Master Recipe from Gluten-Free ABin5

Gluten-Free Artisan Bread Master Recipe | Gluten Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

The idea for a gluten-free version of The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day started here on the website. People were writing in to say they loved the method, but couldn’t eat wheat. It set off a quest to develop recipes that fit this fast and easy method but used flours that were gluten-free. Gluten-free breads have appeared in all of the books since then, but they were just small chapters among a bunch of wheat filled recipes. It seemed unfair to the folks who couldn’t eat wheat to buy a book filled with recipes that didn’t suit their needs, so… a book just for them. Last week Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day came out–here is its Master Recipe.

There’s been great feedback from the original gluten-free recipes, but what you see here is even further simplified. That meant developing two flour mixes that all our recipes are based on, so you just have to mix the flour once for many loaves. You just mix up a big batch of our Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix and/or our Whole-Grain Gluten-Free Flour mix and you’ll be able to quickly mix and bake all 90 gluten-free artisan bread recipes in our book. (Commercial flour mixes haven’t worked well for breads made from stored dough).

I also wanted to provide recipes that are mostly vegan (no eggs) and dairy free. Because eggs are a leavening ingredient, we do like the Master Recipe made with eggs for a lighter loaf. In fact, we find that the dough made with egg whites is the lightest of all the options. You can also use an egg substitute if you choose not to use eggs. And as always with the method, you save time by mixing a large batch and storing it in the refrigerator, pulling off dough to use as you need it.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

The following recipe is the Master Recipe from GFABin5 made with egg whites, but you can make the same recipe with whole eggs, egg substitutes or without any eggs at all.

GF flours 01

Gluten-Free Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day on page 64, and the egg variation can be found on page 73). For a video of this recipe’s steps that’ll open in a  new window, click here):

6 1/2 cups (2 pounds 3 ounces / 990 grams) flour mixture #1 from the book, which is reprinted at this link. We tested all our recipes with Bob’s Red Mill unblended flours, not their gluten-free flour mixtures.

1 tablespoon Red Star Active Dry or Quick Rise yeast (not Red Star Platinum, which isn’t gluten-free)

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt

2 tablespoons sugar or honey (we find that the gluten-free dough needs the sugar to brown nicely, although it is optional)

4 egg whites, plus enough warm water to equal 3 3/4 cups (*see picture below) – if you don’t want to use eggs, then just use 3 3/4 cups water.

To mix the dough:

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

*Put 4 egg whites in a large measuring cup, fill the cup with water until you have 3 3/4 cups liquid.

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I suggest using a Stand Mixer with the paddle attachment for the smoothest dough and ease of mixing. You can still do the mixing in a bucket or bowl, as recommended in the past books, but it will take a bit more effort to get a really smooth dough.

In a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add the yeast to the flour mix #1. The recipes were tested with both Active and Quick Rise yeast from Red Star and they work equally well in stored gluten-free dough. You can’t use their Platinum yeast, since it contains trace amounts of wheat.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Add the Kosher salt and the sugar (if using) to the flour mix. You can add more or less salt, depending on your preference.

GF master recipe | Breadin5 03

Blend all the dry ingredients for a few seconds.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

While the mixer is on low speed, slowly add all the liquid.

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Once all of the liquid is added to the mixer, turn it up to medium-high speed and let it blend for about 1 minute.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

The dough will look and feel like soft biscuit dough.

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Transfer the dough to a 4+ quart Food-Storage Container. The dough will rise some, but don’t expect it to double in size.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Cover the container, but it shouldn’t be airtight. You may want to poke a very small hole in the lid (you can see it in the exact center of the above lid) to allow the gas from the yeast to escape. If you don’t poke a hole…

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…then you will want to place the lid on the container, but don’t snap it all the way shut (see above photo). Don’t allow too much air to get into the bucket or the dough may dry out.

Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 2 hours. If your kitchen is cool, it may take 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You can use the dough after the initial rise or refrigerate the dough for about 5 days (10 if you don’t use eggs).

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

When you are ready to bake, sprinkle some GF flour on a piece of parchment. Dust the surface of the dough with more flour.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Scoop up a 1-pound piece of dough. Store the rest of the dough in the fridge for up to 5 days if using egg whites, or 10 days if you only used water. That’s where our method saves you time–all your subsequent loaves are made from pre-mixed, stored dough that will develop sourdough flavors as it ages.

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Unlike wheat dough, this will not have any stretch when you lift it out, it will just break off.

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Place the dough on the parchment and shape it into a ball. It may not be smooth at this point.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Using wet fingers, smooth out the surface of the dough. Creating a smooth surface also seems to help trap the gas from the yeast and improve the rise of the bread.

