Videos from TV segments on Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
The most useful video is probably this one; click here. Check it out; it shows exactly what the dough should look like as it’s mixing and once you shape it.. This is the basic recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (the version with egg whites).
… but the TV spots are also fun to see Click on on any of the TV links to see us mix up and shape a loaf:
WGN-TV Chicago, October 28, 2014
I have my first batch of Basic Boule dough rising as I type. I’m using Flour Mixture #1, subbing brown rice flour for white, and oat flour for sorghum. Using xanthan gum.
I’m confused about baking on a baking sheet. I have neither pizza peel nor baking stone. (yet) On page 38, you state, regarding baking sheets: “When well greased or lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, they are a decent alternative to pizza peel/baking stone method and let you avoid sliding dough off a pizza peel onto a stone.”
Should the baking sheet be preheated? If so, wouldn’t I still need to slide the dough onto it after preheating? If not, how will the loaf have the ‘spring’ effect?
Also, I have a 10 inch cast iron pan. Can it be used to bake the bread? If so, IN the pan, or turned over to bake on the bottom of it?
I appreciate your patience with a new GF baker. Thank you.
No need to preheat a baking sheet. Just place the loaf on the prepared sheet and put the whole thing into the preheated oven. Oven air will quickly heat a sheet and you get oven spring. Is it exactly as good as a fully-preheated stone? No. But it’s pretty good, and we hate to suggest that beginners need to buy all this new equipment just to start their first loaf.
The cast-iron pan works great, but needs to be preheated like a stone. It doesn’t technically matter which side of it you use, but I find doing it inside the pan makes for a neater result in the oven.
Thank you for such a quick reply! Confusion is cleared. Half an hour more rise time, then I plan to go ahead and bake a loaf, put the rest in the fridge. I’m having just too much fun…!
My first ever gluten free yeast bread came out nicely! Chewy crust, soft interior, almost sourdough-like. I’m pleased, and I’m sure my bread will look more like the photos as I gain experience. I may try baking in the clay baker I have somewhere, as per the suggestion in The Book.
Question: 1. How best to store the finished loaf? (I have managed to refrain from eating the whole thing tonight.) I read something either in the book or on the site about storing the bread, but can’t find it.
Thank you. I am truly enjoying baking bread again.
See page 57 in the book.
Is there a difference in the texture of the bread when psyllium is used vs xanthum ?
The biggest difference people notice is actually in the consistency of the dough an how it changes after mixing. Initially, the psyllium version will seem too wet. But gradually, the psyllium absorbs water from the mixture and firms up considerably. And I’m sure you’ve noticed that we call for more psyllium than xanthan if you’re making the enriched doughs.
I think the psyllium has a less “chalky” consistency than the xanthan breads, but lots of people actually prefer the xanthan. They’re comparable and it’s a matter of taste. Psyllium is a more “natural” product– just he ground husks of an edible seed. The xanthan is a manufactured, though naturally-occuring product, refined from a non-illness causing bacteria.
I’m baking my first batch right now but have a question about proofing. The contain I have is wider than the one shown in your book so it doesn’t seem to get as many air bubbles as yours. When I pull off a grapefruit sized (450g) ball, it in no way looks as big as the ball in the pictures in the book. Is it possible that the container I am using for proofing is just too big and my dough would benefit from a smaller container? Thanks in advance
The only effect of an over-large container is more surface area, which might lead to more drying out of the surface. What’s the result when you bake it? is there decent hole structure?
The 100% Wholegrain tastes great and is a very dense bread, a little lighter than say a non GF pumpernickel loaf. I like it. The white however is more like a dense soda bread texture. Very few holes, in no way like a sandwich loaf. It tastes good though but just no air in it. The 450g free form loaves are tiny too. Maybe the size of my hand. I had zero proofing after shaping. Once mixed it didn’t double in size, not even close. Maybe 15-20%. Used all the recommended flours, brand new yeast, used real sugar. Just not sure what went wrong with the white. Is it supposed to be so dense? I baked in a dutch oven (just like the Wholegrain), heated it up for 1 hour before. Didn’t use eggs in the white recipe though. Would this make a huge difference?
Some people have really preferred the egg version, so probably should have you try that. But either way, it has to be mixed very, very well. Stand mixer is best. Otherwise mix, mix, mix until totally smooth.
