Just Baked A Successful Loaf Of Bread!

[AlysounRI]

Hi Guys:

I finally took the plunge and made a loaf of whole grain bread (with sesame, flax and sunflower seeds) from Annalise Robert's book.

It worked. I was so thrilled. It's dense, yes, but it's also fluffy inside.

I made in my Zojirushi - it's a proper loaf of bread.

I can do this. Yeast and I can actually get along, it's amazing!!

Now that I made this one. I am going to take one of Carol Fenster's bread recipes, the rosemary olive loaf, and make that tomorrow.

She doesn't specify bread machine directions, but now that I have done one in the Zo, I am pretty sure that I can take Fenster's

ingredients and make them work in the Zo.

I didn't think that I could do this and I am really glad that I can.

If anyone would like the recipe, let me know. Cause it's really, really, really yummy

~Allison

[missy'smom]

Whoo Hoo! Good for you. That really is something to celebrate and be proud of! Sounds very good!! Can I have a piece?

[AlysounRI]

Whoo Hoo! Good for you. That really is something to celebrate and be proud of! Sounds very good!! Can I have a piece?

If I could I'd email a slice over to you!!

I want to try two more loaves this weekend and then bring them all into work on Monday as a part of my continued "I can't believe it's not wheat" baking series. Tomorrow is a rosemary olive loaf and greek holiday bread, both from Carol Fenster's book 1000 gluten-free recipies.

She's got gluten-free alternative recipes for Naan and Chapatis, too.

I was never a bread person BUT Indian bread is my absolute favorite and it's one kind of bread that I truly, truly, truly miss.

So I am going to try those soon.

But first I feel I have to conquer the bread machine ...

Asian elephants are part of my personal totem.

I think the Zo (elephant in Japanese) is bringing me good luck

[sa1937]

Congrats, Allison! The bread sounds wonderful as I just love whole grain breads and would love to have the recipe. Do you have the large Zo, which makes a 2-lb. loaf, or the smaller one that makes a 1-lb loaf?

I have yet to make my first loaf of bread so when I do, I hope I'm as successful as you are. Does she also give directions for making it without using a bread machine?

[AlysounRI]

Congrats, Allison! The bread sounds wonderful as I just love whole grain breads and would love to have the recipe. Do you have the large Zo, which makes a 2-lb. loaf, or the smaller one that makes a 1-lb loaf?

I'll type the recipe out below. I have the larger Zo with the rectangular shaped loaf tray. I love this machine.

I have yet to make my first loaf of bread so when I do, I hope I'm as successful as you are. Does she also give directions for making it without using a bread machine?

If I can do it anyone can do it really!!

I'm just not a natural baker.

Everytime that I have done anything with yeast, it comes out really not quite right.

The fact that this one worked is completely down to following Robert's recipe.

But, it worked!!

The Annalise Robert's book is gluten-free baking classics for the bread machine so it's all geared towards the bread machine.

Carol Fenster's 1,000 gluten-free recipes is for non- breadmachine baking.

So, here is the flour mixture that Annalise Robert's uses in this book. This makes 3 cups of flour:

1 cup millet flour,

1/2 cup sorghum,

1/2 cup cornstarch,

1/2 cup potato starch,

1/2 cup tapioca flour

Her recipe is as follows:

wet ingredients:

1 cup plus 3 tbs. milk,

1/4 cup canola oil,

2 large eggs

dry ingredients:

2 and 2/3 cup flour mixture,

1/3 cup teff flour (or amaranth, montina, etc.)

3 tbs sugar,

2 and 1/4 tsp xanthan gum,

3/4 tsp salt,

1 packet active dry yeast granuales (not quick rise)

add ins:

2 tbs sesame seeds,

2 tbs flax seeds,

2 tbs sunflower seeds

Directions:

Whisk the wet ingredients in order in a bowl until the mixture froths.

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl in order until the mixture is well blended.

Add the wet ingredients to the pan.

Then add the dry ingredients to the pan and gently cover all the wet with a spatula.

During the KNEAD cycle, put in the seeds and wipe down the sides of the pan with a spatula.

Set the machine to HOME MADE MEMORY 1

Set crust control to MEDIUM

Press CYCLE button until the arrow points at PREHEAT. Press TIME until 10 minutes appears on the screen. Press CYCLE again to lock.

Press CYCLE until arrow points to KNEAD. Press TIME until 20 minutes appears on the screen. Press CYCLE to lock.

Press CYCLE until arrow points to RISE 1. Press TIME until OFF appears. Press CYCLE to lock.

Press CYCLE until arrow points to RISE 2. Press TIME until OFF appears. Press CYCLE to lock.

Press CYCLE until arrow points to RISE 3. Press TIME until 45 minutes appears. Press CYCLE to lock.

Press CYCLE until arrow points to BAKE. Press TIME until 1:10 appears. Press CYCLE to lock.

Press CYCLE until arrow points to KEEP WARM. Press TIME until OFF appears. Press CYCLE to lock.

Press start.

About two and a half hours later, hopefully, a really nice loaf of bread will come out.

If you have the little Zo then I imagine the one pound loaf, because gluten-free bread doesn't rise that much, will be okay?

So hopefully you would be able to make this work. I love the teff flour. I wonder if buckwheat would make it nuttier?

~Allison

[sa1937]

Thanks for the recipe, Allison! I'm starved right now!!!

Unfortunately I don't have either Zo...I've been debating whether it's worth buying one or a KitchenAid stand mixer. I really don't have counter space to spare for either one.

[AlysounRI]

Thanks for the recipe, Allison! I'm starved right now!!!

If I could email you a slice I would

Unfortunately I don't have either Zo...I've been debating whether it's worth buying one or a KitchenAid stand mixer. I really don't have counter space to spare for either one.

If it's one or the other, I'd say get a bread machine.

I gave away my old bread machine - I was never going to get it uncontaminated!!

It went to a good home.

And they use practically every day.

The big Zo I bought because of the fact that it had a rectangular pan and two beaters.

And the fact that it got excellent reviews.

When I used to bake regular bread, I hated the shape of the loaf.

I have a kind of kitchen nook. One tiny amount of counter space but I keep the bread machine in a baker's rack in the other part of the kitchen.

And it seems to be okay there. I don' have room for a toaster. Just my little toaster oven and a rice cooker. And a knife rack in the corner.

I make it work, you have to when you live in an old house, you know.

Well, time to put away some groceries and make another loaf of bread.

Hopefully this one turns out just as good, crossing all paws.

~Allison

[sa1937]

Allison, too bad email has limitations!!!

You have me almost convinced to buy a Zo (the big one). I should watch the prices as they usually promote this sort of thing for Mother's Day (NOT that I would ever get something like that...lol) The Zo certainly has received good reviews on Axxxxn.

I also browsed through Annalise Robert's book...looks very interesting and is not expensive.

Be sure to let us know how the rosemary olive loaf and greek holiday breads turn out. Both sound very good.