Headwaters Homestead

This gluten free bread is easy and delicious! With a sweet and savory pop of flavor from the honey, rosemary and fresh garlic, it is sure to become a favorite.

Here’s what you’ll need-

3 cups 1:1 gluten free flour (I love King Arthur)
½ tbsp Kosher salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
¼ ounce instant or active dry yeast packet (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1½ cups warm water
2 tbsp psyllium husk powder
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (or one tsp ground)
3 tbsp raw, local honey
2 tbsp cornmeal for dusting the pan

• Place the flour, salt, pepper, psyllium husk and yeast in a large bowl. Then pour the warm water over top, making sure it’s not too hot. You can use a dough whisk, spatula, wooden spoon or your hands to mix together. The dough should still be somewhat wet and sticky, but add more flour if it’s too sticky to handle. Add the honey, rosemary and garlic and work into the dough.
• Once the flour is all mixed in, cover with a towel or plastic wrap for 2-8 hours, or you can leave on the counter overnight. The longer you let it rise, the better. You can leave it on the counter to rise for up to 12 hours. Note- gluten free bread will not rise as well as bread made with regular flour.

Shape:

• Generously flour your hands and turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. The dough will be sticky. Do not punch it down, knead it or roll it out. Gently work the dough into your preferred shape. I worked mine to fit in a cast iron skillet.
• Lightly dust the top with flour and then use a knife to add lines across the top. Don’t be afraid to get creative!

Bake:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place your cast iron skillet into the oven. You’ll want the bread to cook on a hot skillet, so let it preheat for about 20 minutes. Let your prepared dough rest during this time.
• Sprinkle the cornmeal carefully on the bottom of the hot skillet and transfer your dough. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned. I topped ours with melted butter.
• Allow to cool on a cooling rack and then slice the bread and serve. This was delicious with our sausage and white bean soup!

A few notes on gluten free baking-

I have found through trial and error that most GF baked goods turn out somewhat dense, the use of psyllium husk does help keep the dough from getting crumbly and keeps it chewy. This recipe can be made using regular flour, just eliminate the psyllium husk. Full disclosure- I had no idea what psyllium husk was until just about six months ago! I found it in a local bulk foods store and it can be found online.

Thanks for stopping by and happy baking!