Gluten Free Baking for Christmas

It's been way tooooo long since I posted about Gluten Free Cooking and Baking.

I do want you to know that I haven't given it up....Gluten Free Cooking and Eating.

Nope, it's a permanent part of my life.  You know that when the stockers at the grocery store tag you

The Label Reading Lady.

They are really helpful...the stockers...they Tag the isles and shelves Gluten Free and then direct traffic around that isle warning shoppers that the Label Reading Lady is parked there for an unknown amount of time.  Isn't that nice?  They also stock a variety of Gluten Free Pre-Mixes for Pizza, Cakes, Cookies and more QuickNeasy cooking and baking.  As much as I like Quick and Easy, I don't buy many of those products now that I have learned to Bake and Cook Gluten Free from Scratch.

 Instead, I buy Gluten Free Flours and other ingredients called for in my collection of Gluten Free Cookbooks.

Like Gluten Free Every Day by Robert M. Landolphi. 

It really is an everyday kind of cookbook. 

This morning I made a loaf of GF Bread and decided to make a batch of Christmas Cookies while I had my counter full of baking stuff....and...
I was in the mood !

Of course the Bread Recipe is MINE and you can find the recipe and tutorial for bread machine gluten free bread at this link:

The Gluten Free Bread Baking Roundup and Tutorial

You'll also find a list of  GF Cooking and Baking Posts at this link:

Cooking, Baking and Serving with Sue

Now....Let's bake these cookies....

As you can see, other than the GF Flours, the rest of the ingredients are pretty much what you would have in your cabinet and pantry.  Even the oven setting is a standard Cookie 350 degrees, however, I will give you a quick tip about Timing for Doneness...it takes longer.  Not hotter....just longer in the oven.  This recipe suggested 10 to 12 minutes....up that to 15 on the lower rack and another couple of minutes on the top rack while the second batch is on their first 15 minutes.  (Keep in mind YOUR OVEN's idiosync's...mine may be on the low side of 350 degrees)



The recipe says to drop a teaspoon of the dough two inches apart.

That tells me the dropped dough will flatten and spread out...wouldn't you think so?

Well, it doesn't...much...so I spread the teaspoon full out and put them closer together!

Makes for more cookies on the sheet per batch and fewer batches!

That's a plus when the recipe makes SIX DOZEN cookies!

Have you ever made PENUCHE Frosting?

I'd never even heard of it...much less made or eaten any...that I knew of!

I don't put stuff on my food that I don't know 'What IsIt'.

So, I Googled it!

Penuche (Italian: panucci) is a fudge-like candy made from brown sugar, butter, and milk, using no flavorings except for vanilla.  Penuche often has a tannish color, and is lighter than regular fudge.

Funny thing....this Italian fudge/frosting is primarily a Regional food

found in New England and some places in the Southern US.

Oh Yeah, I have eaten that Light Brown Fudge...here in Texas we call that 'Muddy Fudge'.

Anyway, I made 'Muddy Frosting', sprinkled it with Snow (powdered sugar) and Red Sprinkles!

Mmmmm....That's Amore'!!!!
And It's Going To Be So Good To Be
Home for The Holidays
with Beverly at
 How Sweet the Sound Pink Saturday
 

Merry Christmas Ya'll

B is for Baking Bread...Then and Now

Grab an Apron from my last weeks Letter A post, A is for Apron, and let's Bake Bread...the old fashion way.  Or at least the way it was baked back in the 1880's on the West Texas Frontier.

White Bread Recipe:
Boil 3 medium size potatoes in one quart of water.  Mash and strain through a colander.  Add the water in which they were boiled.  When cool add sufficient flour to make a stiff batter, one yeast cake after soaking in a little water, one tablespoon of white sugar, one half or more teaspoon of salt.  Let stand until morning.  Boil one pint sweet milk to which add one teaspoon of lard and one of butter, one tablespoon sugar.  Let come to a boil and cool...then add flour and sponge.  Let rise from three to four hours and knead into loaves.  Rise until pans are full and bake an hour.

 Did you notice the call for a 'Yeast Cake'?  In the 1880's, compressed Yeast Cake was a luxury and a new item for the homemade bread maker.  It replaced the home-made liquid yeast which was made from potatoes.   Some potato yeasts would never sour, while others had to be used within a week.  The yeast was usually kept in a yeast jug and often measured in gills.  A Gill is equal to eight large tablespoons.

That was Then....This is Now!!!

Yes, I BAKE BREAD!!!

Here's my Recipe

The Gluten Free Bread Baking Roundup...A Tutorial

For More Gluten Free Recipes

Cooking~Baking and Serving With Sue

It's A Gluten Free Ham Sandwich Bread Baking Day

So, you are Gluten Intolerant!

You think that means NO MORE Ham and Cheese Sandwiches!

You think that means NO MORE Toast with Plum Jelly with your NO MORE Oatmeal for breakfast!

WRONG!  WRONG! WRONG!

That's right...I'm here to tell you and show you that YOU can MakeIt, BakeIt and EatIt!

