It took me a while to master gluten-free yeast bread, and after many bricks and weird textured baguettes, I have a handful of good recipes. Easy Gluten-Free Dutch Oven Bread is one of them. It's modeled after Jim Lahey's No-Knead Bread in that it's a round chewy loaf (boule) you bake in a Dutch oven. While it's pretty easy to put together, you do need to make it ahead of time to allow plenty of time to dry out the interior and prevent gumminess.
Jump to Recipe
Gluten-Free Flour Blends
Most gluten-free breads call for a blend of different flours. For this one you can use a gluten-free blend, but they don't all work the same. The brands I've tested with so far are 1. Pillsbury's multipurpose blend that comes in a greenish bag and Cup4Cup multipurpose (blue bag) and the newer Cup4Cup "wholesome blend" which comes in a green bag and is made with rice flours, flax and rice bran. It makes darker, healthier loaf. When made with the wholesome blend, you get a browner loaf with a different flavor.
Psyllium Husk
Along with the gluten-free flour, you'll need psyllium husk, which is often used in place of xanthan gum to help bind gluten-free bread. The confusing thing is there are two types of psyllium, whole psyllium husks and psyllium husk powder. The whole husks are fluffy and similar to wheat bran in texture, while the psyllium husk powder is very fine like Metamucil. I use whole psyllium husks -- specifically Now brand, Sprouts or Whole Foods, because they don't turn the bread purple like some brands of psyllium.
Psyllium Husk Powder Version
Psyllium husk powder can also be used, just use the same weight. The volume will be more like 4 teaspoons since it's finer. The powder tends to lump, so if using the powder I recommend mixing it directly in with the flour rather than making a gel, then beating with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. So consider the psyllium husk powder version "the stand mixer version" because you need that paddle to work out lumps.
Picture of the Dough in a Bowl
This is the dough made with the Pillsbury blend. It's lighter in color. It should be stiff enough so that you can lift it and move it, but it should not feel at all dry because it needs that bounciness and moisture to rise. If you fold it and it creases and breaks, add a little more water. It is not like regular bread dough at all.
Risen Dough
Here's another picture of the dough, risen and read to bake. This one was made with the Cup4Cup wholesome blend so it's darker.
I am really looking forward to hearing from someone else out there who tries the bread. The ingredients are atypical for a lot of people, but I know my gluten-free baking buddies use psyllium and various blends all the time, so if anyone out there wants to give this one a shot please tell me what you think.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Dutch Oven Bread
Ingredients
- 160 grams Cup3Cup blue bag (multipurpose flour) or green bag (wholesome blend Pillsbury gluten-free in the green bag (volume will vary, see note)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (or try a different sweetener) (12 grams)
- ⅜ teaspoon salt or up to ¾ if you like a slightly saltier bread
- 1 ¼ teaspoons quick rising yeast
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (I sometimes use 1 ½ teaspoons)
- 2 tablespoons psyllium husks or 4 teaspoons powder (12 grams)
- 1 large egg white (27-33 grams)
- ¾ cup water plus 1 tablespoon (182 grams)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, sugar, salt and yeast.
- Heat water in the microwave to about 130 degrees F. Pour only ½ cup of the water (114 grams) into a separate bowl and add the psyllium. Stir and allow it to form a gel. If you are making the stand mixer version, just skip the step of making the gel separately, put the psyllium in with the flour mixture and add all of the hot water as directed below.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the psyllium gel, vinegar and egg white. Begin stirring. At this point it will be very dry, so continue adding the remaining warm water (¼ cup plus 1 tablespoons), stirring with a heavy duty rubber scraper, until you have a squishy odd textured dough that holds together in a ball. Mash it over on itself a few times with the heavy duty scraper. You're basically kneading it a little, but in the bowl. It should clump up in a ball and not stick to the sides or feel dry (pictured on blog). Alternatively, you can do this in a stand mixer. The dough should be a big squishy ball like the one in the photo, but it should have some moisture to it and not be dry.
- Press a square of damp parchment paper into the bottom of a bowl. I use a 1 ½ liter glass bowl, but you could probably find something a similar size or use a small pan. You just need something for the dough ball to fit in while it rises. Set the loaf on parchment. You can brush loaf with olive oil if you'd like. Cover and let rise for about 40 minutes. It will not double but it will rise and puff.
- While the dough is rising, place a Dutch oven and its lid in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- After the 40 minute rising period, remove the hot pot from the oven and carefully, using hot pads, remove the lid. Lift the parchment with the round of dough on it and set it in the pot (parchment an all), then carefully cover the pot and put it back in the oven.
- Close oven door and set timer for 25 minutes. Bake for 25 minutes at 450 with the lid on. Remove the lid and reduce heat to 375 degrees F. Continue baking for another 30 minutes. Turn off oven. Take the loaf out and set it directly on the rack of the still warm "off" oven for 30 minutes. This is just to dry out the interior more. Let cool completely. Your loaf is going to look like a scruffy little mess, but just wait. Once cooled it will be like real bread.
- Let it cool somewhat before slicing, but it's okay if it's still a little warm.
Anna says
I can't wait to hear what you think! Psyllium powder might work, I just haven't tried it yet. If you want to try it with the powder it would still be 10-12 grams, but probably half the volume amount.
Katrina says
I'll have to get some of the whole psyllium husks. I only have the powder. But I've got this on the to-make list for this week!