Artisan bread. The crusty artful loaves that you see displayed in the finest French bakeries. Or in the bakery section of your local specialty food market. You could never imagine that one of those amazing loaves of bread could be gluten-free.
Well, I’m here to reassure you that it can happen. Thanks to the genius of Dr. Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François, you can easily achieve this at home with this delicious Gluten-Free Artisan Bread. It’s all outlined in their book, Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day.
I will confess that my first attempt at this didn’t turn out so well. It had nothing to do with technique. It had everything to do with my not reading the instructions carefully.
As a result, I substituted a few of the ingredients with what was more readily available to me at my local store. I found out the hard way that you cannot substitute sweet rice flour for stone ground rice flour. And that potato starch and potato flour are two very different things. If you have trouble finding any of the ingredients listed for the all-purpose flour mixture, don’t worry. They are all available on Amazon here and here. They are also available online directly from Bob’s Red Mill.
(Since this post was originally published, I’m happy to say that every ingredient is now carried in my local supermarket …a sure sign that times are changing. So many gluten-intolerant folks out there, unfortunately.)
This may seem like a lot to go through to make a loaf of bread but, really, if you have a serious issue with gluten or someone close to you does …you’ll find that it’s worth the effort. And the best part is that once you mix up your customized gluten-free all-purpose flour, you’ll store it in a large container and have it handy for all of your baking needs. The key is to measure each ingredient carefully …I found that measuring in grams on my food scale by keeping a running total worked out well.
Update April 3, 2020…
Since this article was first published in July of 2017, it has become my most popular post. By far. The one issue that seems to be of concern, though, is the large volume of products required to make the Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mixture. I do realize that to get started, you may need to purchase every one of these specific flours and/or starches. There is one way to minimize your cost at first, not by much but every little bit helps, right? The average bag of Stone-Ground White Rice Flour weighs in at 680 grams. So that you would need just one package of that item, you can alter the amount of each ingredient in the flour mixture by using 2/3 of the original measure.
By making that adjustment, you should still have enough of the flour mixture that is required to make the dough for your Artisan Bread. If you don’t think you’ll have the need for enough dough to make four loaves within a ten-day period, simply scale down that part of the recipe by half. You can customize any part of this to suit your personal needs. ~ Rosemary
As the authors state …“The ingredients must be very well mixed, otherwise, the xanthan gum or psyllium will not be evenly distributed and your loaves will be inconsistent. Whisk and mix the ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart lidded container. Finish by picking up the container and vigorously shaking until the flours are completely blended.”
- The yeast is sprinkled in with the flour mixture.
- Once the dry ingredients are well combined, the lukewarm water is added.
- It is recommended that it be exactly 100°F.
I know this all may seem to be a bit much but please don’t give up on it. After all, it’s like a science project. And the final product is so superior …it’s worth the effort. You just can’t buy this at your local bakery. Well, maybe you can if you live in a large metropolitan area. But, for the rest of us …we’re on our own.
Pull out that stand mixer…
- If you have a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to mix up the dough for about one minute.
- If not, give it a good stir for about two minutes until the mixture is very smooth.
- The best part is …no kneading necessary!
Ready to bake it up…
- After a two hour rest, your dough is ready for the fridge.
- This is where the “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day” comes into play.
- This recipe makes enough dough for four one-pound loaves.
- Over the next ten days, grab about a pound of dough, shape it into a round loaf, let it rest for about an hour and bake.
- Just five minutes of your hectic schedule.
The rest of the time it takes care of itself. The longer it hangs out in the fridge, the more developed the flavor is. Simply genius.
- When you dust the prepared dough with flour, use a bit of your gluten-free all-purpose mix.
- Better yet, just use white rice flour.
- Just before baking, score the top of the round of dough in a scallop or cross pattern.
- Don’t cut too deep, just a quarter inch to a half inch.
- If you would like to achieve a less dramatic look, barely cut into the dough as I’ve done here.
Choose your method…
Our baking specialists recommend that you bake this bread on a preheated baking stone or baking metal, using the steam method. Thanks to fellow blogger and cookbook author, Alexandra Stafford, we now know that you can bake it right in your preheated, lidded dutch oven. That’s the method I’ve chosen here. It’s actually the method I use every single time. It couldn’t be easier. I use my Le Creuset 5 1/2 Quart Dutch Oven.
Just lift the dough round, including the parchment paper, right into the dutch oven, cover it and bake. For additional insight on what to expect with this unstructured dough, check out this video.
Give your Gluten-Free Artisan Bread a time out…
When the bread is done, place it on a cooling rack for a full two hours. That’s the hard part. It smells so good, you’ll want to cut into it immediately. After all, who doesn’t love warm bread straight from the oven? But don’t give in to the temptation. Gluten-free bread needs a full two hours of cooling to set completely.
gluten-free artisan bread
Adapted from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day
Keep a supply of this gluten-free all-purpose flour mixture in the pantry. With a batch of this master boule dough in the fridge, you can enjoy fresh bread every day. Just takes five minutes of your time.
Ingredients
GLUTEN-FREE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR MIXTURE
- 6 cups stone ground white rice flour * (36 ounces / 1,020 grams)
- 3 1/4 cups sorghum flour (16 ounces / 455 grams)
- 1 3/4 cups tapioca flour or starch (8 ounces / 225 grams)
- 1 1/4 cups potato starch ** (8 ounces / 225 grams)
- 1/4 cup xanthan gum or psyllium husk powder (1.4 ounces / 40 grams)
GLUTEN-FREE ARTISAN BREAD
- 6 1/2 cups GLUTEN-FREE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR MIXTURE (990 grams)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast (or dry active yeast) (10 grams)
- 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (10 to 15 grams)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (30 grams)
- 3 3/4 cups lukewarm water (850 grams)
- parchment paper or cornmeal
Instructions
GLUTEN-FREE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR MIXTURE
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Whisk and mix the ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart lidded container. Finish by picking up the container and vigorously shaking until the flours are completely blended.
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The ingredients must be very well mixed, otherwise the xanthan gum or psyllium will not be evenly distributed and your loaves will be inconsistent.
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Store the flour mixture in an airtight container in a cool dark area until needed.
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* Do not substitute with sweet white rice flour.
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** Do not substitute with potato flour.
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If you’re measuring by U.S. cup-measures, be sure to pack the flour tightly into the cup, as if you were measuring brown sugar.
GLUTEN-FREE ARTISAN BREAD
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In a 5 to 6-quart bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the flour, yeast, salt and sugar.
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Add the lukewarm water — lukewarm water (100ºF) will allow the dough to rise to the right point for storage in about 2 hours.
