Tackle it Tuesday - Gluten-free Brown Bread

I spent Sunday night baking - our house gets too hot in the summer to use the oven too much during the day. I have searched high and low for a good gluten-free bread recipe and I think I've finally found one that I like. This is actually three recipes (one of them from my gluten filled cookbook) put together. The result is a gluten-free bread that is reminiscent of my grandma's brown bread. It has a good texture, tastes sweet (due to the molasses) and looks like normal bread. I want to share my recipe with you.

Gluten-Free Brown Bread

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup white rice flour

3/4 cup sorghum flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup potato starch

3 Tablespoons ground flax

1/2 cup skim dry milk powder
1/4 cup whole rolled oats (make sure gluten-free)

3 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 teaspoons white sugar

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees or close), divided

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

Mix together yeast, 2 tsp. white sugar, molasses, and 1/4 cup warm water. Set this mixture aside to proof. It's ready when it's really bubbly and frothy. In a large mixing bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix together the remaining 1 1/4 cup warm water, eggs and margarine (or butter). Add the yeast mixture to this liquid mixture. Then add the liquid mix to the dry mix while beating on low speed. When mixed so it won't splatter, beat on medium speed using a flat paddle if you have one. Otherwise, use a regular beater in a pinch. Mix for 5-8 minutes. The dough will resemble a brownie or thick cake batter. 

Pour dough into a greased loaf pan. Lightly oil a sheet of plastic wrap and put over the top of the dough and let the dough rise on the top of your stove while the oven warms to 350 degrees F. It should rise for 50 minutes or so. Place in warmed oven and bake 45 to 50 minutes. Crust will be brown and a thermometer placed in the loaf will read about 190 degrees.

Cool bread before cutting. Store in freezer after 2 days. Warm frozen bread in microwave for 10 seconds.