Bread 2.0
Hello Mark's Daily Apple readers! Be sure to check out my Paleo/primal Bread recipe.
I've been a bit lazy in the kitchen this past week --we've had sandwich night twice already. I slice and toast the gluten-free bread (pictured) and then put it out with organic turkey slices, romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes, dijon mustard, grapeseed oil [Vegenaise] and sliced cheese (dairy for the boys). I serve the sandwich fixings along with a big tossed green salad (which we each dress ourselves with oil and vinegar).
Alternatively, this gluten-free bread is great toasted and spread with goat cheese (as in the photo above), nut butter or dipped in olive oil
Bread 2.0
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
- ¾ cup arrowroot powder
- ¼ cup golden flaxseed meal
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot, flax meal, salt and baking soda
- In a larger bowl, blend eggs 3-5 minutes until frothy
- Stir agave and vinegar into eggs
- Mix dry ingredients into wet
PourScoop batter into a well greased 7.5" x 3.5" Magic Line Loaf Pan- Bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of loaf comes out clean
- Cool and serve
Makes 1 medium sized loaf
I hope you enjoy this quick and easy bread; it's full of fiber (from the flax and almond) and tasty in oh so many ways. I call it "Gluten Free Bread 2.0" because it is my second gluten free bread recipe for this site. The first gluten free bread recipe was my Simple Bread, made way back when. I like this one better.
This loaf yields a medium size slice, not as big as a regular slice, though is very filling, so I'm always sure to slice it thinly, as not to overload on bread. I use this magic line loaf pan for just about all of my bread baking --it distributes the heat evenly and bakes the bread through, which is not always easy when baking with almond flour which tends to be rather moist.
Storage: I wrap my bread in a paper towel and then seal it in a Ziploc bag; stored this way it can keep for several days refrigerated.
More breads and gluten free breads you might enjoy:
Thanks for the recipe! I will try this weekend, as I have been dying for some bread. Several of the GF bread mixes I've tried have left a funky taste in my mouth. Ick. Your recipe doesn't have any funky, so I have high expectations!
I have been experimenting with gluten free bread recently too! I like your take on this, and was wondering how you were going to make bread because you only use a few select flours. Thanks Elena!
Elana--thanks for the bread recipe, I'm excited to try it. I haven't had a lot of luck with GF breads either but this one looks delicious. I look forward to trying it.
Wow. You've peaked my interest in gluten-free bread. I usually stayed away from it, just because I'm pretty stubborn when it comes to trying new things. Hahaha. But you've just made me want to go straight home and try this recipe. Hey, just FYI, I'm working with Schlotzsky's right now and they're currently holding a sweepstakes over at http://www.bigleagueclubz.com/ with tons of cool prizes, including personalized mini-bats and a Grand Prize trip to St. Louis in July. You should definitely check it out and let me know what you think.
this sounds great- i love almond flour
I don't generally eat bread anymore because I have still not found a GF one that I like. They're too gummy, too gritty, too dense, bitter...you name it I've tried it. I generally like your recipes though and this would be totally different with the almond flour, so I may have to try this. Although it seems a shame to stay inside to cook/bake when it is finally spring-like outdoors. Hmm.
Oh, and I love magic line pans. That's what I use whenever I bake wedding cakes.
I am thinking of trying this as a challah in this braided loaf pan. Do you think that would work? My two other options are a silicone loaf pan (but I'm afraid it would not get hot enough) and a large Calphalon loaf pan.
By the way, Elana, have you ever made all coconut flour bread? Nourishing Days has a recipe, but I would add some baking soda or powder to it.
I'm on a very strict diet eliminating most foods. Everything in this recipe is on my approved list, except for the vinegar. Is there anything that can be substituted for that?
possibly lemon juice... something else acidic. Is it just white vinegar that you can't have? There are other types of vinegar like rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, and cider vinegar...
We have had very good luck leaving the vinegar out completely and replacing with about 1/4 tsp (per double batch) Citric Acid in our Almond Bread recipe - should work here as well. Over at Tammy's Recipes, she has a pretty good article on the whys and hows of dough conditioners. http://digs.by/aSMXyV
Also, adding an additional source of fat\oil will help it rise and stay softer. We are up to a week of 'soft on the counter top, and a regular 5" -6" high: http://digs.by/9gxiwb )
try lemon juice!
This looks much better than the other one... somewhat lighter. I might try this tonight since I am traveling this weekend to my grandmothers house(home of all things glutenny...) and I will need something easy to eat over there.
Vickie, Elana does not always have time to reply to individual posts, but you can always ask on the forums. I would say use lemon juice instead if you cant have vinegar - I am assuming the acid is needed to fluff up the bread by reacting with the baking soda. Just a guess though.
This looks great. Adding it to my list of delicious grain-free breads.
I actually bought some almond flour today and saw this recipe and gave it a try tonight since I had some type of gluten reaction this week and my stomach is a bit weak but wanted to start eating some substance. I really hope what I thought was "arrowroot flour" really was (I don't label everything sometimes)..I improvised by splitting the mystery flour with a gluten-free flour mix in case. A unique flavour and not too heavy. Just had it with Bonne Maman wild blueberry jam and earth balance vegan margarine - yummy. Thanks!
I found instead of buying the almond flour, I can just make my own less expensively by putting raw almonds into the food processor. It is fresher that way, too. Unfortunately, my last allergy test showed sensitivity to almonds, so I am thinking of trying it with walnuts, which I can still eat.
vickie... you can sub some lemonjuice or Cream of tartar or another acidic ingredient.
And Elana... I love your recipes too!!! I've actually adapted your chocolate cake recipe (removing the cocoa, sweetener and flavourings) into a loaf pan and successfully made a sandwich bread that can hold a burger if need be!!!
Caro,
Could you please post or e-mail me the adapted recipe. I would like to try it!
Thank you,
Karen McDonad
Generally, Apple cider vinegar is not in the same category as other vinegars. This is true if you are on even on a antifungal diet, which is one of the most restrictive diets.
hope this helps
I would also like a copy of your recipe.
Thanks so much,
Susan in Charlotte
Well well...I just purchased 2 of your recommended pans. Guess I'm a follower. Will try this recipe next week. Going on vacation. Here's to remaining GF!
Have you tried amazing grains home of Montina flours? This grain is grown in northern Montana and is a great gluten free bread flour or other recipes as well. http://www.amazinggrains.com or montinaflour.com. Recipes included.
You are tempting me with that cheese on the bread. Yummmm. And the bread! Yumm 2.0!
I am going to try (I have a feeling it will not work) making this without the eggs. If I am ever able to eat eggs again I am coming to stay with you for a week or two so I can taste all your delicious recipes first hand. Yes, that is the plan!
Lazy weeks are good for the soul. Sometimes we just need to do those throw-together dinners and spend some time out of the kitchen.
Hope your weekend is even lazier! <3
Elana, this sounds terrific. Have you ever tried a recipe for your own vegenaise with the grapeseed oil? It sounds like something you might have experimented with.
If you're looking for a healthy, homemade mayo, what about this (egg-containing) one, with olive and coconut oils. It looks so yummy to me, but I have not yet tried it.
http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2009/07/homemade-coconut-oil-mayonnaise.html
Thank-you for posting this recipe. I've been experimenting with different bread recipes to make one I like, but I wasn't sure how to use arrowroot, now that I have that. I can't wait to try this recipe... I believe my husband will like it quite a bit. Thanks again.
caro - I would love to hear the specifics of how you transformed elana's chocolate cake (do you mean the one with coconut flour?) into bread.
I will be trying this recipe later today.
Just made another batch of your chocolate chip brownies for a party tomorrow. They are always a hit.
Looking forward to trying this bread recipe, as I've been craving tuna on toast lately.
Elana, Arrowroot powder is the only thing I can't have, being diabetic. Can I substitute it with something else? coconut flour? Would that work?
I can have grains only for breakfast - not for lunch or dinner. If I can make a bread like this, it would really WONDERFUL for me for lunch and dinner.
I don't think this would work, because coconut flour relies on eggs and doesn't bind the way arrowroot does (which is essentially a starch - it's probably why you can't have it as a diabetic). What starches can you have?
Looking forward to trying this bread recipe.
I'm currently experimenting with a GF Brown Rice Yeast Bread recipe from "The Art of Baking with Rice Flour"...Don't know if I should expect another deception, therefore I'll keep an open mind with a healthy dose of good vibes.
