the real deal
This is not my recipe. I have used it for years, & it is heaven sent. But it is most decidedly not mine. It was created by a man named Tom Van Deman, and he provided it, selflessly, to everyone who asked. I always have at least one loaf of it in the freezer and one in the refrig. It is a stand-by, a must-have, my ace in the hole. I use it for my kids’ school lunches. I use it for french toast. I use it for a pillow at night, and I have sweet, sweet dreams.
Just look at it. Many of you have sent me emails asking if I could recommend a recipe for sandwich bread. Most of the commercially available gluten free breads are, well, blech. The ones that are good, it seems, are way too expensive to serve as a staple. And that just won’t do. In any event, Tom’s Bread is actually quite easy to make, freezes beautifully, & can be sliced as thin as you like. When it’s freshly made, you need not toast it. When it’s not, just toast a couple slices & you’ll revive it in two shakes. I make lots of other breads, but this is my go-to sandwich bread. I bet it’ll be yours, too.
These directions are for making it in the oven. You can also make it in a bread machine (preferably on a gluten free setting that has one knead cycle and one rise cycle), which we usually do. Whichever way you slice it, it’s the best.
Tom’s Bread
Ingredients
1 1/8 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup + 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
3 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/8 cup hot (not boiling) water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1. Combine all dry ingredients in a medium size bowl (or stand mixer bowl), including the yeast. Mix thoroughly on medium setting.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, warm water and oil until well combined. Pour these wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix on medium speed (with paddle or dough hook, if using stand mixer). When a (sticky) ball begins to form, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 1 additional minute. The dough will still be sticky. It’s fine.
3. Scrape the dough into a greased 9″x5″ loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap, set in a draft-free warm spot and let rise about 60 minutes, until doubled in size. Near the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4. Remove the plastic wrap and place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped with a spoon. Turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slice and enjoy. Thank me later.
P.S. I apologize for all the technical problems I have been having. My host site has been messin’ with me. And I don’t know the lingo. I’m a stranger in a strange land. But my web designer came to the rescue. Thank you, Michael!
Warmly,
Nicole
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