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Sunday, June 12, 2011

Snickerdoodle Bread, Gluten Free



Since I have been craving this bread based on Barbara's image on Tastespotting for a long time, it was time to whip it up. The recipe makes two whole loaves and rather than eat them all myself, I wanted to share at work. And because one of my coworkers is a celiac (as in can't eat gluten), I decided to make a gluten-free batch. Having never made any gluten-free bread before, it was going to be interesting to see how it turned out as I simply swapped out gluten-free flour for regular and added the recommended amount of xanthan gum.

Snickerdoodle Bread, Gluten Free
1 7/8 tsp Bob's Red Mill xanthan gum
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 c sour cream
10-oz Hershey's cinnamon chips
2 tbsp flour
Topping:
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preaheat oven to 350°F.

Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, xanthan gum and baking powder in a medium bowl.


In a large bowl, cream butter and 2 c sugar, salt and cinnamon until fluffy, about two minutes.


Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.


Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until combined.


Add flour mixture stirring until just combined.


Coat the cinnamon chips with 2 tbsp flour


and stir into batter.


Spoon batter into two greased 8.5x4.5 loaf pans.


Combine 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of batter in the pans.


Bake at 350ยบ for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a crack in the center of the loaf comes clean. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before removing from pan.



The gluten-free batter was certainly different than what I'd expected as I'd thought it would mix up very similar to how regular flour combines. When stirring the flour mixture into the batter, it was surprisingly pasty in consistency. After transferring the batter into the baking dishes, topping them off with the cinnamon sugar and popping them in the oven, I licked the spatula to get a hint at what the bread would taste like. I image I know now what drywall plaster must taste like.

When the bread was done I wasn't sure if the less-than-anticipated rise was because of the recipe or because of the lack of gluten. I turned the loaves out onto the cooling rack and saw how dark the bottom crust was -- as in somewhat blackened along the edges. While the bread smelled good coming out of the oven, the too-done smell was prevalent once the loaves were turned out. I think my choice of greasing the pans with olive oil was a mistake and butter would've been a much better choice.

I didn't do a taste test until the following day at work and was relieved that while the loaves were a little squat and somewhat burned on the bottom, they actually tasted good! I and my coworkers agreed that had we not know it was gluten-free, we would not have suspected anything unusual about the bread ingredients.

Cost:
  • gluten-free flour: $1.94
  • xanthan gum: $0.30
  • butter: $1.15
  • sugar: $0.50, SWAG
  • eggs: $0.75
  • sour cream: $1.99
  • cinnamon chips: $3.99
Total: $10.62 or $5.31 per loaf.

Click for the printable


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