Do you have any gluten-free bread recipes that might come close to satisfying the craving?

- Gertrude Wales, Cape Town

A. I hear you. I'm not gluten intolerant but some of the commercial gluten-free loaves I have tasted leave a lot to be desired.

Of the many food allergies, gluten intolerance is one of the most common. Gluten is the protein found in cereal grains, and particularly wheat. It is what gives bread its elastic, almost springy texture. The process of kneading the dough is what develops the gluten.

Not all flours contain gluten and, contrary to popular belief, grains such as rye, barley and oats are not gluten-free. They simply contain much less gluten than wheat. Corn, rice and buckwheat flours are gluten-free.

I have found that baking with gluten-free flour does not give one that same unmistakable aroma of a loaf made with wheat, but of all the different grains available for gluten-free baking, rice flour proved to be the most versatile and accessible.

An unusual ingredient that pops up in gluten-free baking is xanthan gum. In gluten-free baking, the gum can be used in place of gluten as it acts as the "glue".

You will find xanthan gum and a selection of gluten-free flours at health shops and pharmacies.

RICE BREAD

Ingredients:

3 extra-large eggs

600ml milk

125g (1 cup) rice flour

250g (2 cups) mielie meal

15ml (1 tbsp) baking powder

10ml (2 tsp) salt

30ml (2 tbsp) butter, melted

Method:

Beat the eggs well and gradually add the milk, beating continuously. Sieve the rice flour and mielie meal with the baking powder and salt. Add the egg mixture and mix to combine. Mix in the butter. Grease or spray a shallow 2-litre oven-proof dish and pour in the batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Slice and serve hot with butter.

WHITE BREAD

From The Ballymaloe Bread Book by Tim Allen (Pelican)

Ingredients:

250g (2 cups) rice flour

110g mielie meal or very fine polenta

12.5ml (2 tsp) xanthan gum

7.5ml (1 tsp) salt

50g dried milk powder

85ml ( cup) caster sugar

10g (1 sachet) instant yeast

3 extra-large eggs

300ml warm water

5ml (1 tsp) white vinegar

Method:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all the dry ingredients, including the yeast. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, water and vinegar together, then gradually add this to the dry ingredients, mixing very well for 10 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a greased or sprayed 1kg-capacity loaf tin and cover with a cloth. Leave in a warm place until it has risen to just over the level of the pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C for 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and bake on a rack in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes. The bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

POTATO BREAD

Ingredients:

500g gluten-free flour mix (I used Nature's Choice gluten-free high-fibre bread flour)

10g (1 sachet) instant yeast

7.5ml (1 tsp) salt

20ml (4 tsp) xanthan gum

185ml ( cup) instant mashed-potato flakes (Checkers stocks the Idahoan brand)

185ml ( cup) instant milk powder

4 extra-large eggs

45ml (3 tbsp) sunflower oil

60ml ( cup) runny honey

500ml (2 cups) lukewarm water

Method:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour mix, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, potato flakes and milk powder. Mix for a minute to blend well. In a bowl, mix the eggs, oil and honey. With the machine running, add to the flour mix with the lukewarm water. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes then turn up the machine and mix for another 3 minutes.

Divide the dough between 2 greased or sprayed medium-sized bread pans and smooth the top of the loaves with wet hands.

Cover and allow to stand in a warm place for 20 minutes. Turn the oven on to 200°C (do not preheat), place loaves in oven and bake for 30 minutes. If the loaves brown too quickly, cover with foil.

QUICK LOAF

Ingredients:

250g (2 cups) gluten-free self-raising flour (I used Entice self-raising rice flour)

15ml (1 tbsp) baking powder

5ml (1 tsp) salt

3 extra-large eggs

60ml ( cup) butter, melted

250ml (1 cup) plain yoghurt

Method:

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In a jug, mix together the eggs, butter and yoghurt. Add to the flour mixture, stirring to combine.

Pour the dough into a greased or sprayed medium-sized loaf pan, or wet your hands and shape a round loaf on a baking tray lined with grease-proof paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45-50 minutes till cooked through and golden brown.