Gluten Free FAQs

Gluten Free FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Readers asked for Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day here on the website. There’ve been lots of gluten-free questions. Click on any of them below– these are the ones that seem to be on a lot of gluten-free bakers’ minds.  If you’re having a problem with one of our recipes, breeze through these FAQs first.  If you can’t find an answer in the FAQs, click on any “Comments” or “Reply” field (doesn’t have to be related to the content underneath).  Please say which book you’re working from, and which recipe and page number:

  1. Dense or gummy interior, or inadequate rising. What am I doing wrong?
  2. Gluten: What is it? And what grains contain gluten?
  3. Nutritional information: How can I calculate it?
  4. Substitutions for ingredients in the gluten-free recipes
  5. Videos: Where can I view videos so I can see what your gluten-free dough’s supposed to look like?
  6. Whole grains in gluten-free baking: how can I get more of them into the flour mixtures?

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1,168 thoughts to “Gluten Free FAQs”

  1. Hi Zoe, All Bobs flours and
    Xanthum gum. Tried the egg version also. Weigh everything. Do everything exactly like recipes. Kitchen aid 6 quart mixer, paddle and mix till smooth…a few minutes.

    Reply

      1. Yes I have stone plus I’ve tried the cloche and a cast iron pot. Heat thermometer in oven with 450 consisant heat. I even use a thermometer to not exceed 100 degrees for the water. I’ve extended baking time to.

    2. I have just bought your book, Gluten Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. It looks really good.

      Unfortunately I am allergic to rice. Is there any flour that can be substituted for rice flour or can I just use a little bit more of the other flours?

      Reply

      1. The substitutions we can vouch for are on our Gluten-Free FAQs tab, under “Substitutions for ingredients in our gluten-free recipes,” but we haven’t found a substitute for rice flour. You can increase the other ingredients, but my guess is that it’s going to completely throw off the water amount, and the result.

    3. The last two recipes I have tried from GF Artisan Bread in 5 (Seeded Flaxen Loaf and Almond Coconut Loaf) have not risen. Although my yeast was not out-of-date, I purchased more, I tested the water temperature with a thermometer, and I carefully weighed ingredients both times. I did mix with a spoon rather than a mixer. Could that make such a difference? Or can you suggest other reasons for no rise?

      Reply

      1. It’s definitely a denser loaf than things made with lighter flours. Did you make any substitutions at all? Did you use Bob’s Red Mill products in your flour mix? Any swaps will make this very difficult…

      2. I’ve tried making the GF baguette twice now, and it failed to rise both times. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong (admittedly I’m new to baking) but I followed the recipe and did everything as instructed. How do I make it rise to a nice, full loaf?

      3. We have a number of GF baguette recipes out there–which book are you using (which recipe and page number)?

  3. Hey Jean – I’ve had great oven spring preheating the oven and cast iron pot at 500, turning down to 475 when putting in the loaf, bake covered at 475 for 15 minutes then turn down to 450 and keep covered for 15 more minutes, then remove cover and continue to bake at 450 until very firm and crusty (15-20 minutes more). Maybe try that?

    Reply

  4. Hi Zoa

    Thanks for your reply. The second attempt was made using Bob”s everything except for the sorghum. I could only find sweet sorghum in Bob”s and I didn’t think it was the right thing. I’m using xantham gum, not psyllium. I decided to use 4 whole eggs versus just whites. The book didn’t differentiate, so I made is easy. I just bought a kitchen aid standing mixer to do the bread. It’s a 4.3 L which is about 4.5 quart. I am using an oven thermometer and I’ve been careful about the 450 temp. I have also been using a pizza stone, one from Pampered Chef, I’ve had for a long time. I’ve been pre heating the stone for about 45 min.

    The bread itself tastes good, but it’s just so dense. I am wondering if it’s the yeast-I did buy new and the date is fine. Maybe in Canada I need to use more? It’s about 68 in my kitchen….maybe it needs to be warmer on the 2 hour rise. I am super excited about making this recipe great. My family and I have been gluten free for about 5 years and we have yet to have a good loaf of bread!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jodi,

      The product that is called “sweet” sorghum is exactly what we use. https://www.bobsredmill.com/sorghum-flour.html What brand are you using? If the product is ground differently, it may be the cause of the issues.