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Mix with the paddle attachment of mixer until mixture is very smooth, for about one minute. Alternatively, using a spoon or spatula, mix well by hand for one to two minutes. Kneading is not necessary. Transfer mixture to lidded (not airtight) food container.
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Cover with a lid that fits well to the container but can be cracked open so it’s not completely airtight. Plastic wrap is fine, too. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature about 2 hours; then refrigerate it and use over the next 10 days. You can use a portion of the dough any time after the 2-hour rise. Fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than dough at room temperature, but whatever you do,
do not punch down the dough — this is unnecessary with gluten-free bread baking.
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On baking day: pull off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough, then place it on a pizza peel prepared with plenty of cornmeal or parchment paper. Gently press the dough into a ball and use wet fingers to smooth the surface. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 60 minutes loosely covered with plastic wrap or under a roomy overturned bowl. The dough will not look as though it has risen much after the 60 minutes — this is normal.
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While the dough is resting, preheat a baking stone or baking steel near the middle of your oven set at 450ºF for at least 30 minutes. Alternatively, preheat a lidded Dutch oven for 45 minutes at 450ºF. If you are using the stone or steel, place an empty metal broiler tray for holding water on the shelf below the stone or steel.
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Dust the top of the dough liberally with gluten-free flour. Slash a 1/4-inch to a 1/2-inch deep cross or scallop(s) across the top using a wet serrated bread knife.
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Shimmy the loaf onto the preheated stone. Quickly and carefully pour 1 cup of hot water from the tap into the metal broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. If you are using parchment paper on the steel or stone, remove it after 20 minutes. Bake loaf for a total of 45 minutes. Alternatively, use the piece of parchment paper as handles and carefully lower the dough-topped parchment paper into the preheated pot. Cover and place in the oven. No need for a steam bath with the dutch oven. If you are using the preheated vessel, remove the lid after 30 minutes, and bake for 15 minutes longer uncovered or until the crust is richly browned.
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Allow bread to cool completely, about 2 hours, on a wire rack.
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Store remaining dough in the refrigerator in your lidded or loosely plastic-wrapped container and use it over the next 10 days. If your container isn't vented, allow gasses to escape by leaving the cover open a crack for the first couple of days in the fridge. After that, it can be closed.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have personally experienced all of these products, and I recommend them because I have found them to be helpful and useful.
More Gluten-Free Breads…
Hello, I live in Mexico City and I can´t find sorghum flour, can I substitute it for another flour? thank you so much
I highly recommend Bob’s Red Mill Sorghum Flour which is available for international shipping through Amazon. Although I haven’t personally tried it …my research suggests that if you don’t have access to sorghum flour, certified gluten-free oat flour is the closest option. Hope this is helpful!
This bread was truly fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
My pleasure, Sonia. So glad you liked it!
Hi Rosemary. Thanks for this post and recipe. I’ve now made 5 loaves from my primary batch — it’s the first time I’ve tried this recipe — and I have a couple of questions for you about the results.
1) My finished loaves are small. I do see the note that the dough wouldn’t rise much during the hour under the overturned bowl, but even after baking the finished loaves are approximately 5 inches long by 4 inches wide … about the size of the grapefruit size ball of dough I began with. From your experience, should this happen? Or are my loaves not rising/increasing in size the way they ought to?
2) The finished loaf of bread, despite its size, has a good flavor/taste. I like and would be happy to keep making this bread and eating it. But each loaf so far — again, from my first primary loaf — is gummy. The bread is definitely done and cooked through, but it has a gummy consistency. I’ve wondered if the dough is too wet? I followed your directions to the T, but is it possible there is too much water? Do you have any insight based on your experience?
Lastly, I’m delighted to have found your blog. Thanks for these recipes. I plan to try the gf pizza crust soon.
Good morning, Paul. I’m so glad to know that you are enjoying my blog. The recipes that I choose to post are often from my favorite cookbooks after many test runs in my own kitchen. It is very important to me that my recommendations are backed by my personal experience. And by my family’s stamp of approval!
You are so correct in your statement regarding the size of the finished loaves. They do tend to be small and hearty. I typically serve this bread as part of an antipasti tray or in a bread basket to be served with a meal of soup or pasta. If you are in search of a gluten-free bread to be used for sandwiches, there is a recipe in the GF Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day Cookbook for a Crusty White Sandwich Loaf that uses the same master recipe dough in a 2-pound portion baked in a loaf pan. I’ve made a few loaves for my gluten-free daughter and granddaughter and they go crazy over it. They especially like it toasted. A future blog post, perhaps?
I can totally relate to your concern over the bread being gummy. I haven’t had that issue since I started making this bread on a regular basis but I certainly did in the beginning. My first batch was so gummy. Thinking it would not make a difference, I had substituted a few ingredients since my local market didn’t stock a good variety. I used sweet rice flour instead of stone ground rice flour. And I used potato flour instead of potato starch. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was a complete disaster. Totally gummy. I had to start over at the beginning. Okay …lesson learned. So now that I have the correct ingredients, I move on. I baked the first loaf from my second batch. I didn’t wait the full two hours before cutting into the bread. It felt cool to the touch, so I figured it would be okay. It wasn’t. It was gummy …not as bad as the first try but still not the texture I’d hoped for. Now I truly believe, without a doubt, that this bread needs a full two hours to set up.
On a final note or two, I always bake this bread using my Le Creuset 5 1/2-quart Dutch Oven. It works like a charm. Every time. And I always measure the dry ingredients in grams on my digital kitchen scale.
I’m so glad you took the time to reach out with your questions. I hope my response is helpful. I’ll be anxious to know how you like the gf pizza crust!
I really love this bread, but I came across a small issue when I shaped the loaf. The ball kind of flattened out, and I had to reshape it before I put it in the oven. I didn’t refrigerate the dough. Could this be the problem?
Cristina, this dough is definitely easier to work with after it’s been refrigerated. Even though it rests at room temperature for a period of time prior to baking, it works best when it starts off chilled. I’m so glad to know that you love the bread, though. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Can I freeze the bread?
Jen, the prepared dough can be frozen as well as the baked bread. Keep in mind that the bread is rather dense so be sure to allow extra time for defrosting. Happy baking!
The dough doesn’t seem doughy enough but this is the first time I am making this… is it supposed to be where you need to knead it?
This dough does not require kneading. It will seem as though it is extremely moist and sticky. That’s normal …the texture is very different from regular bread dough. It may be helpful to browse through my post photos to see if your dough appears to be of the same texture. Also, there’s a link to a video that will give you another perspective. I hope you are happy with the results, Jeffrey!