That'd be Gluten Free Homemade Bread!  Yep, today I slapped together a Ham Sandwich for lunch with a fresh out of the Bread Maker Loaf of Gluten Free Bread.  I promise you it is better than storebought wheat bread and way better than storebought gluten free cardboard bread.  Have you tried that stuff out of pure hunger for a sandwich or a piece of toast?  I did....and I decided right then and there I could bake better tasting bread in a coffe can over a firepit!

  I bake bread once a week and today was baking day.  Here's my freshly baked loaf of gluten free bread sliced for a ham sandwich.  I always use a sharp serrated bread knife.  The FIRST cut is a thin slice of the end or heel, and as with any loaf of bread the heel stays with the loaf until the end...the other end! 

Just look at that Ham Sandwich! 

Can you believe the breads texture and crust?

The Secret to holey texture and a firm crust is in the last 10 minutes of baking!

I'll tell you about that and give you my Bread Recipe at the end of this post!

But first, I need to tell you about

How To Store and Save a Loaf of Gluten Free Bread!

After the Baking is done, cool the loaf on a cooling rack until it is kitchen temperature before slicing!

Unless of course you want a warm piece sprinkled with sugar....like my Grandmother Minnie did.

All of us kids lined up for a warm piece of her sugar coated homemade bread.

A wonderful treat and a special memory of my Grandmother.

Your homemade loaf will stay fresh and soft stored in a plastic bread bag for several days.  After that it should go in the fridge.  The refriged loaf will return to it's fresh softness after slicing and popping in the microwave for about 20 seconds per slice.  I slice it as I use it and always cover the open end with the heel before restoring it in it's bag.  It makes great toast, but requires a higher setting on the toaster than regular wheat bread.  I love it smeared with my favorite Plum Jelly and Gluten Free Oatmeal....yum!! 

I bet you can hardly wait to bake your first loaf of Gluten Free Bread! 

Here It Is....you are welcome to Copy-Paste and Print!

My Gluten Free Bread Ingredients pictured here are:

Maseca Masa Corn Flour

Clabber Girl Corn Starch

Bobs Red Mill Brown Rice Flour

Hodgson Mill Soy Flour

OSTER 2 lb. EXPRESSBAKE Breadmaker

 

for the rest of the ingredients

and recipe click on

THE GLUTEN FREE BREAD BAKING ROUNDUP TUTORIAL

Oh! The Last Ten Minutes Tip!

At the end of your Bread Machine's Express Baking time...set your kitchen stove timer for 10 minutes and move your Bread Machine's Bake Options from Express to Bake and Re-Start. 

Be sure and unplug your Bread Machine when your Stove Timer goes off.

Remove loaf pan from Bread Machine immediately and remove loaf from pan!

Take out the Bread Machine Paddle and cool loaf on a rack.!

That's All Folks!

Happy Gluten Free Bread Making and Eating!!!!

Here's more....

The GlutenFree Bread Baking RoundUp...A Tutorial

All My Flops + Recipe Research + Bread Machine + SIL Tips = A Loaf of Bread

First, I have to tell you that I am not an Expert on Gluten-Free Cooking and Baking.

Some of my 'Readers' have requested my Gluten Free Bread Making Recipe!

Through trial and error I have found that this works for me, and I'm glad to share!

The following Picture Tutorial shows the Brands of Ingredients I have used and the Ingredients and Tips are listed under each picture.

My Recipe is a combination of several Recipes gleaned from several sources, which will be given credit with the ingredient list.

The Gluten Free Flour Mix

This combination of Flours and Corn Starch make a Canister of GF Flour Mix the size of my Apple Canister.

3 cups Brown Rice Flour - Bobs Red Mill

3 cups Corn Starch - Hill Country Brand from HEB

2 cups Soy Flour - Hodgson Mill

1 cup Masa Harina - Maseca Corn Flour

Gluten Free Flour Mix Website - Gluten Free Cooking School

(this site has lots of  Info for GlutenFree Baking)

About Masa Harina

(see Frequently Asked Questions...#5)

Measure all flours in LARGE bowl and Blend together...I use a Whisk. 

In another LARGE bowl using a Flour Sifter, transfer the flour to the sifter and sift to blend and smooth out any lumps.  This may or may not make a difference in the flour blending, but I like sifting because my Grandmother Minnie and my Mom always sifted flour.  It's a Good Thing!  Fill your Canister!

Recipe for One Loaf Baked In Bread Machine 

Before Mixing...Know About Your Bread Machine!!!

The Dry Ingredients

3 cups of Gluten Free Flour Mix ~ It's in Your Canister...neat huh!

1/4 to 1/2 cup of Sugar ~  I like it Sweet - Hill Country Fare HEB

1 cup Dry Milk Powder ~ I use non-fat - Hill Country Fare HEB 

1/4 teaspoon of salt

(Express Bake requires less salt than other settings...less salt provides a higher loaf)

2 1/2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum 

(found at Health Food Store ~ kind of expensive at $12.99 this size bag...also found at Walmart in the Gluten Free Isle for about 11.00...it lasts a long time and is critical to GF recipes)

Measure all ingredients into the Flour Sifter placed in a Medium size bowl....sift and set aside!

