Recipe Modification: Perfect Thick-Crust Bready Pan Pizza (and Cheese Bread)

While a gluten-free thin crust pizza is fairly simple and easy to buy or make from scratch, one of my real challenges has been a perfectly bready, crusty, chewy, thick crust.  They either turn out gummy or crumbly.  But I have finally broken through and created what is close to a perfect crust.  It is crispy on the bottom, chewy and bready in the middle. 

I started with Simply Gluten Free's recipe for easy gluten-free french bread (it is my go-to bread recipe, and turns out an amazing loaf). 

I left out the xanthan gum and added 3 teaspoons milled chia seeds mixed well with 6 teaspoons hot water.  See my post on substituting chia for xanthan gum for details on this substitution.  The chia gives the crust a chewier texture without the "gum" aftertaste. 

Use a 12" cast-iron pan, if possible, or a 12-inch cake pan will do (but won't get the bottom as crispy).  Don't use a teflon coated pan; it can't take the heat.  You will need an additional small loaf pan or 8" cast-iron pan as well.  The original recipe makes too much batter, so I turned the leftover into cheese bread.   You can, of course, make two small pizzas in 9" cast-iron pans. 

Prepare the bread recipe as above to the point where you are mixing the dough for several minutes in the stand mixer.  Then come back to this page. It's okay, I'll wait....

Modification:

 Keep the mixer going for about 5-6 minutes total for a lighter crust.

While it is mixing, melt 2 Tablespoons butter in the larger pan.  Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil.  Grease the smaller pan with shortening, or coat bottom and sides with olive oil.

Spread the batter in the larger pan to approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep (depending on how thick you want your crust).  Dipping your fingers in olive oil will allow you to spread the batter without it sticking to your fingers.  You will use the olive oil later for the cheese bread anyway, so pour about 1/3 cup into a bowl and use it for spreading.

Spread the leftover dough in the smaller pan.  

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Set the pans in a warm but not hot place (I put them on the top of the oven away from the vent) to rise.  Let them rise about 20 minutes. 

Bake at 450 for 25 minutes.

While it is baking, mix 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 teaspoon grated garlic powder, and a pinch of fresh grated black pepper and sea salt to the leftover olive oil and mix well.  This gives the flavor some time to emerge. 

Add pizza sauce, cheese and toppings to the larger pizza.   Brush the smaller crust with the olive oil/cheese/spice mix and sprinkle with a thin layer of mozzarella. 

Bake both for an additional 15 minutes.  The larger pizza may need an additional 5 minutes if you added a lot of toppings. 

Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting.

Product Review: Prairie Bread from Whole Foods' Gluten-Free Bakehouse

There are two kinds of manufacturers of gluten-free baked goods.  The old-school is stuck in the era where if it has the same vague shape and color as the thing it's imitating (say, a loaf of bread), then it's good enough, no matter what it tastes like (and then charges $12 for a crappy loaf of bread). 

The new-school realizes that they have a lot of competition these days and that there have been innovations in gluten free cooking that improve texture and taste to where it is almost indistinguishable from the real thing (and then charges $12 for a good loaf of bread). 

Clearly, the Gluten-Free Bakehouse at Whole Foods is old-school.  Their Prairie Bread, visually, resembles plastic foam with bits of seed embedded in it.  It is not only dry, mealy and crumbly (even after toasting), but somewhere between tasteless and gum-flavored around the various seeds. As a bonus, it made me really sick all night.  They must put whole tablespoons of xanthan gum and half a dozen eggs in it to create the binder-overkill that it is.  I suppose the upside is that they only charge $6.00 for it, so when I throw the rest into the trash it won't hurt as much.

The lesson?  Unless you can get it same-day from a gluten-free bakery (and one that lets you try a sample first) it is probably better to take the time to make your own. 

Recipe Review: Quick Pão de Queijo (gluten-free cheese bread)

This was the first version of the Pão de Queijo I made, and it was mighty tasty.  I have since learned the wonder of a more traditional recipe, which takes longer but is well worth it in taste and texture!  But sometimes, you just want some Pão, and you want it now. When that happens, this blender recipe works beautifully:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/brazilian-cheese-bread-pao-de-queijo/




(photo from allrecipes.com)

They were scrumptious, but need a few notes and modifications.  A lot of the reviews were from people who lived in or visited Brazil, so I give those reviews much more weight.