      The egg white version adds the protein from the eggs, which will help it rise better. The full egg will add the protein, but also the fat in the yold, which will add a nice flavor, but may make the dough heavier. Since you are going for a lighter result, I would recommend the trying the egg whites.

      Does your dough and baked bread look like this loaf? https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/11/03/master-recipe-from-gluten-free-abin5

      I don’t think it is a matter of the yeast, unless you are getting zero rise in the dough. If the kitchen is cool, you may just need to let the dough rise a bit longer before refrigerating it. It can safely go for 3 hours before refrigerating it.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  5. Hi Zoe

    It’s awesome to see this picture! The outside of mine is less smooth than yours. I was concerned about playing with it too much. The inside is similar but I definitely had less holes than yours.

    I’ll remake the next batch with Bob’s sweet sorghum and egg whites only. I was wondering about putting the yeast in with the water and sugar before I put it in the standing mixer.
    Great idea to let it ruse for 3 hours versus 2.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jodi,

      You can certainly put the water, sugar and yeast together in the bowl first.

      Let me know how this next batch goes. Are you making half batches? You may want to until you get the results you like.

      I find that the loaf both rises better and looks nicer if you get it really smooth on the outside.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  6. Lol…PLEASE for the sake of my ego tell me that the pictures in the GF book for the pain d’epi are from a regular wheat-flour loaf…? It looks so nice and elastic in the book, mine, well…not so much. The second loaf looked better than the first, but nothing like the beautiful picture. Cutting the sticky dough and laying it off to the side took a little more manhandling than the instructions would imply…is that normal? I’m always hesitant to dust with too much flour for fear of a gritty final product. Advice?

    Reply

    1. Hi Jill,

      Sorry, but it the photo is GF! 🙂

      Are you using the dough after it is chilled? The trick is to get a very smooth surface, let it rest and then dust with a fair amount of the flour. You can always brush any excess flour off the loaf after it is baked.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Aw nuts. So it’s me, then. LOL…
        I used the 50% whole grain dough, maybe that was the culprit. It actually looked acceptable after baking it up, but I was definitely laughing at myself while I was battling the sticky dough. I’ll use more flour next time. It’s pretty crazy how the different shapes can make the same dough taste like a whole new bread. Those pain d’epi disappeared faster than I could spoon the soup into the bowls at dinner! And it’s gluten free? You guys are magicians…

      2. Hi Jill,

        It is a fun loaf and I agree, it tastes so different, because of all the crust! With a little more flour I think you’ll have an easier time shaping.

        Enjoy! Zoë

  7. I’ve found an anomaly and ambiguity in the two basic recipes for gluten-free.

    In the whole grain recipe, the quantity for “xanthan gum or ground psyllium husk” is given as “40 grams OR 80 grams.” Does that meant it’s a choice, or does it mean 40g for xanthan gum, or 80 for psyllium husk?

    In the all-purpose mix #1, the the quantity for “xanthan gum or ground psyllium husk” is given as “40 grams.” Is that for either, or should it be 40g for xanthan gum, or 80g for psyllium husk?

    This seems a fairly important difference, and it’s ambiguous as to what to do.

    Reply

    1. Hi David,

      If you are using the whole grain flour mix:

      xanthan 40g
      psyllium 80g

      We found that the whole grain mix behaved very differently with the psyllium and we needed more to produce a nice loaf that could be stored. It didn’t require the same amount with the white flours.

      Sorry for any confusion! Zoë

      Reply

  8. Zoe and Jill Fenske. I tried ther higher oven temp and reducing as suggested. I did get a better loaf with the eggless boule and I would imagine the egg version will also improve. When I first started baking gluten free many years ago I used unflavored gelatin. I don’t know if xanthan gum existed then. Has anyone tried this in bread? It worked really well in other baked goods.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jean,

      So glad to hear the higher temperature worked well.

      When you used the gelatin, did you use it like the xanthan? I have not used it, but I’m super curious.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  9. The GF pizza crust is fabulous!!! I make a batch and freeze ½ lb balls. SOOOO easy. And the best part it, I have an outdoor pizza/bread oven so when AZ summer hits, the heat is outside. It makes the best pizza and the smell fills the neighborhood. :))))

    Reply

    1. Hi Jean,

      I am so jealous, I am hoping to build a pizza oven one of these days. So glad you are enjoying the GF dough!

