Quick and Easy Gluten Dairy Free Breads

05 Feb

When you have Wheat Intolerance and Dairy Intolerance, you can really miss a simple sandwich. Gluten Dairy Free breads can taste yummy. I have not found store bought bread than I enjoy so I began baking my own. You can even make Gluten Dairy Free breads in a bread machine.

Xanthan gum is used as a substitute for gluten. One teaspoon is needed for every cup of Gluten Free flour. You can buy this product at your local health food store or order it from various mail order companies. Cereal free soymilk makes an excellent substitute for milk. Fortified soymilk will also add significant amounts of protein, calcium, vitamin D and riboflavin to your breads.

Tips for Making Gluten Dairy Free Breads in a Bread Machine

Buy a machine that makes the 1 1/2 pound square type loaf. This will enable you to make medium and small size loaves that are easy to slice for sandwiches and toast.

Have all ingredients at room temperature, except the liquids. Liquid ingredients should be at about 80°F (warm eggs by setting them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes).

Thoroughly blend dry ingredients before mixing with liquid ingredients.

Gluten Dairy Free doughs are sticky and difficult to mix. Help your machine by checking on the dough often during the first 5 – 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the pan with a soft rubber spatula.

I found that I could use my old "pre gluten free" bread machine to make it easy. The consistency of Gluten Free dough is similar to quick breads – it looks like mashed potatoes – it ranges in between cake batter and cookie dough.

The dough will mix more readily if you always add the liquid ingredients first. Do this EVEN if your machine recommends that dry ingredients should go in first.

Gluten Free breads require extra yeast to rise. Some recipes will double or triple the amount of yeast called for in a similar recipe made with wheat flour.

If your machine has a yeast dispenser, do NOT use it. The bread will rise higher if you sprinkle the yeast on top of the dry ingredients just before you start the machine.

A combination of three or four flours will taste better than a mixture of just one or two flours. The bread will rise higher as well.

When baking is complete, remove immediately or bread will become soggy. Cool bread thoroughly before slicing.

Adding a sweetener helps activate the yeast. Molasses and honey help produce a silky texture in Gluten Dairy Free yeast doughs. Be sure to count as part of the liquid ingredients

Potato starch flour is not the same as potato flour. Potato flour is heavier and does not work well in Gluten Dairy Free breads.

If Your Bread Isn’t Rising, Try One Or More Of These Suggestions:

Gluten Free bread dough rises best in a warm, draft-free room.
If the machine is programmable, increase the amount of time in the rise cycle. Make sure to begin with very warm (not hot) ingredients.
Add a little more warm liquid during the kneading cycle.
Add 1 tsp. cider vinegar to liquids or 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ascorbic acid (powdered Vitamin C) to the dry ingredients in the recipe.
The yeast may be old or liquids may have been too hot. (Over 120 degrees will kill the yeast.) Next time, use fresh yeast and water that is not quite so hot .
Don’t worry if your bread has not risen to the top of the pan when it begins to bake. It will rise more during baking.

To Store:

Allow loaf to cool completely.
Slice and place in a zip-lock plastic bag.
If you are not using the entire loaf of bread in the next 24 hours, freeze the remainder and take out slices as needed.
To revive, wrap slices in a paper towel and microwave 30-60 seconds. Toast, if desired, or just enjoy!