"FREEDOM" BREAD (Gluten Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free)

This egg free thing has thrown me for a loop. I have countless times picked up a recipe to bake and had to put it aside because I was not sure how to change it and didn't have time to experiment. This is REALLY limiting!
I have been slow to post recipes because I like to have them turn out nice for me at least twice at home before I put them up. My first try at bread was great. The next was a flop (think BRICKS). As I was going to sleep one night I had an idea of something to change - so the next day I tried again and the batch turned out quite good. The next two times yielded better and better results. So I am going to share the recipe. It is not corn-free (I apologise) but if you can not have corn, I am sure you could experiment with other starches.
I was not only happy with the soft inner texture, the crunchy crust, and the high rise - I was also very happy with the taste! It has a slightly nutty, sweet flavor which I especially like toasted. :)
This recipe yields 2 large loaves, but I think three small loaves would work too.

1 cup     tapioca starch
1 cup     potato starch
1.5 cups     corn starch
1 cup     buckwheat flour (could try sorghum flour - it is not easy to find where I live)
2 cups     rice flour
2 Tbsp     sugar
1/2 tsp     xanthan gum
2 Tbsp     psyllium husks or powder
1.5 tsp     salt

1.5 Tbsp     yeast
1 Tbsp       sugar
1 cup       hot water

3 cups      hot water
0.25 cups   oil or fat
1/4 cup     flax seeds

Directions:
-Mix the first set of ingredients (all dry) in a large mixing bowl.

-Combine the yeast, sugar and hot water and set aside to bubble.

-Put the flax seed and 3 cups of water in a blender. Blend on high until all the seeds are broken up and the mixture starts to thicken slightly (<1min.).

-Preheat oven to 430 degrees.

-Pour the flax mixture, oil and yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. With an electric mixer or by hand, beat the dough for until smooth. Continue to mix the dough on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes (my daughter Emily has found that this drastically improves the texture of the bread).

-Scrape into two greased, large sized loaf pans and set on top of stove to rise for about 10 - 15 min. or until the dough is just above loaf pan.

-Gently set the pans in the oven and bake for 35 minutes.

-Take out of loaf pans. Lay the loaves on their sides to cool on racks. Wait until mostly cool to slice. Enjoy!

Potato Bread

I did some experimenting over the past couple weeks with my basic bread recipe and this is what I came up with...

The step I added to the recipe was I first peeled, cubed &boiled a med-small potato in about 2 cups of water. When it was very tender, I dumped the potato and water into my blender and pured until smooth. I then added enough extra liquid to have the amount needed in the recipe, adjusting the temperature to have it right for the yeast.
I then mixed the bread according to the recipe, adding my potato water as the liquid. The result was light buns and lovely bread. It rose so high, had a fine texture, and a pleasant potato bread taste.

I found that I had to add a little more liquid with this method than I normally do. You will have to adjust the liquids in this recipe according to your altitude and air humidity (I live in a dry climate, at about 3,000 ft above sea level).

Cinnamon Buns

I tried this recipe from the I Am Gluten Free blog site. She also included a link to another site that had great pictures showing a step by step method to make these cinnamon buns.

I made the buns for our Sunday brunch and I followed the recipe exactly. We found them much too sweet (this could be helped by cutting back on the filling) and rather "pasty". My Hubby can not tolerated baked goods that are doughy or pasty or dry or crumbly or.... you get the idea. These buns were "OK" in his opinion but he gave no rave reviews. He really likes the bought Kinnikinnick cinnamon buns. They are soft and slightly chewy with just the right amount of sweetness.

I have included this recipe because it was very easy to follow, had great pictures and the product was tasty. Will I make it again?? "No." But not because does not have value but because it just does not suit our family's tastes.

It did give me a place to start from and I will be experimenting to find a cinnamon bun recipe my family loves. I think I will go back to a secret cinnamon bun recipe I was once given (wheat of course) and borrow some ideas for my gluten free ones. I'll keep you posted... :)