Cover loosely with plastic and allow to rise for about an hour. If you are using fresh dough, then just 30 minutes.

Preheat oven with a Baking Stone to 450°F. It is very important that your oven be hot enough, so use an oven thermometer to check the actual temperature. If you are using a thick Baking Stone, this can take 45 minutes or longer. Put a broiler tray on the bottom of the oven, which will be used to catch water to create steam in your oven.

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Once the dough is ready (it may not rise much while resting), dust it with more flour and slash the top with a serrated knife.

Slide the loaf onto the preheated baking stone, add 1 cup water to broiler tray to create steam and quickly close the door.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Bake the loaf for about 45 minutes or until nicely browned.

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Allow the loaf to cool to room temperature before cutting into it. The gluten-free artisan bread will be quite gummy if you cut into it before it is totally cooled. Using a sharp serrated Bread Knife is the best for cutting this loaf.

Master Recipe from Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

If you don’t finish the loaf in one or two days, wrap it well and freeze it for another time.

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This gluten-free artisan bread also makes wonderful toast the next morning, and you can use up the remaining dough over the next 5 days (if you used egg whites), or 10 days (if you only used water).

See also our Gluten-Free Frequently-Asked Questions.

Note: BreadIn5.com is reader supported. When you buy through links on the site, BreadIn5 LLC earns commissions.

410 thoughts to “Master Recipe from Gluten-Free ABin5”

  1. Hello! Can using a bread proofing oven give more rise and make the bread airier? We have tried quite a few of the recipes and they are the best we have had- but we’re wondering if the proofing oven would help.and if so- would it decrease the time for rise and/or rest?
    Thanks you!

    1. Hi Carolyn,

      The proofing oven can speed up the process a bit. You’ll need to experiment with how long to let it proof without over proofing the dough. It will depend on the temperature of the dough and the environment. Do you know how warm the proof setting is?

      Thanks, Zoë

  2. Hi, I tried making the bread and it was not completely cooked completely. I am not sure what I did wrong. The dough was a little goey, maybe that was the problem? Thanks!

  3. I made a batch of your basic breadin5 recipe, came out great… I’m hoping the balance will get a little more of a sourdough flavor when I bake the balance, but it’s so easy!
    My question is, I have a friend coming over tonight that is eating GF. Yesterday, I made up a half batch of the Master GF recipe from here on the website. She just told me that she has been CRAVING pizza… can I use this master recipe to make pizza, or am I just asking for trouble? Would I be able to par bake them as a shell and send the balance home with her?
    Thanks! This has been an awesome ride so far!

      1. SHE LOVED IT!!! Thanks so much! Only thing is, she left the parred shells in my freezer… guess she’ll have to be coming back again soon!

      2. Hi Rena,

        Thank you for letting us know that it was a success and you all enjoyed the pizza.

        Cheers, Zoë

  4. I plan to make this bread tomorrow for the first time. I printed off the recipe a couple weeks ago and although I can’t find the statement, I’m thinking I read that I could put the dough ball to bake in a preheated Le Cruset type pot with lid and in so doing, not have to do the damp towel thing in the door. Is that correct or could you please direct me to that statement if it exists?

    1. No, never put a damp towel in the door, don’t know where that came from? Just do it the way we specify here, or in a Dutch Oven (search on Dutch Oven in our Search Bar).

    2. I recall the “towel” comment…it’s related to protecting the glass oven door as you’re putting the water in the pan. It’s not a wet towel, it’s a dry towel. Water hitting glass that’s 450 degrees could break the glass…it’s a protection thing

  5. I purchased your GF Artisan bread book and am making my first stab today. It appears (from now watching the video of Zoe making the receipt)…that my mixture was too wet. I’m assuming it was in how I did the fluid part. I noticed zoe had the eggs in with the water. I didn’t notice that in the recipe, but can understand that an egg isn’t always an egg in volume…so on the Mixture 2 Whole Grain with eggs…what volume of egg/water mixture am I looking for. Thanks!

    1. Best directions for this are on the bottom of page 73 in the book– continues on to 74. btw–can always decrease the water a bit.

  6. I’m trying to get this right. Re: Mixture 2 page 103…calls for 4 eggs and 4 cups water. However, page 74 makes a comment to put the 4 eggs into a container and add water to meet 3 3/4c fluid volume. That’s not anywhere near the amount in the recipe. What am I not seeing? Please help. I SO want to be able to bake this way…
    Thanks!