      Cheers, Zoë

      Reply

      1. It has been a while since I used unflavored gelatin. I think it is ½ tsp for up to a cup of GF mix, 1 tsp for 2 cups mix, for 2 cups or more 1 ½ tsp. I would like to use it but I don’t know enough about all the flours and mixes to try it. If you come up with a solution, it would sure be easier on my stomach than xanthan.

      2. Hi Jean,

        I will have to look into this, and if I come up with something good I’ll post it.

        Thanks, Zoë

  10. I made your basic boule bread today, and I nearly cried with joy when I bit into it. I have not had bread anywhere near like this for 15 years. Before I got the diagnosis of celiac disease, bread baking was a passion for me. It was a huge emotional loss. But tonight, I finally got to bite into bread that not only looked elegant but had a delectable crisp crust and a delightful soft but chewy interior. I would not have thought it possible. Thank you!
    I do have two questions:
    –I have a sourdough starter (rice flour & water) that I use in other breads for flavor–I still use yeast. Could I use it in your breads? How would you suggest using it, not as a substitute for yeast, but just for that additional flavor.
    –And is there anything I can sub for the oat flour in your whole grain flour mix?

    Thank you from the bottom of my heart–I could almost believe I’m dreaming.

    Reply

      1. I am making a sourdough version of your master recipe. My sourdough is made with equal parts by weight water and your basic white flour blend. The way I do it is to mix up the master recipe but I add 1/3 more of the salt, yeast, and sugar, then I add 1kg of the sourdough starter. I get 6 1lb loaves that look, feel, and taste great.

      2. Thanks Joe,

        this is fantastic to know. Thank you for giving it a try and letting us know. I’m sure there will be many readers who will be thrilled to know it works.

        Cheers, Zoë

  11. My wife and I really appreciate your new Gluten-free Artisan bread book. I’m ready to mix up a second batch of dough and will be adding about one cup of the old dough to the mix. Per page 73 just mix it with the warm water, but do I need to compensate by adding less flour, or more water to the mix? Thanks- John

    Reply

    1. Hi Bobbie,

      So sorry, you asked that last time and I forgot to respond. You can use sorghum flour instead of the oats. It has a slightly stronger flavor, which is why we liked to use some oats, but the texture will be about the same.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  13. Thank you for your wonderful book. For the baguette buns, pages 92-93, are you baking on the stone or on a baking sheet? The recipe calls for preheating the stone, and then sliding the baking sheet into the oven. Also there’s a picture of the baguette buns on a parchment lined baking sheet. Do we not use the baking stone? Thanks for your guidance.

    Reply

  14. I tried making the challah recipe on page 210 from the Gf artisan in 5. I halved the recipe and measured everything and my dough seemed a bit wet. I let it rise for 2 hours and used the dough for the cinnamon twists on page 272. The dough was not firm enough and fell apart. What went wrong?

    Reply

    1. Have you made any subsitutions at all? We tested with Bob’s Red Mill flours, and if you used anything else, the hydration will be off. If not, you’ll need to increase the amount of flour mixture.

      And our recipes don’t work with commercially-available flour mixes– you have to mix up our mixtures from scratch.

      Reply

  15. AACK! I left my (egg-based) 100% whole grain dough out overnight by accident! I set it out on the counter for the initial rise right before putting the kids to bed, and then completely forgot about it…is it safe? Will it be overproofed? Can I bake it or freeze it right away? Soon saaaaaaaad…..

    Reply

    1. We haven’t tested that, but the hydration needed will be completely different (more). And I can’t vouch for the result– my best guess is that it won’t work.

      Reply

  17. I made the GF Bâtard and the GF 100% Whole Grain Seeded boule this week. OMG I can’t believe how wonderful these breads are. I love how the crust is crisp and chewy and the center is lightly dense with a delicious flavor. I missed this type of ‘real’ bread texture so much. I made up half recipes of your basic and whole grain mixes and then made a half batch of each type of dough. I replaced the potato starch with corn starch due to a friend’s food sensitivity. I started with half batches, in case. because I have tried many bread books and recipes and the results have often been disappointing or too complicated. Your method is easy to follow with wonderful results. Thank you so much for this book. Now, after such success, I can’t wait to try some of the other recipes in the book. I think cinnamon rolls are next…
    I have one question, forgive me if the answer is in the book, I have not read it completely yet. How would (or can) I make the %100 whole grain seeded bread in a regular loaf pan? I would love to have sandwich sized slices of this loaf.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the kind words, Bryna.

