Gluten-Free Crunchy French Bread

Gluten-Free Crunchy French Bread Recipe

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Gluten-Free, Grain-Fre, Nut-Free

With a big, hearty crunch and classic, chewy crumb, this crusty golden loaf of French bread steals the spotlight at every meal. We love the cozy bistro vibes of a classic baguette fanned across a cheeseboard or with a bowl of steaming soup, but this dough can morph into whatever shape strikes your fancy: think sandwich bread or rustic rounded boules. If you’re fancy, dress up your dough before baking with sesame or sunflower seeds, minced garlic, or a sprinkle of snipped rosemary and fleur de sel.   

Ingredients 

• ½ cup warm water (about 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit)
• 2 tablespoons - maple syrup
• 1 package Active Dry yeast or Quick Rise yeast (we recommend Red Star Brand) (1 packet is equivalent to 7 g or 2 ¼ teaspoons)
• 4 eggs - beaten (about 230g out of the shell)
• 1 ⅓ cup (180g) Otto's Naturals - Cassava Flour
• 1⅓ cup (180g) Arrowroot flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter (or sub ghee, palm shortening, duck fat, or lard)

Instructions   

1. If using Quick Rise yeast: add directly to dry flour mixture below. If using Active Dry Yeast: Combine the warm water (about 100-110 degrees) and maple syrup together and then sprinkle yeast on top. Set aside to get frothy. When it has doubled it is ready. Should take about 20 minutes. If it stalls out pop it in your oven set to warm.
2. Sift or stir together Otto's Naturals - Cassava Flour, arrowroot flour and salt. Add slices of butter to the flour mixture and incorporate until crumbs form. We recommend doing this with your hands.
3. Add beaten eggs, water, and maple syrup (or if using Active Dry yeast, add frothy yeast mixture) to flour mixture. Mix just until it all comes together well. You can use a Kitchen Aid, or a wooden spoon and a little elbow grease.
4. Let rest about 5 minutes if you can. It becomes a little easier to work with a few minutes in. Your batter will be sticky either way though. Flour your hands well to handle. When a thin layer of flour coats the outside of your dough it becomes way, way easier to work with. You can then split and place on a well-floured parchment and shape into 2 baguettes. Slit the top 3 times lengthwise once safely in your baguette tin. If you don't have a baguette tin the loaf will spread out during baking and not keep the round baguette shape. It will still be tasty though!
5. Alternately, you can put it right into a greased and floured loaf pan (8x4 works great) for sandwich bread, or shape into a ball with a coating of flour on the outside to make a Boule/Country round loaf or put in mini springform pans for crusty hamburger buns.
6. Remember to grease and flour your pans, whatever shape you choose, and dust with more flour.
7. Allow to rise, covered with a kitchen towel, in a warmish place for 20 minutes if using Quick Rise Yeast. If using Active Dry yeast allow it to rise for 40-45 minutes. Set a timer. Don't let it rise too long otherwise it might fall during baking and/or have too many holes developed internally. (Don't worry though, it'll still taste good!)

Bake in a preheated oven set to 350-400.degrees Fahrenheit (We recommend 350 degrees Fahrenheit for sandwich bread and 400 for crustier baguette loaves.) 20-25 minutes if making baguettes, 30-35 minutes if making into a sandwich loaf) remove from oven when done and immediately take out of pan and allow to cool on a rack. If it stays in the loaf pan while it cools it will lose its nice crust and get soft. If that happens though pop back in the oven directly on oven rack for a few minutes to crust back up.

Prep Time: 25-45 Minutes
Cook Time: 25-35 Minutes
Total Time: 55-80 Minutes