As much as I love almond flour, I sometimes feel an almond overload ;).
Elana,
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have Type 1 diabetes and gluten intolerance so it has been a long time since I have had bread. I can't eat rice or corn either so most gluten free flours are impossible for me. This is delicious- tastes like a cross between corn bread and a hearty whole wheat. I love it!
Elana, Thank you for a wonderful bread recipe ! I did not had arrowroot and used Pamela's Gluten Free baking mix instead. The bread was delicious and even my 4 year old could not get enough of his open sandwich with avocado on. I've been making "Breads from Anna" (www.glutenevolution.com) which is the best gluten free bread I could find, but it is so wonderful to now have an easy healthier alternative.
CoconutGal,
If you come up with a good egg substitute, will you please post?! I really want to try this recipe but I am also supposed to stay away from eggs... :)
Thanks so much!
Elana, you're the best! I can't wait to try this...
Try using flax seed as an egg substitute. I have not tried it with this recipe, but I have used it for pancakes!
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
3 tablespoons water (or other liquid)
The Gluten Free Sandwich Bread came out very good with Egg Replacer (using 1 1/2 teaspoons of Egg Replacer and 2 tablespoons of warm water for each egg) and an additional 1/2 cup of water.
Question: is there a substitution for the 3/4 cup of arrowroot powder? Or, if not, a good, cheap source to buy arrowroot. By the time I paid for the almond flour and arrowroot powder, the cost was over $10 per loaf.
I know this post is old, but nuts online (nuts.com) has good deals on flours and such if you haven't found them yet. :)
Thanks for posting, its nice to have a yeast free bread recipe. I have some really good GF recipes on my site too- hope you get a chance to look.
http://myrealisticlife.com
The GF rice bread recipe that I tried was a total failure: a crumbly sponge with a strong yeasty taste & smell (which I can't stand anymore).
When it comes to bread, I have more luck with flat stuff: crepes, pancakes and flat breads. Popovers & muffins also work well; I haven't tried scones yet.
When it comes to bread loaves, I prefer sticking to your recipes, nut meals and coconut flour work and taste the best! ;)
Hello Elana...Do you have any idea how to make popovers with Almond Flour? Thanks so much... Diane
Diane,
I will add your request for a gluten free popover to my list!
Elana :-)
You are an angel!
I can't wait to try the bread. I am very gluten sensitive and have been longing for a sandwich:)
Do you have any recipes for bread made with buckwheat, quinoa, or amaranth flour (could be mixed with rice flour.)
Thought you would like to know: The chocolate cake recipe was the best that I ever tasted... gluten free or not. It also works well if you have to substitute ghee for the shortening.
Caro and Chrissy - the lemon juice worked like a charm.
I've never baked bread before, but that was the easiest thing ever. I was a little disappointed in the size of the load, next time i'll add a little more to make it a bigger loaf - better for sandwiches and stuff like that.
I tried this bread recipe this morning- Thank you! I don't eat yeast and this was the first yeast free bread that looked tasty and easy. It is delicious and very nutritious. Have you or anyone else ever tried doubling the recipe as to try to get a regular size slice of bread? Mine came out too small to really make a sandwich with. I have been reading your blog for over 6 months, but this is the first recipe I tried. I always thought the recipes looked too simple to really turn out well. But you made a believer out of me. I will definitely be buying your cookbook!
I used a small square glass baking pan that measures about 4"x4"x4" - the bottom of the pan is smaller about 3"x3" (and comes with a lid). I think the company's name is Anchor Hocking (found it in a cooking store). This glass pan is perfect for Elana's recipes because the batter fills the pan almost completely and rises nicely in the oven. So I end up with decent size slices, closer to a regular/normal bread.
I have tried doubling the amounts for the simple bread before (in a regular baking pan), it didn't work, the loaf got crumbly and broke.
Thanks for the idea on anchor hocking. I have some of those dishes and that's what I'm going to use when I make bread in a little bit here.
Alchemille,
Do you have a link for that pan? How deep is it? I tried googling and couldn't find a picture of an anchor-hocking glass pan that seemed to fit your description. Ta!
Ruth
Thanks for your wonderful comments and questions!
I'm not sure if this bread would work as a challah, if you do try it, please let me know how it goes :-) To see a bread recipe of mine using coconut flour check out my Cranberry Walnut Bread.
Thanks also everyone for the excellent substitution ideas for vinegar, arrowroot and other ingredients! Way to go with the experimenting.
Larry, I changed the link for arrowroot to a much more cost effective source, thanks for your helpful comment.
In summation, I've been eating this bread all week. I especially enjoy toasting it and leaving it out overnight and then having a stale crusty piece the next day --good crunch!
This recipe is awesome!! I have made it twice now! I have made it into toasted sandwiches to take in my lunch - super yum!
As for the person who wanted coconut flour recipes... I use this coconut banana bread recipe and its wonderful! I sub agave for the honey and use arrowroot instead of tapioca flour... here is a link. http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/2008/05/banana-bread.html
Oh, and I also add some pecans or pecan meal and its great, too!
Ruth,
To answer your question, here's the anchor hocking glass baking pan. It's called "Bake N Store".
It measures approximately 4"x4"4" and comes with a lid.
http://www.anchorhocking.com/prodd_4963_cat_20_bake_n_store.html
Thanks for helping me find it so quickly! I just ordered one from Amazon.
Thank you for posting this bread recipe! I like this recipe combo of the nut & flax, MUCH better than breads I've tried with only one or the other. As I can't have almonds and use homemade walnut flour I was concerned my bread might not turn out because of the oil content. I decreased the nut flour to 1c. plus 2tbs and increased the flax meal to 3/4 cup. Thanks to Alchemille for the pan suggestion, I will try that next, I'd rather have fewer tall pieces of bread, too. Did it change the baking time much? I can't wait to make a rosemary bread for turkey sandwiches.
Colormepink, the baking time is about the same with that glass pan...The bread could need an extra 5-10 more minutes.
I bake mine in a toaster oven though.
Great, thanks!
I just finished eating a slice of this bread. While I enjoyed the flavor of it very much, I didn't have as much rise on it as I see in the picture above. Is there something I did wrong while making it? It's only about 2" high at it's highest point. Could the pan be the culprit?
I have some tips to help maximize the height of your loaf. Use room temperature eggs, they will hold more air when you beat them and beat them for the longer period of time (5 minutes). To warm eggs quickly, place them in very warm water for a few minutes. Also, blend in the dry ingredients gently but quickly so as not to deflate the eggs and capture the air bubbles created by the soda and vinegar and get it into the oven as quick as possible when blended. I just made a second loaf tonight and it turned out much taller than my first try. I also put a piece of parchment in the bottom so it would turn out easier.
Yes, putting parchment is EXTREMELY helpful. The first time I made this bread, it stuck terribly, despite greasing with grapeseed oil. This time, I took unbleached parchment paper and cut it to fit the length of the pan and drape over the long sides of the pan. I then greased the two short sides and slightly over the parchment...I wasn't taking any chances. And, voila, no sticking at all!
My 23 year old son has recently been diagnosed gluten intolerant and as a chef/instructor I am successfully adapting my regular baking recipes to gluten free. I am not gluten intolerant so I get quite paranoid about cross contamination while cooking (I know all the precautions to take but it is still my son, so I worry). Nobody gluten intolerant has had a bad reaction from my baking. I have done some presentations and demos on gf baking. I see that Elana does cooking classes in CO. I live in NH and teach regular baking classes at our local regional technical high school. What do people think of the likelihood of cross contamination in a cooking class taught in a kitchen used for regular flour baking - either my home or a culinary school. Regular flour 'granules' can stay in the air for up to 72 hours according to some reports, plus of course settling on surfaces. I am always being asked for classes.
More reasons to go with a trusted arrowroot source... (or, "hey kids, don't try cheap arrowroot at home!")
I finally took the plunge and ordered my 5 lbs of Honeyville almond flour, and it arrived yesterday! Not wanting to mail-order another ingredient right before traveling out of town, I was excited to see arrowroot starch for sale at the local Asian grocery. $2 a pound, to boot.
Well, Frontier says that much of the arrowroot sold today is instead tapioca starch (second reference on arrowroot wikipedia page), and I wonder if this bag fits that profile.
First of all, I had to grind it with a metal potato masher because it was in small-hail-sized rocks... Got the sense I was preparing to repair potholes rather than to cook.
