Buckle up for a Mission of Gluten Free Bread baking (and cookies too!)

Gluten Free Bread baking is not for the Faint of Heart!

Mr. Hunt, this isn't mission difficult, it's mission impossible. "Difficult" should be a walk in the park for you.

And your mission, M. Hunt, should you choose to accept it, is to make a Gluten Free Loaf of Bread with the trusty help of Ms. Breadmaker. She must be armed with a Gluten Free bread cycle. She has been assigned to guide you on this mission because, without her smarts and clever assistance you are likely to fail miserably in accomplishing the task.

One thing you must know about the GF Bread assignment before you embark upon it, is that all of the starch and flour players are extremely temperature sensitive—meaning they cannot be cold. They must be at room temperature or be warmed before being mixed together. If you don’t tend to their quirky temperaments, they will hive off in little clumps and ruin your party. So, make them feel welcome, and encourage them to mix and mingle as a group. They particularly like being whisked together and whirled about in a big warm stainless steel bowl. Be mindful of the liquid ingredients too on your mission. They too must be warm to be cooperative and helpful.

The main reason you want Ms Breadmaker as your trusty mission chum however, is because GF bread dough is extremely sticky and therefore very hard to transfer and move about...i.e. to baking pans, or to shape into loaves. It is simply easier to bake the dough in the breadmaker. Believe me, I am a free agent who can attest to this. After many trials and tribulations—which yielded several little inedible doorstops—I have chosen to simply press 6 for the Gluten Free Cycle and let Ms. Breadmaker do her magic! 

So, strap on the apron and let's get started:

(Please note: To reward you for your persistence and patience, I have included recipes for delicious, easy-to-make Gluten Free cookies!)

Tips for making Gluten Free Bread in the breadmaker:

• Get to know your breadmaker and write down on a label affixed to the machine, when the kneading cycle ends so you can remove the bread paddles from the dough before the baking cycle begins. Because the dough is sticky the paddles will bake into the bread and become hard to remove afterwards.

• Be sure to have all ingredients at room temperature or warmed as instructed. The ingredients MUST be warm when making gluten free bread otherwise the dry ingredients may clump together and the dough won’t mix well or rise properly.

• Read the entire recipe before embarking on this mission.GF bread is UBER-fussy to make..until you get the hang of it!

• Use wet hands take the bread machine paddles from the dough after the bread machine kneading cycle has ended

• Use a wet spatula to smooth the dough out before the rising and baking cycle begins.

Tools needed:

·      Breadmachine with a gluten free bread cycle

·      A meat or food thermometer (Why? To test the temperature of the warm water used in the recipe to 110F – 115F AND to test the baked bread for doneness)

·      Large stainless steel mixing bowl (Why metal? Because you will be placing the bowl in the oven)

·      Strong handled rubber spatula (Why? To help the breadmachine mix the dough. Tip: Wetting it will prevent the dough from sticking to the spatula, making it easier to spread the dough.)

·      Oven timer (Why? to remind you to remove the bread machine paddles before the baking cycle begins)

Basic Gluten Free White Bread for the Breadmachine

Mix the following dry ingredients together in a large metal bowl. The starches have a tendency to clump so mix the ingredients thoroughly. After mixing: warm the ingredients in the bowl in the oven at 200F for 5 minutes. TIP: Be sure to use oven mitts when removing the hot bowl from the oven!

·      3 cups white rice flour (you may vary this by using 2 cups white rice flour and 1 cup brown rice flour)

·      1 cup dry skim milk powder

·      2 tsp salt

·      ¾ cup potato starch

·      ¾ cup tapioca starch

·      ½ cup cornstarch

·      4 ½ tbsp. sugar

·        1 ½ tbsp. xanthan gum

·        3 ¼ tsp bread machine yeast

While the dry ingredients are warming in the oven, prepare and mix together the following wet ingredients and place them in the breadmachine pan.

·        2 ¼ cups warm water (Warm to between 110F – 115F. Test with meat thermometer)

·        4 large eggs at room temperature (Warm them by placing them in a bowl and covering them with hot water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes) Crack the eggs into the breadmachine pan and beat them lightly with a fork in the pan.

Add to pan:

·      1/3 cup canola oil

·      1 ½ tsp cider vinegar

Place pan in breadmachine. Choose the Gluten free cycle. Press Start. When the breadmachine begins the mixing cycle, open the lid open and gradually add the warmed dry ingredients with a large scoop or big spoon. Scrap down the dry flour from the edges of the pan with a dry rubber spatula and help the mixing, if necessary. Close the lid.

