Gluten Free Focaccia Bread Recipe and Bread Mix Flour Blend from Cybele Pascal’s The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook

The Allergen Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal is an excellent cookbook for any person on a gluten free or allergy free diet. The cookbook contains all sorts of recipes from cookies, muffins, cakes, pies (and more) to yeasted baked breads.

In this cookbook Cybele Pascal has created two flour blends—one for her sweet baked goods, and one for her yeasted or savory baked goods. Her flour blend for her bread recipes is so excellent I use it for many of my own recipes that I want to share with you, my readers.

So, I reached out to Cybele and her publisher and have been granted permission to share her “Gluten Free Bread Flour Mix” recipe so you know what to use when I post my own recipes using this blend. In addition to this flour mix recipe, Ten Speed Press has granted me permission to also share Cybele’s recipe for her Focaccia bread.

The above picture is of the Focaccia bread whole and the picture below is the Focaccia bread sliced. I always write notes in my cookbooks and by this recipe I wrote, “beyond delicious and easy!”

So without further ado…..in this body of this post you will find the Focaccia bread recipe and in the recipe box you will find the Gluten Free Bread Flour Mix. You can buy The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal here. (I’m not an affiliate).

Reprinted with permission from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal (Celestial Arts, Copyright, 2009)

Focaccia

makes 1 square 9-inch bread

This rustic flat bread is great served with white bean dip or dunked in red sauce. It’s also wonderful dipped in olive oil. Be sure to serve it warm.

11/2 cups warm water (110° to 115°F)

1 teaspoon agave nectar or granulated sugar

1 (1/4-ounce) packet rapid-rise yeast

31/2 cups Gluten-Free Bread Flour Mix

1 tablespoon xanthan gum

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil

11/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

11/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1. Combine the water, agave nectar, and yeast in a large bowl. Mix well. Make sure the yeast is completely dissolved.

2. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, and salt.

3. Add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture in two batches and mix well for about 1 minute, or until the dough is coming together.

4. Spray a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with baking spray or grease with vegetable shortening and dust with cornmeal, tapping out any extra.

5. Transfer the dough to the pan, using a rubber spatula. Use a frosting spatula to smooth down the surface and coax the dough into the corners of the pan. Cover with a folded dish towel or cloth napkin. Place the pan in a dishpan and pour hot water to come two-thirds up the sides (or just fill your kitchen sink basin). It may float, but don’t worry, that’s fine. Be sure to fold your cloth so it’s not dragging in the water. Let the bread rise for 1 hour. I generally replace the hot water with new hot water after the first 30 minutes. Check it periodically to make sure it’s still quite warm.

6. After the dough has risen for 1 hour, use your fingers to gently make dimples all over the top of the bread. Return the bread to its warm bath to continue rising while you preheat the oven.

7. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Once it’s heated, pour the olive oil over the top of the bread, brushing lightly with a pastry brush to distribute it evenly. Sprinkle the top with the coarse sea salt and rosemary. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until golden on top. Transfer to a cooling rack, turn out of the pan, and let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Also shared at Gluten Free Wednesday.

Gluten Free Bread Flour Mix by Cybele Pascal

From: Reprinted with permission from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal (Celestial Arts, copyright 2009)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups millet flour
• 1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
• 2 cups tapioca starch
• 1 cup potato starch

Directions:

1. To measure flour, use a large spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level it off.  Do not scoop the flour with the measuring cup.
2. Combine all the ingredients in a large zipper top bag and shake until well blended.
3. Store in refrigerator.