Second, the resulting bread has that chebe-like pulling quality (almost like string cheese), and the remaining small lumps of starch turned into tiny translucent windows in the pale slice... (Pale no doubt bc. I don't have agave syrup, so no browning.)
Anyway, gotta laugh! The taste is good, and although I got my liquid amounts off on my carob lekach experiment, that's also tasty. Thought I'd share my little mad-cook mishaps and share my laugh.
Shabbat Shalom!
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for your great comments. Yes, as many of you mentioned, this is a gluten-free bread that does not have the usual funky/gritty taste.
Chrissie -thanks for stepping in to answer that question :-)
I think the flax really helps with the grittiness...the first time when I made this recipe, I absentmindedly forgot it. The bread still turned out very well, but was harsher, more crumbly, and slightly gritty (though undetectable when made into a sandwich). I'm now wondering whether ground chia would work instead of flax since I heard that flax should not be exposed to heat.
thanks !! I made this today with cornflour instead of arrowroot flour, as we don't have it here. came out terrific ! haven't eaten bread in a few years and now I can start making this , so again- thanks.
Looking forward to making some other recipes, allthough it is hard to find somw of the ingredients where i live, but will do my best :)
Neta, you are very welcome!
I have yet to be successful with a gluten free bread recipe and this was no different. I used a 8x4x2 medium loaf pan. I tried the suggestion of the egg replacer by Larry Bailey. It didn't rise at all and was doughy. I could try a different size pan but I doubt that will make a difference. *sigh*
Lindsey -sorry to hear that your quest for an egg-free GF bread has not yielded the desired results. I did design this recipe for the use of eggs and of course eliminating them can often create unpredictable and unfortunate results. Might be worthwhile posting your dilemma in the forums. Hope this helps :-)
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This bread was delicious! I had my first sandwich in over 6 months! I have tried other bread recipes, but they have all been really crumbly and not good for sandwiches. This bread worked beautifully!Thank you!
Sherron, so glad you liked it. I think it works very well for sandwiches. I like to toast mine. Appreciate your comment!
Elana - can your breads be made in a bread maker? Just wondering. Thanks
Nicky Corbett
What a great page! so glad I found it. real gluten free food made easy and soooo good.
I was playing with your gluten free 02 bread recipe for 2 days in my head, since i did not have arrowroot powder, flax seed meal , and since I do not eat sugars of any kind had to find a substitute for the agave nectar.
I wasn't sure about the results but I gave it a try using chickpeas flour instead of the arrowroot, sesame meal ins ted of the flax seed and carob syrup instead of the agave nectar...I still can not believe how good it came out! no need to say i couldn't wait for it to cool down, i had it still hot from the oven- one word- Divine.
Thank you so much.
Hooray!
I just found out my daughter has an allergy to gluten, eggs, and yeast. This bread looks great but it does contain eggs. Have you tried any substitutions instead of eggs? or do you have another recipe you would suggest? Or do you have any other suggestions? I am trying hard to find something to substitute for her toast in the morning and an occasional sandwich (PB&J). She is 6. Help! Thanks so much!!
Sounds like a great question for my forums.
I always use flax seeds as egg replacer! grind about 1/4 cup in a coffee grinder, then soak in 1/4 cup water or almond milk for a half hour or so. the mixture will become goey and viola! I use this in breads, pancakes, muffins... anything baked and always with success! Good luck
Elana, is it possible to make this bread with a bread machine? I just got one and I'm so excited to use it, but I'm not quite sure how...haha :) Can't wait to try this! THANK YOU!!!!
Hi Desiree, I can't say as I haven't ever used one myself. I don't have enough space in my kitchen for that type of equipment.
I don't have a pan to make bread, so I had to use a bread maker. I bought mine because it has a lot of different programs on it - including one that said bake only. So I just used that feature to cook it. I have a couple settings that don't have a rise section and I thought about using one of those, but because of the eggs I didn't want it to have time to get less fluffy. The bread turned out great. I substituted the arrowroot flour with tapioca flour. And I used whole flax seeds instead of flax seed oil.
Question on mixing: Do you mix in the dry ingredients a bit at a time or dump it in all at once? Is it OK to mix by hand or should a mixer be used?
The baking soda and vinegar mix together to create the air bubbles that give the bread height and lightness. Mix the dry ingredients in all at once gently but quickly, you want to take advantage of that chemical reaction and get it into the oven as quickly as possible. By the same token, DO mix by hand, an electric mixer will beat the air bubbles out and you will end up with a dense, flat loaf.
I just made this bread and it is delish! I ran the nutrition info:
1 Slice (Assuming 12 slices per loaf):
Calories: 84
Fat: 3g
Carbs: 11g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Correction!
There was a typo in my calculation. The real stats are:
1 Slice (Assuming 12 slices per loaf):
Calories: 151
Fat: 9g
Carbs: 13g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 6g
Sorry for the mistake!
I just made the bread and it did only come out 2" high. I'm going to take the suggestions and try it again. It slices well and tastes reasonably well. One comment. It does have a noticeable "eggy" taste, which means my DD will probably not eat it. Would it totally ruin the recipe to reduce the eggs to 3, or would it still have that taste anyways?
Try using 3 eggs and two tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce. I only had three eggs in the fridge and it worked for me! :-)
Hi Elana, I just made this bread two days ago and it came out great. Today I went to eat a slice and it was kind of...sticky inside. I smelled it and it smelled a bit yeasty. It has been pretty wet and humid around here, and I have been storing the bread under aluminum foil, so I'm thinking that the moisture has been getting to it and causing something funky to happen. Has this kind of spoilage ever happened to you? Do you think its harmless?
You definitely need to store this bread in the fridge or freezer. I keep it unsliced in the fridge for about 5 days. I've kept it a week, but it does get a sort of strong smell towards the end of the week. This bread is definitely best right out of the oven, but it does keep well in the fridge. Second time around I usually toast it. It makes GREAT cheese toast!
Amara,
Was your bread fully cooked?
One thing you should know is that GF breads don't keep well.
I know the ones made from gluten free flours (made of grains/grasses) usually don't last more than 2-3 days before turning to stone.
Some people slice the bread and keep it in the fridge (I believe that's what Elana does).
I prefer to keep the slices in the freezer and toast some whenever I feel like having bread.
Hi Alchemille,
Yes, I believe the bread was fully cooked. There was a slice that I had left on the plate and it has become pretty stale, leading me to believe the slimy problem is due to the weather and subsequent humidity. Do you think the bread is still ok to eat?
Well, my first batch came out 2", but a firm slicing texture. My 2nd batch (after whipping for 5 min. and using room temp eggs) was 4" but the top was crumbly and it stuck to the pan (haven't sliced it yet). The 2nd batch tasted better, less eggy. I cheated and added 1/2 tsp of gluten free baking powder. Not sure if it helped or hurt. I think I will try it with the baking powder and no vinegar and see.
Well, since my diagnosis last November I have longed for a decent gluten free bread....I just can't even look at rice bread. I tried a few complicated recipes and finally gave up--that is until now. I love this recipe. As I did not have arrowroot powder, I subbed tapioca flour--I then used maple syrup instead of agave (don't like the stuff)and because flax can be a problem with thyroid meds I used half flax and half salba seeds for the flax meal. A delicious loaf!!
Thanks so much, I can enjoy my bread again.
M - It's flax oil that shouldn't be heated, not flax seed. It's perfectly fine and normal to use flax seed and meal in cooking and baking. So don't worry about it!
If you have a source for this, I'd like to see it. Wouldn't the flax seeds (ground or whole) still contain the oil that goes rancid/oxidizes when exposed to heat?
Besides chia/salba, I wonder if ground psyllium (yes, the same stuff that's in Metamucil) would work as an alternative for those avoiding flax...I've used it as a binder before when making glutenagogo's pear pancake.
