Gluten Free Star Bread

• porsiyonlar: 8 servings
• aktif süre: 45 minutes
• toplam süre: 2 hours 20 minutes

Malzemeler

15 g (3 tbsp) whole psyllium husk (If using psyllium husk powder, use only 13g.)

180 g (¾ cup) lukewarm water

160 g (1⅓ cups + 1 tbsp) tapioca starch

135 g (1 cup) millet flour, plus extra for flouring the surface

25 g (3 tbsp) sorghum flour

50 g (¼ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar

6 g (2 tsp) instant yeast (If using active dry yeast, use 8g.)

6 g (1½ tsp) baking powder

5 g (2 tsp) xanthan gum

5 g (1 tsp) salt

100 g (⅓ cup + 1½ tbsp) whole milk, lukewarm

1 US large/UK medium egg, room temperature

25 g (2 tbsp) sunflower oil, or other neutral-tasting oil of choice

100 g (½ cup) light brown soft sugar

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

6 g (1 tbsp) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

55 g (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 US large/UK medium egg, whisked, for egg wash

powdered/icing sugar, for dusting the bread before serving

Yöntemler

Gluten free brioche dough:

To make the dough, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. You can also make the dough by hand, but the mixer makes it much easier and results in a smoother dough.

Make the psyllium gel: In a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and lukewarm water. After about 30-45 seconds, a gel will form.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer (if using), whisk together the tapioca starch, millet flour, sorghum flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt.Tip: If using active dry yeast instead, you need to activate it first. Mix it together with the lukewarm milk and a tablespoon of the sugar. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixture starts frothing. Then, add it to the dry ingredients along with the rest of the wet ingredients.

Add the milk, egg and oil to the psyllium gel, and mix well to combine.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the psyllium gel-egg mixture.

Knead the dough until smooth and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated, then knead for a further 4-5 minutes (if using a stand mixer) or 6-8 minutes (if kneading it by hand). Use a rubber spatula to occasionally scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to prevent any dry patches of unmixed flour.Tip: This extra kneading time will make the dough EXTRA smooth, which is the key to beautiful gluten free star bread.

The final dough will be slightly sticky to the touch – that’s okay, you’ll be working on a floured surface so it shouldn’t be a problem. Resist the temptation to add more flour to the dough, as that can make the final bread too dense and dry.Tip: If you find the dough too sticky to easily handle (even on a floured surface and with floured hands), you can chill it in the fridge for about 1 hour before proceeding to the next step. This will make the dough slightly less sticky and therefore easier to handle.

Assembling & shaping the star bread:

For detailed step-by-step photos of the assembly and shaping process, see the blog post above.

In a bowl, mix together the light brown sugar, cinnamon and cocoa powder until well combined. Set aside until needed.

Turn out the dough onto a generously floured surface and shape it into a ball. Divide it into 4 equal portions, each should weigh about 190g. Shape all portions into balls.

Working on a generously floured surface and with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough balls into 10-inch (25cm) circles. Brush off any excess flour with a soft-bristled pastry brush.

Place one of the dough circles on a large sheet of parchment/baking paper.

Spread about ⅓ of the softened butter on top of the circle and sprinkle on about ⅓ of the cinnamon-sugar filling – make sure you go all the way to the edges.

Stack another circle on top, spread on the butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, repeat this once more and then finish it off with the final dough circle. Leave the top circle bare, without any butter or cinnamon-sugar filling.

Place a 2½-inch (6.5cm) round cookie cutter or bowl in the centre and press down very gently to make an indent (don’t cut or press down too much, you just want to create a guide for how large the centre of the star will be).

Use a sharp knife, pizza cutter or a straight-edged metal bench scraper to cut 16 evenly spaced strips – make sure to cut through all the layers.

Grab the ends of two adjacent strips and twist them away from each other twice, then gently pinch the two ends together to seal. (I recommend lightly flouring your fingertips before you pinch the ends together, that way the dough won’t stick to your fingers.) Repeat with the rest of the strips until you get a star-like shape with 8 points.

Slide the assembled star bread together with the parchment/baking paper onto a large baking sheet. Trim the parchment/baking paper if necessary.

Proofing:

Lightly cover the bread with a sheet of plastic wrap/cling film (to prevent it from drying out) and proof in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.Tip: If your kitchen is on the cold side, put a cup of boiling hot water into your (turned-off) oven – that will create the perfect warm, slightly humid proofing environment. Make sure to remove the bread from the oven when you start preheating it!

Baking the star bread:

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Once doubled in size, egg wash the star bread and then bake for about 20 minutes or until it's evenly golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean with no sticky, raw dough attached to it.

Allow the bread to cool for about 15 minutes, then dust it lightly with powdered/icing sugar and serve. You can enjoy the star bread either warm or cooled to room temperature.

Storage:

This gluten free star bread is at its best fresh, on the day of baking, but it keeps well in a closed container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 days. I recommend reheating it either in the microwave or in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven before serving.