How to Make Gluten Free French Bread

All the rules change when you bake gluten-free bread. Making gluten free French bread is an additional challenge, because working to get that perfect crusty exterior is hard work. When you bake gluten free breads you need to learn a new set of methods, and in this article you will learn how to make gluten free French bread that is as close as you can get to regular French bread.

Things You'll Need

• Rice flour
• Tapioca flour
• Potato starch
• 2 Egg whites
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Honey
• 2.5 tsp. Xanthum gum
• 1 tsp. Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Yeast
• 1.5 c. warm water
• Hand mixer or stand-alone mixer
• French bread pans
• Cooking oil spray
• Butter or butter substitute

Instructions

How to Make Gluten Free French Bread

1. Separate 2 egg whites from the yolks and place in a bowl on the counter approximately 20 minutes before you begin making bread. The egg whites must be room temperature when added to the coming recipe.

2. Mix 2 c. rice flour with 2/3 c. potato starch and 1/3 c. tapioca flour. This is your gluten-free flour mixture.

3. Take 2 c. plus 2 tbsp. of the gluten free flour mixture and place in a bowl.

4. Add xanthum gum, salt and yeast to flour mixture. Mix well.

5. Add honey, vinegar, egg whites, and water.

6. Beat the mixture on medium to high speed for 3 minutes. The egg whites should help to give the mixture a fluffy look. The mixture will not look like traditional bread; do not be alarmed.

7. Spray the French bread pans with cooking oil spray. Spoon the mixture into the French bread pans.

8. Wet a spatula and smooth the tops of the loaves.

9. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F while letting the French bread mixture rise for 10-15 minutes.

10. Place the loaves in the oven and cook at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes.

11. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 additional minutes.

12. Melt a small amount of butter or butter substitute and brush onto the top of the loaves. Turn the oven off but leave the loaves in the oven for an additional 10 minutes as the oven cools.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results, split the loaves after they cool. Place half in zippered bags and leave overnight. Eat the other half fresh. The bread in the zippered bags will have a much lighter consistency the next day.

• Do not overcook at 400 degrees F.