M - Here is what my nutritionist sent me (part of the Adobe doc.) from the flax council. If you want the whole thing, I would need your e-mail: "Baking effects:
ALA in whole and milled flaxseed also appears to
be stable to heat equal or greater than the
temperatures involved in baking batters and doughs
such as muffins and yeast bread. Thermal stability was shown in 1992 by the absence of significant changes in peroxide values and fatty acid composition when both forms of flaxseed were heated for 60 minutes at either 100°C (212°F) or 350°C (662°F). Furthermore, gas liquid chromatography showed no signs of new trans isomers of ALA or of cyclic fatty acid formation in samples subjected to these degrees of heat5. In a follow-up study the proportion of ALA in the fat of a muffin mix, where 28.5% of the formula was milled flaxseed, was virtually unchanged after baking at 178°C (350°F) for 2h (45.1% ALA before:45.0% after). This stability was observed even though oxygen consumption of the flaxseed muffin mix was considerably greater than that of the control muffin mix6. A subsequent study confirmed the stability of ALA in baked muffins containing the same amount of milled flaxseed and noted that thiobarbituric acid values, as estimates of ALA oxidation were also unaffected by baking9. On reflection, the baking stability of ALA should not be surprising considering that the internal temperature of a muffin approaching doneness would not be expected to exceed the gelatinization temperature of starch. Wheat flour in the presence of sugar, or honey in this instance, would gelatinize around 95°C (203°F),
much lower than the temperature of hot air in the oven from which heat is transferred to the baking product.
A further margin of safety for the ALA-conscious
consumer is the fact that muffins are usually baked for only 20-25 min. at 204-208°C (400-425°F) in contrast to some experimental conditions4.
Biological evidence also supports the stability of
ALA to baking temperatures. Nine college women
included 50g flaxseed in their daily diet for four
weeks in one of two ways. Five of them added milled Flaxseed flaxseed, uncooked, to the food of their choice such as breakfast cereal, soup, juice or yogurt. The other four consumed bread baked with milled flaxseed (250g/kg) rather than their usual bread. Plasma fatty acid profiles during the four-week study were not significantly different between the women eating raw milled flaxseed and those eating the same amount of flaxseed baked in bread. Both subject groups
exhibited a lowering of serum total cholesterol and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol10. The implication is that baking had no effect on the bioavailability of flaxseed fatty acids.
does anyone have a substitute for arrowroot powder?
i would try the forums...
I use cheakpeas or yucca or yam flours, they all come up very good, and each have a diffrent flavor.
Thanks! I am interested in science so seeing the research myself is so helpful!
Hi Allegra, I would try another starch, such as tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour), cornstarch, or potato starch (not potato flour). But I believe that these three starches have a higher glycemic index, and they lack the calcium ash that arrowroot has. Here is some information on arrowroot's properties: http://www.morethanalive.com/Arrowroot-powder
If you choose to sub one of the other starches, I might start by using a bit less since they are starchier/gummier, in my unprofessional opinion. You can always add a spoonful, but can't take away. :)
Good luck and please be sure to post back and let us know what you find out! There may be other readers with the same question.
Hi Elana!
I just adore this bread! Anyway, I was wondering whether you've considered making a cinnamon raisin bread..I think the nuttiness of the flax-almond mixture would work wonderfully with cinnamon and raisins!
Best of luck with your new book. I can't wait to get it in the mail!
I just made this bread last night for breakfast this morning. It is the first bread we have tried that we actually like since finding that we are allergic to wheat, gluten, and 12 other foods. I am wondering if I can make several loaves at once and freeze them? Will they come out of the freezer well?
HI Elana,
Actually, this is the recipe I made over the weekend -
Sadly I didn't have blanched almond flour and was too lazy to go to the store to get some so I substituted with a mix of Buckwheat and Sorgham instead.
I'm not really sure what happened - the "batter" wasn't batter at all - it was most definitely dough - which was a bit heavy.
I put it in my pan and baked it for 30 minutes and it came out fine, if a little bit dense.
I'm wondering if the buckwheat/sorgham combo is more dense than blanched almond flour?
I'm excited to try this again with the right kind of flour but in the event I don't have it, can you please recommend an appropriate substitute (aside from rice, please)? Maybe quinoa might work nicely? I guess I'll have to try!
Hi j.cro,
I'm no kind of expert, but my understanding is that almond flour absorbs far less liquid than grain (or grain-like seed) flours do. & by now you may have seen the FAQ page with answers to general substitution questions, but I'll go on anyhow...
If you just want to try almond flour out, this recipe does work with plain ol' Bob's Red Mill blanched almond meal, which is easiest for me to find in stores. If you want to practice making breads with sorghum or buckwheat flour it might help to also visit blogs of GF cooks who do use grains. (I don't think Elana uses grains or buckwheat at all. Some handy sources are glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com and milkforthemorningcake.blogspot.com -- I have no connection to any of these folks beyond a yearly comment or so, and I hope noone minds my listing them.)
Peace!
Elana,
Just made the bread today with the Honeyville Almond Flour you suggested ordering online. It tastes great and was so easy to make! Going to try some of your other recipes. Thanks!
can i substitute stevia for the agave nectar...i can eat NO sugar.
thanks, diana
Wow! This is by far my favorite gluten free bread. Thanks ;) I look forward to meeting you at your next class in Boulder!
Kara
Elana,
I just made this bread for dinner tonight, and my family and I loved it! I've tried and liked other of your recipes (your chocolate-walnut torte is fabulous!). Thanks for providing this resource!
Debbie
My son is allergic to almonds as well as needing to be gluten & dairy free. Is there another flour you could recommend?
Hi Shelley,
I just used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour which has garbanzo bean flour, tapioca flour, white sorghum flour, fava bean flour, and potato starch. It seemed to do just fine. Although, it did seem a little dry. So, I added a touch of water to it. I didn't have agave and I used honey instead. I was also a little short on arrowroot powder (maybe a 1/4 of a cup) and just used more of the baking flour mix. I think it turned out great. I just ate my first couple of piece with butter and honey! Yum!!! I am excited to try some other recipes.
Thank you Elana for your culinary adventures!!!!!
Elana
You are my Hero.
I am really picky about Gluten Free breads and baked goods and this is terrific.
I ordered the special pan and arrowroot powder and made the bread today.
I am so excited it is the best bread I have had yet.
I added an extra teaspoon of agave because I like things a little sweeter.
How would you recommend making this into a banana bread?
Thanks again I can not tell you how excited I am to add this to our diet. I pretty much gave up breads until I tried this.
Cheers
Kristy
Last year I learned that I was gluten intolerant. I cut out wheat and my world changed within a week. I have been eating gluten free every since then. In the New Mexico I can purchase a gluten free bread made by FOOD FOR LIFE that contains brown rice flour, raisin, pecans and is sweetened with fruit juice. It is like eating cake. But now I am taking Spanish immersion course for three months is a small village in Costa Rica. I doubt there are any gluten free breads or other foods in my area. I really miss my gluten free foods. So what I want to do is ask one of the small local family bakeries to make up gluten free recipes for me. The people here are very nice and will go out of their way to be helpful. Can you help me find gluten free recipes in Spanish?
Thank you,
Tom Coburn
I am in the village of Tuis which is about a twenty miles from Turrialba which is about two and a half hours southeast of San Jose.
The holidays are nearly upon us and i wanted to try to make almond flour Yorkshire pudding avoiding evil white flour. We are not allergic to dairy, nor are vegans, but avoid wheat flour. Maybe a popover recipe might work as they seem to be very similar. Any ideas. Thanks, a California Englishman
I don't know you but i love you.
I've been trying to perfect a GF/CF/SF recipe for bread for a while now. I've gotten to a point i can make an awesome spice bread - great for breakfast or snacks or dessert but my heart desires a good old fashion sandwich so badly. I have tried and tried and every time it's just kinda "meh". but this! this is GREAT!!! you have one me over. I am your biggest fan! seriously even if every other recipes was awful, your worth in making this one alone makes you my favorite person of the week.
ok I know... a little drama. but seriously I miss sandiches SO much and you have made me one very happy GF/CF/SF lady!
I love this recipe and have made it several times already! The last time I put raisins, walnuts in it (about 1\2 cup of each), cinnamon & nutmeg. Sooo good. I also made the 'rye' bread but didn't have the right kind of seeds, so I used sunflower seeds and that too was so yum. Thank you Elana!!
i made another winning loaf last night. used a 1\2 cup arrowroot, almond meal (that's all I had), dried organic cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, nutmeg & cin. it was delish! thanks again elana:)
hi,
this recipe looks great and i wanted to find a good pan for gluten-free breads so i looked at the one you suggested but it's aluminum. i'm surprised you would use aluminum since it's such an unhealthy and dangerous metal to cook with. do you not think that's an issue or is there another reason you use it anyway? thanks for letting me know.
I just tried this bread and stuck to the recipe, it is excellent, great texture and flavour. Thanks for the recipe Elena. I want to try it with raisins and a little cinnamon next.
Just made this today! Delicious!! Thanks, Elana!!
This will be the only bread we use in our house anymore! It is so good, and almost has a cornbread taste, but a very mild one. Thank you so much!