    1. Hi FrN,

      I have never used it in the bread recipes, but I bet it would work, since other egg replacers do a nice job. You may not get exactly the same rise, but it should be a good substitute.

      Please let me know what you think if you try it.

      Thanks, Zoë

  7. What is the best way to store your gluten-free bread? Is it the same sliced-side down method as with “regular” AB in 5 breads?

    1. Hi Pat,

      The best way to store gluten-free is to freeze it. The GF breads stale at a much faster rate than wheat based breads.

      Thanks, Zoë

  8. Thank you. . . Thank you. I know first hand the challenges of creating gluten free bread recipes. I have my own mill and have been baking bread for years with a variety of gluten free flours but now I have chosen the vegan lifestyle. I bought one of your previous books but the recipes all have egg. I was hoping you would come out with one that was gluten free and vegan. I milled flour on my break and am mixing up a batch at lunch. I have already ordered a copy of your book. Thanks again.

    1. Well, many of our recipes are egg-free, though we do think the eggs (or egg whites, really), help in the rising. See what you think, and thanks for trying the book!

  9. I started making this recipe and realized that there is no fat. Did miss read it, or is this bread actually fat free?

    1. Hi Kriss,

      Yes, this is correct. There are plenty of doughs in the book that use fats, but this one does not.

      Thanks, Zoë

  10. I made this bread today. The flavor was the best I have tasted. I think I added a bit to much water because the loaf did not form a nice round ball like the one in your pictures.
    I want to make it again, do you think this GF ABin5 will bake in a loaf pan?

    1. Hi Kriss,

      Yes, it sure will. There are directions for baking in a loaf pan and many other recipes in the book that should help guide you. You can use more water when shaping, if the loaf seems a bit too craggy on the surface.

      Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

  11. …I love your wheat artisan bread recipe and have recently found your GF version… I made a 1/2 batch to try and LOVED it!! I want to make your recipe in loaf pans. Can I use standard size loaf pans or do I need to purchase smaller ones.

    When I buy GF bread in the store the loaves are so small… and I can’t decided if it is an ingredient thing or that people are not going to pay $10 for a larger loaf… Help in Nebraska!!

  12. Have you used banana bread and if detect that I have this question before which I have not and never got an answer

    Thanks

    1. Banana bread does not use yeast. It is a quick-bread, closer to cake in the way that it rises and bakes. For a good banana bread, try doing a google search because lots of bloggers have posted lovely recipes for it or try a book like Cybele Pascal’s book The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook. Good luck 🙂

  13. Hi, I have you book and was wondering if any of the recipes would make a soft hamburger bun. I was wondering about the Brioche? There are so many recipes out there, and I always seem to be missing one key ingredient so was hoping one in the book would work. Thank you so much…the book is just awesome!

  14. I am curious, after following the recipe, you mentioned to allow it to Risa for 2 hours, we’ll after 1 hour the bread double, do I still waiting the entire 2 hours?

    1. Hi Sam,

      If you have quick rising yeast and the water was warm, it may have risen quickly and be ready to use. Typically it takes at least 2 hours, but yeast is somewhat unpredictable.

      Thanks, Zoë

  15. Your Book Looks great I will be ordering it today. I want to make large amounts of your master recipe. 50+loaves. Do your recipes multiply well? Will the recipe work well if I mix it in a bigger commercial mixer?
    Thank you so much
    Victoria

    1. Hi Victoria,

      Yes, we’ve mixed up huge batches for events in commercial mixers. You will just need to scale up the recipe. You may want to do a small test to check any adjustments to your ovens, especially if you are using convection or gas.

      Thanks, Zoë

  16. Hi just wondering if this recipe can be made in a bread maker? Do you have a recipe that is this easy that CAN be made in a bread maker? Thank you very much.

    1. Hi Erin,

      Our recipes make too much dough to use in a bread machine. I’ve never tested a smaller batch in the machine, so I’m sorry not to have a good answer for you.

      Thanks, Zoë

  17. Hello! This is such a great recipe and I can’t wait to try it! I was just wondering – how many loaves do you usually get from this recipe?

    I know you say that you can use leftover dough afterwards but how many loaves could I make from one batch?

    1. Hi Charlene,

      No, if the yeast is within it’s expiration date there is no need to proof it first.

      Thanks, Zoë

  18. In the New Artisnal Bread in 5 Mintues the recipe calls for potato flour (not starch) this one calls for starch not flour. Which way works better?

    1. The recipes are different, so we didn’t test them interchangeably–all I can tell you is that the flour mixture when done in bulk worked better as written.