      You’d follow the directions on page 85, but I think this might need extra baking even beyond that. We were worried about a loaf this heavy being made this way, so we didn’t test it for the book. Another option is the mini-loaf pans, which are easier to get to bake through. Like these: https://amzn.to/UTninp

      Reply

  18. I have a finicky second grader who hasn’t liked the loaves I’ve made so far for sandwich bread…anyone on this chain have recommended loaves from the book that stay soft like second graders like it and don’t need to be toasted for sandwiches? I’d LOVE some advice…
    I used to make his (wheat) bread before going GF, and while he likes the crusty loaves and baguettes when they’re served right after baking or toasted, we haven’t found a loaf he likes served cold for sandwiches.

    Reply

  19. Jeff and Zoe! I discovered something. I have made so many GF Boule that I have turned into bread crumbs and the more I looked at the crumb, I decided there was too much xanthan gum in it. I decreased xanthan by 1 T and added an additional ¾ T of water and it made a real noticeable difference in the crumb. It turned out great!

    Reply

  20. I’m waiting for it to stop raining so I can make my first GF boule. In mixing the flour, I was stunned to find that 1/4 c of xanthan gum was no where near 40 grams. I searched your site before adding the incremental grams to my mixture. Do you really want 40 grams of xanthan gum in your master mix or is that a typo?

    Reply

    1. I agree. I think too much absorbs too much moisture and makes the loaf to heavy to rise. I started cutting back on the xanthan gum. I had better results and am going to cut back even more. I’ve seen it used from ½ tsp per cup GF flour to 1 ½ tsp per cup. Seems to vary so much. It is really nice to have a discussion about GF baking problems and work together to try to figure it out.

      Reply

      1. If you’re finding you prefer less xanthan, by all means try it and less us know your results…

    2. This is the kind of thing that Zoe and I check and re-check obsessively, but I just went to my scale and checked again– 1/4 cup is 40 grams. We’ve checked that using the Escali, Salter, and EatSmart brands of scales. So it’s not a typo, and that’s what we tested with. But, if you’re finding you like it better with less– by all means, go for it and let us know your results.

      Reply

  21. I’m working with a Salter. Maybe it’s time to change the battery on my scale! Thanks for getting back to me. And, Jean, yes, isn’t it nice to work these issues out together!

    Reply

  22. I’ve come up with a variation for Spelt-Olive bread, to substitute for the yogurt.and come outnwith a dairy-free alternative:

    2 cups of Soy orother dairy free milk, heated.
    1/3 cup lemon jujice oor vinegar.
    Sir, allow to thicken and add to 2 cupr of water and the sliced olives.

    Combine with the flour and other dry ingredients.

    Continue on with mixing the dough and the rest of the recipe.

    Enjoy!

    Reply

  23. I bought your GF Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes to bake my husband some good breads since he has Celiac disease. I have purchased all the supplies including a baguette pan. I have a steel stone. You do not mention if I’m suppose to put the baguette pan directly on the hot stone or if I shouldn’t use the stone if I use the pan. I have to starter dough made and I’m ready to bake.

    Reply

    1. Baguette pans, according to their manufacturers, make the stone unneccesary. I’m not totally convinced. In many home ovens, there’s unevenness of the heating, and the largely stone corrects for that. Drawbacks though, are that you need a much longer pre-heat with the stone in place. In summer, I look for reasons to pull it out before preheating, but not in the cool months. So long as the windows are closed an my furnace is working anyway, my oven can heat the house as well as the radiators!

      Reply

      1. I am also wondering – is just having the stone in the oven to stabilize the heat enough? Or is the pan to go directly on the stone? And what would be the difference?

      2. Hi Marsha,

        If you are baking in a loaf pan you don’t have to use the baking stone. I leave mine in all the time, but it does mean a longer preheat.

        Thanks, Zoë

  24. I have been having a great time making all the recipes in the Gluten Free Artisan Bread book, and had a question on ovens. I am thinking of getting a wood fired oven, and was wondering if the books bread recipes would work well in them, even with the lack of having steam?

    Reply

    1. We have experience with those ovens for pizza, but none for loaf breads, and never with gluten-free dough. Sorry I can’t be more helpful. My guess is that it’ll be difficult to control the heat carefully enough to deal with the GF, which is more finicky in the first place.

