    Welcome back to Pa’s pages, today I am making a gluten free loaf for the first time so let’s see how that goes.
    First I need to let you know that due to spondylitis in the spine, I have limited manual dexterity and low energy thresholds.

     So I will introduce my first cheat who’s energy and enthusiasm has helped me with most of the food preparation on these pages.
    Take a bow La belle Moddelline my little food ninja without whom none of this would be possible and many thanks for your invaluable help.

    My second cheat is that I am once again using Dove gluten free flour. On the packet Dove unfortunately do not give a bread recipe.
    I did also use Allinsons fast action yeast which has a bread recipe on the container and I adapted that.

    So this is a simple recipe, indeed all bread recipes are pretty simple it is just getting a workable dough, kneading it then leaving it to rise. Normally the dough is allowed to rise twice with a kneading in the middle and here is the anomaly with gluten free bread.

    The main function of kneading with normal bread mixes is to work the gluten which gives the dough it’s elasticity and cohesion.
    That obviously is not the case with gluten free bread. Here we need to get the cohesion and limited elasticity from the right mix of ingredients and the kneading is more for the purpose of getting plenty of oxygen into the dough to allow the yeast to work.

    The Allinsons recipe and yeast only asks for one kneading and rise before the oven so that does suit gluten free flour.

So on with the recipe;-

Ingredients

500g Doves gluten free flour
25g modified maize starch
10g Allinson easy bake yeast
15g sugar
15g sunflower spread
3 medium sized free range eggs at room temperature
150ml warm water

Method

Now this is where we realise how simple this recipe is and just how slack I was as La belle Moddelline did all the hard work and I just supervised

Dough in tin before rising

and should have taken a lot more photos.
    So mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl,
    Separately beat the eggs then mix them thoroughly into the dry mix.

    Add water a little at a time until you get a workable dough, remembering that this flour is funny stuff to work with and you can easily over wet the dough. If this happens put plenty of flour on your kneading surface and work it in until you get the correct consistency. You will know this, when as you knead with the heel of your hand the dough doesn’t tear.

    Water and flour can be added in small quantities until it is correct but always remember to work the dough thoroughly after each addition to see the full effect.

    Now as we are trying to get as much air/oxygen into the dough as possible, repeatedly folding as you knead with the heel of your hand, rotating the dough so that all of it is thoroughly worked.
    15 minutes of kneading when you have your dough should be plenty, then lightly grease your loaf tin, mould your dough into a loaf shape that fits, put in tin and cover with a clean cloth.

Dough after rising

Put somewhere warm and draft free and leave for 1 hour to rise.

    Pre-heat the oven to 230^oC and place the loaf gently on a high middle shelf.
    Cook for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 200^o C and cook for another 20 – 30 minutes until the rise is well set.

    Remember that this flour does not brown like wheat flour so don’t wait for the same colour but take the loaf out of the oven, tip from the tin and tap on the base with a knuckle. It should sound hollow, if not put back in the oven and test again after 5 –10 minutes until happy.

Fresh from the oven

Remember the loaf and tin are hot! So use an oven glove or tea towel when handling them.

A loaf fresh out of the oven is a wondrous thing. The aroma is lovely and so tempting to try.

Cut while still warm

Try and control yourself and allow it to cool on a wire rack but do try a slice while it is still warm. A slice with butter or your usual spread is a treat.

Time to enjoy

A slice with a little Brie cheese and black pepper accompanied by a drop of the house red for myself and La belle Moddelline finished the bake in style.





    Well that bake was a success the bread was good and tasty and it sliced well. My only reservation was that it could have been a little lighter, next time I will try a little more kneading and a longer rise time but all in all I am very happy with it.

    So many thanks if you have made it this far and I do hope you try this simple bread recipe and let me know the results.
    Whatever you are baking and eating, think, smell, taste, ENJOY your food.

         Love from Pa