  19. I do not own a baking stone, but I have a baking steel. The manufacturer states it can be used for baking pizza and bread. Do I heat the steel to the same 450 degrees as indicated for a baking stone?

  20. This is sooooo good!!! I love being able to just pull out what I want for the day and filling the rooms with that fresh baked bread smell. YUMMY!! I was given your original book a few months before being diagnosed with a wheat allergy, so I have used both recipe books–fantastic! I was so pleased to find your gluten free book! Let’s be honest–gluten free products that tasye better than the box they come in are rare. Your recipe breaks the mold and raises the standard. Thank you for gluten free that tastes amazing DESPITE being gluten free. You guys are SO my new best friends 😀

    1. Hi Jessika,

      Thank you so much for the lovely note, we are thrilled you are enjoying all the GF breads!

      Cheers, Zoë

  21. Just made this bread, it came out amazing! Thanks for sharing the recipe. It’s as good as wheat artisan bread!

  22. I recently purchased a bread machine to begin making gluten free breads, can this recipe be used in a bread machine?

    1. Haven’t tried, but my guess is that our stuff has too much moisture to work in that closed environment. You’d have to experiment.

  23. Zoë and Jeff,

    Which dough from your gluten free book would you suggest I use for a King Cake? I was considering brioche, but would appreciate your input. My Mom’s side of the family is from New Orleans, so growing up we’d always get King Cakes in the mail from aunts/uncles/cousins around this time of year. I am trying to surprise my sister with our first King Cake in 5 years 🙂 (we were both diagnosed with Celiac disease, ugh)

    Side note: this book is a game changer!!! I have been slowly experimenting since I got the book a month ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed (and devoured) everything I’ve baked. I can’t thank you both enough for this book, it’s worth its weight in gold. I could seriously rave for hours, but I’ll spare you.

      1. Jeff,

        Thank you! Looks delicious! I had not seen that a King Cake recipe had been posted before…sorry about that. Can’t wait to try it 🙂

        Thanks again

      2. Yep–since we updated our website, people aren’t seeing the “Search” bar, near the top of the right “gutter” of the website. You can type in anything you can think of, hit “Enter” or that magnifying glass, and you can see related posts we’ve already done.

  24. I can’t wait to make this bread! Can you tell me if I’m making a gluten free sourdough starter when would I add it? And have you tried that before?
    Thanks for reading this.

    1. Above, under Questions\FAQs, click on number 22, “Sourdough starter: Can I use it with this method?”

      That said, we intended that for wheat doughs, we didn’t try it with gluten-free loaves, which tend to be denser and that can make sourdough challenging. You can use starter plus some yeast for a more reliable rise. More on gluten-free breads in the book, on amazon at https://amzn.to/1msOBmY , though we don’t cover sourdough in there.

  25. Perhaps this is a silly question but I’ve never made bread of any kind before, so I apologize in advance. How might I scale this back for one loaf? Also, if I were to make this entire batch, might the remaining dough be frozen? Thanks so much! I look forward to ordering your book after I’ve given this recipe a shot 🙂

    1. Hi Anthony,

      You can just cut the batch in half or quarter to get a smaller amount. You can also freeze the extra dough for a couple of weeks. If you freeze, just divide into 1-pound pieces and freeze them in zip lock bags.

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Thanks so much for your reply! I made a quarter sized loaf last night and for my first loaf of bread of any kind, I was so pleased. As it didn’t rise much, I came out with more of a mini baguette the way I shaped it. Should I double this in weight, how would I need to adjust temperature and baking time? I’ve put your book on order from Amazon and I’m so excited to get it!

      2. Hi Anthony,

        I am so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, you can double the size of the loaf and depending on how you shape it, you’ll want to add 30 to 45 minutes. If it is a long, this baguette, you’ll only need an additional 30 minutes, but if you make a round loaf, it may need as much as 45 more minutes to fully rise. For baking times, I would add 10 more minute for a larger baguette and 20 more for a 2-pound boule (round loaf).

        Hope that helps and it will all be explained in the book. Enjoy, Zoë

      3. Thanks again. I really enjoy the sage advice for all of the newbies like myself! I look forward to sharing my next loaf. You guys don’t seem to have an instagram but I’ll follow you on Facebook.

