Rich Bread Dough

My boys have been great with the addition of wheat free to our standard milk, egg and soya free diet. I don't know if it is just because they have been used to trying my recipes for work over the years, or that wheat free really isn't that bad. We had an initial wobble the first week when Mini Monster was told he couldn't have Shreddies any more, but he was more than happy with the swap from Weetabix to Oatibix and will now happily point out the wheat containing things he can no longer have.

Pre wheat free, we'd have oven baked doughnuts, croissants or something else bready for second breakfast, so with a wet bank holiday weekend on the cards it was time to experiment with a rich wheat free dough to use instead. For a change, I did use egg replacer (bought online), but plan to have a go without to see if it really does make any difference. 

Basic Recipe:

280g Wheat Free White Bread Flour

2tsp Caster Sugar

1tsp Xanthan Gum

3tsp Fast Action Dried Yeast

150mls Oat Milk (or other milk substitute)

40g Dairy Free Spread/ White Vegetable Fat (I used half and half)

2tsp egg replacer mixed with 50mls water (and a pinch of turmeric for colour)

Sprinkle yeast onto warm (hand hot) oat milk and set aside for 10 minutes until it begins to foam.

Mix flour, sugar and xanthan gum in a bowl.

Rub in spread (like making crumble).

Pour in the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and bring together using a knife.

Knead lightly to form a smooth dough.

Cover and set aside for an hour until, it feels spongy to a light touch, and you've decided what to do with it!

Just to show how versatile one recipe can be, I used this basic mix to make some tasty (but not very pretty) croissants and pain au chocolate in time to take to Audley End on Sunday morning, soft rolls, breadsticks and churros (Spanish dipping doughnut type things). It's way past bedtime (especially as Mini Monster already sounding disturbed, I think it's going to be a rough night!), so I'll post the instructions another time.

Pain au Chocolat

Bread Sticks

Hot Chocolate and Churros