      Reply

  25. Help, please. My crust isn’t browning. My first boule batch was wet so I baked it in a Dutch oven and it was gorgeous, if a little gummy. But the next two loaves, I baked on a thick stone which I preheated for more than an hour and the finished product is the color of a picket fence at the end of summer. I baked them on different days using different batches of dough — one a few days old, one only one day old. One was baked in the middle of the oven with the broiler pan under the stone — following Zoe’s video. The exterior was pasty and the interior was gummy. I waited overnight, then threw it out. I made another batch using the Kitchen Aid 5 Qt. This time I placed the stone on the lowest possible shelf and the broiler pan/water several rungs above it to give the dough plenty of room. Result: another winter white loaf with some improvement in the interior texture. A little gummy. Am I putting too much water in the broiler? Is the broiler pan too compact? I’m using oven thermometer, BRM, Red Star, sugar, no eggs. And yes my oven is really hot and preheated for more than an hour.

    Reply

    1. You anticipated most of my questions. I wonder if your dough is possibly just too wet, maybe because of a measuring problem. Are you using cup-measures rather than weighing ingredients. That can be a problem– weights are definitely better for most everything, but because GF flours are powdery, it’s especially better here. We’ve used the Escali and EatSmart brands (see below for Amazon links). Meanwhile, you could just try decreasing the water by a couple tablespoons and see if that helps.

      But– you may find that you prefer the egg-white version– really helps with uptake of liquids and prevents gumminess.

      https://www.amazon.com/Primo-Digital-Kitchen-Scale-Chrome/dp/B0007GAWRS/ref=as_sl_pd_wdgt_ex?&linkCode=wey&tag=arbrinfimiada-20
      https://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=as_sl_pd_wdgt_ex?&linkCode=wey&tag=arbrinfimiada-20

      Reply

  26. need to know if GF flours have to be refrigerated after opening or can they be placed in an airtight vessel and stay in the cupboard

    Reply

    1. We have not tried that particular one, but commerical mixes we’ve tried in our GF recipes haven’t worked well. You can test with it, but be aware that the hydration (water requirement) will likely be different. So be ready to adjust. Key issue is how much xanthan or psyllium they use as a structural aid. Plus different flour proportions have different hydration requirements.

      Reply

  28. My husband is addicted to the wheat boule. BUT, after so many countless tries, repeated purchases of Bob’s Red Mill flours, purchase of 6 qt kitchen aid mixer, cloche, enameled cast iron, pizza stone, I GIVE UP on GF bread for me and am back to eating yuky Udi’s. And yes I weighed everything, read all the faqs, did everything as directed – many times – it makes no difference. So disappointed.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jean,

      I’ve read back through all of our notes and it seems you’ve tried all of our advice and ended up changing the recipe in an attempt to make it suit your taste. I can’t understand why your results were so different from ours, but I am sorry it is not to your liking. Once you change the recipe I’m not sure how to help since I don’t have any experience baking it that way.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. I did try to change it to see if it would work for me. Then I went back to your recipe because I like the flavor so much more. When it comes out of the oven and is cooled, its good. But sitting on the counter over night or in the fridge or freezer, it turns into a brick. I keep making bread crumbs with the loaves. You should come to AZ and make a loaf. 🙂

      2. Hi Jean,

        I would love that! We have been to Phoenix to do classes and if we’re there again we’ll post it on the site!

        Bread without preservatives, even wheat bread, tend to stale quickly, but GF breads are even worse.

        Thanks, Zoë

    2. Oh Jean this makes me so sad…I so wish it worked for you. I thought you had good success with the overnight rise and the cast iron pot, did that stop working for you? This bread has been a life saver for my family! We make toast with our bread after the first day or two – have you tried toasting it? Also – have you tried the 100% whole grain loaf (contains eggs)? Both the millet and buckwheat versions are HUGE favorites in our house, and I find those loaves stay fresh longer than the other loaves in the book.
      Peace and good wishes, Jill

      Reply

      1. Hi Jill,

        I’ve only tried the boule with eggs. I’m sure I will attempt it again at some point. I can’t eat millet. I tried raising it in the bread pan and baking it to. I know! We have crappy water! That’s it. Its the water. 😉

  29. Hi,

    I’m enjoying the book very much, really appreciate having an alternative to Xanthan gum, which I am having increasing difficulty tolerating.
    I have a couple of questions:
    1. The 100% whole-Grain Loaf and the seeded version both have Xanthan gum in the ingredients with a note saying not to use it if psyllium used in mixture #2. Does that mean to use 2 teaspoons of psyllium here, or to not add any more at this point?
    2. The Cinnamon Twists and Turns at the end of the book has egg wash in the ingredients, but no instruction on when to use it. When should you brush it on?