      4. I was so excited when I received the book yesterday but I am determined to get this master recipe to come out right before proceeding to anything else! I’ve tried three times and each time, the result is a fantastically crispy crust but a slightly doughy crumb towards the center of the boule. Further, it never rises as much as the ones pictured above that you’ve made and the slashes I make in the top seem to crack nearly halfway down the whole thing! I’m flummoxed, honestly. I’ve omitted the eggs from this recipe as I’m vegan but you say above this shouldn’t greatly affect he results. I’m thinking, however, the lack of protein from the egg whites is preventing a better rise from forming? As for the interior, I’m at a loss. I baked two separate two-pound boules and the second I baked for nearly an hour and a half to ensure the center would bake, only to find the same, slightly gummy inner crumb. Anything else I may be doing wrong? The altitude shouldn’t be a problem as I’m not in the mountains and I’m baking on a pizza stone and using all Bob’s Red Mill flours as you suggest.

      5. Hi Anthony,

        If you are making a 2 pound loaf, did you adjust the resting time before baking? You’ll want to increase the rest by about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the temperature of the dough and your kitchen. This should help both the gumminess and the cracking crust.

        Thanks, Zoë

      6. I let the dough rest for nearly two hours after taking it out of the fridge and shaping it, actually, just to be safe. Could I have made a mistake reducing the quantity of xanthan gum? I used one tablespoon for a this two pound dough as I didn’t add it to your pre-made flour recipe in case I wanted to use it for other baking. Was this perhaps too much xanthan gum making the bread doughy?

      7. Hi Anthony,

        The amount of xanthan gum can have a big impact on the texture of the bread, so a slight increase may make it gummy. Perhaps you can make a half batch of the flour mixture, if you don’t want to use up all of your xanthan.

        Thanks, Zoë

  26. Hi there,
    I am an experienced baker but relatively new to gf baking. I am from Europe and would love to try your recipes, but I do have some questions:
    #1 Can I use your master recipe(the egg white and the eggless version) with flour mixture #2?
    #2 I cannot have gf oats yet, what would you suggest to use in flour mixture #2?
    #3 I used an online converter for yeast, am I correct in that 1 tbsp of active dry yeast equals 17 g of fresh yeast?

    Thank you so much for your help and all our work 🙂
    Sarah

    1. Hi Sarah,

      Gluten-Free baking is really a whole new way of baking. There is very little in the process that resembles it’s wheat cousin. Making substitutions can be a challenge, since each of the flours/starches behave differently.

      I tested the recipes as written and made adjustments to achieve the breads that I really like. If you switch out Mix1 for Mix2 you will end up with a very different bread and the ratio of flour to water will also change. It will take some experimenting. If you want to try it, I suggest you make a small batch and make sure you like the flavor and texture.

      Oat flour absorbs quite a bit of water and has a mellow flavor. You could try increasing the amount of brown rice and sorghum flours to make up that weight. Again, I would make a small batch and make sure you are happy with the flavor.

      If you multiply the weight of the dry yeast by 2.5, you will come out with about what you should use for fresh yeast. If our recipe calls for 10g of dry yeast, you’d use about 25g fresh yeast.

      Thank you and have fun experimenting. Let me know how it goes. Zoë

  27. Do I need to leave the entire batch in a single container for the rise and refrigerator storage? For instance, the GF Whole-Grain Seeded Bread recipe on pg272 of the GF book makes four 1-lb loaves. Immediately after mixing the dough in my stand mixer, can I split it into quarters and put in four containers (such as the Pyrex lidded 7-cup round glass storage containers) for the room temperature rise and refrigerator storage? Would be easier to fit smaller containers in the refrigerator and easier to bake a loaf from the contents of a whole container without needing to split up later. Also the split containers make it easier to later freeze 1 or 2 loaves if I can’t use them up in 10 days. (A 6qt container is 24cups total, so using 4 x 7cup containers should fit nicely).

  28. Hi – I notice the photo of the flours shows potato starch as an ingredient. The Gluten-Free Master Recipe in my New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day on page 268 specifically says to use potato flour (not starch). I’m guessing the recipe in the Gluten-Free book is different? Potato flour has been impossible to find in any stores near me. Thanks.

  29. Using the Master Blend #1 from the gluten free book (kindle download), I made the recipe for the boule on page 863 using eggs. The dough looked like soft biscuit dough but hardly rose at all. I baked the rolls on page 1159 and they were like hard biscuits. I double checked my ingredients and read the FAQs; also my Red Star Yeast is no where near out of date and stored in the refrigerator. I am wondering if it could be the xanthan gum – it is Bob’s RedMill brand and the expiration date is 5/17/17. Does xanthan gum lose effectiveness? Thanks.

    1. No, not that I know of–I doubt that’s the explanation. Are you using a mixer? If not, mix it really, really well to emulsify the ingredients. That’s a big factor.

