The Best Gluten Free Yeast Bread

This Gluten Free Yeast Bread has a soft, chewy open crumb and an amazing crisp crust. If you want, add seeds for some extra flavour. It's nice as it is but even better toasted. I find this gluten free yeast bread goes better with savoury spreads and toppings.

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar and 180g of warm water.  Set aside for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, salt and seeds (if using) then combine well with a whisk.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the psyllium husk (not powder) and ground flax seeds, then add 350g of water.  Whisk together until a gel will form in about 3-5 min.
4. Add the yeast mixture and apple cider vinegar to the psyllium gel. Mix well.
5. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients. 
6. Mix well with a wooden spoon or hand mixer until all the flour is incorporated.
7. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface (I like to use a big chopping board) and shape it into a smooth ball.
8. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, seam side up, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
9. Once risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead it gently while forming it into a tight ball. Flip it seam side down onto a part of the work surface that isn’t covered in flour and rotate in place to seal the seams.
10. Place the dough with the seams facing upwards into a proofing basket or bowl covered with a tea towel that you’ve dusted with some brown rice flour. Cover with the tea towel and proof in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
11. While the loaf is proofing, preheat the oven to 230ºC with an iron skillet on the middle rack or Dutch oven on the lower middle rack. If you’re using a skillet, place a baking tray on the bottom rack of the oven for water.
12. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out of the proofing basket onto a piece of baking paper and score the top with a pattern of choice about 1 cm deep, using a bread lame or sharp knife. 
13. Take the hot iron skillet or Dutch oven out of the oven and then transfer the bread along with the baking paper into it.
14. If using a skillet, place the skillet in the oven and cover it with an aluminium foil dome, pour hot water into the bottom baking tray and close the oven door.
15. If using a Dutch oven add 3 – 4 ice cubes around the bread (between the baking/greaseproof paper and the walls of the Dutch oven/combo cooker) and close it, then place it into the pre-heated oven.
16. Bake at 230ºC with steam for 20 minutes – don’t open the Dutch oven or the oven doors during this initial period, as that would allow the steam to escape out of the oven.
17. After 20 minutes, remove the aluminium foil or uncover the Dutch oven, reduce the oven temperature to 200 ºC, and bake for a further 40 – 50 minutes in a steam-free environment. 
18. The final loaf should be of a deep golden colour. 
19. Transfer the loaf onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. I recommend at least 6-8h otherwise it will fill too wet. 
20. Storage: The bread keeps well in a closed container or in a paper bag in a cool dry place for 3 – 4 days. You can also slice and freeze it to maintain freshness.