Hi. My loaf came out super dense and moist. Does not look as ‘fluffy’ as your pictures. Do you think it’s because there was too much water or did I not cook it for long enough? Thanks!
Lindsay, I’m so sorry to learn that your bread didn’t turn out as well as you expected. I hope you were still able to enjoy it. I will say that this gluten-free bread is quite a bit heavier and denser than your typical artisan bread. Keeping that in mind, I must admit that I had some issues when I first tried to make this. So basically I learned some lessons the hard way!
Always measure the dry ingredients by weight (preferably in grams) using a digital food scale.
Always use Stone Ground White Rice Flour (not sweet rice flour).
Always use Potato Starch (not potato flour).
Always allow the freshly baked bread to rest for a full two hours before slicing.
I hope these suggestions are helpful!
Hello,
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe that I’m tempted to try. I’m new to the gluten free life and the experience of making bread altogether. My question- can I mix the flours and leave it in a sealed container for when I’m ready to make the bread in the oppose of mixing the dough and keep it refrigerated? Because of the 10 days period…I plan to make a loaf once a week but sometimes I can’t. Also if I can have the pre mixed flours- do I use one full pack of each for the mix? What would be the ratio? Thank you in advance, can’t wait to try it.
Hi Lauren! Welcome to the world of gluten-free baking! It can be a bit intimidating but worth the effort to make delicious gluten-free bread. First of all, it is highly advisable to have a stash of your gf all-purpose flour on stand by for whenever you want to prepare some dough. I keep my gf flour mix in a sealed plastic bin. Then I gather up the opened bags of the miscellaneous flours and place them in a separate sealed bin for future use. That way I can easily keep track of my inventory.
If you were to make the full recipe of bread dough, you would use a little more than half of the gf flour mix. But if you won’t be baking that often, you could easily cut the bread recipe in half so that you would have enough dough to make two one-pound loaves over the next ten days. Just so you know though, the baked loaves are on the small side. But they’re packed with flavor and texture!
I made this bread the other night. AMAZING!
Angela, thanks for the comment. So glad you loved this bread!!
How do you store this bread after the 2 hour cool down? And for how long?
Erin, the cooled loaf can be stored in your bread box for about 3 days if by some off chance it doesn’t get eaten up right away. On the second and third day, it’s best to toast it lightly before eating it. If need be, wrap slices well and freeze them. When ready to enjoy, toast directly from the freezer — no need to thaw first.
Hello,
I used Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour for the 6 1/2 cups of flour and followed the 3 3/4 cups of water – the mixture, it is not a dough but instead a batter. Any recommendation? Is this because I didn’t make the flour recipe that is in this post? Have you made bread with that all purpose flour before? Thanks!!
Hi Amanda. I’m sorry to say that I’ve only made gluten-free bread using this recipe exactly as it is written. The authors of the book are very specific in what they recommend, stating that it is like an exact science. Your dough may thicken after a day or two in the fridge, but I can’t say for sure. This dough is definitely not as thick as regular bread dough but it certainly shouldn’t be too runny as you would see in a cake batter. So sorry!
Hi Rosemary,
I am excited to try this bread. Could i use my stainless steel dutch oven to bake it instead of a cast iron?
Hi Colleen. This bread is so good …I hope you love it. In regards to the stainless steel dutch oven, I honestly am not sure if the results would be the same. The cast-iron style heats up slowly and uniformly and holds the heat so well that it creates its own steam in the process. You could try one loaf in the stainless steel dutch oven and if it doesn’t work out, for the remaining loaves, use the alternate directions of placing the loaf on a preheated baking stone with a tray of water on a different shelf. I would love to hear from you on how it all turns out!
I’m stunned! This is such a delicious, crusty, moist bread. It’s so like wheat bread, I can hardly believe it, and vegan too!
Thank you!
Emma, I love your comment! When I discovered this recipe, I had the very same reaction! We love this bread, too!!
This is the BEST gluten free bread recipe I’ve ever made!! If you follow the directions exactly as given, you’ll end up with a fantastic loaf of bread. I’ve been gf for years now and basically gave up eating bread because it’s very hard to find good artisan gf bread. But now, I get my fresh bread fix whenever I want. What joy!!! I bake mine in a La Creuset baking pan with top, as recommended. I tried the pizza stone (turned out okay), but definitely not as good as when using La Creuset. So, if you make this recipe, I highly recommend you follow the guidelines for water temperature and flour measurements. It makes all the difference!!
Allison! I’m so glad that you love this bread. Whenever I make it, my gluten free loved ones are so happy! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. ❤️
Hello
Do you use parchment paper when using the dutch oven as well?
Thanks
I don’t see anyone commenting on the differences (good or bad–which actually works better) between the xanthan gum and the psyllium husk. If I have no reason to prefer one over the other, which is better? Or is id best to use half of one and half of the other?
Hi Judy. It’s true that xanthan gum can be replaced with ground psyllium husk. The main reason being that there are some folks who may have some intolerance to xanthan gum. If the substitution is made, it is important to follow the recipe for the required adjustment in the amount used.
I’ve always used the xanthan gum in my gluten-free bread baking with great success. Also, keep in mind that if you are at some point making the gluten-free brioche dough, the xanthan gum cannot be replaced for those recipes that involve free-formed items. The xanthan gum (not ground psyllium husk) aids in the dough holding its desired shape.
Hello there,
I’ve been recommended this recipe for my baby with allergies and myself. Now that we are closed away for COVID here in the UK most shops are sold out of everything. I haven’t managed to find potato starch. but I’ve found everything else on the ingredient list. Is there anything (perhaps the Tapioca?) that I could increase as a substitute?
Thanks,
Hi Kathryn. I hope I can be helpful as we are all going through this unprecedented event.
You normally have a few starches to choose from besides potato when baking …cornstarch, tapioca, and arrowroot. From what I’ve researched, they sometimes can be interchangeable when baking with them. I’m just not sure how it would work out with this specific formula.
According to the authors of Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day, “If you don’t have potato flour, you can try proportionally increasing the other starches/flours in the flour mixture, but you may have to adjust the water to keep the consistency at about the level that you see in our video.” There is a link to that video contained within the body of my post.
On a final note, I was wondering if you tried ordering online directly from Bob’s Red Mill or through Amazon. I have had to do that in the past before these unusual ingredients were regularly offered at most local markets.
I hope this works out for you. The bread is truly delicious and has a great texture. Stay safe and healthy!
