Monday, Artisan Bakery day

Today was my private lesson in making gluten free bread items - 6 different types. I am coming home with a notebook of recipes - white sandwich bread with sesame top; wheat bread - two styles: one with fennel and fig and the other with apricot and coriander; sourdough bread; soda bread with garbanzo flour and onion - great with cheese - had it for lunch with asparagus soup; bread dough that we made into rolls - braided, pretzel shaped, regular round ... topped with sesame seeds and black poppy seeds. If I lived here, I would take them all home and freeze some but will have a sampling tomorrow and take just some so I can eat bread all week.

All of the recipes were completely done by me by measuring in grams on a scale that I have to get. We used honey, yogurt, milk, butter, molasses, agave syrup and a variety of flours in different configurations and amounts from chestnut flour, to teff, almond, garbanzo etc. I learned about different leavening agents and things that can be used (or should I say, must be used) to give gluten free bread a more springy texture: chia seeds, psyllium and ground flax seeds. I just ate a pretzel shape roll with sesame seeds, it is soft and springy and tasty!! And Penny just knocked on my door with warm chocolate gluten free cake - again, delicious. She has worked on her gluten free technique for about five years and will be sending me a free online gluten free ebook so I will have more baking tips.

 The full spectrum of my gluten free baking day. The rolls are my favorite made with melted butter, eggs, oat flour and a white flour mix - the oat flour gives it a bready flavor. Leavening with yeast and gluten like consistency with psyllium.

The top two are my rolls of the same mixture just with different toppings - black poppy seed and sesame sees. The rest are going traveling with me in zip lock baggies for lunch and dinner.
These loaves have the same basic brown flour recipe but in one is the fig fennel mix and the other is an orange (like the citron in fruitcake) with crushed coriander. Different ingredients could include dried cranberries, nuts, raisins etc.
The sourdough boule - looks pretty with its cross cut into it. Next to it is the white bread loaf.


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