NOTE: Set your oven timer for about 20-25 minutes to remind you to remove the bread machine paddles from the dough after the kneading cycle ends and before the rising and baking cycle begin. The dough is sticky so wet your hands with cold water before plunging your hands in the mixed dough to remove the bread machine paddles. I remove the paddles because they tend to get stuck in the baked bread. After you have removed the paddles, wet a spatula and quickly smooth out, and flatten the top of the dough to yield a well formed loaf.

When the breadmaker beeper indicates the bread is baked, use an oven or meat thermometer to test for doneness. Place probe on the middle of the loaf. Temperature must be 200F or higher.

Remove bread from the breadpan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Tip: End crusts make nice croutons when chopped up and tossed with a little olive oil and chopped garlic. Spread on a low-rimmed cookie sheet and toast in the oven at 325 for about 20 minutes. Or make breadcrumbs with the end crusts. Chop up, spread on a low-rimmed cookie sheet and toast them at 325 in the oven for about 20 minutes. Chop finely in a food processor. Store crumbs in the freezer.

Cinnamon Raisin Gluten Free Bread for the Breadmachine

1 ¾ cups brown rice flour

½ cup potato starch

¼ tapioca starch

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup dry skim milk powder

1 tbsp xanthum gum

1 ½ tsp breadmachine yeast

1 ¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 ½ cups raisins

1 cup water (water temp should be between 110 and 115F)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp cider vinegar

2 eggs lightly beaten (warm eggs in their shells in warm water)

2 egg whites, lightly beaten (warm eggs in their shells in warm water)

Use your breadmachine, with the Gluten Free option to make this bread. I select the largest loaf size (2.5 or 3 lbs) and the default bread colour setting (medium), i.e. not dark or light.

•   Warm 4 eggs in their shells, in hot water in a bowl and set aside.

• Mix the dry ingredients together in a large metal bowl. The starches have a tendency to clump so mix the ingredients thoroughly. If the room temperature is cold, you may warm these ingredients in the metal bowl in the oven for a few minutes at about 200F.

• Place warm water in the breadmachine breadpan. Add oil and cider vinegar.

• Add 2 egg yolks and 2 egg whites, lightly beaten, into the breadpan.

• Place breadpan in the breadmachine. Close lid and choose the Gluten Free cycle, largest size loaf option and press start.

• When mixing cycle begins, with a large scoop or spoon slowly add the warm dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, as the breadmachine mixes. Scrape down the sides with a spatula.

• Close lid.

• Set oven timer for 20-25 minutes to remind you to remove the breadmachine paddles from the dough at the end of the knead cycle and before the rising and baking cycle begins.

• When timer sounds, be sure the mixing cycle has ended, then wet your hands with cold water and remove the paddles from the dough. Smooth out the top of the dough with a wet spatula. Close the lid and allow the rising and baking to continue.

• When the breadmachine beeper indicates the bread is baked, open the lid and test for doneness (200F is done!) with a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the bread.

• When baked through, remove the breadpan and shake the bread out of the breadpan and allow it to cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Robust Gluten Free Brown Bread for the Bread Machine

1 ½ cup brown rice flour

1 cup sorghum flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

½ cup amaranth flour (ground amaranth seeds)

2 tbsp dry skim milk powder

1 tbsp xanthum gum

1 ¾ breadmachine yeast

1 ¼ tsp salt

1 ¼ cups water (temperature must be 110 to 115F)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp liquid honey

2 tbsp molasses

1 tsp cider vinegar

2 eggs lightly beaten (warm eggs in their shells in warm water)

2 egg whites, lightly beaten (warm eggs in their shells in warm water)

Use your breadmachine, with the Gluten Free option to make this bread. I select the largest loaf size (2.5 or 3 lbs) and the default bread colour setting (medium), i.e. not dark or light.

•   Warm 4 eggs in their shells, in hot water in a bowl and set aside.

• Mix the dry ingredients together in a large metal bowl. The starches have a tendency to clump so mix the ingredients thoroughly. If the room temperature is cold, you may warm these ingredients in the metal bowl in the oven for a few minutes at about 200F.

• Place warm water in the breadmachine breadpan. Add oil and cider vinegar.

• Add 2 egg yolks and 2 egg whites, lightly beaten, into the breadpan.

• Place breadpan in the breadmachine. Close lid and choose the Gluten Free cycle, largest size loaf option and press start.

• When mixing cycle begins, with a large scoop or spoon slowly add the warm dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, as the breadmachine mixes. Scrape down the sides with a spatula.