Hello,
Maybe I’m missing something but how much yeast, salt and water do you use to make your gfree bread. I have made the mix now and realize I can’t find the recipe with the rest of the ingredients. Thanks Linda
Hi Linda. The first list of ingredients is for the Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mixture then as you scroll down, the second list of ingredients details what you need to make the actual gluten-free bread dough. For each large batch, you would need:
6 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour mixture (990 grams)
1 tablespoon instant yeast (or dry active yeast) (10 grams)
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (10 to 15 grams)
2 tablespoons sugar (30 grams)
3 3/4 cups lukewarm water (850 grams)
Hope that is helpful!
Perhaps I’m missing something. The recipe if four 4 1-lb loaves. The flour mixture has a total of 12 and one-half cups of dry mixture. The artisan bread calls for six and one-half cups of the flour mixture, and then yeast, salt, sugar and three and three-quarters cup of water. Then refrigeration. Then cutting off one lb of dough to make one loaf per directions. My question is: why only use half of the dry mixture rather than all 12 and one-half cups? When I make regular bread from the Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day book, the total flour is 6 and one-half cups, and about 3 cups of water., also to make 4 1-lb loaves.
Hi Bob. This recipe can be a bit confusing …I agree. There’s a lot going on here. The first part talks about making the Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mixture. It does make quite a bit but I believe the goal is to always have the mixture on hand for future baking needs. If you would rather not mix up such a big batch, you can scale it down by making just 2/3 of the original. Just be careful to keep the proportions the same. By doing so, you should have enough of the flour mixture needed to make the Artisan Bread dough. I did add an update to my original post in case other folks have the same question. Thanks for taking the time to reach out.
Hi!
This recipe looks amazing, and I am planning to make it during this quarantine! Is it possible to cut the recipe in half? And then just make half the loaves? I just realized that I would need to buy more than one bag of certain flours, and I don’t have the money. I am very excited! Just wanted to know if you think the bread would turn out different if I cut the recipe in half. Thanks!
Hi Holly. I totally get it! The large volume of products required to make the Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mixture is over the top. Especially when you are just getting started, you may need to purchase every one of these specific flours and/or starches. There is one way to minimize your cost at first, not by much but every little bit helps, right? The average bag of Stone-Ground White Rice Flour weighs in at 680 grams. You can alter the amount of each ingredient in the flour mixture by using 2/3 of the original measure, so that you would need just one package of the white rice flour.
By making that adjustment, you should still have enough of the flour mixture that is required to make the dough for your Artisan Bread. If you don’t think you’ll have the need for that much dough …to make four loaves within a ten-day period, simply scale down that part of the recipe by half. You can customize any part of this to suit your personal needs. Just be sure to keep the proportions the same and you’ll be successful!
Can you freeze this bread?
Hi Amber. Yes! You definitely can freeze this bread! I sometimes make several loaves at a time, especially since my oven is heated up anyway. Then I freeze the extra loaf, well wrapped of course. It can hang in the freezer for a month or two then be sure to give it ample time to defrost since this bread is very dense.
Hello Rosemary, thanks for sharing the best gluten free bread recipe, that is well written with detailed instructions. I made a quarter of the initial flour recipe mixture and it was enough to make half of the bread recipe with a small amount of leftover flour. I also used the psyllium husk powder which made the dough firmer and not wet as yours. The dough was easy to handle but I did leave it overnight in the fridge. The dough was enough to make two loaves. I baked one loaf initially, it came out delicious but a bit sticky, it was cooked thoroughly but I figured it was the psyllium husk. It was still the best gluten free loaf closest to regular bread. The next day, I added about 1/4 cup sorghum flour, 1 tps of baking powder and enough seltzer to knead a softer dough than I had before. I figured the psyllium husk made a moist dough and needed less starch so I increased the sorghum flour. I followed you olive focaccia recipe technique using the bread dough and it came out delicious again with better texture and rise. Thank you so much!!
Cat, thank you so much for taking the time to comment with so much detailed information. We’re all in this journey together …the quest to find and/or create the best gluten-free breads. I am so happy that you found my modest little site!!
I made the bread, and it’s absolutely delicious! My only problem was that after I shaped it and left it for one hour as instructed, it flattened. I’ve tried several rounds now, but the ball always flattens out. Any suggestions?
There are so many different issues that can affect the subtle rise of this bread.
Always measure the dry ingredients by weight (preferably in grams) using a digital food scale.
Be sure to use Stone Ground White Rice Flour (not sweet rice flour).
Be sure to use Potato Starch (not potato flour).
When resting prior to baking, it should be at room temperature but not too warm.
You may want to take the time to look over some of the solutions suggested by the authors of the book… As you can see, gluten-free bread baking can be tricky. But once you master the technique, it will be well worth the effort.
On a final note, if you are able to eat eggs you may want to try a different version of this recipe where you add four egg whites. According the the authors, it can give the dough better rise resulting in a lighter (less dense) bread. The other ingredient amounts remain the same but when you are ready to measure your lukewarm water, you’ll start off with the four egg whites then add enough lukewarm water so that the total liquid volume measures 3 3/4 cups. The other significant difference in this version of the dough is that you’ll need to use it within 5 days instead of 10 days. Here is a link to the authors’ on-line recipe using the egg whites…
Hi Rosemary!
I’m so excited to try this recipe – my first attempt at GF bread! I feel very lucky to have been able to find all of the flours and starches at a small grocery near me in NYC – I know bread baking is quite the thing right now 🙂 My question is about the Dutch oven – in your opinion. I’m interested in investing in one and though I know the 5.5 QT is the do-all recommendation, as someone who generally cooks for one/two people and considering the GF bread may not rise/expand the same way as non-GF bread, I’m wondering if I can take advantage of the cost savings by getting a 4 QT enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Do you think it would be large enough to support this recipe? Big thanks for your insight and your lovely recipes!
Hi Kelly! I absolutely love your enthusiasm! So those Dutch ovens… they are so expensive, right? But they truly are a worthwhile investment. Whenever I’m asked what size I would recommend, my stock answer is always the 5.5-quart. Part of my reasoning is that I enjoy making large batches of homemade soups and that size is required to hold it all! But, really, if you are planning to use it solely for baking this bread, the 4-quart will work very well. It is certainly large enough. And you’ll have the perfect size for making a small pot roast! Good luck with your bread baking!
Fantastic, thank you so much for your input! I searched high and low for insight around the web and really appreciate your expert opinion. Over the weekend I reorganized my kitchen cabinets to make room for my new baking and cooking habits. With a whole drawer dedicated to Bob’s Red Mill flour varieties, I am ready to roll! So excited.
Please keep us posted on your progress!!
This is seriously the best gluten free dough I have ever made! It is crusty on the outside and a perfect bready in the middle. I went with the method of cooking it on a stone with a steam bath below. I also used psyllium husk bc I am sensitive to XG. All gluten free bakers should be weighing their ingredients, it is night and day different! Thanks for the share, this is a serious game changer!