    Many thanks,
    Claire

    Reply

    1. Hi Claire,

      Sorry for the delay.

      1. If you’ve used psyllium in your mix on page 62 then you won’t use xanthan and you will NOT add additional psyllium.

      2. You will brush the twists and turns with the egg wash before sprinkling with sugar.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  30. I have a shaping question…for the boules and batards, I am able to get a nice smooth crust, but for baguettes and smaller free-form rolls (not the ones in the pan), it always seems to bake up shaggy. Any tips? is flour or water better for shaping these smaller, skinnier loaves? I generally use water to shape the larger loaves and it works brilliantly. but for the smaller ones, i have harder time.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jill,

      For the smaller loaves you may try getting the shape with flour, but then once you have the shape smooth the surface with water. Have you watched the video I made on shaping the GF bread, it may help.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Where is the video? I tried looking at the news segments, but they are mostly for boules…

  31. Hi
    We have just found your recipes and my husband and I are loving your master bread recipe (have yet to try the other recipes).
    However we are a completely gluten free household and this bread is for my young kids too. They like the taste of the bread, but cannot handle the hard crusts.
    How can I get a softer crust, but ensure the bread is still cooked?

    Reply

    1. Hi Maxine,

      Are you using the recipes from the Gluten-free Artisan Bread book? If so, the challah recipe will make a wonderful loaf with a softer crust for the kids. It isn’t too sweet, but has a bit of honey in it.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

      1. Hi Zoe
        Yes your master recipe is the best tasting one we’ve found since switching, looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
        Thank you for the suggestion, I’ve so far only done your master recipe in the baguette and loaf style. I will try the callah next then.
        Thanks again for all your hard work in not only developing the recipes, but being on hand to answer all our questions.
        Maxine

  32. pumpernickel rye bread. I used bob’s red mill flour. Let it rise 2 hours in loaf pan. It had a very good rise but after about 5 minutes in the oven it dropped to the level of the sides. what correction is needed? the loaf did turn out good. the crumb was a little soft next time a little less liquid.

    Reply

    1. What do you mean by “dropped to level of the sides?” When you say “loaf turned out good,” do you mean that the hole structure was good and it wasn’t dense or doughy? That’s what you’re going for. This loaf is a little denser than some, and it doesn’t rise quite as high.

      Reply

  33. thank you for your response. I let it rise and baked it in a 9×4.5×3 pan. it rose about 1 inch above the pan and within 5 minutes of baking it fell flat. it did have good whole structure not dense. It was approaching a little doughy, does that mean a little less liquid?
    it has great aroma and taste, my wife likes it too.

    Reply

  34. Yes I have enjoyed your book, the original. My question is Syrian Bread recipe. I enjoyed this woman’s bread, like no other I have ever had. Light and fluffy great taste and her site says fermentation is the secret. Do you agree it changes flavor, texture etc.? I believe ovens place a roll. I have never had this type bread and want to learn to make it. What is her secret? Thank you, Mary

    Reply

    1. Don’t know– maybe it’s like our pita bread in the book you have. Could try making it later in the batch life so you get more sourdough/natural fermentation effect?

      Reply

  35. Ok! New discovery. I made the GF Boule…again as directed, weighing everything and using recommended ingredients. But this time, I wrapped it tightly in plastic have way through cooling the loaf. Bingo! AZ is too dry to let it dry up as it cools. 🙂

    Reply

    1. Wow! Never would have guessed that would be needed, but we have much, much more humidity up here…

      Reply

      1. It works so well. I leave it on the counter and it is perfect everyday. 🙂 Toss the confetti

  36. Another discovery today. Use a kitchen scissor to cut the top. Works so much better than pulling a knife back and forth and doesn’t deflate the loaf. I’m on a roll. Woohoo

    Reply

      1. Sure– We do that routinely with rolls, which are harder to get hold of for a knife.

    1. Hi Chloe,

      I know some people have used guar gum with success, but I never got it to work in a way I was happy with. Others have mentioned a flax slurry, which we have used in place of eggs, but not as a substitute for xanthan or psyllium. Unfortunately, I tried many things and none of them made a dough that we could store well for any length of time.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  38. Hi Jeff and Zoe,

    I recently bought a copy of GF Bread in 5, but haven’t tried any of the recipes. I’ve been using the GF recipes from HBin5 and PizzaIn5 to make for my girlfriend, who is GF and egg-intolerant. I sub ground flax seed for the eggs.

