gluten-free-buckwheat-loaf-recipe

http://www.thebreadkitchen.com/recipes/gluten-free-buckwheat-loaf-recipe/

Make your own buckwheat bread (gluten-free)

Make your own buckwheat bread (gluten-free)

http://www.asiteaboutnothing.net/f_buckwheat-bread.html

In case you couldn't tell by my page about kasha, I love buckwheat! On this page, I share the recipe I use to bake buckwheat bread in the oven. It's dead simple. It makes a loaf that's about three pounds (1.4 kgs). In the temperate climate of the South Island of New Zealand, the loaf keeps for about a week.

This bread is really dense, so you can cut very thin slices. It's wonderful with salty foods, such as Pecorino (an Italian sheep's cheese). It's also wonderful with sweet foods, such as fig jam. That makes sense, because the buckwheat crepes of Brittany also go well with either savory or sweet toppings.

A Gluten-Free Bread
Buckwheat is gluten-free. So are oats, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame, baker's yeast, raw sugar, sea salt and water. This makes this buckwheat bread gluten-free.

Ingredients for your Buckwheat Bread

The ingredients are listed in the order they are used.

½ teaspoon baker's yeast
2 heaped teaspoons raw sugar
1 cup lukewarm water

3½ cups buckwheat flour (preferably organic)
1 cup oats (quick oats, large oats or a mixture of both)

1¼ cups seeds: ¾ cup sunflower, ¼ cup flax, ¼ cup sesame
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1¾ cup water

Gear you will need

A measuring cup (or two)
Measuring spoons (optional but recommended for precise, repplicable dosage)
A wooden spatula
A silicone spatula
A large bowl to mix the ingredients
A large bread pan
Baking paper (you can reuse it for three or four bakes)
A knife
A wire rack

First Phase: Making your Buckwheat Bread Dough

In the bowl, using the wooden spatula, mix the yeast, sugar and lukewarm water. Add all the other ingredients (don't bother mixing after adding each ingredient), then mix everything using the wooden spatula. The mixture should feel more sticky than wet. If for some reason the mixture is too dry (which can happen depending on the origin of the ingredients), add water, only a little at a time. Using the silicone spatula, scrape the dough that's trying to escape up the sides of the bowl back down with the rest of the dough.

Drape a towel over the bowl, put the bowl in a warm space (perhaps on a shelf near your hot water heater), and let the dough rise for six to eight hours. That's the official resting time, but I've baked this bread after five hours, and also after letting it sit overnight for over twelve hours. It was fine.

Second Phase: Baking your Buckwheat Bread

Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line the bread pan with baking paper. With the spatula, "punch down" the dough to release gases. Scoop it all up into the pan, using the silicone spatula to get the last shreds out. With the wooden spatula, press the dough evenly into the tin, especially into the corners. Using the knife, flatten the surface and shape the bread until it pleases you. You can make some plunge cuts in the dough (halfway down into the pan) to decorate the bread and force it to break in chosen places. Bake on 190°C (375°F) for one hour and five minutes. Every oven is different, so one hour might be enough for you. To be sure the bake is complete, dip a knife in the bread. If it comes up wet, continue to bake a little while longer. (A small smudge of dough is fine.)

 

Remove the bread from the baking pan and let it cool on the wire rack. For a finishing touch, you may want to sprinkle a little flour on the bread.

Let me know how you like it! And please share your variations (there's a form below).

If you've enjoyed this recipe, you might love the book linked in the left column. It's about clean food and full of addictive recipes that are easy to cook. And between the recipes, it's a travel book with a great story.

Herb and walnut rolls

These herby rolls are brilliant with cheese. You could add a little mustard powder to give them extra bite.

Ingredients

• 300g/10½oz brown bread flour
• 200g/7oz spelt flour
• 50g/1¾oz rye flour
• 50g/1¾oz white bread flour
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 sachets dried fast-acting yeast
• about 500ml/18fl oz warm water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 200g/7oz walnuts, roughly chopped

For the glaze

• small handful chopped fresh herbs (such as flatleaf parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme)
• 1 free-range egg
• 1 tbsp water

Preparation method

1. Mix the flours with the salt in a large bowl then add the herbs and the yeast and make a well in the centre. Mix together the water, sugar and oil, pour into the flour then mix until ingredients come together to form a dough – you may need to add a little more water.
   
2. Turn the dough onto a floured board, knead for 10 minutes then place in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
   
   Technique: How to knead bread dough
   Watch technique 1:58 mins
3. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Knead the walnuts into the dough. Divide the dough onto eight portions, shape into rolls and place onto a greased baking sheet.
   
4. For the glaze, blanch the herbs in boiling water for a few seconds then refresh in iced water. Mix together the egg and water. Brush the rolls with the egg mixture, arrange the herbs on top and brush with the glaze again. Bake in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes or until the bottoms of the rolls sound hollow when tapped.
   

Chocolate and chilli buns

Chocolate and chilli make a surprisingly good match in these quirky buns. Try spreading them with unsalted butter.

Ingredients

For the roux

• 2 tbsp strong white bread flour
• 150ml/5fl oz water

For the dough

• 275g/9¾oz strong white bread flour
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• 70g/2½oz cocoa powder
• 5 tsp chilli powder
• 55g/2oz caster sugar
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 sachet instant dried yeast
• 3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 40g/1½oz butter, softened
• 1 large fresh red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
• about 225ml/8fl oz lukewarm water
• 200g/7oz good quality chocolate chips

For the glaze

• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 large fresh red chillies, seeds removed and sliced

Preparation method

1. To make the roux, mix the flour and water in a small saucepan. Cook over a low to medium heat until it starts to thicken, then continue to cook for one more minute, then remove from the heat. Cover the paste with cling film and leave until it has cooled to room temperature.
   
2. To make the dough, sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast then add the beaten eggs, softened butter, chopped chilli and the roux mixture. Gradually add enough lukewarm water to form a soft dough then turn it out onto a floured board and knead for 10 minutes.
   
   Technique: How to knead bread dough
   Watch technique 1:58 mins
3. Form the dough into a ball, place it in an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Set it aside to rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.
   
4. Turn the dough onto a floured board, knock it back then knead in the chocolate chips and divide into 12 portions. Form the dough into balls, place on a greased baking sheet and set aside to rise for 20 minutes.
   
5. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. To glaze the buns, mix the egg with the water, brush onto the buns and scatter over the sliced chillies. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes.
   

Required techniques