Thank you so much! You probably would enjoy some of the other gluten-free breads that I have featured like The Best-Ever Gluten-Free Focaccia Bread or The Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust. Just to name a few!
I just found your blog and this recipe today. I am really excited to try it as I LOVE ciabatta bread and didn’t know gluten-free artisan bread was possible! I have ordered the 5 Minute A Day book that won’t arrive until May 3 at the latest, which makes me even happier that I found this blog post. I’m not sure if the white rice flour that I have is stone ground, so like the other lady I only made a quarter of the flour mixture by measuring them on the digital scale. If I follow her idea, then I should be able to make half the loaves. I plan to make the dough tomorrow, so my question is how long should the dough be refrigerated? Can I make the dough and bake it all on the same day after it is refrigerated? Thank you! ??? Also there are many other recipes that look really really good on here!
Diana
Hi Diana. I’m so glad you found my site!! You will really love reviewing the book when you receive it. There are countless gluten-free recipes and tips contained within.
You can use a portion of the dough any time after the 2-hour rise, so you definitely can bake it on the same day. Just keep in mind that fully refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than dough at room temperature. I hope you love the outcome!!
Can I just use Cup4Cup GF multipurpose flour instead of mixing from scratch will it still work ok? It has cornstarch, white rice flour, brown rice flour, rBST-Free milk Powder, Tapioca Flour, Potato Starch, Xanthan Gum.
Shelley, I’ve made this bread countless times but have only done so using the flour blend as outlined in the recipe. It’s quite possible that you could make that substitution but I’m not sure. Perhaps try it at first by making enough dough for just one or two loaves? Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful!
Rosemary, Thank you. I messed up and didn’t get two bags of the stone g white r flour and just saw the blurb about 1 bag and 2/3 of others to reduce the total flour mixture….oops….so I substituted about 2.5-3 cups of stone ground white rice flour for brown rice flour. Hopefully that doesn’t ruin anything and just makes the bread a little more hearty. We’ll see. It’s the first bread I’ve ever made from scratch outside of banana bread! I mixed it up and make the dough Sunday and now baking two small loafs that smell amazing. Going to try to save the remaining dough to closer to the 10 days to see if it tastes better like you said.
Big question —> WHAT do YOU use to shake up all the flour and no spill it all over the place? and what do YOU use to store it in your fridge?
Thank you so much
Shelley, I hope your bread turned out well!! As far as the flour goes, I have a large plastic lidded container that I use for my flour mixture. It has a tight fitting lid so I can shake it all over the place to be sure that it’s all incorporated. Then it goes on my pantry shelf for my next baking activity.
For the prepared dough, I like to store it in a glass pyrex container with the lid open a bit for venting. I always add a label with the date so that I know how long it’s been hangin’ out in the fridge.
You say to preheat Dutch oven at 450 for 45 minutes but is this the degree you actually bake the bread at
Hi Carol. Yes, the oven is preheated to 450°F then stays at that temp through the entire baking process.
How long should I bake a larger 2lb loaf?
I must admit that I have not tried making a larger loaf, but I would think that 55 to 60 minutes should do it. If you need more fresh bread, you could also bake two 1-pound loaves at one time. I’ve done that on numerous occasions when hosting dinner for the family.
I made this today and it was delicious. It had a nice crust and good texture. We won’t be having to buy those nasty gluten free loaves of bread that are so expensive! I used the Dutch oven method and it was very easy. I halved the recipe and will make one more loaf this weekend! Thank you!
Christina, thank you so much for taking the time to comment. It is truly inspiring for me to hear from folks like you who have been struggling with gluten free baking. Thank you again!
There probably isn’t enough of room to convey my experience. After looking at the picture of the bread with longing in my heart I made a decision that I was going to Make this beauty. I must’ve read the directions 20 times I kept going back and looking at everything I went to three different stores to get the precise ingredients I put a thermometer in my water to make sure it was 100 degrees. I was fastidious about following the steps. Then came the part that said to make the artesian bread. The directions said to add 6 1/2 cups of gluten-free flour… So I proceeded to add 6 1/2 cups of Bob’s red Mill one to one gluten-free flour to my already homemade mix and not until I went to add the water do they realize that I majorly screwed up. Enters my husband who help me scary about and boiled water freshest… Actually all I had left. We mixed it and prayed God‘s mercy over this lump of dough( I hate waste) Right now it is rising and we realized we left out extra salt( oh well I have highB/P anyway) if this bread actually turns out well I will have enough to feed the entire neighborhood .
Carol, I am so sorry you had this experience. I agree …this recipe can be tricky and confusing with all of the steps involved. Although, once you’ve mastered the process it won’t seem so bad. And having the dough made up waiting in the fridge to be baked is wonderful. When I was writing this article, I tried so hard to streamline the directions since it is so involved. I feel so bad that this happened but who knows? It may turn out so that you can share your gluten-free artisan bread with everyone you know!
I live at 7300 ft altitude. Do I need to make any adjustments to the recipe?
Since the air is drier at higher altitudes, you may need more liquid than in recipes that are developed at lower altitudes. And with the lower air pressure, yeast breads tend to over-expand, then collapse in the oven. I’m sorry I can’t give you exact directions but I would start tweaking the recipe by adding a bit more water and a bit less yeast.
You may find that it takes a few tries before getting the desired results, so I would definitely keep notes as you go!
I love this bread recipe. Can you freeze the dough for a later use?
Absolutely! Always wait until the initial rise has been completed, though. And it can be frozen anytime during that initial ten-day period.
Carefully divide the dough that will be frozen into loaf-size portions, wrap it very well, label it with the current date and place it in the freezer. For best results, use it within four weeks. When you’re ready, defrost the dough overnight in the fridge …then shape, rest and bake as usual.
What is the calorie, fiber, carb count on this bread… just trying to understand if this bread is healthier then regular bread
Hi Pam. I’m not able to help you with the fiber number on this recipe but I can give you an approximate on the others. Assuming a loaf is made from one-pound of prepared dough, then cut into eight equal portions – each serving would be approximately 132 calories, 23 carbs. Hope that is helpful!
Hi Rosemary,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am very interested in trying it. However, I don’t have a Dutch oven yet. I found the one you recommend to be a bit pricy. I found one on Amazon that has good reviews,. Some of the reviews state it is the same quality as the brand you recommended, but with a lower price tag. However, it is a 6 qt. Will the size make a difference?
We also don’t have a lot of containers, so I was wondering what size of container is needed to fit the rest of the flour blend? And, what type of container is needed to store the dough in the refrigerator?
Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.
