Fabulous Gluten Free Italian Bread

Ingredients SERVINGS:

3 cups gluten free bread flour blend (Kim’s) 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast 2 cups milk 4 tablespoons butter (melted)

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, weigh bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Whisk to combine. Using beater blade, turn the mixer on low and slowly pour in the milk and butter. Increase the speed to medium high and beat for about 5 minutes.  

• Remove the beater blade and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size in a warm-draft free location. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but up to 7 days.

• On baking day, remove the dough from the refrigerator and dump it out onto a heavily floured piece of parchment.  Add more flour to the top of the dough to coax it into a torpedo or slipper shape (not as long as a baguette, but wider).  You can divide the dough into two smaller loaves, if desired.  I place the parchment on my pizza peel, but you can also use an overturned baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about a half an hour.  It will not double in size, just be slightly puffed.  

• While the bread is rising, place a baking steel (or baking stone) on the middle rack of the oven and a shallow baking pan (such as a broiler pan) on the rack below it. Preheat the oven to 450° F.    If you like the flour on your dough as it bakes, leave it on. If not, carefully brush off the extra flour, being careful not to deflate the dough. If desired, brush the dough with a little melted butter.

• Using a pizza peel or overturned baking sheet, slide the bread, parchment and all, onto baking steel (or stone).  Immediately add one cup of hot tap water to broiler pan and quickly shut the oven door.  Alternatively, you may drop a couple ice cubes on the bottom of your oven to create steam.  

• Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until you begin to smell the bread and it springs back when lightly touched.  If the top is getting too dark, cover the bread with aluminum foil.  

• Remove from the oven and brush again with melted butter, if desired. Allow it to cool on wire rack before cutting.  The crust will soften as it cools.