French Bread- gluten-free, top 9 allergen free

This french bread recipe is a long time in coming, thanks for your patience. A good gluten free and vegan crusty loaf of bread is what we hear people miss the most with food restrictions.  Hands down, people want GOOD bread! We hear you, we feel the same way! Store bought options are slim and not very good.  Let’s be honest, who wants a crusty loaf of bread that has been sitting on a shelf for months or longer?! We know that an option is better than no option. FRESH crusty bread is far superior, we promise! It really is so easy to make that you will never have to miss out on fresh crusty bread again! The best part is that you can prepare the dough ahead of time so you can have bread anytime you want it. You will want this bread on repeat, on tap, whatever you want to call it.  Just have it often, ok? 

We have been making this french bread for over a decade. It is so loved by our family that it is gone in a flash no matter if we make it for a meal or to use for snacking. It is the most glorious loaf of bread. It’s the perfect crusty bread with a soft and tender crumb in the middle.  Who knew that gluten free and vegan french bread could be oh so amazing?! It’s hilarious, every time we make this bread, the family acts like they haven’t ever had it before and are mesmerized by how amazing it is. LOL! We use this bread for sandwiches, french dip, dipping in oil and vinegar, meatball sandwiches, and whatever else my family comes up with.  It gets eaten plain all the time too because it’s just that good! Head on over to grab one of our Rustic Scoop™ Pizza Crust Mixes so you can make this bread ASAP!

French Bread

Ingredients

1 Rustic Scoop™ Pizza Crust Mix

1 teaspoon Dry active yeast

1 Tablespoon Honey

¼ Cup Light tasting oil

½ Cup Egg whites or 6 Tablespoons Aquafaba (garbanzo bean water)

2 1/2 Cups Warm water 

2 teaspoons White vinegar 

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° F with a roasting pan on the bottom rack in the oven.  

In a medium bowl, add the warm water, yeast, and honey (or any other sweetener of choice), and mix with a spoon.  Set aside for 5 minutes to let the yeast proof, which means turn foamy.

Once your yeast mixture has proofed, slowly add it into the dry mix in your mixer. While you add the yeast mixture mix on slow speed until mostly combined. Next, add in the remaining liquid ingredients, then turn the mixer to medium speed until it is well combined. Scrape the dough from the paddle and sides of the mixing bowl. Set the bowl in a warm draft free place with plastic wrap gently on top. Let rise for 1-2 hours. 

Once your dough has risen, dive the dough in half. Gently sprinkle a silpat mat with tapioca starch. Place half your dough on the floured surface, gently flour the top of your dough. Using two hands, gently roll the dough from the middle out to the ends to form a long thin log. It should be a bit bigger in the middle. Place your dough on a french bread pan and set aside. Repeat with remaining dough. You can make three loaves if you want smaller loaves, or save some for later. Score your loaf in four angled cuts with a small knife about ⅛” deep. The score will tell your bread where to rise (and look pretty).

Fill a glass measuring cup with 1 Cup of cold water. Place your french bread loaves in the oven and carefully pour the water in the roasting pan on the bottom rack. This will create steam to seal your loaf and give it the nice crisp crust. Quickly close the oven door and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour for large loaves and 45-50 minutes for three smaller loaves. When the loaves are done baking they will feel very crisp on the crust.  As the loaves rest, the crust will soften a bit. Let the loaves cool COMPLETELY before cutting into them.  The crumb (inside of the bread) needs time to rest and set. If you cut into them too early they will feel gummy. Trust us, it’s worth the wait! Generally 4+ hours is best or overnight. Enjoy!

*You can make this dough ahead of time and bake later. Follow all of the directions until the dough is combined. Then rise the bread for 30 minutes, then put it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for up to 7 days. After two days put a lid on the container to not dry out the dough. When you want to use the dough, pull the dough out of the fridge, let it come to room temperature and then rise it in a warm draft free place for 1-2 hours. Then follow the shaping and baking directions from above. The longer you put the dough in the fridge, the tighter the crumb will be and less fluffy the bread will be.  It still works very very well, we do it often, just a note to be aware of.