For those of you interested in substitutions, check out this site:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/IngredientSubstitution.html
+karen
I've been scouring the internet for a great bread. What I found to make the bread moist and pliable w/o having to toast it before eating it is (drumroll please)....unflavored gelatin (aobut 1 tsp per loaf) and clear jel a (about 1 tsp per loaf). Plus after researching flours used around the world, came across sorghum flour which is widely used throughout Africa and Asia. It is a grass and tastes a LOT like wheat. I can say that the bread made with sorghum tastes like real bread because I am not gluten free and have tried out this bread on others unassuming. They think it tastes great! My hubby, a french man, thinks the bread tastes like "old rustic homemade bread".
Elena, if you want my recipe, email me and I'll email you with the recipe...free. You can play with it to make it your own or post as is. I recently posted my recipe on recipezaar under the name "spongy gluten free bread". It should post in a couple days. I just want others with gluten allergies to enjoy life with bread again. I've seen my parents struggle these past few years and wanted my son to enjoy gf bread.
Have you ever tried to use a bread machine for any of your bread? I have one and would love to find a delicious GF recipe for the machine. With 2 little ones I have not got much time for making things.
Wow, I just saw a post over in the forums regarding this:
http://www.elanaspantry.com/forums/topic/breadmaker
Yummy! Yet another Elana recipe that's a hit in our house! Even our 1 1/2 year old daughter who LOVES bread is chomping away on a piece of this gluten free bread right now! My husband and I feel so much better letting her eat this kind than the store bought!
We made this bread a few months ago with the Bob's Red Mill brand of almond flour... not so good! We just ordered the Honeyville brand recommended by Elana and that's what we used last night... sooooo much better! My husband 'tweaked' the ingredients a bit but tried to keep the proportions the same. It's delicious! Well worth paying s&h and waiting a week for the almond flour to arrive!
My husband is trying to cut all gluten from his diet and stay low-carb... it's been a while since he had bread. Needless to say, he's a happy boy now! :) Thank you Elana!
I Googled it and still can't find this Honeywell almond flour (tho' numerous instances of Honeyville). Where can one buy this online?
It is in fact Honeyville, and they have a website; also available from Amazon. I ordered Blanched Almond Flour from http://www.nutsonline.com (one of the brands Elana recommends), and it worked really well with the bread recipe, and their service and pricing were excellent. Hope this helps.
Hello,
Thank you for the recipe Elana. I have a question, what can be substituted for the 1 teaspoon of agave nectar? I have read things on the questionable safety of agave at Mercola.com and would like to use something else.
Thanks
Susan -
Living in Europe, we find agave hard to justify because of the distance it must travel to reach us, so we use local raw honey instead. We substitute it 1:1 for the agave in this recipe, which works out great. Hope this helps! :-)
Because there is still a lot of controversy surrounding agave nectar, I avoid it as well. I too use local honey as a substitute...but have also wondered if perhaps brown rice syrup could be used as well. I have adverse affects with Maple Syrup due to it's high sugar contents. Thoughts?
Elana, thank you for giving me back bread! I am on anti-inflammatory, gluten-free diet as part of a natural healing process for Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I hadn't had bread for a few weeks; I missed it terribly. Your bread is delicious, SO easy to make, and so satisfying and filling. I used the almond flour from nutsonline.com (one of the websites you recommend) bc they were the only ones that would ship to Puerto Rico. I also used the MagicLine loaf pan, and it was the perfect size (I also think that it has a lot to do with the success of the bread). Followed the recipe to a "t" and would not change anything about it. THANK YOU for this recipe; I will make it weekly forever. I also got your book and will be making almost every one of your recipes over time. My sister is gluten intolerant and hasn't had bread in 14 years -- I'm giving her your book, the loaf pan and some of the hard-to-find-in-PR ingredients to get her started. This is a life-changer for her, and will help me so much to stick to this diet. Sorry for the long post, please feel free to edit! BUT THANK YOU! And any of you out there wary that such a simple recipe could work, TRY IT -- you will be SOO happy that you did.
Hello,
I tried baking this bread and I was unable to knead it into anything that would stay together. So I "poured" the lumpy mixture into the pan baked it, and didn't even remotely turn into a loaf of bread. Was I missing a wet ingredient of some sort?? Or should I have kneaded it for longer??
Thanks for your help.
Alexis
Hmmm...
There isn't anything in the instructions that says to knead the bread though. I wonder if that's your problem?
Quick question, can this recipe be used in a bread machine? I am new to bread baking and the idea of starting w/ a bread machine takes the pressure off somehow...any bread machine people out there try it w/ this recipe?
Hi Amy,
I do not think this recipe could be made with a bread machine because no yeast is used (so there is no rising time required). I will say that it is so easy to make and the bread turns out perfect every time! I would suggest investing in a nice stand mixer to mix all of your ingredients, which can make the process a bit faster. :)
+K
Elana-
I substituted 4 pitted chopped dates for the 1 t of agave nectar and my husband I and found it surprisingly sweet enough!!! Could've even used one less....
That said, with the exception of agave (which I am strongly against) this recipe is brilliant! No spreads or toppings necessary. Thanks-
Cupcake
How does this recipe compare to the one in the cookbook? Better or just different? Thanks!
I'd love to know how this recipe compares to the one in the cookbook too!
I made both in the last three days. My 3 year old loved them both. My husband didn't like either. (He said this one is too grainy and the one in the book is too cake like.) I really liked this one. I wasn't bothered by the texture. I wonder if removing the flax meal would make it less grainy. I found the one in the book to be to squishy, like cake.
I will be making this one again.
So I tried this bread last night and thought I would share my thoughts. First of all, it turned out awesome! The recipe was so easy to follow and the short list of ingredients made for an easy shopping trip. However, I was very surprised by the large amount of arrowroot powder used in it. I only had about half that amount and it still worked perfectly! I also added some fresh rosemary for added flavor and texture. So good!
I just made this tonight. VERY tasty! I am really liking it. I will hopefully get it to rise a bit more with practice, but it tastes wonderful! I am looking over all the helpful tips on coaxing some more height out of this. Thank you all for the tips! Thanks Elana for the recipe! And for putting the links on your site for where to buy the ingredients you use. That is extremely helpful!
This is a wonderful recipe! Thank you sharing, I love almond flour. I have a similar recipe on my blog at http://hubpages.com/_27omeikz6hli9/hub/Wonderful-Gluten-Free-Sandwich-Bread - it contains yeast which I know many people stay away from but is still very yummy.
Can you freeze this bread?
Katie - I have frozen this bread for short times (maybe a week or two) and it has been fine. When I am ready to use it I either let it thaw in the fridge or if I am going to eat it right away then I toast it. Never tried freezing it longer. Good luck! - Katie
I just tried this recipe tonight. The flavor is wonderful! As well as the texture. I must have done something wrong though, the bread is only about an inch thick...not nearly thick enough for a sandwich :p Any suggestions on what I may have done wrong? I did use ener-G egg replacer, could that have been it?
can i substitute stevia for the agave nectar?
i like how simple this recipe is, would love to try
PLS ANSWER!
Elana,
You're our hero! The simplicity, ease, taste, and marvelously moist texture of this bread have made it our go-to bread around the house! Because it's so quick to throw together, I make a loaf a couple times a week, and ALL 4 of our kids DEVOUR it! We use it for toast, sandwiches, and even a sneaky substitute when our 2-year-old demands "cake" (far too often to actually indulge in the real thing)!
*
As mentioned in my previous comment, we avoid agave because it has to travel too far to reach us in Europe, so we just substitute raw local honey for it - 1:1, and it works just fine. We mix the batter up in the food processor, and the kids fight over the privilege of buttering the pan. For a large family avoiding wheat, this recipe is a lifesaver!
Thanks for sharing! :-)
P.S. We're all addicted to the almond macaroon recipe in your cookbook, too. I think we're single-handedly keeping the almond flour folks in business!
Lydia, where have you found cheap almond four in the u.k. please? Thanks, Jillymeg
Hi Jillymeg, so sorry for the long delay in my reply. We're actually located in Germany, where nut meals are readily available in most grocery & natural food stores. They're not always cheap, but they're usually finely-ground enough for our purposes. Do the organic shops in the UK not carry these, or are they just prohibitively expensive there?
Hi Elana,
I want to make your Gluten Free Sandwich Bread, but don't have any arrowroot powder on hand. Is there something I can substitute it with. I cant have any yeast or wheat due to Candida and would really like to find a good almond bread or Quinoa bread. Could I add Quinoa flour instead?