The biggest complaints in the reviews were from Americans who were expecting these to turn out like bread or biscuits.  Tapioca starch has two textures:  crispy and rubbery.  You can make them more airy by using a stand mixer for four minutes before scooping, but the super-chewy center is how it is supposed to turn out.  Make them smaller than the recipe calls for (1-2 tablespoon scoops instead of 1/4 cup) to balance out the crunchy/rubbery textures.

I also had to bake them for 20 minutes instead of the 10-15 called for.  They probably could have stood another 5 minutes after that.  But don't mistake the dense center for underbaked; as said before, it's supposed to be like that.

Because it is, essentially, a super-chewy bread, I might leave out the garlic next time and use it to satisfy my bagel cravings.  I have yet to find a really good gluten-free bagel recipe... one that doesn't turn out to be sandwich bread baked in a bagel shape.  I can imagine that these pao de queijo with a little cream cheese might just hit that bagel chewiness I miss. 

The reviews generally agree that these do not freeze well, and should be eaten the same day.  Tapioca starch does funny things when it sits, so it doesn't surprise me a bit that they turn into inedible rubber balls.  Since they are so quick to make, however, they make a good side for a big dinner, or a non-perishable snack for a picnic.  The recipe is easily halved for serving one or two. 

Featured Gluten Free Product: Starbust Jelly Beans

GLUTEN FREE FEATURED PRODUCT

A regular postings of gluten-free products that I use myself and are available in my local grocery store.  You can check your local store for these items, order them online, or ask your store to stock them. I do not have any relationship with the companies in question, nor do I receive any form of compensation for these reviews. Gluten-Free status is based on information from the manufacturer, the current Cecelia's Marketplace shopping guide and personal experience, and may change if the company changes formulation or manufacturing processes.

 Easter is coming up, and it is hard to find anything "jelly" or "gummy" that is gluten-free.  Luckily, Starburst jelly beans (all flavors) are safe in the U.S..  My personal favorites are the sours, of course, but they also come in all reds, tropical, and mixed-up flavors.  The ingredients vary by region, so use Wrigley's contact form to ask about specific allergens in products where you live. 

The Cure for Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum is ubiquitous in gluten-free baking.  Gums like Xanthan and Guar are meant to replace the stickiness of wheat gluten which binds the particles of flour and other ingredients together.  Without a binder, bread falls apart in crumbs instead of holding together in a slice.

Unfortunately, many people have trouble with gums in the quantity used in gluten-free baking, including symptoms like bloating, cramping, constipation, and other digestive upset.  In addition, gum can give baked goods an unpleasant aftertaste and pasty feel in the mouth, even enhancing the grittiness of rice flours.

I've been experimenting with replacement binders, and the best I've found is milled (ground) chia seeds.  They're inexpensive (about half the price of xanthan gum!) easy to find on Amazon or in health stores, and substitute 1:1 for xanthan gum.  You can also buy whole seeds and grind them in a coffee grinder, in which case measure the ground seeds, not whole.

To use, you take the same amount of chia seeds as the recipe calls for in xanthan gum, or 3/4 of the amount called for in guar gum.  Mix the seeds with twice as much hot water and let sit until it forms a thick gel.  Add the gel to the other ingredients and mix really well (for breads, use a stand mixer and mix for at least 3 minutes on medium speed).  Add 15 minutes to the baking time called for in the recipe, but check after 10.

As an example, I successfully used ground chia seeds in my favorite gluten-free french bread recipe from Simply Gluten Free.  As the recipe calls for 3 teaspoons of xanthan gum, I instead used 3 teaspoons of ground chia seeds in 6 teaspoons of very hot water.  I let it gel, then added it with the other wet ingredients.  I added 15 minutes to the bake time.

The results were much better than with the gum; super moist and chewy bread with no aftertaste or gummy feel.  The chia did add a barely noticeable, but pleasant nutty flavor.  I used black chia seeds, so if the flavor is an issue, try white chia instead. 

The bread was super-moist.  If your baked good is already very moist (like cake) you may want to eliminate some liquid to balance the addition of the chia.  I would leave out liquid equal to the amount of hot water you used in the chia, and then check at the normal bake time to see if it needs the additional 15 minutes.  

Note that if you are already using chia or flax as an egg substitute, you may be able to simple leave out the gum and have the recipe turn out just fine!  Try it before you bother adding additional seeds. 

