When you cannot eat gluten or sugar, finding a bread recipe can be a challenge. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley and rye -- primary grains used for bread flours. Sugar, even in small amounts, is usually an ingredient in risen breads because the yeast needs sugar to grow and expand. An easy gluten- and sugar-free zucchini-cheese bread is leavened with baking powder and uses savory ingredients; it's a quickly created complement to chicken or grilled meats.
Flour Mix
To make gluten-free bread, you need flours made from gluten-free grains. Although it seems time consuming, making your own flour mix is easy and provides optimal texture for the bread as no one gluten-free flour exactly replicates the texture and flavor of wheat flour. Mix together 7 cups sweet white sorghum flour, 2 cups potato starch and 1 cup tapioca flour. Reserve 2 cups for the zucchini-cheese bread, and store the rest in an airtight container.
Additional Ingredients
You also need 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup milk, two large eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, a grated medium zucchini and 3/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese. In addition, you need 1/2 tsp. of xanthan gum -- a powdery substance that helps increase bread volume and prevents it from becoming overly crumbly. Xanthan gum is very easy to use; just be sure not to add more than the recipe calls for, or the bread may be extra dense and tough.
Method
Prepare the zucchini-cheese bread by whisking the flour, Parmesan, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the grated zucchini and mozzarella. In a small bowl, whip together the eggs, olive oil and milk, and add all at once to the flour mixture, stirring until the batter is just combined. Expect the batter to be thick and slightly gummy. Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 50 minutes.
Alternatives
An amaranth flour mixture could be used instead of the sorghum flour mixture. To create this gluten-free flour mix, mix together 5 cups of brown rice flour, 2 cups of amaranth flour, 2 cups of potato starch and 1 cup tapioca starch. You need just 2 cups of the mixture for the bread and can reserve the rest for another use.
References
- "The Complete Book of Gluten-Free Cooking;" Jennifer Cinquepalmi; 2006
- Celiac Sprue Association: Gluten Free Flours and Grains
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