• Close lid.

• Set oven timer for 20-25 minutes to remind you to remove the breadmachine paddles from the dough at the end of the knead cycle and before the rising and baking cycle begins.

• When timer sounds, be sure the mixing cycle has ended, then wet your hands with cold water and remove the paddles from the dough. Smooth out the top of the dough with a wet spatula. Close the lid and allow the rising and baking to continue.

• When the breadmachine beeper indicates the bread is baked, open the lid and test for doneness (200F is done!) with a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the bread.

• When baked through, remove the breadpan and shake the bread out of the breadpan and allow it to cool thoroughly on a wire rack.

Gluten Free Lemon-Chocolate-Pistachio Sugar Cookies

½ cup white rice flour (or brown if you prefer)

½ cup ground almonds

¼ cup tapioca flour

¼ cup potato starch

1 tsp xanthum gum

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup softened butter

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

 2 tsp freshly grated lemon rind

2 large egg yolks

½ cup chopped pistachios

1/4 chocolate chips

1/3 cup white sugar (to roll cookies in)

•  Heat oven to 350F

•  Mix together in a large bowl: dry ingredients (white flour to salt)

• Using a food processor, whirl butter to soften completely, add sugars and pulse to blend thoroughly.

•  Add lemon juice through to egg yolks. Pulse well until blended.

• Add flour mixture 1/3 cup at a time and pulse until well blended.

• Add pistachios and chocolate chips, pulse lightly just enough to add evenly in the dough. 

Cover to large baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar and place on the baking sheet.

Bake cookies for 15 minutes, then flatten balls in a crisscross fashion and bake about 6-10 minutes longer. Remove pans from oven and let cookies cool on the pans for another 5 minutes. Then remove cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

This recipe makes about 24-30 cookies. PS: I like cookies on the small side!

Gluten Free Orange-Chocolate-Walnut Sugar Cookies

½ cup white rice flour (or brown rice flour if you prefer)

½ cup ground almonds

¼ cup tapioca flour

¼ cup potato starch

1 tsp xanthum gum

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup softened butter

1 tbsp fresh orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

 2 tbsp freshly grated orange rind

2 large egg yolks

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ chocolate chips

1/3 cup white sugar (to roll cookies in)

•  Heat oven to 350F

• Mix together in a large bowl: dry ingredients (white flour to salt)

• Using a food processor, whirl butter to soften completely, add sugars and pulse to blend thoroughly.

• Add orange juice through to egg yolks. Pulse well until blended.

• Add flour mixture 1/3 cup at a time and pulse until well blended.

• Add walnuts and chocolate chips, pulse lightly just enough to add evenly in the dough. 

Cover to large baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar and place on the baking sheet.

Bake cookies for 15 minutes, then flatten balls in a crisscross fashion and bake about 6-10 minutes longer. Remove pans from oven and let cookies cool on the pans for another 5 minutes. Then remove cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

This recipe makes about 24-30 cookies. PS: I like cookies on the small side!

Gluten Free Quinoa Ginger Molasses Cookies

½ cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

¼ cup molasses

2 cups quinoa flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cloves

¼ cup white sugar (to roll the cookies in)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Beat in the egg and molasses. Set aside.

Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a medium bowl and blend well. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a smooth dough forms.

Roll the dough into 1 ½ balls. Place the ¼ cup of white sugar in a shallow bowl and roll each ball to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake on the centre rack for 8-10 minutes.  (In my oven, I bake them for 16 minutes on the oven’s two middle racks, then turn the baking sheets around and switch the placement on the racks and bake for another 4 minutes.) The cookies should look puffy and slightly browned on the bottom when you remove them from the pan. Let them cool for 1 minute to set before removing them to cool completely on a rack.

The recipe calls for storing them in the refrigerator for 1 week or 4 weeks in the freezer.

 

I am the Canadian Lentil! Hear me roar (from the canned beans aisle...)

Canadian Crisps with Red Lentils and Maple Syrup

If the lowly lentil was standing before me feeling dejected, for never being picked to play on the food dish team, I would tell this little powerhouse of nutrients to hold her head high and remind her that she is high in protein and fibre and low in fat, that her plant is environmentally friendly because it fixes nitrogen into the soil which reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and, that her culinary roots date back to prehistoric times in Ancient Greece.

“Sure, sure” she might sniffle, “but why is no one picking me to play a leading role in their party dishes?” “I’m snazzy in my red and green colours. I’m approachable and friendly: available dried or pre-cooked AND I don’t even need to be pre-soaked before cooking! But maybe folks can’t find me in the grocery store? That’s it, I’ll tell them I usually hang out in the same aisle as canned beans.”  