The downside:  Baked goods with Chia seem to stale out faster (not that any gluten-free baked good really lasts).  The bread I made yesterday is a bit crunchy today, but refreshed well in the microwave.  I would count on, as soon as it's cool, either crumb-sealing cakes and cupcakes or freezing them.  Wrap bread tightly and refrigerate, or slice and freeze.  You can also let it stale out and make it into stuffing, french toast, bread pudding, casserole, etc. the next day.  

Best Gluten-Free Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

After trying nearly a dozen gluten-free thin-crust pizza recipes over the years...I finally have a winner.  THIS RECIPE from Food.com user ukichix has the fewest ingredients, and happens to make a perfect crispy, slightly chewy thin crust.  For those with multiple sensitivities, it also happens to be casein, soy, dairy, gum and egg-free. 

UPDATE:  10/18/14

I have made quite a few improvements to the recipe, so I am posting my modified version here instead of linking to the original:

1/2 cup white rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca or potato starch
2 tablespoons sweet white rice flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Just shy of 1 cup hot tap water (start with 1 3/4 and add if needed)
handful of cornmeal for dusting pizza pan
Bowl of olive oil for spreading dough

1. Let the yeast, sugar and water sit in a warm place to start bubbling.  If it doesn't start forming bubbles/foam on top after five minutes, your yeast has gone off and needs replacing.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Sprinkle/dust a pizza pan or cookie sheet with cornmeal
4. mix flours
5. Stir in water/yeast/sugar mix and stir until incorporated.  You should have a wet dough that clumps instead of drips, but isn't so dry that you can handle it with your hands without it sticking.  Like thick mud.
6. Spread it in the pizza pan with oiled fingers, and dip your fingers in the oil each time the dough starts to stick.  You want it no thicker than 1/8 inch in any one place.  A patting motion works better than a smoothing motion to spread the dough.

Let rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes.
Bake for 15 minutes
Spread sauce, cheese, and/or toppings, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until done.


A few notes on the making:

1.  If you are just starting gluten-free, replace your old pizza stone.  There is no way to remove the gluten remnants from the pores of the stone, and it can contaminate anything you bake on it.
2.  Heavy duty kitchen shears work better to cut the pizza than a rolling pizza cutter or knife.

This recipe also makes a quick garlic crackerbread appetizer with spreadable goat cheese.  Here's how:

1. Make the recipe as listed 
2. During the first 15 minute bake, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, and a dash of salt and pepper. 
3. After the initial 15 minute bake, brush olive oil mix over entire crust (to the edges).
4. Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes, keeping a close eye on it to prevent burning.
5. Cut into squares for homemade crispy garlic flatbread, and serve with soft cheeses or bruschetta.  

To make Italian Cheese Bread, use the garlic crackerbread recipe but add extra Parmesan and a couple handfuls of shredded mozzarella for the second bake.  

Homemade Frozen Yogurt

I've really missed soft-serve frozen yogurt.  You can never really be sure the stuff they serve at yogurt places is gluten-free, and you can be pretty sure there's cross-contamination.  I tried the obvious first:  put some store-bought yogurt into the ice cream maker.  Not only did it work, it only took a few more tweaks to make something so tasty, rich and creamy that you'll never be tempted by TCBY again.

I use the Publix store brand fruit on the bottom lowfat yogurt.  While it is fantastic straight out of the ice-cream maker, after a few hours it gets pretty hard.  I would need to thaw it out for a while (20 minutes or so) before serving once it has frozen overnight.  I could make it creamier straight from the freezer by reducing liquid and increasing fat.  That can mean using full-fat yogurt (or greek-style) or using all cream instead of cream and milk.  Added sugar will help (to a point), as will a small amount of guar gum.  Since we tend to finish it off pretty quickly, this isn't a problem. 

Homemade Frozen Yogurt

Freeze the bucket of your ice-cream maker according to directions (usually for at least 24 hours).  Leave it in the freezer until ready to process. 

Combine the following in a separate bowl:

12 ounces of sweetened/flavored yogurt (I use fruit on the bottom)
OR
12 ounces of plain yogurt plus jam, honey, or other sweetener to taste

AND
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar (optional, depending on flavor desired)
1 cup fresh berries or fruit, chopped small (optional) or nuts

Mix everything together
Process in ice cream freezer until slightly thicker than soft-serve

Serve immediately, or freeze up to two hours first.  After two hours, let thaw on counter for 20 minutes before serving to soften up.  

Serves 4 at 1-2 scoops each, or 2 at NOMNOMNOMNOM size servings.