Basic Brown Bread (Gluten-Free)

This bread is one of my favorites to have around for midday snacking, toasting, or using as bread crumbs. It is delicious toasted and topped with vegan mayonnaise, a fresh garden tomato, and a generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Reprinted from Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats by Allyson Kramer (Fair Winds, © 2012), by permission of the author.

Yield: 10 servings

• 1 tablespoon (7 g) active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) sugar
• 1-1/2 cups (355 ml) warm water (110°F; 43°C)
• 1-1/4 cups (150 g) buckwheat flour
• 3/4 cup (97 g) sorghum flour
• 1 cup (130 g) potato starch
• 1/2 cup (60 g) tapioca starch
• 2 teaspoons (4 g) xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

In a large electric mixing bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water and let proof until foamy, about 10 minutes. Lightly grease an 8 × 4-inch (20 × 10 cm) metal loaf pan.

In separate bowl, stir together the buckwheat flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, and sea salt.

Add the olive oil to the yeast and mix well. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute or until the dough becomes sticky.

Spread the dough in the prepared pan. Smooth the top with wet fingertips.

Let it rest in a warm place (the top of an oven preheated to 200°F [95°C] and turned off works well) for about 40 minutes or until the dough has risen a bit.

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C, or gas mark 8).

Transfer the pan to the center rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 385°F (195°C, or gas mark 5) and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer or until golden brown on top and hollow sounding when tapped.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack, and then let cool completely on the rack before cutting with a serrated knife. Store in an airtight container.

• Explore more of VegKitchen’s recipes for  Gluten-Free Vegan Baking. 

Visit Allyson Kramer at Manifest Vegan — a great site featuring lots of gluten-free vegan recipes.