Easy Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread
Soft, fluffy, and tender gluten free sandwich bread with a crisp crust, made from a nutritious blend of gluten-free flours and psyllium husk.Easy to prepare with minimal shaping, ideal for sandwiches and toasting.
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- 1 9x5-inch loaf pan
- 1 bread lame or sharp knife
- 1 Wire cooling rack
- 1 baking steel, baking stone, or heavy-duty baking sheet
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Dough:
- 20 g 4 tablespoons whole psyllium husk (or 17 g if using powdered psyllium husk)
- 280 g 1 cup + 2½ tablespoons lukewarm water
- 230 g 2 cups tapioca starch (or substitute with equal weight cornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot)
- 135 g 1 cup millet flour (or finely ground brown rice flour)
- 60 g ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons sorghum flour (alternatively light buckwheat, white teff, or oat flour if tolerated)
- 50 g ¼ cup granulated sugar (caster or superfine sugar also works)
- 8 g 2½ teaspoons instant yeast (or 10 g active dry yeast)
- 8 g 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 7 g 2¾ teaspoons xanthan gum
- 12 g 2 teaspoons salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 120 g ½ cup lukewarm whole milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 25 g 2 tablespoons neutral oil (sunflower or vegetable oil recommended)
For Brushing:
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
Instructions
- Prepare the Psyllium Gel: In a medium bowl, combine the psyllium husk with the lukewarm water. Stir thoroughly for about 30 to 45 seconds until it thickens into a gel-like consistency. This gel will help provide structure and moisture retention to your gluten-free bread.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt until well combined. If you’re using active dry yeast, dissolve it first in the lukewarm milk with a tablespoon of sugar and allow it to froth for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the dry ingredients.
- Combine Wet Ingredients with Psyllium Gel: Add the milk, eggs, and oil into the psyllium gel mixture. Stir or whisk well until fully combined and smooth.
- Form the Dough: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet psyllium mixture. Using the dough hook on your stand mixer, knead on medium speed for about 4 to 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and uniformly combined. If mixing by hand, knead for 6 to 8 minutes, scraping the sides occasionally to incorporate any remaining flour. The dough will be soft and sticky—this is expected.
- Chill Dough if Needed: If handling the dough feels too sticky, cover and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour. This will make it easier to work with during shaping.
- Shape the Dough: Generously flour your work surface and hands with millet or similar flour. Turn the dough out and dust the top with more flour. Gently knead just enough to form a smooth ball. Then, use the palms of your hands to flatten and elongate the dough into an oval log shape that fits snugly into your 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- Transfer and Score: Place the shaped dough into the ungreased loaf pan. Using a sharp bread lame or knife, score the top with three diagonal slashes. This helps the bread expand evenly as it rises and bakes.
- Proof the Dough: Cover the loaf pan lightly with plastic wrap to keep the dough moist.Allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.For colder kitchens, place a cup of boiling water in the oven (turned off) to create a warm proofing environment.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare to Bake: About 45 minutes into proofing, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a baking steel, stone, or heavy baking sheet on the lowest rack to heat thoroughly.
- Brush and Bake: Once the dough has doubled, gently brush the loaf’s surface with the beaten egg white to promote a golden crust. Place the loaf pan directly on the preheated steel or stone and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until the crust is a deep golden brown and the bread weighs approximately 960 to 970 grams, indicating sufficient moisture loss.
- Optional Extra Crisp Crust: If the crust isn’t as crisp as desired on the bottom or sides, remove the bread from the pan and bake directly on a baking sheet for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the bread to a wire rack immediately after baking to cool fully. Wait until lukewarm or room temperature before slicing for best texture.
Notes
- Flour Substitutions: The flours listed offer a balanced texture and flavor, but you can swap millet with brown rice flour and sorghum with buckwheat or teff if preferred. Oat flour is an option only if you are not sensitive to oats.
- Yeast Tips: Instant yeast is convenient and can be added directly with dry ingredients. If using active dry yeast, activate it first with warm milk and sugar to ensure a good rise.
- Handling Sticky Dough: Gluten-free doughs tend to be sticky; avoid adding extra flour as it can dry out the bread. Use plenty of flour on your hands and surface instead. Chilling the dough can help with easier shaping.
- Proofing Environment: Maintaining warmth and humidity during proofing is key for good rise. Using the oven with a cup of hot water works well in cool kitchens.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. This bread stays soft and toasts beautifully.