      1. Thanks so much for the quick reply. I had used the mixer before and the dough climbed the hook, so this time I made half a recipe using the mixer and had no problem. The dough rose up just fine – I baked the dough in a Pullman pan (didn’t use the lid) and it was a success.

  30. Another question – I made the Almond Coconut Loaf from the Gluten Free book today. I made a one pound loaf as stated. It tastes good but it makes a very small loaf (it didn’t rise much before or during baking, although the 2 hour rise doubled in bulk). It’s hard to tell from the pictures just how big your loaves are. Mine is about 5 inches in diameter – does that sound right?

    1. Hi Darlene,

      Due to the flours in that loaf, it doesn’t
      T get much spring. You can try our method of mixing and letting it do the initial rise right in the pan, then bake the fresh dough. You may get a bit more rise, but it will never be a very tall or light loaf.

      Thanks, Zoe

  31. Do you have any idea how your recipes might work in a bread machine? I’d like to avoid preheating the oven. I have the same question about a large toaster oven. I presently have a cheap toaster oven, but I’ve heard good things about the $200 Cuisinart toaster oven.

    1. Hi Liz,

      Our batches of dough are meant to make 4 loaves, so they won’t fit in a bread machine. You can try making a 1/4 batch, but then you lose the time savings aspect of our method. If you want to avoid using the oven, you can try our Crock Pot method: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2012/05/29/crock-pot-bread-baking-fast-bread-in-a-slow-cooker or you can bake it in a small toaster oven. You’ll want to stick to small loaves in the toaster oven to make sure they bake through.

      Thanks, Zoë

  32. Is the oven-preheating time included in the resting time? That is, do you start heating the oven about 30 minutes after you’ve set your shaped boule out of the fridge to rest, or after the 60 minutes are up? Since, as you point out, it will take *at least* 30 minutes to heat the oven and baking surface sufficiently, this adds half again as much to the resting time, and most likely more….

  33. I have tried to make the master recipe for gfabin5 from the original book chapter 8. Did not work at all. I now have the GFABin5 book and notice the master recipe in it shows two differences:
    1. Recipe from chapter 8 shows potato flour / gf cook book shows potato starch
    2. Recipe from chapter 8 shows oil in recipe gf cook book shows NO oil
    3. Recipe from chapter 8 does not show any sugar/honey / gf cookbook does and it is required for a nice brown.

    I am going to try the GF cookfook master and ask is there really no oil at all?????
    Thank you for your help

    1. Hi Beth,

      Yes, that is right. There are other recipes in the GF book that have oil or butter, but not the master recipe. If you can eat eggs, then I recommend trying the egg white version, which bakes a bit lighter. Not everyone can eat eggs, which is why we have a non-egg version.

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Thank you so much for your help. I will give it my all with the egg white version. Beth

  34. In this post you mention adding eggs or egg substitutes to the recipe. I just made my first loaf with no eggs, which was delicious but definitely on the dense side. Have you had any luck with adding vegan egg substitutes at this stage? (I have the book, but the note on page 73 just describes adding actual eggs.)

    1. We haven’t tested the commercial egg substitutes, just the flax slurry. I’m not convinced it lightens anything though…

  35. Hi, I am excited to try this method! I am wondering if I could use Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour rather than buying all the individual flours. The ingredients are as follows sweet white rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, whole grain sweet white sorghum flour, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum. It comes in a 22 ounce bag. what are your thoughts?

    1. No, we didn’t succeed with that, which is why we created our own mixture. Commercial mixes were created for cookies and cake, as a rule.

    2. Though I’m not a professional baker, I’m celiac and have been experimenting with flour mixes and different recipes (in and out of bread makers, sourdough starters, the lot) for over 10 years. ABi5 is among my favorite recipes so far, butI don’t always have time to shop, or mix, all the flours. My favorite pre-mixed mix BY FAR is Pamela’s *bread* flour (but NOT Pamela’s ‘Artisan’ mix in the blue bag), and I’ve tried all sorts of far more expensive mixes! What I sometimes do is use the ABi5 basic idea, with either their mix or Pamela’s, often substituting 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of something else (eg millet, buckwheat, almond flours) per 3.5 cups to change it up. It works great, especially with the extra ‘sour’ness that comes from leaving it in the fridge for a few days.

