we're good to go!




It's modified slightly from http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/3074/sandwich-bread-gluten-free-recipe

I tried the recipe in Gluten Free Baking Classics multiple times, adding extra flour, rising it super-slowly, or twice, or not at all...it always fell a little, and turned dry at the drop of a hat, and TM never liked it. I even got a kitchen scale so I could weigh the flours. Well, maybe she liked it once, right out of the oven. I think I tried it about 15 times. FAIL.

But when I found the Land-o-Lakes recipe, hooray, it actually worked!! I've adjusted it by using canola oil instead of butter, and I'm very sloppy on the starches. I re-calculated measurements based on weights listed in The Allergen-Free Cook Bakes Bread so I could get the amounts right. And I added a little more milk (almond milk).

1C +2T warm almond milk
1/4 C sugar (don't skimp...it needs this much)
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/2 C gluten free flour blend (see below) = 403g
1 tsp salt
1/4 C canola oil
2 large eggs

From Land-o-Lakes:
Combine milk, sugar and yeast in small bowl; set aside 10 minutes. 

Combine flour blend and salt in large stand mixer bowl; beat with stand mixer on low speed, gradually adding yeast mixture until well combined. Add
[oil] and eggs; beat, scraping bowl occasionally, until well mixed. Increase speed to high; beat until batter is very smooth (about 3 minutes). 

Cover, let rise in warm place 1 hour. 

Grease 8x4-inch loaf pan [Or use parchment paper folded into the pan, it's awesome]. Stir dough; pour into pan, leveling top. Loosely cover with greased plastic food wrap; let rise until just above top edge of pan (20 to 30 minutes). 

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Bake for 42 to 50 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. 

Gluten-Free Flour Blend: To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour = 316g, 2/3 cup potato starch =128g, 1/3 cup tapioca flour =40g and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. So basically 168g starch...I just dump in whatever I have on hand. Lately it's been cornstarch and tapioca starch. Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid. Stir before using.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Pancakes and waffles

Something happened lately and everything I cooked, especially my fail-safe pancakes, was gummy and gross. Maybe it was because I was trying to substitute for eggs using flax seed, and baking soda/lemon juice for baking powder since TM and Q don't like the taste of baking powder.

Talking to my brother, I finally got it right! He suggested using yeast, so I did, and I also used an egg, and they were great! I think I'm done substituting. I have the worst time finding egg substitutes.

Here's the recipe I used:
125g flour mix (316g rice flour, 168g starch...I ended up using cornstarch this time)
1T sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast
3/4C water
1 egg

It's adapted from this recipe. I tried a similar recipe to one from Annalise Roberts's cookbook but TM and Q said it was bitter. Probably because I didn't do what one of my friends did...I didn't add lemon.

I think I'll try adding lemon to it next time anyway, even with yeast.

I've tried cutting out eggs and it doesn't really work if using GF flour, not for me. I'll try it with yeast sometime...see if I can cut out eggs if I use yeast....

WAFFLES
Yes indeed! I love waffles. But TM doesn't. At least, not 'till now! I used a yeast recipe and substituted canola oil for butter, and simply left out the 1/4 tsp baking soda. She's actually asked for these waffles! Oh, hooray! I made them with whipped coconut cream on top of semi-frozen berries, and yum yum yum it was scrumptious. I'll put pictures in the next time I make them :D.

Next Monday (pasta night), I'm going to make my own pasta! How exciting! Thanks, Brian!