Abby
Hi Abby. So good to hear from you. The first time you make this amazing bread can seem a bit intimidating with all of the steps but really …it becomes routine after a while. You are asking the right questions. Having the proper equipment is so important.
I agree that the le creuset cookware is very pricey. I usually wait until I can find pieces that are deeply discounted. But no worries – you can go with another brand. As long as it is heavy duty cast iron with a heavy lid, you’re good to go. And the 6-quart size will be fine.
For the flour blend, I use a very large rectangular plastic container with a capacity of 30 cups (7 liters) that has a snap-lock lid. As far as storing the prepared dough in the fridge goes, any medium sized bowl or container will do. ?
Thank you so much!
Hello! Very excited to try this. But a Q regarding using psyllium powder. Your response (of March 6th) to a Q about this you stated, ” If the substitution is made, it is important to follow the recipe for the required adjustment in the amount used.” But after looking over the recipe repeatedly, I don’t see anything about some adjustment when psyllium powder is used. So is the 1.4 ounces/40 grams when using psyllium powder correct?
Hi Scott. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. When using the Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Mixture to make the Gluten Free Artisan Bread, the amount is the same whether you are using xanthan gum or ground psyllium husk. It is when the flour mixture is used in making some enriched breads that you may need to adjust the amount. In that case, if I post that recipe it would definitely be noted. Hope you have great success in making this delicious bread!
Many thanks for getting back me with that clarification! The last two ingredients I need I ordered online and are “out for delivery”, so I should be able to start my first batch by this evening. Woo hoo!
Excellent …hope it goes well!
I am excited to make this bread. I am trying to find all the ingredients for the flour blend. Your recipe calls for sorghum flour, and in your picture of the products, that one is called “Sweet” White Sorghum Flour. I can only find B0b’s Red Mill – Stone Ground Sorghum Flour, is it the same thing with newer packaging, or should I continue to look for the one in your picture?
I have never baked GF bread, and want to make sure to have the correct ingredients! Thanks!
Hi Kelly. Your initial instinct was correct …it’s the same thing in brand new packaging. The pictures in my post are now 3 years old (can hardly believe it) and Bob’s has recently introduced a brand look in their packaging. Wishing you the best as you venture into the world of baking your own gluten-free bread!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am hoping you can provide some advice on where I could have gone wrong because it turned out… kind of doughy. It was golden brown when I pulled the loaves out of the oven. I even let it cook an extra five minutes, which blackened the bottom just a little. The first dough sat on the counter for two hours before being put away. We didn’t cut into it until the next morning. The second loaf was cut into after sitting for two hours. I did mix the flower for an hour or so before then shaking it for a little time to get the xanthum gum mixed well. And the water was just under 100’F when I added it. Thank you fin advance for any insight.
Abby, I’m so sorry to learn that your bread didn’t turn out to be what you expected. I hope you were still able to enjoy it. This bread will always be quite a bit heavier and denser than your typical artisan bread. Not sure which baking method you used, but I always use the dutch oven method of baking my gf artisan bread with consistently good results. A few general hints to keep in mind…
Always measure the dry ingredients by weight (preferably in grams) using a digital food scale.
Always use Stone Ground White Rice Flour (not sweet rice flour).
Always use Potato Starch (not potato flour).
Always allow the freshly baked bread to rest for a full two hours before slicing (which you definitely did)
If your bread is still too moist to your liking, try popping the slices in your toaster for a short time. It really does help improve the texture. I hope these suggestions are helpful!
I have a friend that is gluten free so I will be trying your recipe. One comment for you. I purchased a Lodge brand cast iron dutch oven with a flat top. When you heat it up in the oven heat the top and the bottom separately with the top upside down on a rack. When your dough is ready place the dough ball in the lid and gently place the bottom over the lid or upside down. This way when your bread is ready to come out of the pot you are not reaching down into a hot pot but just lifting it out of the lid. Easier not to get burned. I have been making regular artisan bread like this for years.
That is genius! Even though I’m using the parchment paper as “handles,” I always worry about how hot the dutch oven is when reaching in to place the dough then to remove the bread. I’ll have to check out the Lodge products. Thanks for the tip, Aly!
Hello! This is by far the best recipe I have ever used! Do you think this recipe would do well with a starter? If so how much would you recommend I use? Thanks!
Thanks, Sierra! I don’t have personal experience with using a starter with this recipe. But I have found that the longer the dough is stored in the fridge, it seems to develop a more prevalent sourdough character. I like to hold off on baking until somewhere between day five and day ten, since we really enjoy that sourdough flavor. Hope that is helpful and thanks for your kind words!
Does your cookbook have a cinnamon rolls recipe using this flour mixture.?
Kathy, there is a recipe on page 230 of the cookbook for GF Cinnamon Buns with Cream Cheese Icing. Not sure if the same recipe can be found online but you would use the brioche dough which starts off with the same basic flour mixture. Here’s a link to the brioche dough recipe on my site. GLUTEN-FREE BRIOCHE DOUGH & 3 AWESOME WAYS TO USE IT
Hello! I loved this recipe! My partner’s father is gf so I’ve been trying to learn how to make bread for him so thank you for posting the recipe! However, was wondering how long the dough is good for in the fridge?
So glad you loved this recipe! This dough can hang out in your fridge for up to 10 days. And the best part is …the longer it hangs out, the more flavorful your bread will be!
I’m trying this now. What if i don’t have a dutch oven?
Hi Hailey. It really is so great baking this in a dutch oven …you may want to consider getting one. It doesn’t have to be a le creuset. They are super expensive. There are much more affordable versions out there. Just be sure it is heavy duty with a tight fitting lid that can withstand higher oven temps. In the meantime, follow the directions in my post for baking this bread on a preheated baking stone or baking metal, using the steam method. That is the method that the creator of this recipe uses so it should certainly work out well for you!
The bread is delicious but VERY moist inside. Did I do something wrong?
Hi Libby. So sorry to learn that your bread is more moist than you expected. I hope you were still able to enjoy it. This gluten-free bread really is quite a bit heavier and denser than your typical artisan bread and definitely more moist. Keeping that in mind, I must admit that I had some issues when I first started making it. I basically learned some lessons the hard way!
Always measure the dry ingredients by weight (preferably in grams) using a digital food scale.
Always use Stone Ground White Rice Flour (not sweet rice flour).
Always use Potato Starch (not potato flour).
Always allow the freshly baked bread to rest for a full two hours before slicing as it needs that much time to fully set.
I hope these suggestions are helpful!
Can I substitute brown rice flour for the white rice flour?
Also, since commercialy-grown potatoes are on the dirty dozen list, I found Frontier and Shiloh Farms both make organic potato starch. You can get that and organic tapioca flour from multiple suppliers on the VitaCost website.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe.
Hi Mary. Thanks for writing in and sharing the info on the organic supplies. I’ll be checking out that website, for sure!
Yes, you can definitely use brown rice flour in place of the white rice flour. You may need to add a few extra tablespoons of water to the dough as you mix it, though. Great way to boost the whole grains!
I didn’t have high hopes I must readily admit. But I had never tried to make my own GF bread from home, only sourdough for my husband. Way too much of a temptation for me. I made this loaf last night and my husband and I were knocked off of our seats! It is SO delicious!! Not only great tasting, but the little hope I had was mainly regarding texture. The texture of this bread is smooth, not grainy in the slightest. It toasts up very nicely too, but the thing I love is that if I want to make a sandwich, for the first time ever in the many years I have been gluten free, I don’t feel like I NEED to toast bread to have a decent sandwich! My husband wanted more at dinner, but I told him he’ll have to stick to other breads so that I could have this all to myself. Guess what we had for dinner. Sandwiches!!!
Jill, thank you so much for taking the time to write this stellar review!! It means so much to me to know that there are folks out there who can benefit from my modest little corner of the web. So happy to know that you loved it!
?it didn’t work at all, it came out super dense was almost impossible to slice my mom and sister have celiac and thought it was ok but I hope I can perfect this recipe with lots of practice
Please hang in there! It sometimes does take some practice to get it right but it is so worth it. My first attempt was a total failure, so I can totally relate!
Based on my experience, allow me to share the points that I’ve learned the hard way.
1. Never use sweet rice flour instead of stone ground rice flour.
2. Never use potato flour instead of potato starch.
3. Always wait the full two hours before cutting into the bread.
4. Always measure the dry ingredients in grams on your digital kitchen scale.
5. If you can, always bake this bread in a Dutch oven.
I hadn’t had crusty bread since I discovered I couldn’t eat gluten 7 years ago. My daughter made this for me and I literally teared up at the first couple bites. It’s so good. And I now face a world of meal planning that can include bread. I’m so happy!
We did use a digital scale instead of measuring cups. I can’t tolerate xanthan gum, so we used psyllium husk powder.
Cynthia, I loved reading this so much! Those folks at Artisan Bread in 5 really do know what they’re doing! I can’t take credit for the recipe but am happy to be their messenger. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
I tried to make this bread and following the recipe to a T, it’s very liquidy…not a normal dough. I’ve made lots of breads and never had this problem, any ideas what I may have done wrong??
Hi Catie. It is to be expected that you’ll end up with a dough that is extremely moist and sticky. That’s normal …the texture is very different from regular bread dough. The first time I made it I had the same thought …that it was more like cake batter! It does firm up a bit after being refrigerated. It may be helpful to browse through my post photos to see if your dough appears to be of the same texture. Also, there’s a link to a video that will give you another perspective. I hope you are happy with the results once you have baked a loaf!
Hi Rosemary, I have a question. Prior to eliminating gluten, my favorite recipe was an artisan bread that had craisins and walnuts in it. It was a no-knead bread like this one. Do you think this bread would come out okay if I mixed in some dried fruit and nuts?
Thanks,
Becca
Becca, that sounds delicious! I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. The best way would probably be to form your dough into a thick rectangle then evenly spread your fruit and nuts over the surface. Roll it up jelly-roll style, tuck under the ends and shape it into an oblong loaf. This dough is extremely wet and sticky but you should be able to make that happen!
My partner, who can not eat gluten, is very grateful that I happened upon this recipe. I’ve made a loaf a day for the past three days. I have been making using a 6 qt dutch oven and it’s wonderful. Today, I folded in chives and feta before letting it rest and baking and it turned out superb. Perfectly moist and delicious. Tomorrow, I will try adding small bits of granny smith apple and cinnamon to see how it turns out!
Thanks so much, Emily. I absolutely love your ideas to enhance this already delicious bread! The whole feta & chives combo sounds amazing …I’ll be trying that for sure!
A lot of people seem to comment that their bread goes flat during handling or baking, a problem I’ve had with French bread attempts in the past, the batter is just too wet and heavy to support the structure so you need a little external structure until it can support itself. Just place the batter/dough in a greased oven safe mixing bowl and allow to rise as directed then place the whole thing inside the dutch oven and bake as directed, it works great and there’s no messy dough handling/flat bread and the crust is still lovely, just remember to dump it out of the bowl before allowing it to cool thoroughly. A 2 quart bowl works well for 1/2 of the recipe. I also substituted corn starch for potato, and used oat flour and brown rice flour instead of sorghum and white rice, I did a batch with each type predominating and both turned out well. I also used the egg whites as suggested and added a tablespoon of ultratex 3 (modified tapioca starch) to 1/2 of the recipe, overall, it was as close to real bread as I have made since going gluten free. You can also skip the chilling if you want, I just made a half recipe, let it rise in a warm oven for an hour, and then baked it immediately once the oven had finished preheating at 425 for half an hour, 55 minutes was perfect for the half recipe and remember to remove the lid the last 15 minutes.
Susan, thank you so much for taking the time to share your insight. I especially am interested in your method of using the 2-quart oven-safe bowl to make a large bread. I’ll be giving that a try!
And I am allergic to tapioca! Who knew! I know you say you haven’t substituted anything, for this recipe, but in your experience would it be possible to use 1/2 of the amount of cornstarch? What would be the anticipated, expected outcome?
From what I understand, the tapioca flour/starch can be replaced with arrowroot flour/starch or cornstarch with excellent results. If using the arrowroot sub, you would use an equal amount to the specified tapioca. I’m really not certain how much of the cornstarch would be required. I hope that is helpful!
I am so happy. I just finished eating three pieces of this amazing bread! It came out so good! Tastes a bit like sourdough. I could not find potato starch anywhere (including online). So I substituted arrowroot starch. I used two packets of red star dry active yeast (the packet says it’s about 2.5 tsps but when I poured them out, it took 2 packets to make the full tablespoon). I baked it in a cast iron Dutch oven with parchment paper. The loaf was pretty small but oh, the flavor, crumb, and texture are perfect! This is by far the best gluten free bread I have ever had! Going to try the focaccia bread next!
Erica, thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with all of us. You mentioned that this bread tastes a bit like sourdough ..it’s so true. Actually, the longer the dough hangs out in your fridge, the stronger that flavor. The most flavorful breads are made from dough that is closest to the 10-day mark.