    I was surprised to not find anything about grilling GF pizza in the GF book. Have you tried it and run away screaming? I’ve cheated and pre-baked the crusts, but am wondering how challenging it would be grilling the wet GF dough straight. I love grilling the gluten full dough. Any insights?

    Reply

    1. Have to be honest– we didn’t even try it, because the dough doesn’t seem “strong” enough to pull that off. Even if we had gotten it to work, our guess was that 95% of our readers would be intimidated by it. My guess: it’ll be a mess, but as always, could try it with a small one. Please let us know if you have success.

      Reply

      1. Jeff, thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I am also wary of cooking GF dough straight on the grates. I have done it in a cast iron skillet, but it’s not my preferred method. Using the gas grill “as an oven” with a pizza stone works, as described in PizzaIn5, as does pre-baking the shells and then topping and finishing directly on the grill. Thanks again.

    1. Which recipe (which book, page number)? We have lots of different GF content out there.

      That said, our stuff always “deflates,” by design.

      Reply

  40. Book: Gluten Free Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day. I made the mix on p. 60, and then the Master Recipe on p. 64. I used a 6qt. bucket. the dough rose from just under 2qts to 4qts, so a little more than double. I wanted to make the sandwich Loaf on pg. 85. When I went to take some from the bucket, as carefully as I could, it deflated. It seemed as if the outer portion of the dough rose, but the interior was a wet, globby mess. I tried to make the sandwich loaf. It rose to almost double in height, but when put in the oven (which was pre-heated to 425)and put in the steam, 60 minutes later I had a loaf that was half the size and shrunk from the sides. Nice and crispy crust tho.

    Reply

    1. the interior was so gummy I couldn’t use it for toast. It was a basically a beautiful brick.

      Reply

      1. OK, some questions:

        1. Have you checked your oven temp with something like https://ow.ly/8CVPU ? Our method depends on oven spring for adequate rise, and if your oven happens to be too cool, it won’t expand well.

        2. What brands of flours did you use, and where are you located? We tested with Bob’s Red Mill.

        3. Take a look at the video of the GF method at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2015/03/03/gluten-free-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-the-video . Did yours look wetter than that?

        4. Are you baking at high altitude? Can be a challenge.

        5. Have you checked out these FAQs, at https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2014/10/17/dense-or-gummy-interior-or-inadequate-rising-what-am-i-doing-wrong ?

  41. Hi Zoe

    I’ve posted a few questions about the gf boule recipe. I’ve tried it with whole eggs, egg whites and no eggs. I made sure I only use bob redmill products. I’m still finding the consistency too dense. I’m wondering if there is just too much sorghum flour in the all purpose white flour. Have you experimented with using less than the 455g? Thanks

    Reply

  42. In answer to your questions:
    1) oven is ok — I use a high temp thermometer and it is calibrated correctly– 425*F is 425*F.
    2)Used all Bob’s RedMill
    3)Located in Chicago ‘burbs
    4) It was much wetter, almost pourable. the outsides rose, but the interior was very wet.

    I’m going to start again from scratch, making sure I did everything right and see what happens.

    Reply

    1. I forgot one question: are you measureing flour by volume rather than weighing? That can introduce a lot of variation; weighing’s best. If you do measure by volume, make sure you pack the flours into the cup, which is very different from the weigh we ask readers to measure wheat flours.

      Assume you’re using xanthan or psyllium.

      If all else fails, just decrease the water till it looks like what’s in our video.

      Reply

      1. Hi jeff, thanks for all the suggestions and video links. Those helped a lot. I revived the unresponsive dough by adding 1 cup flour and 1/2 c water and let it sit. It worked well.