Thanks,
Karen
Hi Karen
Having made this bread several times, I don't think that quinoa flour would work as an arrowroot sub. It's much too heavy and full of protein. I think you need a starch...like arrowroot, potato starch, or cornstarch. Good luck!
I love this bread! It was moist and tasty, and I found it became better as it cooled and sat on the counter wrapped like Elana said.
I have made sandwiches which I have not had in years because I do not like the store breads. Other recipes I have made were OK, but I like this one much better! I will be making my second loaf tomorrow!
Hi Elana!
I made this bread last night and its wonderful! I am going to pass the recipe onto my grandmother who is a celiac :) Its hard to find a nice GF bread!
Hi Elana!
I made this bread last night and its wonderful! I am going to pass the recipe onto my grandmother who is a celiac :) Its hard to find a nice GF bread!
Hi. I've been making some of your recipes and they are awesome. I did notice that some of the recipes that had pourable batter (pancakes, bread, muffins) there didn't seem to be enough liquid. Using the ingredients and measurements in your recipes I have barely enough liquids to make my batter crumbly. I added coconut milk to the pancake batter and that seemed to work really well, but with the bread adding even just water make the bread really dense. Is there an ingredient missing, or a solution that you could give? I really enjoy your recipes. Thanks.
Yup, they are really dense, and it would probably be best if instead of "pour," I said, "scoop!" Thanks for your feedback.
Just made this and it turned out great. Mine actually rose pretty well. I think it is because I am at the same elevation as Elana is in Boulder, CO.
I have made this twice for a GF friend - she loves it!
I live in the hills above Elana I guess (Winter Park) at 9,000ft. My loaves came out perfect, gorgeous & golden.
I like the idea of adding zucchini... i was thinking this would also make a good banana bread.
thank you Elana for all your fabulous recipes!!!
(I came here via the Primal Blueprint)
Lori, Thanks for your comment. I've made this bread at both sea level and mile high and it's worked great. Not sure that altitude would be a factor for the success of this recipe.
I love this bread recipe, but it's a bit dry, especially when I freeze it. I tried adding 1/2 cup shredded zucchini, and it turned out really moist. I needed to bake it a few minutes longer, and it stuck in the pan a bit more, but it was worth it. Yum!
I just tried this recipe and I love it! The bread was super moist and delicious. I made a second loaf and added extra honey, blueberries, and vanilla which was also very tasty, and it didn't change the ctexture of the bread. I will definitely use this as my bread base for now on.
Love the taste of this bread! I have made it twice now, and I have been unsuccessful in getting the bread to rise more than 1 1/2 inches. This makes for some small slices of bread. I whipped the eggs for 5 minutes with a hand mixer the second time I made this. It helped a bit but not much. I made this in a silicone loaf pan and baked it for 35 minutes. Any suggestions? Is there an adjustement I need to make due to my lower elevation (I live in TX)? Or is it that I am not using Elena's recommended loaf pan? Thoughts?
Your loaf pan is probably wider than Elana's. Also, the flimsiness of the silicone probably makes it difficult for the batter to grow up the sides. I'd try a small ceramic or stainless steel loaf pan.
Have not tried this recipe - I will give it a try this week... but from my experience the ingredients listed would produce a very dense and low-rising loaf like most soda breads. The salt and agave are going to be for flavor only, as there is no yeast involved.
I would also think that if you beat the dry ingredients into the wet for too long you would lose all the volume that the vinegar and baking soda may give you.
If you are having issues getting it to rise I would try blending JUST until moistened to prevent loss of gas. Or switch to a double acting Baking Powder with citric acid rather than soda+vinegar, as this will give you an additional spring once the baking powder is heated. http://chemistry.about.com/cs/foodchemistry/f/blbaking.htm
In either case adding a binder would also help - but may be an issue for some people. Stay tuned for an update ;)
Hi Elena,
This bread sounds great, I am going to try it with gluten free oat flour and egg substitute. I will let you know how I get on.
Thanks for your great recipes
Love, love, love this bread! Just whipped up two loaves when I got home from work. It took less than 1hr. to prepare and cook. Very moist, heavy loaves that stand about as high as a banana bread. Made my own almond flour in my thermomix using unblanched almonds. Didn't seem to make a difference in this recipe. Substituted the agave for maple syrup. Cooked loaves for 25 minutes in my toaster oven at 350. Greased pans with coconut oil for easy removal. Thanks Elana for sharing this awesome recipe.
Looks like stuffing will be on my GF menu this year ; )
The pan is aluminum, not good. Also how do you make this recipe SCD and GAPS friendly?
Brought this bread to share with coworkers, some who are GF and the rave reviews are still coming in...
"I am really one that thrives on getting excited about food....this bread will really help me feel like I am not being deprived of something I enjoy so much. Many thanks for sharing your great recipe find and delicious bread!"
"Wow! Thank you so much!!! It is delicious. I love it that it is so light and allows the flavors to come through very nicely. I would be happy to ask for the recipe but I am sure that only you can make it like that. Thank you for your time and effort."
Improvised one loaf my adding cinnamon, raisins and apple chunks and served with delicious Kerry Goldbutter.
Awww, you and your coworkers made my day!
Hi Elana, just wondering what you would recommend for a substitute for the arrow root powder? During the food sensitivity test I did with my kinesiologist, we determined that arrow root powder is causing a negative response when I consume it.
Thanks,
Jessica
Can you tolerate other starches, such as cornstarch, potato starch (not flour!), and/or tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour, they are the same)? I recommend trying one or a variety of those for the amount of arrowroot listed here.
Hey Elana and thanks for a superb recipe! I did this last week and it was a success, with butter, naturally... ;-) Subbed the arrowroot with corn starch 1:1 and worked beautifully.
I'm technically on paleo but just needed to try this one... Have a look if you like: http://monkeyfood.net/2010/12/19/honestly-butter-looks-so-good-on-you/
Best wishes from snowy Helsinki,
Meri
i made this and I think it was too eggy. Thankfully my four year old loves anything I bake so I'll let him finish it u! lol
Does this recipe realy have 3/4 cup of arrow root? Where do you get your arrowroot from? I just bought a jar of 2.72oz for 6.29. Can you use a substute? Gar gum or xantan gum?
The one thing I don't like about this bread is all the arrowroot powder, there are a whopping 28 grams of carbs/ 1/4 cup! If you are trying to go low carb this bread is not the answer. I was thinking about substituting coconut flour. Any thoughts?
Woudl your newest bread recipe be adaptable to a bread making machine? I dont usually have time to bake bread so I start bread before leaving for work and come home to bread already cooked.. I have gone out today and purchased the ingredients to make your bread and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.
thanks
My husband was recently diagnosed with celiac deasea. He is a bread glutten. We are having great issues with him finding a good bread. He insist there is a gluten free yeast. If there is please let me know what it is. He has stumbled endlessly with this bread issue we are having. Last night he went on a bread binge and woke this morning to severe diahrea, and stomache pains. I am desperate to find a good bread for him.
Hi Wilma,
I really like this company's bread:
http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/consumer.home.html
Their hamburger buns are amazing - I make breakfast sandwiches with them and also eat them with butter and jam.
Keep in mind that you have to keep the bread frozen (it does not have any preservatives) so when you want to eat a bun, just let it sit out for about 15 minutes before cutting it in half, pop it the toaster on the highest setting and then you have some of the best tasting gf bread out there. Their hot dog buns are great too, I those you do not have to cut in half, I just pop them in the toaster whole. I also love that they do use xantham gum in this bread, which for me makes the bread taste slimy and leaves a funny aftertaste in my mouth.
Best of luck to you! :)
+K
Hi Elena-
My daughter is on a no starch diet (well as low as possible). I have been thrilled with your recipes that use almond or coconut flour. I want to make your gluten free bread but it calls for 3/4 cup of arrowroot powder that in my research is a starch. The rest of the ingredients are fine. Is their anything else I can substitute that is not a starch? I was thinking of coconut flour as I find that flour thickens many of my recipes up. That would work if the arrowroot was used to thicken the recipe. What do you think?
Ella Sastram
Oxford CT
I'm also on a low starch diet for my arthritis, seronegative spondylarthritis. I substituted coconut four for the arrowroot and think its pretty yum! I do add water to the batter, enough to make it smooth. I love this site. The lemon rosemary muffins make me happy, too.