I’m so grateful to have discovered your recipe for this great GF bread!! I’ve also started experimenting with the basic recipe, swapping out some flours with a bit of buckwheat, millet and oat flours–the result is a flavorful heartier bread. Have you ever tried adding ice cubes between the parchment paper and the outside of the Le Creuset dutch oven? I saw the tip on i.karolina.com and it adds a bit more rise to the bread.
Madeline, so glad you found my site! I love your suggestions on making this bread heartier. And the idea of adding ice cubes is intriguing …I’ll be checking that out. Thanks for sharing!
Can you use the bobs 1:1 or gluten free all purpose instead of making your own flour mix?
I’m sorry to say that I’ve only made this gluten-free bread using this recipe exactly as it is written. The authors of the book are very specific in what they recommend, stating that it is like an exact science. I’ve had reports from readers that tried using a pre-mixed gluten-free flour and the results were not good …the common issue being very loose dough. Almost like a cake or pancake batter. It really is worth the trouble and cost to have this specific gluten-free combination mixed up and ready for when you want to bake something delicious!
Are we using 225 grams each of tapioca flour and potato starch? Or 1 3/4 cups and 1 1/4 respectively? I think there’s an error in measurements in the recipe.
Hi Aprile, I had the same thought when first following this recipe. But it is correct as written. Potato starch is denser and heavier than tapioca flour or starch, so that the smaller volume of potato starch happens to measure the same in terms of weight as the tapioca product. Hope that’s helpful.
Tasty and not too hard
I was intimidated to make this but once I got started, it wasn’t all that difficult just lots of measuring. For the gluten free flour mix, I used a stand mixer and gently wished everything together before putting it all into the covered bowl. I still have it several shakes for good measure. It came out really well in my Dutch oven and we’re enjoying it with soup.
So glad you are enjoying your homemade bread. I agree …there are so many steps here but once you get the hang of it, the rewards totally outweigh the effort!
Please just list the ingredients like other people not in paragraphs. People don’t have all day
Barbara, it seems as though you didn’t check out the actual recipe. The ingredients are clearly listed. I agree that the text contained within the paragraphs can be quite lengthy. I have had quite a few readers reach out to me to thank me for the detailed explanation of this process. Making excellent gluten-free bread can be tricky; doing my best to provide as much assistance as possible. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Can I use a store bought gluten free all purpose flour instead?
Hi Rachel. Wish I could give you a clear cut answer on this one. But I’ve noticed that the list of ingredients in each brand of gluten-free flour varies a bit from what is used in this recipe. I suppose you could give it a try, though I haven’t personally strayed from the original formula.
Hey there! I just made this dough. I’ve heard that it’s good to weigh each ingredient when baking gluten free items so I went ahead and weighed everything, including the lukewarm water. After making the dough I second guessed myself and weighed the water again just to see how many cups it equals. 850grams actually comes out to be less than 3 3/4 cups. Will my bread be too dry if I went with 850grams of water?
Hi Tonya. If you used 850 grams of water, your dough should be perfect! I always use weight rather than volume when measuring ingredients for baking. Not sure why you have a different outcome, but when I weigh 3 1/2 cups of water on my digital scale it is precisely 850 grams. When in doubt, I always go with the weight! I hope you are pleased with your artisan bread!
My question is can I use brown rice flour in place of white rice flour?
I have been making this bread for over 2 years now and it has my picky family members eating my gf bread over the non gf artisan bread I also bake.
I love this! Same thing happens at my family gatherings. You can definitely swap out the rice flour. Use the same amount of brown rice flour …it will boost the whole grain in your home baked bread. Keep in mind though that when you are mixing the dough for your bread using the brown rice mixture, you may find that the dough is a bit drier than normal. You can simply add a couple extra tablespoons of water to the mix and you’re good to go. Happy baking!
Hi, Rosemary! Lovely website and wonderful recipe! Thank you so much for compiling all of this! I am so excited to make this bread. I make (and bake) everything gluten free in our household, due to allergy. My sweet husband (also a physics guy), is my best taste-tester too! I love making gluten free breads and cookies. My question is this: I tend to prepare large batches of food; and I think I saw in one of your comments that you sometimes cook 2 of these 1 pound loaves, I was wondering what your technique was for this. Do you just cook them one at a time? I am planning on using a 6 qt. cast iron dutch oven for this.
Thank you kindly in advance!
Hi, Lori! Thank you for your kind words. Love that your sweet husband is also a physics guy!
As you’ve probably noticed, this bread tends to bake up on the small side. If making several loaves at a time, you could shape each one more like an oval slightly-elongated loaf. That way you could fit two loaves side-by-side in your 6-quart round dutch oven. The other option (other than baking them at separate times) would be to use two separate cast iron covered vessels. Hope you have great success in baking your gluten-free artisan bread!
hi! thank you foe this wonderful recipe
i have a quick question, how do you know is done, what is the internal temperature for the loaf ay the end of baking?
Maria, for gluten-free loaves the internal temperature should reach 205°F. Be sure that your digital instant-read thermometer is inserted so that it measures the temp at the very center of the loaf. Hope that is helpful!
I live in uk and can’t find stone ground white rice flour, can I use stone ground brown rice flour instead? Thanks
Yes. You can definitely make that swap. For future baking, stone ground white rice is regularly available on Amazon.
I think this is the bread recipe I’ve been looking for ! but as there are only 2 of us in the family and we don’t eat more than a slice per day, my question is can you freeze the cooked bread sealed in a ziplock bag and got how long?
Can I halve the recipe and cook it all on one one day, then freeze it?
Thank you for the detailed instructions and information and all your personal effort to create a lovely bread for us GF people!
Yes! I always freeze this bread! Once the bread is completely cooled, slice as you like it and place in a hardy freezer bag. I find that it helps to place a small square of parchment between the slices. That makes it easier to grab as many slices as you need without them sticking together. It is recommended that gluten-free bread be frozen for up to about a month. And yes …certainly bake a few loaves at a time by halving the recipe. Hope it turns out well for you!
Can you make a loaf straight away or is refrigerating a must before making first loaf?
Yes. You can use the dough anytime after the two-hour rise. Keep in mind that the dough tends to be very sticky and not as easy to handle without first refrigerating it.
This bread is amazing! It is a bit of work but well worth it! This bread is a game changer! I have craved good gf bread for years!! Thank you for sharing!
Love this! Thank you so much for sharing your success with us!
I want to make this recipe but don’t have enough refrigerator space to make a dough for that many loaves and for storing the dough. . Any suggestions to make a batch of dough that only makes one loaf at a time with no dough stored in fridge? How much flour and other ingredients?
Hi Marge. The recipe, as written, makes four one-pound loaves. You could easily use one-fourth of the ingredients to make a single loaf.