    3. In addition, the egg-based recipes always work far better. I’ve tried not using any eggs (in ABi5 as well as other recipes), with various mixes of flours and starters and yeasts, with and without xanthan or chia or psyllium, and it always ends up dense as a brick. Pamela’s bread mix has a basic recipe–including 2 eggs–on the bag which coincides quite a lot with the ABi5 in proportions etc, and it’s worked out the best of all for me over the years, even with some substitutions of other flours, with less yeast, and without even have to weigh everything out super accurately. I’ve tried being very accurate and precise with a scale and still had dense inedible ‘bread’, so it’s always back to Pamela’s mix– at least for half my ‘flour’–and her recipe as a basis.
      I am not affiliated in any way with Pamela’s brand, BTW.

      1. Interesting… Agree that eggs (esp egg whites) help, but our no-egg recipe does much better than the result you suggest

  36. Hi! I just received your book! Wondering…can I replace the yeast in the recipe with a starter? I’m allergic to yeast.

    Thanks!

      1. I forgot to mention, I have your gluten free bread book. Can I do the same starter replacement for the yeast in those recipes as well? Thank you!

      2. Hi Sharon,

        My bad, I failed to see which thread you were leaving the message in. I know it can be done, but I have never personally made the gluten-free recipes with a starter. I would check with some other gluten-free bakers and see what has been successful. Some of our readers have said they’ve had success, hopefully they will weigh in.

        Thanks, Zoë

  37. GREAT recipe. I have tried quite a few gluten free bread recipes. They just failed or did not have the taste that this one does. I added a little too much water but this bread turned out so well. I added thyme to the second loaf. That one tastes good to.

  38. Hi there!
    I just made a half batch of this recipe- I did not use any substitutions and I weighed out everything using a scale, so I’m quite positive the measurements where all right.
    However, the mixture came out very dry and crumbly. In your photo, the mixture looks cohesive and wet, so I added a bit more water, just so it would stick together a bit better. Is there a downside to adding too much water?
    I understand that a stand mixer is necessary to emulsify the ingredients, and I am assuming that hand mixing my dough is the reason it is not as cohesive.
    Do you have any tips for hand mixing, I don’t see myself being able to buy a stand mixer anytime soon (Im a student). Or any other ideas of what could be going wrong!
    Thank you so much for your time. I cannot believe how great you are at responding to everyone!
    My dough is proofing right now. We’ll see how it comes out!

    1. First question: you say you made no swaps, but did you use a different brand of flours than we did? If so, all bets are off–the hydration was tested with all Bob’s Red Mill brand flours.

      1. Yep, I used all Bobs Red Mill. When the loaves came out the oven, they had no rise or air bubbles inside, and were basically just raw balls of dough with a nice crust.

      2. Sounds like you had a primary yeast failure–and I assume the raw dough didn’t actually rise. How old is your yeast, and what is the expiration date printed on the package?

        Also, did you use hot water? Cold water? How long did you rise it before it went into fridge?

      3. Hm, yeah it does seem like the yeast was the primary issue. It’s just weird because it doesn’t expire till next year, and I haven’t had an issue with this bottle prior to this. I used warm water, and I let them rise according to recipe. The dough never went into the fridge because I baked them right away, after they proved. Im going to try again today. Maybe I will use active dry yeast instead of instant this time. Any ideas as to why the dough would’ve be too dry?

      4. ?? Measuring problem?

        When you say “… baked right away after proofing…”

        … that implies that the proofing resulted in a rise. Did it? How much? If it doubled, the problem wasn’t your yeast.

      5. Ok, so I figured out the dry dough issue. I was dividing the recipe for four mixture #1 the same way I was dividing the recipe on this page, thinking that this recipe called for the entire batch of that mixture. (But this recipe only needs 990g, not 2000g). I also proved the yeast separately, so this one should work this time. Thank you for your time, sorry that this was all about a silly mistake!

  39. I bought your GF Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day book and just made my first batch. I must say it is the best recipe I have found yet and we love it! I have a question. I want to make rolls with the dough and use the recipe on p. 90. The directions say to heat the baking stone at 350 degrees, but it does not say to put the baking sheet on the stone when you put it in the oven. What do you do with the stone? And I am assuming you do not add water?Also, what if you want to make crusty rolls instead of soft ones? What is that procedure?

    1. Well, if you’re using a heavy-duty baking sheet, you don’t need the stone. Some people use it all the time, to even out oven temperature, but it’s not necessary. If you use it, place it near the middle of the oven, and put the baking sheet right on it, once preheated. For soft rolls like this, you don’t use steam in the oven (which causes crisping). Glad you’re enjoying the recipes!

  40. So I’ve newly discovered this recipe. I bought the book and all the ingredients, mixed them together and made a loaf of bread. This bread was pretty good, but how can I make it less heavy, and more fluffy? The loaf was like a brick and weighed a ton. I would like it more airy.
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Tracy,

      Did you use the recipe with egg whites? That is the lightest variation on the bread. Having said that, it will never be a “light and fluffy” loaf. If you want something with a lighter texture, maybe try the challah.