I started off in a tub and then once mixed in I put it in the stand mixer. When you say a smooth dough, so you mean like a regular bread dough? All the flour was definitely incorporated but it was more sort of bubbly looking. Wasn’t a smooth elastic dough which I’m guessing it will enter be due to the lack of gluten. Will try eggs on next batch. Are egg whites better than whole eggs?
It won’t be smooth and elastic, but it won’t look grainy anymore when fully mixed. Correct, the lack of gluten=no elasticity.
You can try with the egg whites, it might be less heavy– the egg yolks are heavy but don’t add much rise.
Perfect! Will let you know how I get on with this ammendment. Thanks for coming back to me so quickly. I’m loving the flavour of the 100% Wholewheat though.
I have been making your Crusty gluten free bread from your earlier book, using Olive oil, honey, and substiting flax seed meal for the eggs. I have enjoyed those loaves but was happy to try the new master boule and eliminate the oil, honey, flax seed, and add in white rice and remove the brown rice flour.
I have enjoyed the taste of the new master gf bread but I cannot make it without it being sticky or gummy. I added some flour mix #1 to see if that changed anything but it didn’t. Do I just keep adding flour..? Any other suggestions?
Thanks
Bob
Well, that would be one option, but my guess is that you’re going to prefer the egg-variation version on the bottom of page 73. Also– how are you weighing your flours? The volume-method can introduce a lot of variability, weights are more reliable. And are you mixing very, very thoroughly? This dough is particularly sensitive to that.
But yes, you can try drying out the dough a little…
Sorry to butt in but I thought I would just let you know Jeff, I made a new white batch today using Xanthan gum instead of p.husk and used egg whites and water for the liquid. I also had a container arrive that’s the same as the one you have in the book with a lid. It has risen a lot more on the first prove this time round, maybe 50-70%. Also I put it somewhere warmer as it’s pretty cold in the UK right now. Will bake a loaf tomorrow and update you with the results. Fingers crossed!
Hmm, that does sound like an improvement. Let’s see how it goes.
When I access the site to read updates on faqs via my iPhone, there are very annoying ads at the bottom that move and flash and I can’t get rid of them. Ruins the experience. Suggestions? I have also tried the superfine flours and they don’t work. The inside of the bad loaf looks kind of like mashed potatoes. I tried the boule in a bread pan. It didn’t work. Thanks for all your efforts in answering questions and sticking with us all.
Hi Jean,
I just looked at the site through safari on my iphone and there are no ads at all. How are you accessing the site on your phone?
Thanks! Zoë
Hi, I’m excited about making my own gf bread now that I’m g free (celiac) and am enjoying your book. I’m on my second batch of master dough recipe 1 and my dough rises nicely both times, appears to bake well. I’ve added sugar to the dough and 1) it is still very pale, and 2) very hard crust. The inside is tender. I’ve baked the boule and sandwich bread. I’ve used a convection oven and compensated w the temp by 25 degrees.
Do you have any suggestions where I could be going wrong? I would like the bread to be darker, and easier to slice. Your breads look so well shaped and brown, like from a bakery and I would like mine so look as awesome!
Many thanks.
Hi Claire,
You can brush the top with an egg wash (using just the yolk mixed with a tablespoon of water will get the best color). If your crust is too hard, I would bake in either a Dutch Oven or use the non-convection heat, which tends to make a thicker crust.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi Just a quick question. Noting the denseness of the crumb would using kefir water or carbonated water help to get a lighter holier crumb.
I haven’t found that with yogurt whey–which probably behaves like kefir. Carbonated water: haven’t tried that, but I’m guessing the carbonation dissipates quickly and won’t make a difference.
Do you have any tips for using a bread machine?
Ps enjoyed your q and ans.
We don’t, I’m afraid. Neither of us has any experience with them. I worry that our dough might be too damp to work well in that closed environment–might be too wet even when fully baked.
Hello. Do you have any suggestions for baking at high altitudes? I live in Colorado. Thanks!
Which of our books are you working from, and what recipe and page number?
Thanks for your quick response! I’m working from “Gluten free artisan bread in 5 minutes a day”. The only bread I’ve tried so far was The Master Recipe: Boule page 64.
Thanks!
I mixed up a half batch and measured all ingredients using a scale. after 2 hours it had not risen at all. What did I do wrong?
