Alison Rose Munn
I love food. I love to eat it, I love to cook it, I love to share it. And I have a gluten allergy. I went gluten free six years ago and my world turned upside down. What could I eat? What could I cook? Would anything be any good? After having been sick for over fifteen years I was willing to try anything. I had no idea what to eat for that first month and was either hungry or dining on bland food. But I felt better and my friends said I seemed healthier, happier. So I decided to make a lifestyle change to cut gluten out of my diet. At the same time I decided this was not going take the joy of food out of my life. There are so many difficult, frustrating adjustments to make and things to learn – meal substitutions, baking substitutions, what to do when eating out, how to handle dinner parties, how to eat well while traveling, where is gluten hiding, and more. Being gluten free can be hard… And I want to make it delicious.
Bread has been one of my greatest frustrations. Store bought sandwich ead is getting better but there is nothing like a freshly baked loaf of ead – that is hard to find. So is a good recipe for homemade. Recently I held a dinner party – an olive oil & vinegar tasting – that needed a good loaf of ead. Nothing that was too dense, too crumbly, or that tasted too much like its substitute flours. And I found one in Fine Cooking’s Gluten-Free 2014. Below is the recipe with my adjustments.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups GF all purpose flour (I like Bob's Red Mill)
- 2 tablespoons dry milk powder
- 1 tablespoon quick rising active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 4 ½ x 8 ½ inch loaf pan
- extra butter to grease
Directions
1. In a large bowl combine milk powder, yeast, xanthan gum, and 1 cup flour.
2. In a small saucepan combine milk, sugar, butter, and salt over medium-low heat. (DO NOT over measure the salt – xanthan gum has a salty taste!) Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and butter melted. Add to the flour mixture. Add eggs.
3. Beat for 2 ½ minutes. I do this by hand – if using an electric mixer use the lowest speed for 30 seconds, the next highest for 2 minutes. Gradually add remaining flour, beat for 2 minutes. Dough will be sticky.
4. Spoon dough into a greased pan. Smooth the top. Cover, rise in a warm place for 40-50 minutes. Heat oven to 375º.
6. Bake for approximately 50 to 60 minutes, until a knife stuck in the center comes out clean. I recommend covering the ead with foil 10-20 minutes in to prevent the top crust from burning. Remove from pan immediately and cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
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Alison Rose Munn is a singer/actor, an avid traveler, and a big time foodie. She loves to explore and to taste new foods. There isn't a food she is not willing to try - as long as she is not allergic to it. Six years ago Alison was diagnosed with a gluten allergy and has since made it her mission to live life to its yummiest. “Being gluten free can be hard… And I want to make it delicious."
