How To Go Gluten Free!

Gluten Free Bagels

Have you tried store-bought gluten-free bagels?  Hard, un-tasty, and unappealing are just a few adjectives that come to mind.  In my pre-gluten-free days I never did much baking of bread and rolls so I don’t venture as quickly into that area.  Well I am here to tell you that there ARE gluten-free bagels that you can make at home that aren’t difficult and they are quite yummy!

This recipe comes from the October/November 2009 volume of “Living Without” a magazine for people with food sensitivities, especially gluten, dairy, and eggs.  My wonderful sister, Elaine, gave me a subscription for Christmas this past year and every recipe I have tried from the magazine has turned out well and this one was no exception.

Make sure you have a substantial mixer to use that is designed to create bread and you will also want parchment paper (you can find this in higher-end grocery stores or specialty baking stores).

The gluten-free multi-grain flour blend (makes 9 cups) contains:

• 1 and 1/4 cups garfava flour (I think this is a blend of garbanzo and fava bean flours)
• 1 and 3/4 cups superfine brown rice flour (can use food processor on regular brown rice flour if you can’t find superfine)
• 2 cups potato starch (or arrowroot flour or chestnut flour)
• 2 cups cornstarch or potato starch
• 1 cup tapioca starch/flour
• 1 cup sorghum flour or armaranth flour

Blend ingredients together and store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge until used.

“Best Bagels” by Rebecca Reilly (Living Without, Oct/Nov ‘09)

• 3 cups gluten-free multi grain flour blend (recipe given above)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons flax meal
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer
• 1 Tablespoon xanthan gum
• 1 Tablespoon yeast
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 and 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• brown rice flour for rolling bagels
• cornmeal for dusting pan
• optional toppings of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, etc
• optional egg white for brushing on the bagels before placing toppings on them

1. Line baking pan/cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal.
2. Line second baking pan/cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with (extra) brown rice flour.
3. Whisk together (in mixing bowl) multi-grain flour blend, salt, flax meal, egg replacer, xanthan gum, and yeast.
4. Using a separate bowl, whisk together honey, oil, cider vinegar, and 1 and 1/4 cups warm water.
5. Using the paddle attachment of the mixer, slowly incorporate the liquid mixture into dry ingredients.  Add more warm water, if necessary to create a smooth consistency.  Mixture should be quite thick.
6. Beat on medium-high speed for three (3) minutes.
7. Shape the bagels by using a large spoon to scoop out the batter and place on cookie sheet lined with rice flour.  Lightly roll dough in the flour to coat it and then shape into a ball.  Flatten the ball slightly and then create a hole in the center (using your index finger) that will be large enough that the hole won’t close up while raising.  (Smaller than my thumb, about the size of my middle finger.)
8. Repeat shaping (step 7) until all dough has been used.
9. Place each bagel on the baking pan sprinkled with cornmeal.
10. Lightly cover bagels with an oiled piece of plactic wrap and place pan in a warm place for bagels to rise (about 20-30 minutes).
11. Bring a skillet (I’m not sure why she says skillet, it must be that this is supposed to be a more shallow pan of water) of water to boil.  Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to the water (the sugar helps to create a shiny crust).
12. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
13. Drop a few bagels into the boiling water.  Simmer for 30 seconds, turn over and cook for another 30 seconds.
14. Using a slotted spoon, remove bagels, drain away excess water, and put bagels back on the same baking pan.
15. Optional: brush them with a wash of 1 egg white and 2 Tablespoons cold water beaten together then sprinkle with your choice of toppings (examples: poppy, sesame or caraway seeds, toasted onion, raw garlic bits, salt, etc).
16. Once all bagels have been boiled, bake them for 25 minutes in preheated oven then cool on a rack.

The recipe makes eight (8) bagels with nutritional content of (not counting toppings): 262 calories, 5 gr total fat (0 saturated, cholesterol or trans fats), 303 mg sodium, 51 g carbohydrate, 2 gr fiber, 4 gr protein. 

I wasn’t sure how to find a warm place for the bagels to raise and my mom suggested a pan of hot water in the oven on the bottom shelf with the tray of bagels on the top shelf.  That worked out very well.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of the recipe and the tasty results.  Plan a few hours to make them but remember you will have 20 – 30 minutes of rising time and another 25 minutes of baking time.  Enjoy the results (and they do freeze well too).

November 09 2009 08:52 am | Breads and Rolls and gluten substitutes and wheat alternatives

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

Security Code: