In bread we trust: Maninis gluten-free mix

Maninis bread using Multiuso mix

You know how, in the movies, when the hero is about to die their life flashes before their eyes in a beautifully-shot montage of tender moments? Well, when I was first diagnosed with my gluten allergy, the montage that flashed through my mind was of all the bread I was going to be missing. Dramatic, I know, but hey--it happened. Bread is one of my fave things ever, and I never tire of it. It is always definitely be on the plate when I play the "last meal" game. Rustic breads, unleavened breads, quickbreads, dinner rolls, croissants, brie and butter sandwiches on rustic baguettes--you get the idea, I love 'em all. So ever since I was diagnosed in 2003, I've been on the hunt for a decent gluten-free bread that didn't taste heavy and fibrous like a doorstop, or the Washington Post.  Most ranged from disappointing to downright criminal so basically I stopped eating anything resembling bread for years.

Although the gluten-free revolution is in now officially "a thing", to quote Rachel Maddow, I still manage to miss out on my bread-love because most of the good commercial loaves out out there (I hear Udi's is great) are based on rice. To which I am also allergic. Which is also why I'm the Queen, of course. I've dipped into the bread recipes of several respected #gf cookbooks, but have not been thrilled. And I've used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free bread mix, based on garbanzo bean flour, which I like for texture, but don't love for the slight beany aftertaste. It was my go-to, until now.

Last summer, I moved to Seattle and discovered Maninis Gluten Free, which bases their gluten-free breads, muffins, cookies, etc. on ancient grains like millet, teff, amaranth and sorghum. Also tapioca flour. Their pre-made baked goods and pastas caused me to gain an *undisclosed* number of pounds that summer, since I finally had bread that both tasted good and had a fantastic texture! (In my defense, they made these insanely good chocolate, chocolate chip and fresh raspberry muffins. The stuff of legends.) Sadly, they no longer sell their pre-made breads at the farmers market in my 'hood, so I'm left with whatever Maninis products I can get at Whole Foods: dinner rolls, fresh pastas and dry mixes. So I tried out the Multiuso (basic baking) mix yesterday using a recipe from their website.

Multiuse flour. They also have bread mixes.

It didn't disappoint! My biggest failure was to not proof test the yeast before I put it into the batter, as a result it took forever to make it rise. Also, I forgot to calculate the temperature difference since it's colder here than my kitchen in California. And, full disclosure, I parked the batter on top of the stove as a warm place to rise, completely forgetting that I have an electric stove, not a gas one. D'oh.

Lovely texture, terrific taste, with no nasty "it's not real bread" aftertaste. I froze half of the loaf for later. Be sure, I will be having some fantastic toast along with my newfound love of vegan butter based on coconut oil that I now make in quantities. I am SO happy, and feel so much more NORMAL knowing and trusting that I have delicious bread (and other baked goods to come) back in my life! You can also order their mixes online. In bread we trust!

*Bonus for those concerned with cross-contamination, the package states that they work from a dedicated facility free of gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish and soy.

Here's the recipe from their site:

Bread Recipe for Gluten-Free, Rice-Free Multiuso Multi-Purpose Mix

January 19, 2012 by Maninis Gluten Free Blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

34 Votes

Multiuso Multi-Purpose Flour Mix can also make a delicious rice-free gluten-free bread loaf! For your first loaf, please also refer to our Baking Tips to make a perfect loaf the first time!

Ingredients:

7/8 cup warm water
2 tsp active dry yeast
3 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 large egg + 1 egg white
2 cups (278 grams) Multiuso™ Multi-Purpose Flour Mix

Instructions:

Stir yeast into the 7/8 cup warm
water. Let stand until creamy (about
10 minutes). Add oil, vinegar, and
eggs.
Place the 2 cups Multiuso™ in a
mixing bowl. Using a paddle
attachment on the stir setting, slowly
add the wet ingredients. Increase
speed to low and mix for 3 minutes.
Spray an 8-1/2” x 4-1/2” loaf pan
with nonstick cooking spray. Place the
dough into the pan. Using a wet
rubber spatula, gently form the dough
into loaf shape.
Cover pan with a dish towel and let
the dough rise in a draft-free,
preferably warm area. It’ll take about
60 minutes but don’t rush
it—humidity, altitude, and room
temperature make a difference. The
dough will fill the pan and rise above
the top. Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place the pan on the middle oven
rack and bake for 45 minutes.
Take bread from oven, remove bread
from pan and place on a cooling rack.
Cover with a towel and cool before
slicing.