Gluten-Free Bread That Actually Tastes Good: Best Flour Blends

Freshly baked gluten-free bread loaves

Gluten-free bread fails most often on expectations. It will never be a chewy baguette. But it can be a solid sandwich loaf, and that covers most of what bread is for.

Hydration is everything. GF bread dough looks wrong. It should be thick and sticky, closer to cake batter than wheat dough. If you can knead it, it is too dry. Trust the wet dough.

Psyllium husk is the closest thing to a miracle ingredient here. A tablespoon or two gives the crumb structure and chew that xanthan gum alone cannot. Let the dough rise once, in the pan, for about 45 minutes. A second rise usually over-expands and collapses.

Bake until the internal temperature hits 205 to 210F. GF loaves lie about doneness. The crust browns early while the middle stays gummy. A thermometer does not lie. Cool completely before slicing. Cutting early compresses the crumb.

This amaranth loaf slices cleanly for sandwiches: gluten-free amaranth bread.

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