Cob Loaf

 This recipe was designed specifically to be made with Bakers' Magic gluten free flour. The finished baked product will not be the same if you use another gluten free flour and you will need to adjust the recipe, particularly if the flour you're using contains rice flour. 

 

Ingredients

450 g Bakers' Magic Gluten free flour

15 g Psyllium husk

2 tsp Yeast

1 tbs Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Salt

500 g Warm water

50 g Oil (I use Rice bran Oil)

Extra Oil

 

Method

Warm water is ~1/4 to 1/3 of boiling water with the remaining cold water (tap). Whether you use 1/4 or 1/3 will depend on how cold your tap water is. If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast.

Pre-incubate the yeast at room temperature for approximately 5 - 8 mins in 100 g of warm water containing the sugar. Stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar & disperse the yeast. This gives the yeast a readily available food source & they can "revive" in a relatively undisturbed environment. After the allocated time the surface of the yeast mixture should be slightly frothy. This indicates the yeast are viable. 

If the yeast mixture has a frothy top or you can see bubbles proceed with bread making.

Are you going to proof the dough in your oven or in another warm spot? If proofing in your oven turn oven to ~50 C for approximately 10 mins then turn it off again.

Prepare your banneton. If you don't have a banneton coat the inside of a pasta bowl with flour to stop the dough from sticking to the bowl. Lightly oil or spray a fine mist of water on the inside of the bowl then dust with sifted flour. Lightly spray another coat of oil or water then dust with sifted flour again.

Stand Mixer

Place all ingredients into the mixing bowl (including pre-incubated yeast). Remember you need to add 400 g of water as you will be adding the other 100 g with the pre-incubated yeast.

Combine ingredients using the flat beater until a uniform consistency is achieved. You may need to stop the mixer and scrap down the sides. This make take longer than 5 mins. 

Put a little oil on a work surface and your hands. Place the dough on the oil and shape it into a ball with your hands. Coating your hands in oil will stop the dough sticking. Place the dough ball into the banneton.  

Let the dough proof for approximately 45 mins in a warm moist environment. Turn your oven on to 200 C.

If you are proofing in your oven put on the timer for ~35 mins. When the time is up take the proofing bread out of the oven and turn the oven up to 200 C. The 35 mins is an estimate it will depend on how long it takes your oven to reach 200 C.

Before putting it in the oven ensure that the dough has risen ~2X.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Gently tip the dough out of the basket/bowl onto the baking paper. Dust off the excess flour on the surface of the dough. Optional - using a sharp knife make a cross or other pattern on the top of the dough. 

Bake at 200 C for approximately 70 mins, the time will vary depending on the individual oven. If your oven has a hot spot turn the bread halfway through baking. 

Take out of the oven & cool the bread on a cooling rack.

Ensure the bread is sufficiently cooled before cutting into it.