Pretty Good Sandwich Loaf

Fresh from the Chef Silly Test Kitchen; a “Pretty Good Sandwich Loaf.” This is the grill-cheese-able loaf that Erin requested. It is loosely based on my Italian Daily Bread which is loosely based on a couple of other recipes.

It is richer than the Italian Daily Bread, but goes together just as quickly. If you are organized, you can have it out of the oven in about an hour. It doesn’t crumble, although  it is not fully “bendable”- I am not willing to suffer through a hearty amount of xanthan gum to attain that quality. I added the cardamom to give it a little of that “something” that   sometimes is missing in gluten-free bread- you don’t want to have it stand out.

I baked this in a wide bottomed, glass loaf pan. It would rise a slightly higher in a narrow metal pan. The texture is good either way. I wrapped it tightly in film wrap, and kept it in the fridge. It was tasty with butter the first day, and toasted off beautifully for several days after that.

Pretty Good Gluten-Free Sandwich Loaf

Yield: Two Standard Loaves

 

Yeast, active dry - 2 Tablespoons

Sugar- 1 Teaspoons

Milk; 2%- 1 1/4 cups (about 110*F)

Honey 2 Tablespoons

Eggs, large- 2 each (room temperature)

Potato Starch- 1 1/2 cup

Chebe Flour Blend 1 1/2 cup (you may sub other xanthan-free gf blend of your choice)

Xanthan Gum- 1/2 Teaspoon

Guar Gum- 1/2 Teaspoon

Baking Powder (GF)- 1/2 Teaspoon

Salt- 1 1/2 Teaspoon

Butter (soft)- 1/3 cup

Cardamom- 1/8  Teaspoon

Cider Vinegar- 2 Teaspoon

Butter, melted- to brush on top, optional

This bread goes into a cold oven: no need to pre-heat. Spray the bottom of your loaf pans with a flourless pan-spray, avoiding the sides to give your bread more “traction”.

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm milk; set aside. Sift the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle; add the eggs, butter and cardamom and turn the mixer on low. Add the milk/ yeast mixture and mix on medium until ingredients are barely combined. 

Add the vinegar. Turn the mixer up to a medium speed and mix for about a minute, stopping once to scrape the bottom of the bowl.

Using a rubber spatula continually dipped in water, scrape the dough equally into the the two loaf pans. With the wet rubber spatula, or with a wet, small metal icing spatula, shape the top of the loaves with a slight mound on top, and put a shallow slit lengthwise in the top to give it that “butter top” look. You may brush with additional melted butter, if you wish.

Put immediately into the oven. Turn the oven on and bake at 425*F for 30-40 minutes until the center of the loaf reads 205*F on an instant read thermometer. Remove from pan and cool a bit before slicing.