Hello again. Following the launch of my book earlier in the month (see my previous post), I am delighted to share with you one of the gluten-free recipes from the book. As with all gluten-free bread making, there is no kneading, just a bit of mixing and then letting the yeast do its work in the dough.

I did all the food styling for my book and was up to my eyes in various mixes for several weeks. Below is how the oaty loaf was photographed for the book. The mixture was made with eggs, but for this post I am using flax egg.

It’s a very straightforward recipe, using some oat flour and psyllium husk to add a bit more of a chewy texture, and I add xanthan gum to hold the crumb together. I hope you enjoy it 🙂

Makes 1 x approx.850g, 18cm round loaf

Ingredient

• 2tbsp ground flax seed
• 200g gluten-free plain flour
• 200g gluten-free oat flour
• 2tsp easy blend dried yeast
• 1½tsp xanthan gum
• 25g psyllium husk powder
• 2tsp caster sugar
• 1tsp salt
• 425ml lukewarm water
• 1tbsp gluten-free coarse ground or jumbo oats

1. Grease and line an 18cm diameter, 7.5cm deep, round cake tin. Mix the flax seed with 6tbsp cold water and leave to stand for a few minutes to thicken.

2. Mix the flours in a large mixing bowl and stir in the yeast until well combined. Stir in the xanthan gum, psyllium husk, sugar and salt and make a well in the centre. Add the flax egg and half the water, and mix well with a spatula or wooden spoon until well blended.

3. Continue mix in sufficient of the remaining water until the mixture is soft and sticky. Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then mix again. In this time, the mixture will become slightly less sticky as the water is absorbed.

4. Transfer to the prepared tin. Smooth the top, cover with a reusable cover or large bowl and leave to rise at a coolish room temperature, away from drafts, for about 2 hours until risen to the top of the tin.

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan oven, gas 6. Uncover the dough and sprinkle over the oats. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 10 minutes. It can be quite challenging to know when the loaf is cooked through, so if in doubt, err on the side of caution and cook for a further 10 minutes. The usual rule is that the loaf will sound hollow when tapped underneath. Turn on to a wire rack to cool.

The loaf is best eaten within 3 days of baking. It freezes well. I usually slice the loaf before freezing so I can defrost exactly what I need.

The bread is tasty and delicious just as it comes, and if toasted the texture becomes spongier with a crisp bite, much like a toasted crumpet.

For more bread recipes, my book is available from main online retailers. It is published by IMM Lifestyle Publishers.

I hope you have a good few days until my next post. Thanks for stopping by.