Actually, Ms. Lowly Lentil you should tell folks that you play really well with others! We both know, cooked and pureed red lentils make a great addition to vegetable dishes like mashed sweet potatoes, vegetarian loaves and burgers, or baked goods like cakes, muffins, and cookies. Whole green lentils keep their shape when cooked and add variety and colour to stews, soups, and salads. 

Best of all Ms. Lentil, I like your nutty, Canadian style. Gesh, that’s it! Drop the Lowly Lentil, I’m-sorry Routine and shout from the grocery store shelves, I AM A CANADIAN LENTIL and my country is the largest grower and exporter of lentils in the world!  Pick me! Pick me!”

In the meantime, I’ll try to boost your popularity with these recipes, eh?

Canadian Crisps with Red lentils and Maple Syrup

2 cups Buttermilk (I used the dry Bulk Barn buttermilk: 1/4 cup of the dry mix to 2 cups water and mix well)

½ cup cooked lentils (I used ½ split red lentils covered in water and cooked on simmer for 10 minutes, Just make sure the water is one inch about the lentils in the pot. Drain very well and cool for this recipe)

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup dried cranberries, chopped

½ cup walnuts, chopped

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup poppy seeds

1/3 cup flax seeds

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp caraway seeds

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a food processor (or with a strong arm), mix together buttermilk, lentils, brown sugar, and maple syrup until smooth.

In a big bowl, stir together flour, soda and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture, then add the cranberries and remaining seeds. Stir just until blended. Store about 21 times and no more!

Grease two small (8 inch by 4 inch) loaf pans. Pour batter evenly into the two pans. Bake for 40 minutes or until the top of each feels springy. Test for doneness with a long sharp knife which inserted should come out clean. When done, place pans on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then flip the loaves onto the rack. Let the two loaves for another 24 hours.

The next day, when the loaves have cooled completely, using a VERY sharp bread knife, slice the loaves as thinly as possible. Lay the slices flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 20 minutes. They should be crispy and well-toasted and dried out when done (kind of like biscotti!) Bake them for a little longer if they are not crisp. Let them cool in a single layer on wire racks.

Voila. You will have fancy, schmancy whole grain crisps to delight your friends with your favourite cheeses!

Roasted Pears and Lentil Tart

1 pkg defrosted puff pastry

1 egg lightly beaten

2 tbsp bread crumbs

2 Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced

½ cup green lentils (if canned, rinse and drain well)

¼ cup currants, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained well

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp melted butter

2 tbsp maple syrup to drizzle over top of tarts when serving

Set oven to 450F. Cut the puff pastry in half. On a very lightly floured surface, roll each piece of pastry to about 1/8 thickness. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place rolled pastry on top.

Lightly brush to egg around the border of each pastry piece. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of breadcrumbs evenly on each piece within the one inch frame.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the pears, lentils, currants, walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and mix.

Divide the mixture evenly in half and spread onto the two tart pastry pieces. Distribute evenly. Bake the tarts for 25 minutes.

Drizzle with honey.

Note: As a variation, you may use phyllo pastry and layer the ingredients within sheets of phyllo. Be sure to keep the sheets covered as you work. For tips on baking with phyllo, search “phyllo” on my blog.

Nutty Red Lentil Loaf with Cranberries

2/3 cup red lentils

1 cup hazelnuts

1 cup walnuts

1 large carrot

2 celery sticks

1 large onion, sliced

1/3 mushrooms

4 tbsp butter

2 tsp mild curry powder

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 egg, beaten

2 tsp salt

4 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2/3 cup water

Simmer the lentils in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain well. Chop the nuts in a food

processor, then set aside. Chop the carrot, celery, onion and mushrooms into small chunks.

Fry the vegetables in butter for 5 minutes then stir in the curry powder and cook for a minute. Cool. Mix the lentils with the nuts, vegetables and remaining ingredients.

Grease and line the base and sides of a 2 lb loaf pan with parchment paper or a sheet of foil.

Press the mixture into the pan. Preheat the oven to 375F and bake the loaf for about 1 hour until just a little firm. Cover the top of the loaf with a piece of foil if it starts to burn. Allow the mixture to stand in the pan for about 15 minutes before you turn ii out of the pan. Peel off the paper or foil very carefully. The loaf will be soft and moist when you slice it. Serve with cranberries or your favourite chutney.