Hi Beverley,
Which recipe did you make? Were the ingredients cold? That will slow the yeast considerably.
Thanks, Zoë
Can I start with ore made master dough and add in ingredients for the garlic rosemary bread?
Hi Cora,
Yes, that is exactly what we do with it. You can roll the ingredients into the dough and then knead it a bit to distribute them. Here is what I mean by rolling them into the dough: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2008/09/08/cinnamon-raisin-toast-how-i-get-my-kids-out-of-bed-in-the-morning/
Enjoy, Zoë
I made the gluten free brioche. It is very wet and sticky and doesn’t really make a ball. What did I do wrong?
Which of our gluten-free brioche recipes did you use, from which of our books, and on what page number?
I had your Artisan Bread book and Pizza Book, which I used with great success! However, I was never a huge bread person, and just over a year ago, I found out why: I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease (I had never even heard of this before my Dr. Dx’ed me). No wonder why I wasn’t eating the bread, and other wheat-containing products – it was slowly killing my insides! I begrudgingly gave your beautiful books to mom, who has enjoyed using them. I recently wanted to try getting them back to see if I could doctor the recipes to make GF versions, because there was no way you would have a gf book, I thought. But now that I am healing, I have been craving bread, and it’s really hard, and even more expensive, it find gf artisan bread. But on a whim, I looked it up, and WOW!!! You do! I bought it immediately and it just arrived! As I collect all my needed tools/ingredients, I just wanted to take the time to give a huge thank you!! The time you spent on this book, with all the gorgeous photos…I am just so appreciative!
I had purchased Pamela’s’ Not Xanthan Not Guar’ baking binder (ingredients: potato starch, psyllium) a while ago, before finding your book. Have you ever used this? Wondering if it will work as well as just straight xanthan in your recipes.
(Also, as an aside, you have a lot of ads that pop-up and block your site – I have tried on both my cell and on a laptop).
Hi Jennifer,
I am so glad you found the book and hope you enjoy all the bread. I have not heard of the binder you referenced. I would give it a try in place of the psyllium called for, but because it also has potato starch, the ratio may be exact. I recommend you make a small batch to try it.
Thanks, Zoë
I am GF and just received your GF Artisan Bread in 5 min a day. I am loving it! I had a question regarding making Brioche pg 216. I am lactose intolerant. I can handle butter if its baked, however NOT milk. Is there anything I can substitute for the milk? like coconut or almond milk without drastically changing the taste of a brioche? Same question for any recipe that calls for milk?
See my answer under the place you posted your question in Gluten Free FAQs…
I tried making the GF brioche dough twice, but it’s not rising at all. :/
I know I used the right amount of yeast and warmed the milk. I let it sit for 2 hours and it didn’t look any different.
Any tips?
We have a number of brioche recipes. Which of our recipes are you using, from which book and page number?
I’m using the gluten free recipe from page 216 in the “Gluten Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day” book. I use all Bob’s Red Mill ingredients.
So it’s now the next day after making the dough and I let it sit in the fridge over night. Even though it didn’t rise, I didn’t want to waste the dough on my second attempt and thought I’d soldier on to make the sticky buns on pg 227. After forming the rolls and letting sit for another 60 minutes, still no rise. Again, I kept soldiering and thought to myself “well the texture might not be great on these first ones, but I know they’ll taste good.” I WAS STUNNED when I saw they were finally rising and puffing when baking!!!! They turned out so well!! I’m so glad I kept going with them haha!
So I’m SUPER happy with how it all turned out, but I still don’t know why they didn’t rise at all until I put them in the oven. Is that normal? Or what might have happened?
Thank you so much for writing this book! I honestly cried one time because I thought I’d never get to eat a fluffy cinnamon roll or sticky bin every again. Haha (I know, dramatic, right?) But now I can anytime I want!
Glad this worked out for you! With our method, using stored high moisture dough, there’s a much larger proportion of the total rise that happens due to oven-spring, as compared to “proofing”, which happens on the counter. This is further exaggerated with the gluten-free recipes
What adjustments are recommended for high altitude gluten free bread? I live at 8,600′ and am so enjoying “The Best of” book!!
Here’s what I know for wheat-based breads: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2008/02/10/qa-high-altitude-baking/
Unfortunately, I don’t know if these will apply for the GF recipes, so you’ll need to experiment.