LONG BEFORE THE ADVENT of Wonder Bread and all of its contemporaries, there was always a place in homes and on restaurant menus for a loaf of white bread that sliced easily to use in delicate finger sandwiches and could be toasted to use with butter and jam at breakfast, or used to line the sides of a charlotte mold for dessert. In writing this book, one of my quests was to develop such a bread, and it had to make great toasted breadcrumbs, too. This bread is mildly flavored and has a lovely denseness and richness to it, and, because of the dairy content, it has enough protein to toast up well, too.
MAKES 1 LOAF
2¼ teaspoons/7 g active dry yeast
1 tablespoon/13 g granulated sugar
1½ cups/355 ml whole milk, heated to 110° to 115°F/43° to 46°C, divided
1 cup/158 g white rice flour
1 cup/127 g sorghum flour
⅔ cup/85 g cornstarch
⅓ cup/57 g potato starch
2 tablespoons/14 g defatted soy flour
2 tablespoons/8.5 g nonfat dried milk powder
1¼ teaspoons/11.25 g xanthan gum
½ teaspoon/3 g fine salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg white, at room temperature
2 tablespoons/27 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons/45 ml honey
1 teaspoon/5 ml cider vinegar
Spray the inside of an 8½ × 4½-inch/21.25 × 9.25 cm loaf pan with vegetable oil spray.
Combine the yeast, sugar, and ¼ cup/59 ml of the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix well. Set aside for about 10 minutes while the yeast proofs. Combine the rice flour, sorghum flour, cornstarch, potato starch, soy flour, milk powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk well.
When the yeast looks frothy add the remaining 1¼ cups/296 ml of warm milk and the egg, egg white, melted butter, honey, and vinegar and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and beat at medium speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it has the consistency of a thick but still pourable cake batter.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula dipped in water, and cover the pan with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Allow the bread to rise in a warm place for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it reaches ½ inch/1.25 cm from the top of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C toward the end of the rising time.
Covering the loaf loosely with aluminum foil after 30 minutes, bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown, the top is firm, and it has reached an internal temperature of 190°F/87°C on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool for 30 minutes. Remove it from the loaf pan by running a spatula around the rim and invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
NOTE:
The bread is best the day it is baked, but it can be stored refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.
VARIATION:
• Substitute buttermilk for the whole milk, and bake the loaf for 50 to 55 minutes.
And after talking about great breadcrumbs, here’s your method to make them at home with White Toasting Bread.
MAKES 2 CUPS/216 G BREADCRUMBS
¼ pound/113 g sliced gluten-free white bread, preferably stale
Preheat the oven to 200°F/93°C and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Spread the bread out in a single layer on the baking sheet, and bake for 1½ to 1¾ hours, or until totally dry. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bread to cool.
Break the bread into 1-inch/2.5 cm cubes and grind them in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Store the breadcrumbs in an airtight container.
NOTE:
The breadcrumbs will keep for up to 3 months.
VARIATIONS:
• This recipe creates what are called fresh breadcrumbs. For toasted breadcrumbs, bake the bread in a 375°F/190°C oven for 10 to 12 minutes per side, turning the slices with a spatula, or until browned.
• Italian breadcrumbs are toasted breadcrumbs that are then seasoned with parsley, other herbs, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. To create these at home, add 1 teaspoon/1 g of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon/1.5 g of granulated garlic, and 3 tablespoons/15 g of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to each 1 cup/108 g of plain breadcrumbs.