Notice that the YEAST is NOT USED YET!!!!

These ingredients from...The Gluten-Free Gourmet by Bette Hagman

(some measurement amounts have been modified by me for the Bread Machine)

The Wet Ingredients

Before Mixing The Wet Ingredients 

Know Steps to Loading and Setting Bread Machine 

for

Express Bake

Read the Express Bake Section Carefully! 

3 Eggs ~ My SisterInLaw uses 4...3 worked for me!

1 1/2 cup Warm Tap Water ~ 105 degrees to 110 degrees

(I checked with a meat themometer)

1/2 cup Oil ~ I use Canola

1 teaspoon vinegar ~ I use Cider Vinegar

Whisk together all of these Wet Ingredients.

Take Bread Pan out of Machine and Pour in the Wet Ingredients

(Follow instructions for loading and setting Bread Machine and Express Bake)

My Bread Machine:

Oster 2 lb. EXPRESSBAKE Breadmaker

 

Immediately after the Wet Ingredients gently add the DRY INGREDIENTS to the Pan.

Make a Shallow WELL in the TOP of the Flour Mix

(your Bread Machine will have visual instruction of this step)

Into the Well measure

1 Tablespoon of Sugar

and

1 Tablespoon of Dry Yeast

(always use fast-rising yeast - I use Red Star Quick Rise for Bread Machines)

(be sure and check expiration date on Yeast Jar and refrigerate after opening)

Place the Pan in the Bread Machine according to Instructions.

Set Bread Machine to Express Bake.

(Mine also let's you set the Crust Color...I use Medium)

While the Dough is mixing...

You may have to run a spatula around the edge of the pan...GF Flour is heavier than regular flours.

At the End of the Mix Cycle...Just Before the Rise Cycle

You may want to Pat Down/Smooth/Shape with a spatula the TOP of the Loaf. 

I wet the Spatula with water and  ShapeUp the Top of the Loaf. 

It is okay to open the lid during the Mix and Rise Cycles.

Read Your Bread Maker Instruction Booklet carefully for Use Instructions!

At the end of the Express Bake time...I select BAKE on the machines menu and

BAKE the Bread for 15 minutes more.  I set the timer on my oven.

This makes for a browner and more crusty loaf.

Remember...This recipe and instructions are for Making Bread with Gluten Free Flour.

This bread will be different in Texture and Heavier than Wheat Flour Bread!

As I mentioned in the beginning, this recipe and these Brands and Ingredients work for ME. 

 Be sure and read Labels for allergy warnings and specific ingredients that may be on your list of intolerances! 

I wish you all the Best in Baking GF Bread,

The New Joy of Baking...Bread and Bread Puddin'

The Bread Machine Challenge

Do you have recollections of your first experience with homemade bread? 

I do!  My Grandma Minnie and my Aunt Elsie in a farm house kitchen in Iowa! It was summer and we were visiting all the way from Texas.  And although the highlight of the trip was seeing my cousins who laughed at our yep and ya'll Texas accent, the homemade bread has been the most enduring memory!

In moments of nostalga and memories of  that homemade bread, I've attempted to bake bread the old fashion way with a crockery bowl, an embroidered dish towel, loaf pans, a wooden spoon and an apron sprinkled with flour.  Funny how one remembers the little things, but mostly I wanted to experience the smell and the taste of that warm slice of bread sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon...and my Grandma Minnie shooing us out of the kitchen to sit on the back porch steps eating 'Sugared Homemade Bread". 

Okay, enough of the Old Fashion Way!  Good Grief, Sue, it's 2011. 

 Minnie and Elsie would be amazed at todays Bread Making Machine,

and would be hanging up their floured aprons and using that yellow crockery bowl for apples and oranges.

 Is She not a Thing of Beauty?  Crockery bowl, wooden spoon, floured kneading board and oven all in one!

My first attempt in the bread machine was not a Thing of Beauty, but it tasted good and set me up for the 'Challenge of Making and Baking Bread Pudding'.

I posted about that Challenge for Pink Saturday.  It's in the post below...
Bath Baking Bread Pudding.

If you have never used the Water Bath-Bain Marie Method, you'll want to see what that is all about.  I'm here to tell you....it's very cool hot easy method for baking puddings and custards.

Innovations for this Bread Pudding recipe...besides the Water Bath...were the additions of finely crumpled 'Flopped First Baked Bread', a couple of tablespoons of Texas Peach Jelly to reduce the amount of sugar, and low fat milk.

The Greatest Challenge in my Bread Making is the use of Wheat/Gluten Free Flour!

It's been a Trial and Error Old Fashion Baking Bread Series of Flops!

Until Now!  Thank-you to my New Oster Bread Machine and the Express Bake Setting!

Thank-you Thank-you to My Sister-In-Law Linda...she's a GlutenFree Bread Machine Baker!

And Now some of the Rewards.....

Bread Puddin'

Loaf of Bread

French Bread Sticks Breakfast

...and Memories of my Grandmother Minnie's Home Sweet Home.

Linking To

Mary's Mosaic Monday

at The Little Red House