My favourite gluten-free yeast bread to bother with, this recipe is adapted from Bette Hagman's pumpernickel recipe, which makes either three mini-loaves or one sandwich loaf and a few spare muffin-shaped loaves and therefore makes me crazy.
I've adapted amounts to make two reasonable-sized and reasonable-shaped loaves in two 5x9" loaf pans. I've also used a different mix of flours with a bit more whole grain.
Eat one loaf and freeze the other for sandwiches. Cream cheese topped with cold-smoked salmon or gravlax is wonderful on this bread.
2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup amaranth flour
1 cup potato starch flour
3/4 cup skim milk powder (powdered soy milk works fine)
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4 tsp xanthan gum
4 tsp caraway seeds
2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
2 tbsp dry yeast
2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cups additional warm water
4 tbsp molasses
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp canola oil
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Grease two 5x9" loaf pans. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flours and starches, powdered milk, fleaxseed meal, first measure of sugar, cocoa powder, xanthan gum, caraway seeds, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
In a separate, small bowl, dissolve second measure of sugar in the first measure of warm water. Sprinkle with yeast. Set aside and keep skin-temperature warm until the mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the second measure of warm water, molasses, vinegar, oil, and eggs until well blended.
Using an electric mixer, beat water and egg mixture into dry ingredients until well blended. Beat in yeast water mixture and keep mixing for two to three minutes.
Scrape batter, evenly divided, into prepared loaf pans. Smooth the top. Place a greased piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of each loaf. Cover loaves with a towel and set aside somewhere warm and draft-free until the loaves reach the top of the pans.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Bang the loaf pans lightly on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Bake loaves for approximately 1 hour. (If the tops of the loaves begin to darken excessively, cover lightly with foil.)
