Gluten free fruit bread

Hi everyone,

I thought that I'd make a fruit loaf today and this is what I made. It's made with 1/2 brown and half white GF bread flour and lots of dried raisins, what I do with dried fruit is put in a jug with some boiling water and spices and then put it in the microwave for 2 mins so the fruit absorbs a lot water is softer plumper and doesn't sink. Some dried fruit for sale has water added to make them look bigger and softer and water's cheaper so I avoid those.

Here's the recipe

250g Gluten free bread flour 300ml warm water with yeast dissolved in it with 1 tea spoon of brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt I large free range egg and the soaked raisins approx 180g.

Leave to prove and then bake and hey presto I love things like this in the winter as we need comfort food some times.

There's lots of flooding near me as the river Wye has burst it's banks so I realise how lucky I am and my thoughts are with those affected by the flooding and storms.

The sun peeped out and made great lighting for the bread and it's so cheerful after what we've been through.

Take care now folks. 😊

Please note this Saturday is the start of Real Bread week so any home baked bread we'd love your photo's, please see:

sustainweb.org/news/dec19_r...

[Activity2004 Administrator]

Wow! This looks and sounds really fantastic to me, Hidden ! Perfect timing for next week's Bread Week.

[Hidden in reply to Activity2004]

Thanks Leah, I hope we get some photo's of members home baked bread. 😊

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Hope so, too!

[ChubbieChops]

Never tried cooking with gluten free flour. It's only since I started eating LCHF that I realised how much better I feel for not eating bread. I'm not feeling bloated.

Coming from Northern Ireland, we make a fruit loaf called Barm Brack. My ma always soaked the fruit in cold tea (so I do too) but I like the thought of spices in it too. Nice comforting smell. I also have a very easy no yeast recipe for wheaten soda bread but have only ever made it with normal flour. Will rummage out recipes and post

[Hidden in reply to ChubbieChops]

Hi ChubbieChops I'm a coeliac so have to eat gluten free and I love baking bread, I don't have weight issues so can enjoy bread as part of my balanced diet.

I've made Barm brack tea bread and thats where I got soaking fruit in sugar and spices from, here's one I made:

healthunlocked.com/healthye...

Jerry 😊

[ChubbieChops in reply to Hidden]

Ah fair enough. Nothing nicer than the smell of freshly baked bread. I must experiment with different flours

[Carecrime in reply to ChubbieChops]

Would you like to share your soda bread recipe?

Maureen. Yorkshire

[ChubbieChops in reply to Carecrime]

I will do but we moved house in the summer so things don't seem to be where I thought they should be!

[ChubbieChops in reply to Carecrime]

Found it!! I'll be interested to see if Jerry is able to make these any 'healthier'!!

Wheaten soda bread

225g wholemeal flour, 225g plain white flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 450 ml buttermilk (or 300 ml natural yoghurt and 150 ml water mixed), 1 egg beaten

Oven 190 degrees (maybe 180 in fan oven?) Gas 5

Sift the flour, baking soda & powder & salt. Mix the buttermilk & egg & stir in. Knead on a floured surface for a few mins until smooth. Shape into a round flat cake & place on greased baking tray or put into a 2 lb greased loaf tin. Make a deep cross on the round or cut down the middle of the tin to ensure even distribution in rising. Bake for about 40 - 45 mins. Wrap in a tea towel until cool.

Barm Brack – Makes 3 loaves!

450g sultanas, 450g raisins, 450g brown sugar, 3 cups of black tea, 450g plain flour, 3 eggs beaten, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 3 teaspoons mixed spice, 1 tablespoon warmed honey to glaze

Oven 160 degrees

Dissolve the sugar in the tea and when cool, add the fruit and soak overnight.

The next day add all the remaining ingredients except the honey and mix really well.

Lightly grease 3 round cake tins – 8” and divide the mixture between them, levelling the tops.

Bake for 1½ hours. Brush the tops with a little warmed honey & put back in the oven for 5 mins to dry. Cool on a wire tray

[Hidden in reply to ChubbieChops]

Hey thanks ChubbieChops I really like the look and sound of your soda bread so will have a go at that. With a tea cake I use less sugar and by dissolving the sugar in the hot tea and dried fruit makes the fruit sweet and we don't need to use so much so the recipe I use uses 1/3 less sugar.

I do glaze bread sometimes and use a sugar glaze maple syrup glaze as well as honey as its gives a lovely colour and extra flavour.

So thank you for going to the time and trouble to copy these it's very much appreciated.

Jerry 😊

[ChubbieChops in reply to Hidden]

No probs. Yes I was thinking that about the sugar and glazing with maple syrup is a good idea. Note that it doesn't keep as well as 'normal' bread so I break it in half and freeze it. But they are both very quick and easy to make. Glad I looked for the recipes as I have visitors next weekend so will definitely make it for them 😊

[Hidden]

Hey thanks and I do eat organic butter supermarkets sell gluten free flour in their free from aisles as do health food shops.

I know others with Fibro who feel better eating gluten free but I honestly don't know.

Here's the most easily available brand which I buy, they have a great selection of GF flours:

dovesfarm.co.uk/freee?gclid...

[kitchengardener2]

Have you tried soaking fruit overnight in cold tea? Much like the Welsh tea brack.

[Hidden in reply to kitchengardener2]

Hey thats where I got the idea from 😊:

healthunlocked.com/healthye...

[kitchengardener2 in reply to Hidden]

Love tea brack. We live in Yorkshire and there is a Yorkshire version which is nice but makes a mockery of slimming world

[Hidden in reply to kitchengardener2]

LOL 😊 I love Brack tea loaves.

[Hidden]

That looks and sounds delicious Jerry, I can't wait to be able to eat and make bread with fruit in it. I have some GF Vegan fruit bread in the freezer which tastes lovely but I can't eat it whilst following this diet so I'll be sure to tuck in when I can.

The king of breadmaking has raised his head again

Well I think you and I may be in contention for the Real Bread week with the Spelt Sourdough I make and all the GF breads you make.

Alicia

[Hidden]

Thank you Alicia, I was going to make some fruit scones but do like fruit bread as there's very little sugar in it. And that's a lovely compliment I enjoy bread making and prefer bread like this to the GF ones for sale.

I think that you are definitely in contention with your amazing vegan spelt sourdough bread as thats no mean feat and looks gorgeous.

I'm sure that you'll enjoy your sourdough bread really soon. 😊

[Zest]

Hi Hidden

Your Gluten Free Fruit Bread looks scrumptious, and it's great to know that Saturday is the start of Real Bread week - exciting!

Zest

[Hidden in reply to Zest]

Hey thanks Zest I know that you make bread sometimes too and think it's worth encouraging. 😊

[Zest in reply to Hidden]

Definitely, I would do it more often if it wasn't for the fact that I love the wholemeal bread that the local bakery makes!

[Hidden in reply to Zest]

Hey I don't blame you 😊

[Trishe]

How lovely, how long did you bake it for and what temp please, sounds delicious.

[Hidden in reply to Trishe]

Hey thanks Trishe I baked it for 25/30mins at 175C, I'm sorry should have put this with the recipe. 😊

[Trishe]

That's ok, think I might try this at some point, not yet tho have family coming to stay for a few days, none of them like dried fruit. Thankyou

Trishe