Easy Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

Step 1

I recommend making the dough using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, as it'll be very soft and sticky.

Step 2

Make the psyllium gel: In a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.

Step 3

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (if using), whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix it together with the lukewarm milk and a tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the wet ingredients.

Step 4

Add the milk, eggs and oil to the psyllium gel, and mix well to combine.

Step 5

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel-egg mixture.

Step 6

Knead the dough until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 4-5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 6-8 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour.Tip: This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to beautiful gluten free sandwich bread.

Step 7

The final dough will be VERY soft and sticky – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a generously floured surface (and with floured hands) so it shouldn’t be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the final bread too dense and dry.Tip: If you find the dough too sticky to easily handle (even on a floured surface and with floured hands), you can chill it in the fridge for about 1 hour before proceeding to the next step. This will make the dough slightly less sticky and therefore easier to handle.

Step 8

When it comes to shaping this gluten free sandwich bread, it’s important that you work on a quite generously floured surface and with floured hands.

Step 9

Turn out the dough onto a generously floured surface, and dust the top of the dough with flour as well. Give it a gentle knead (with floured hands) and shape it into a smooth ball.

Step 10

Use the palms of your hands to gently press the dough into a log shape that fits snugly into the loaf pan. (You basically need to carefully squish it into an oval/log shape, see blog post for photos.)

Step 11

Carefully transfer the shaped bread into a 9x5-inch (23x13cm) loaf pan. You don’t need to grease or butter the loaf pan.

Step 12

Use a bread lame or a sharp knife to score the bread with 3 diagonal slashes. (See blog post for photos.)Tip: Scoring the bread before proofing ensures that it rises evenly without any tearing or cracking, and it’ll give you a smooth top crust.

Step 13

Lightly cover the loaf pan with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film (to prevent the bread from drying out) and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Tip: If your kitchen is on the cold side, put a cup of boiling hot water into your (turned-off) oven – that will create the perfect warm, slightly humid proofing environment.

Step 14

After your bread has been proofing for about 45 minutes, start preheating your oven. Place a baking steel, baking stone or heavy-duty baking sheet on the bottom (lowest) oven rack and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Step 15

Once the sandwich bread has doubled in size, brush it gently with the whisked egg white.

Step 16

Place the loaf pan directly onto the preheated baking steel (or baking stone or heavy-duty baking sheet) and bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until the bread is deep golden brown on top, the bottom and side crust is crisp, and the bread weighs about 960-970g (this shows that it’s lost enough moisture during baking).If the top of your loaf starts browning too much, you can cover it with a sheet of aluminium foil (shiny side up) and continue baking until done.

Step 17

Optional extra step: If your bread doesn't have a very crisp crust on the bottom and sides when you remove it out of the loaf pan (or if you like an extra crisp crust on your bread), you can place the sandwich bread onto a baking sheet (without the loaf pan) and return it to the oven for a further 5-10 minutes. This will crisp up the crust even further.

Step 18

Immediately out of the oven, transfer the sandwich bread onto a wire rack to cool (don't leave it in the loaf pan). Cool it completely to room temperature (or at least until lukewarm) before you slice into it.

Step 19

This gluten free sandwich bread keeps very well in a closed container in a cool, dry place (or at room temperature) for 3-4 days. It'll stay beautifully soft for days, and you don't even need to reheat it before serving – although it toasts beautifully as well, either in a toaster or on the stovetop with a bit of butter.