        Joan

  43. Hello! I purchased the GF Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day and have been really excited to make the GF bread. I am very confused about your GF flour mixtures, however. You gave two mixture options (Mixture #1 – all purpose and Mixture #2 – whole grain). I chose the whole grain mixture to start. When I saw your master recipe, however, it was written for Mixture #1 only… Now am stuck with 4 lbs of flour mixture and I have no idea if I can make a master recipe with it. It also sounds like unless one is familiar with your master recipe and the steps, making bread from the rest of this book will be difficult.. How can I make the master recipe if it calls for Mixture #1 only? Can you please clarify? Are the two mixtures interchangeable? Do I use the same amounts? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. The mixtures are definitely NOT interchangeable, so don’t do that (#2 requires more water and gives a very different result– denser, as cannot be avoided with 100% whole-grain GF loaves that aren’t pumped up with artificial ingredients).

      The “Master” is a basic white loaf that serves to familiarize readers with how to handle these GF flours, and what to expect of the dough. It’s mostly white flour.

      That said, we included Mixture #2 for those who want to boost whole grains in their diet. It creates a more airy result with loaves made from mixtures of #1 and #2 (compared with 100% Mixture #2). Those kinds of loaves can be found on pages 96, 99, 109, 112, 114, 116, 119, 125, 128, and 132.

      If you want 100% whole grains, using only Mixture #2, you can make the ones on page 102 or 106. The instructions are more abbrevieated that those in the Master Recipe, but it’s the same idea. Read through Chapter 5 first and you should be fine. You may also find this video helpful: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2015/03/03/gluten-free-bread-in-five-minutes-a-day-the-video.

      Reply

  44. I just ran across your No Knead bread recipes online. I made a full batch of dough of the regular (wheat) and baked one loaf and it was lovely. Then I made a half batch of the GF flour but got distracted and put in a full 40 grams of Psyllium powder and forgot the sugar/honey. Otherwise followed the dough recipe exactly and, SURPRISE, ended up with (so far) 2 nicely browned loaves of GF bread. They are a bit denser than your photos (tighter crumb) but still moist and tasty. In a blind taste test, my husband said that he liked the GF better! I have made countless batches of GF bread flour mixes, but this is the best one yet. Thanks much!

    Reply

  46. So I ordered 2 copies (extra one for a gift). In the meantime, is it possible to bake bigger loaves, eg, 2 pounds? If so, what are the baking adjustments necessary? Thx.

    Reply

  47. Hi again. I have been enjoying the recipes in your GF book. My fave has been the Brioche à tête which I hadn’t had in years! My only partial fail so far are the pita breads. I have made them with both the white rice flour master dough and the pizza/flatbread dough, with the egg whites. I get beautiful pockets, but they are so crispy, one batch I just broke into pita chips. I am following the directions on pages 199-200 to the letter, except playing around with baking time. I have used 2 oven thermometers to verify the temp, and find that 8 minutes is better than 10-15. But still not soft. Also, I start the baking on parchment paper on a pizza stone, then remove the paper after a few minutes. Should I keep reducing the bake time or temp or ???? Thx.

    Reply

    1. Hi Joyce,

      Yes, you can play with the time and temp if they are getting too crispy. Be sure to wrap them in a towel right away to trap the steam.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

    1. Hi Amelia,

      I have not played with any gluten-free croissant recipes yet. Philo will be tough, since the dough has no stretch to it.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Reply

  49. I have tried to make the GF master recipe today. I have the dough mixed with the water & I used the #2 mixture of flours that is the teff, sorghum, oat, & brown rice. I added nearly 4 cups of water but the dough is very thick. It might be similar to the video one but it is hard to tell. I wonder if I should be using a mixture of the flour bases, #1 & #2 or is it OK to use just #2 & if so how much water should I be adding. It seems as though all your recipes use both mixtures together & not just the whole grain one alone.
    Hope you can help.

    Reply

    1. The GF Master recipe, as written, is intended to be made with Mixture #1, not Mixture #2. Mixture #2 is 100% whole grain and needs more water. If you use only Mixture #2, you can make the recipes appearing on page 102 or 106 and use those as starting points for variations and the level of hydration you’d need to salvage what you have already.

      You can use a blend of #1 and #2; see the recipe on page 96.

      Actually, having said all this, I realize your note doesn’t say which directions you used– which recipe, on which page?

      Reply

  50. Hi, I just bought the Gluten Free book for a friend who has a gluten allergy. Once I received the book I remembered the elevation issue – she is at close to 6000 feet and we have to bake differently that high. I saw you high altitude directions for normal bread, but it said to add additional gluten, which would not work for this book. Any suggestions, or should I return the book?

    Reply

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