I'm in love with so many of your recipes; this is my new favorite. I added lots of seeds - sunflower, flax, sesame, poppy, and am so happy with the results. I baked it in muffin tins and they came out like rolls, tasting very much like Seduction Rolls(from Whole foods) which I no longer eat but always crave.
I received your book rover the holidays and rush home from work every night to try something new.
Thanks for sharing your talent.
This bread was great - I'm not a fan of the smell or taste of flax, but it was very good in here. Didn't have arrowroot so substituted cornstarch and came out great. Tried the white cake muffins and banana bread in muffin form which are even better the second day! Here is another company to try - best gluten free ever! Bread tastes exactly like regular bread: http://udisfood.com/ and you can order mail order also.
Thank you for this recipe! I'm trying the specific carbohydrate diet and so I used all ground almonds (I ground my own with the skins on - makes things darker) instead of the arrowroot and flax. It turned out really well, it has a great texture and just the right fluffiness, and was so easy to make (and to bake). I just lined my loaf pan with parchment paper and it came out perfectly. I will definitely make this again, but I may use a bit more honey (oh yeah, I substituted honey for agave too).
I can't wait to try this out and make it for my mom. She has been very picky so hopefully this will be the recipe that will make her like bread again :-)
I love this bread recipe! Unfortunately, so does my Malamute who has stolen whole loaves off the counter on 2 occasions! She never has done this with store bought bread. Thanks for the awesome recipes!
I didn't have arrowroot powder, so I used potato starch. It still came out fine, though not as healthy or nice-looking like in Elana's picture :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13263978@N02/5441071978/
Hi Elana! I have never posted anything on your website before, but I follow it regularly and LOVE your cookbook. My son and I both eat dairy/gluten free and follow a basically paleo diet. And, thanks in large part to your delicious recipes, my husband has for the most part decided that our food usually tastes BETTER than traditional food.
I wanted to let you know that I have been experimenting with your bread recipe lately. My husband still prefers wheat bread, as he has a had a hard time adjusting to the heavier textures of the almond bread.
After making your AMAZING cinnamon bun muffins for a special treat last weekend, the thought occurred to me that maybe I could combine some of that recipe (the muffins were sooo light and fluffy) with your bread 2.0 recipe. This basically involved subbing in some coconut flour for a little of the almond flour, adding a little oil, and cutting back on the arrowroot powder.
The result was fantastic!! The bread turned out to be about as light and fluffy as "normal" bread, and it is also very moist. I know that bread texture is all about personal preference, so I thought I would share this hybrid recipe in case anyone else is looking for a more traditional bread. (I personally prefer a more dense bread - but I'll do anything to get my man to kick that wheat habit :) .. )
1 Cup Almond Flour
2 Tblspn Coconut Flour
1/4 Cup Flax Meal
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 (plus 1 Tblspn) grapeseed oil
1/8 cup honey
4 eggs
I mixed the dry into the wet ingredients and baked it at 325 for 30 min. (my oven cooks a little hot).
Thanks for ALL your great stuff, Elana!!
Oh! I forgot one ingredient!! I also included the teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
Amanda,
I like your substitutions here and am thinking of trying your loaf, but I have a couple of questions...
1) Is the measurement for the grapeseed oil 1/4 cup? Plus 1 tbsp?
2) It looks like you left the arrowroot powder out completely. Is that right?
3) Did you bake the bread in the 7 1/2 x 3 1/2 pan from Elana's original recipe?
Thanks so much. I've made Elana's version and love it, but I may try yours as well.
Jeanne
Oh what a shame.
I think I've just tried to make this bread for the last time. Each time I've just been left with an un-risen solid brick of ingredients. And I followed recipe and suggestions to the letter!
The brownie recipe worked so fantastically for me and I was really excited to make this bread as it doesn't have yeast in it but I don't want to keep wasting so many nice eggs. Can't think what is going wrong as others seem to be having real success with it.
This is a really nice website by the way and I will try other things.
@Joceline: Do you make sure to blend the eggs for a full 5 minutes with electric beaters (hand mixer or stand mixer)? I had problems when I relied on my regular whisk and elbow grease. Good luck!
Thanks! I will probably invest in an electric whisk. My arm got SO tired :)
what size loaf pan are you using?
Hi there!
It's an 8 by 4 inch bread tray.
Jx
ahhh... that sounds like the issue.
Elana recommends a 7.5" x 3.5" loaf pan.
the one you are using (8 by 4 inch bread tray) is bigger.
OK re my last comment.
It's not that unrisen, it has SOME give but is just about an inch and a half high. I'm going to try and use it as dipping 'soldiers' for a boiled egg. :)
Haha no wonder it is a little on the 'short' side!
I'll see about buying a smaller one.
Thanks!
Elana,
What is this divine ceramic cup in the photo? I *love it*!! Could you divulge where it's from?
Many thanks for the recipe, I will try out the bread.
Dear Daphne,
I purchased that cute little sake cup at a store in Boulder called Peppercorn
Elana
love Peppercorn! Its a great store. I live in the south suburbs of Denver and don't get to Boulder much, but always have to check out that store when we are at Pearl Street Mall.
The more I try your recipes the more I want to make. I am waiting for my Almond meal and then I am off to the kitchen to make this bread. I Love feeling more healthy when I use your recipes. Thanks a million and keep up the great work.
Wow, I am just now eating my first still warm piece of this bread and it is melting in my mouth! I followed your instructions to the letter and it turned out nicely on the first try... not quite as beautiful as yours, but coming from a mid-30's bachelor who rarely bakes - I am quite proud of myself!
Thanks for the recipe - this is definitely going to become a staple!
Like that this is both gf and yeast free! I have a question- your dark rye bread uses a 6 1/2 x 4" pan, this uses a different size. Don't want to buy a lot of different pans...will this recipe work in the smaller pan size?
I would like to try the bread 2.0 recipe but I would need
to substitute the arrowroot powder with sweet white sourgham flour.
Has anyone tried this - does it still work? Thank you for any
help on this.
Brian
Wow. This bread is fantastic. My husband choses to eat a mainly gluten-free diet simply because he feels better when he does. ANd because I am the cook/baker in the house, it has meant that I am on a hunt to find new recipes that will suit him and please both me and our toddler. I hesitantly tried your gluten-free bread recipe and fell in love. My husband even claims he likes it better than regular bread, and that's saying something from a former bread-addict! So thanks for your recipe(s) and showing me that gluten-free can be so tasty... Hmm, I only wish almond flour weren't so darn expensive!
I just made this bread and it is sooo delicious! I had some slices for breakfast with cream cheese and dates. So yummy! Thanks Elana for this great recipe!
Hi Elana,
I was wondering if I could leave out the flax meal in the recipe as I can not tolerate even the slightest bit of it? Thanks so much. I love your site and your baking book. I can't wait for the new one to come out.
Fondly,
Sammie
See my comment from July 27, 2009, above. Good luck!
I've been wanting to make this bread, and since it's now Passover it seemed like the ideal time because the ingredients are Passover-friendly. Of necessity, I substituted tapioca flour for arrowroot, lime juice for vinegar, and honey for agave. Then I doubled the recipe because I only had a large loaf pan. So far so good.
But even with the doubling my pan looked too large. So, I decided to grease some muffin tins and bake some "rolls". The thick batter made eighteen rolls, which I put in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes and 25 minutes respectively (I made smaller rolls in the 12-tin and slightly larger ones in the 6-tin). I was pleasantly surprised to see them double in volume during the baking. They turned out perfect. Once they cooled they were easy to remove from the tins.
My wife usually makes Passover rolls, but she liked these much better and said they taste like real bread. They're a lot more nutritious, too. My plan is to order one of these whoopie pie tins to make a great sandwich or hamburger roll next time, which I can slice in half:
http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Nonstick-12-Cavity-Whoopie-Pie/dp/B004CYELQE/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_1
This is an excellent recipe. Thanks to Elana and all who have experimented and commented.
I just made this bread. It come highly recommended by my chiropractor. It is AWESOME! It was baked through evenly, browned nicely and was very moist. The taste was great as well!
Thank you Elana!
Sandy Peterson
Is the flax necessary in the bread 2.0?
I think I found a way to substitute the flax seed!!! And to fit it into my 8.5 by 4.5 loaf pan.
I substituted 1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum for the flax seed. Then, I made one and a half times the recipe to fit into my loaf pan. I also added more honey (2 TBSP total for this size).
