Is it a good idea to have a bread maker if you want to make gluten free bread and does anyone have a recipe?

Question

My son has celiac diease and I haven't found any good bread yet. Does anyone have any luck making their own? I also don't have a recipe and wondered if anyone has a good recipe for home made gluten free bread. Thanks

Answer 1

I personally am a lazy baker and do not bake my own bread. I always use Kinnikinnick (tons of varieties, I like the white sandwich bread, the brown bread, etc.) www.kinnikinnick.com (double check that spelling on google)

But many celiacs tell me they enjoy making their own bread. Popular bread mixes are Bobs Red Mill, Pamela's Wheat Free (GF) Bread Mix, and the Really Great Food Company.

Any regular bread machine will work, but many Celiacs tell me that a higher end one is nice bc gluten free bread tends to be thicker, drier and harder to turn in the machine.
The cookbooks by Bette Hagman have great bread recipes if u want to try those.
Good luck!

Answer 2

I am not a baker but I have found that the gluten free flaxseed bread that Whole Foods carries is pretty good, nice texture and especially good lightly toasted. Not like a white sandwich bread though. Making bread without gluten is very tough and although I have seen a couple of gluten free mixes for bread makers don't think they would turn out very well.

Answer 3

I had a bread maker once and gave it away. It seemed rather useless to me. The only thing I found it good for was proofing dough during the winter. Frankly, I don't think they are worth the money.

Answer 4

You'll basically have to forget you ever tasted really good artisan breads made the traditional way. There is no ingredient around that suffienclty replaces wheat flour. Therefore, I see no need for a bread machine.


Bacon-Cheddar Hot Water Cornbread

Prepare this cornbread at the last minute so you can serve it piping hot.

2 cups white cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 to 1 1/4 cups boiling water
8 slices cooked and crumbled bacon
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
4 minced green onions
Vegetable oil
Softened butter

Combine cornmeal and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; stir in half-and-half and 1 tablespoon oil. Gradually add boiling water, stirring until batter is the consistency of grits. Stir in bacon, cheese, and green onions.
Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into a large heavy skillet; place over medium-high heat. Scoop batter into a 1/4-cup measure; drop into hot oil, and fry, in batches, 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain well on paper towels. Serve immediately with softened butter.
Note: Stone ground (coarsely ground) cornmeal requires more liquid.

Yield: Makes 8 patties

--Southern Living, JANUARY 2004
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Cornbread (no sugar, or flour)

¼ cup bacon grease, vegetable oil or shortening
2 cups cornmeal
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
5 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 450 degree F. Place the bacon grease in a 10-inch black cast iron skillet and swirl to coat the sides and bottom evenly. Place skillet in the oven to heat.
In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper and mix well. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Remove the hot skillet from the oven, carefully swirl to evenly distribute hot grease, and quickly pour the cornmeal batter into the skillet.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm and golden brown on top. Let sit for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve hot with butter on the side.

--Emeril Lagasse
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Cinnamon Stars: Zimtsterne

These are a classic German Christmas cookie; you'll find them in most every household as soon as St. Nicholas' Day (December 6) rolls around. These gluten-free cookies are kind of like a cross between a macaroon and a meringue, with a hint of nutty spiciness. We find them truly addictive. They're designed to keep for a long time; they'll get chewier as time passes.

2¼ cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling
15 oz sliced almonds, with skin (about 4½ cups)
1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Sift the confectioners' sugar. Put ½ cup of the sifted confectioners' sugar, 10 oz (3 heaping cups) of the almonds and all the cinnamon in a food processor. Process until the nuts are finely ground, with just a few larger pieces.

Whip the egg whites in a large, clean bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until they hold soft peaks, about 1 minute. Gradually add the remaining confectioners' sugar while whipping, until the whites are thick, creamy and somewhat stiff, about 2 minutes more. Set aside 2/3 cup of this meringue for topping the cookies.
Fold the ground almond mixture and the lemon zest into the remaining meringue to make a stiff dough.

Preheat the oven to 250º F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Lay a sheet of parchment or waxed paper on the work surface and lightly dust with confectioners' sugar. Turn the dough out onto the dusted paper, flatten and dust with more sugar as needed, and then lay another sheet of parchment or waxed paper on top. Roll the dough between the papers until it is about ¼” thick. Flip the dough over and gently peel off a sheet of the paper. For ease when cutting, lay the paper back on the dough, flip again and gently pull off the other side of the paper so that the dough is fully released from it.

Cut cookies with a 3” star cutter and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Excess dough can be rerolled.) Use a small spoon, brush or offset spatula to spread the reserved meringue over the top of each cookie, taking care not to let the meringue drip over the sides. Press or sprinkle remaining sliced almonds in a decorative pattern into the meringue.

Bake cookies until bottoms are light golden brown and meringue is set and crisp, about 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door to release heat and dry cookies out in the oven for 10 more minutes.
Busy baker's tips: The dough can be frozen between the sheets of paper for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

--Food Network, Twelve Days of Cookies, 2007