+GF +SF
The best dinners have a little something for everyone. With so many people avoiding wheat and gluten, your gluten-free guests will get a warm and fuzzy feeling once they realize you made homemade rolls that they can actually eat. These are soft, moist and if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop eating them. Another plus is that these rolls taste just as fresh the next day! —KH
MAKES 10 ROLLS
WET INGREDIENTS
1½ cups (375 ml) very warm water
2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup (or agave nectar)
2¼ tsp (7 g) active dry yeast (about 1 standard packet)
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (20 g) ground chia seeds
1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp (7 g) ground flaxseed
1 tbsp (7 g) ground psyllium husk
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 cup (125 g) teff flour (or brown teff flour)
1 cup (80 g) oat flour
½ cup (85 g) tapioca flour
½ cup (65 g) arrowroot flour
¼ cup (38 g) brown rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare a baking sheet with oil or parchment paper.
FOR THE WET INGREDIENTS
Combine the warm water and maple syrup in a 4-cup (960-ml) measuring cup or small mixing bowl. Stir until the sweetener is dissolved. (The water must not be too hot or it will kill the yeast. You can test the water on the underside of your wrist. If it’s too hot to touch, wait until it cools a bit. If it’s winter and your house is freezing, you can put water from the tap into the microwave for about 45 seconds to warm it up.)
Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the water mixture. In a few minutes, you should notice some change as the yeast gets activated. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
FOR THE DRY INGREDIENTS
In a large mixing bowl, add the teff flour, oat flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, brown rice flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well and set aside.
Go back to the wet mixture and add the olive oil, ground chia seeds, apple cider vinegar, ground flaxseed and ground psyllium husk. Mix well and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. The mixture will thicken into a slurry.
After the 5 minutes are up, add the wet yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon. You can also do this in a mixer with the paddle attachment (not the dough hook).
Mix the dough until the dry ingredients are completely incorporated with the wet ones. The dough will be more sticky than a traditional wheat bread dough. Let the dough sit for about 5 minutes before making the rolls.
Form 10 rolls out of the dough, placing them on the baking sheet as you go. I also make a cut with a sharp knife down the middle for decoration. I made oval rolls, but you can make them any shape you want. If the dough is sticking to your hands, wet your hand a bit as needed.
Cover the newly formed rolls with a clean dish towel and put them in a warm place. In the winter I put it on top of the stove because it’s warmer when the oven is on. Let them rise for 20 minutes. They won’t quite double in size, but they should grow a little bit bigger.
Uncover the pan and place it in the preheated oven. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the bottoms have turned a dark brown and the tops of the rolls are solid.
Store any leftover rolls in an airtight container.
*SEE PHOTO INSERT