My eggs are huge (from the health store) so I used 5 in this recipe. It would look like this:
2 1/4 c. almond flour
1 cup + 2 TBSP arrowroot flour
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 tsp. sea salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
5 huge eggs (or adjust to your size - 6 medium to large)
2 TBSP honey
1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
I baked in my 8.5 x 4.5 pan for 30 min. at 350.
My kids LOVED it and were so excited!!! Great with peanut butter, though my daughter kept wanting to eat it plain. This is a huge victory today! My daughter cannot tolerate flax or chia as it irritates her bowel, so I'm so happy this could work for us.
Thanks Elana!
Thanks Jen E. for the larger pan modifications.
I just made the original recipe in my smallest loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5in) and it is tasty but much too short for the turkey sandwiches I was hoping to use it for. I don't have a problem with flax seed, but I'll use your proportions the next time I try this one.
Thanks!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. I make it all the time! I toast it and add almond butter on top and it's absolutely wonderful. Is there something a little cheaper that I can use instead of arrowroot starch? Would potato starch work? Or corn starch?
Thanks!
Jessica, I'd go with cornstarch, which should work as a 1:1 substitution for arrowroot, though it might change the flavor *slightly*, since it lacks the peppery character of arrowroot. Potato starch is much heavier by volume than the other 2, so I'm not sure how well it would substitute here.
Check out the Gluten-free Flour Weight-Volume Measures on http://www.realfoodmadeeasy.ca for complete listing of equivalent weights and volumes. Hope this helps! :-)
I can't get my bread to rise!!!
I followed every direction EXCEPT for the arrowroot, and I don't have a magic loaf pan but mine has similar dimensions.
Do you think the arrowroot attributes to rising?
Does the even cooking of the Magic Loaf pan attribute to rising?
Is there optimum placement in the oven for rising?
Thanks
Anna
I ran out of arrowroot and can't find it at any local stores. But I NEED bread. Though it's definitely not optimal, do you think I can sub tapioca, potato, or corn starch in a pinch?
Thanks, Elana!
Love,
Christina
Sounds like its worth a try. Will you let us know if it works?
Tapioca starch works perfectly, as I have tried it already.
I keep finding these 'yeast-free' recipes with vinegar. Vinegar contains yeast! So if you're very sensitive or at the start of an elimination diet, you should avoid all vinegar.
Most of the gluten free bread I've tried so far, didn't really taste good enough to be eaten two days straight lol, but since you guys are doing this to this recipe, it must be that good, I'll give it a try, it's so hard transitioning into a Gluten free diet if you have to skip the bread.
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Thank you! It has been a life saver! Great alternative to bread and delicious toasted with cashew butter ;) yum!! Thanks again... I recommend this recipe to anyone needing an alternative to regular bread!
Oh man, I have severe allergy to eggs :-(
Hi Elana,
I tried this bread recipe twice. The first time, it turned out really crumbly and it was very dry. It was tasty though, and rose very well. I tried this recipe for the second time and it turned out much better as I made a slight modification. I added a quarter of a cup of sour cream to the mixture. It could probably do with just a little more, but the bread wasn't crumbly, nor was it dry, and it still tasted fantastic. I also used an 8x4 inch loaf pan, as the slightly smaller ones are not easy to find in Montreal, Quebec. I wanted to let you know, as I'm not sure if it was the loaf pan that made a difference or not. It's not my oven temperature, because I bought an oven thermometer and my oven is calibrated properly.
Thank you very much, and keep up the hard work, since I will be continually visiting your site!
dollarama - has the little foil pans :)
I doubled the recipe so that it looked like a regular loaf of bread. I baked it for 1-hour and it turned out awesome! I also substituted the agave for regular honey. Thank goodness I can eat a sandwich again! So thanks Elana for your recipes and sharing them with those of us that cannot eat wheat.
So glad you mentioned this!
thank you for posting the substitute :) I'm not sure where to find the nectar, and I have honey so :) you ROCKETH!
I have read that Flax seed when taken after or with food will make all the vitamins or nutrients you have or are eating go right through you and out. They say the only time to have it , is the first thing in morning before eating anything or everything else nutritionally will become waste.
Including medications, vitamins, etc.
MI
DELICIOUS! I was slightly apprehensive when I started putting this bread together, as BRM almond flour is the only almond flour available in Fairbanks, AK. However... just yum. Moist and substantial, with a complex, yet hearty flavor. I am ecstatic to have bread at my disposal again. Can't wait to try it sans-BRM!
I made a version of this today and blogged about my changes here: http://18hourkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/simple-bread-gluten-grain-and-dairy.html
I love it! Thanks for the inspiration.
I am allergic to tree nuts...what would you reccommend I use instead of almond flour? Thanks!
I made this bread yesterday and I really Like it. My loaf pan was a basic size and my bread was too small to cut down way. I had to cut long ways tO get a good slice. I followed the recipe. Any ideas?
Hey have you tried using aluminum-free baking powder? You will taste the difference and it's healthier for you. Check it out...
I made this bread for the first time. Mine didn't really rise and I used tapioca powder since I cannot find arrowroot powder and sub honey for agave. Mine was also kind of dry. Anyone has any suggestion for my next loaf? I am new to GF diet (3 weeks and counting) so any advice is appreciated.
I am desperate for a good dinner roll recipe for thanksgiving! Any ideas?? I love your recipes since the doc took me off all grains!
I just want to thank you for all your wonderful recipes! I was worried now that I have gone completely grain-free, but no need. Your recipies have made a difficult journey just a bit easier. I even managed to make a tasty, grain-free, refined-sugar free, traditional Thanksgiving, with your help, of course. I have made MANY recipes from your site and have NEVER been disappointed with the results. Thank you SO much for everything.
Dear Elana,
Thank you for your awesome recipes! I think I will finally lick my carb addiction. I'm on vacation and was recently introduced to your website, so I'm cooking up a storm. I've tried about four recipes so far and will continue to enjoy. They are so simple and quick, and nothing's gone wrong! I have some upcoming travel and intend to take along my own bread and snacks.
I made this bread for a friend who is on a gluten and yeast-free diet and she really liked it. I wanted to make it again for her and change it up a bit by adding some fresh rosemary. Has anyone tried that and if so, how much did you use? I don't want to overpower it.
I found the link for your pan says not available, however, when I researched it, I found a Current Correct link for the magic bread pan :-) http://www.amazon.com/Parrish-Magic-Line-Inch-Medium/dp/B001TH8YU6/ref=sr_1_53?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1325807165&sr=1-53
Hi Elana -
I made your Bread 2.0 tonight and am so pleased with the results! Such an easy recipe for everyday gluten free bread. I was recently diagnosed as being gluten sensitive so I'm in the process of testing lots of recipes. Your bread beats the over priced frozen grocery store options hands down. Thanks for a great recipe.
I could not be happier than to have found this bread recipe. Thank you! I will try it...
~ Tiffany
Transfer of Health
Healthy Living and Recipes
My neighbor's husband has been snowblowing my driveway clean since we started getting snow this year. I've been making him almond rolls, but his wife can't eat gluten, and I'd been looking for a gluten-free bread recipe so she can enjoy some home baking too! I found your recipe, and as soon as I can gather all the ingredients, I'm gonna give it a go! Not sure about the agave nectar, or where/if I can get it here but if I can't I'll google a substitute! Thank you SO much! Now, maybe she can enjoy good stuff (I'd even made cookies for her dogs too lol!)
Cheers! Cynthia
Hi Elana,
I love your blog and your recipes! You have inspired me so much that I started baking with almond flour and making my own creations. I have made my own version of your bread and posted it on my blog.
http://supermilkmama.com/gluten-free-bread-gaps-friendly/
I just ordered your two cookbooks and I am having so much fun trying out your recipes. My family can finally have bread! Yay! This is so delicious and moist its unbelievable that it is gluten free!
I am doing the GAPS diet and she has a version of this bread that is grain free but bakes it at a very low temperature for an hour. Have you tried this before? Did you like the results?
Thank you for your amazing blog and knowledge.
Blessings,
Ester
Do you always buy your almond flour or do you make your own? I live in the Philippines and it is hard to find, but I can get almonds.
Very delicious!! I didn't have the arrowroot powder, so used ground Quinoa, and a little Buckwheat flour. It turned out great. YUM!!!!
Has anyone ever tried this recipe in a bread machine?
Is the agave nectar necessary? Does it had sweetness to the bread or does it assist with the texture of the bread?