Recipe: Corn Starch Bread (Gluten-free White Bread) and Melba Toast

CORN STARCH BREAD
(GLUTEN-FREE WHITE BREAD)


2 1/2 cups Argo or Kingsford's corn starch
1/3 cup potato starch flour
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
1 large egg white
2 envelopes Fleischmann's RapidRise yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
3 tablespoons finely ground pecans or walnuts
2 cups hot water (about 120 )
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

In the bowl of your mixer, combine the corn starch, potato starch flour, sweet rice flour (if used), egg white, yeast, sugar, xanthan gum, and ground pecans or walnuts. Whisk to mix. Add the water (mixed with the egg white if using fresh egg) and beat vigorously about 2 minutes on Medium if using a heavy-duty mixer, 3 to 4 minutes on High with a hand-held mixer. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. The dough will be very thin.

While waiting, spray two (4 1/4 x 8 1/4-inch) loaf pans with vegetable oil spray. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Add the vegetable oil and salt, beating until smooth and well mixed. Pour batter into the prepared pans and let rise, covered, about 20 minutes, until the batter is just level with the top of the pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cover with a towel and let cool for 10 minutes. Turn out to cool.

This bread is so soft it cannot be sliced until cooled to room temperature. If you don't eat it all on the first day, store in the freezer or make the following Melba toast recipe.

MELBA TOAST:
When the loaf is cooled, cut the crusts from all sides of loaf, slice the bread thin, cut slices to desired size. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 200 to 225 degrees F until dry and very light brown (about 1 hour). Cool and store in an airtight container. Keeps well for 1 month.

Note: If you want a rice-free bread, eliminate the rice flour and reduce the water by 2 tablespoons. The flavor may be varied by using, in place of the ground pecans, 1 teaspoon dill, 1/3 cup dried apple fiber (available in health food stores), or other kinds of nuts.

(Adapted from a recipe by R. W. Shortridge presented at the 1992 Kansas City Celiac meeting.) Author Bette Hagman was a Legend in Gluten-Free Cooking.

Makes 2 (8-inch) loaves

Hi Jo,

I haven't tried this recipe but if you do, please let us know how it turns out and if it is good for sandwiches.

Happy Baking!

Betsy