      Thanks, Zoë

      1. Thanks Zoe.
        I think I just used 4 eggs and filled the remainder with water. I’ll have to try egg whites and see if that makes a difference. I also made the sandwich loaf. It too was so heavy. I’ll need to play a bit, but I was hoping there was a trick to making it lighter. I’ll try the challah loaf next. Maybe today!

      2. Hi Tracy,

        Try shaping it right after you mix the dough and baking directly after that first rise. There are directions on page 68.

        This bread will never be light and fluffy, it’s just the nature of the recipe, but it shouldn’t be a brick either.

        Thanks, Zoë

  41. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your Gluten-free version of Artisan Bread in 5 -minutes a day! I’ve enjoyed your method & recipes for ABin5 for a few years now, but recently developed a wheat intolerance and needed to become GF. Such a sad realization for a hobby bread baker and lover like myself. Not to be daunted, I had begun a quest for GF baking recipes. I stumbled across your GF ABin5 method & recipes through Pinterest and baked a successful loaf right out of the starting gate. It was finally cool enough to slice at 8 pm tonight. Freshly baked GF bread for dessert, anyone? Yes, please!

    1. Chris thanks for all the kind words so happy to hear all that. Let us know if you have questions about the GF breads

    1. I use My Fitness Pal (free app) – you can build a recipe by entering ingredients (or you can copy and paste) and choose your number of servings – it gives you a whole list of nutritional information at the end.

  42. If I’m making a 2nd or 3rd loaf with the dough in the refrigerator, do I again let it come to room temperature for two hours before shaping it into a ball and letting it rest for another hour? Or do I immediately shape the refrigerated dough into a ball and let it rise for the hour?

  43. I tried baking this bread on a conventional baking sheet since I don’t have a baking stone nor a baking steel. The bread is delicious when warm, but the crust just gets too hard once it cools down. Before I am investing in a stone, I was going to try baking the bread in my Tagine (which I am hoping will turn out similar to the Dutch Oven method). Any thoughts on my uncoventional experiment?

      1. That’s encouraging, thank you for sharing your successful outcome! Will keep you posted on how mine turns out.

  44. I’m having some issues with spreading. My loaves tend to flatten out in the oven. I usually make the 50/50 recipe with eggs added in for some of the water. Today, I made the challah and it did the same thing. Thoughts? This happens whether I chill or not.

    1. Are you making any substitutions at all, including using a different brand of flours for the mixture than the ones we used (Bob’s Red Mill). And most important, are you using xanthan gum or psyllium husk (one or the other–not optional).

      1. I’m using psyllium husk powder in my mixtures, but I’d a recipe calls for separate (like brioche), I use xanthan. I use Bob’s Red Mill for everything. I weigh everything except the smaller amounts and I usually do half batches so it doesn’t sit in the fridge too long since I use husk and eggs.

        The psyllium powder I’ve found at the store is really finely ground. Wondering if maybe I should increase?

      2. I will say–that these recipes tend to spread more than wheat recipes. Things you could try:
        –very slightly increase the psyllium, maybe 5 or 10%
        –very slightly decrease the water, maybe 5 or 10%
        –very slightly increase the flour mixture, maybe 5-10%

        As you can see, be careful. Making big changes will wreck the recipe. Another thing to try: a bread pan instead of free-form.

      3. Hi Jeff,

        Thank you. I wanted to share that I did test out the challah recipe again this weekend. I used my psyllium husk mix 1, but increased flour by 5% and added 1 tsp of xanthan. It didn’t spread and help the braid nicely. I didn’t get a shiny finish due to some big oven spring, but it looked gorgeous nonetheless and knocked the socks off in the flavor department. 🙂 I’ll experiment with your suggestions and the 50/50 loaf (which is a favorite by all in our house) this week too.

  45. I was so excited to try this recipe when a friend recommended it. Thank you for developing a gluten-free recipe! Unfortunately my husband cannot eat potatoes due to severe joint pain (from the nightshade toxins). I’ve read that your choice of potato starch vs. flour is very deliberate, so I’m wondering if there are any other substitutes. For example, America’s Test Kitchen calls for potato in their blend but arrowroot is an acceptable substitute. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Katherine,

      Arrowroot is probably the closest, although not an exact match. I would give it a try and see how you like the results. I’d suggest starting with a small batch, until you get the results you like.

      Cheers, Zoë

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