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Baking bread without gluten can be difficult because gluten is necessary for the bread-making process. In addition to combining with yeast to produce a good rise and robust structure, gluten is what enables bread dough to expand without breaking. But there are certain guidelines you can follow to help you make better gluten-free bread, from identifying the best gluten-free bread recipes to understanding which components to use.
Choosing your gluten-free components carefully is the first rule of thumb, of course, because, without this solid base, no gluten-free bread will be the soft, fluffy, and non-sinking loaf that we all want.
Room Temperature Ingredients
Although gluten-free flours are frequently kept in the freezer or refrigerator, room temperature components will yield superior results for your gluten-free bread. Because yeast prefers a warm environment and bread rises more rapidly and thoroughly when components are warm rather than cold, using cooled ingredients will considerably impede the yeast's ability to leaven bread.
Measuring the flour for your recipe and setting it in a dish on the counter the night before baking is a handy technique to quickly thaw chilly flours. Store perishable items, such as milk and eggs, on the counter for approximately one hour before using them in a dish.
Avoid Substitutions
When cooking a gluten-free bread recipe for the first time, especially if it's a new one for you, try to refrain from substituting anything. If the recipe you have chosen requires substitutes, choose a different one.
Measure By Weight Not Volume
Don't bake by volume (cups), but by weight (grams and pounds). The right amounts are what separate success from failure. A functional scale is inexpensive and simple to use.
Just press "tare" after measuring one ingredient on a digital scale. The scale is reset to zero. The following component is prepared in the same basin. Accuracy without difficulty.
Volume measurements are inherently inaccurate and subject to human error. Just pay attention to each ingredient's weight; disregard the volume measurements.
Choose Egg Recipes
Natural leaveners like eggs contribute to the increased volume and rise of bread. Eggs are a great source of protein, flavour, and moisture for gluten-free bread recipes. Your chances of getting a nice colour, greater volume, and softer texture are higher if you choose a gluten-free bread recipe that calls for eggs. Additionally, eggs help gluten-free bread last longer on the shelf than wheat bread, which goes bad faster.
Fill The Pan Properly
Overfilling loaf pans can cause bread to collapse during the rising and baking process, resulting in uneven baking and unusual-looking loaves. For uniformly cooked, gorgeous loaves, make sure to fill loaf pans no more than two-thirds of the way to the top with gluten-free bread dough batter.
Don't Follow Gluten Bread Directions
It is imperative that you deviate from the guidelines when converting wheat-based bread recipes to gluten-free versions. When creating gluten-free bread, defy all the laws of wheat and gluten dough. Beyond merely mixing the dough well, any more kneading or pressing will cause the gluten-free dough to lose its rising energy. The purpose of those actions is to "exercise the gluten" and increase its elasticity.
You don't need to exercise because the recipe doesn't include gluten. Moreover, following these instructions will make your gluten-free recipe fail.
Invest In A Digital Thermometer
If you want to bake bread frequently, you should definitely get one of these invaluable yet reasonably-priced appliances. Your annoyance will be much reduced by using a digital or "instant-read" thermometer, which makes it simple to determine the interior temperature of your bread. It is finished when the interior temperature reaches around 206 F. No more dried-out or gummy loaves.
