Honest to Goodness Yeast Risen Bread

I am so excited about this recipe. I have played with it quite a lot to get it to be what I want out of a yeast-risen bread. Enjoy and let me know what you think! I got the original recipe from my friend Ana, though I've modified it a fair amount. Thank you for the original challah recipe, Ana!

I use a stand mixer to make this, but you don't have to, you certainly can do this all in a large bowl with a sturdy wooden spoon. The dough is more like a batter, so I'd recommend using a bread mold or loaf pan, this recipe won't give you the option of fancy shaped breads unless you use a mold.

Ingredients:
1 packet dry yeast

1 tbsp honey

slightly less than 1 c warm water (preferably filtered/non-chlorinated)

2 eggs (or the equivalent of 2 eggs using egg substitute - I've used a product called VeganEgg successfully with this recipe)

1/4 c olive oil

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp xantham gum

2 c GF oat, teff, or sorghum flour

1/2 c tapioca or arrowroot starch (cornstarch would work too)

1/2 c almond or coconut flour (if allergic to nuts, you can also just use another 1/2 c of whatever flour you're using)

1/4 c ground flax
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Stir together yeast, 1 tbsp honey, and the warm water in the bowl of the mixer (or the bowl you're using). Let sit 5 min to proof the yeast. (I heat water until it feels hot but not painfully hot to the touch)

In a separate container, mix together the flour(s), flax, and xantham gum

If using stand mixer, start the mixer on medium speed and add the eggs/egg substitute, oil, honey, vinegar, and salt.into the yeast (if using a bowl, mix everything together, mixing well. You can use a whisk at this stage as well to combine your ingredients well)

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing thoroughly (if using a stand mixer, mix on high once all your flour is in the bowl until the batter is smooth and thick)

Pour the batter into a greased mold or loaf pan (I've even used a greased pie plate to make a round loaf). Put inside your oven or microwave with the oven turned off and allow to rise for 45-60 min 

Remove your pan and preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 75 min. Allow to cool for at least 10 min before slicing. Delicious!


Modifications:

You don't have to use nut flour in this recipe, though I think it gives the bread a nice texture and nutritional profile. If you want this bread to taste more like a traditional challah, use 1/4 c honey in the batter, and stick with oat flour (if you use oat flour, even though the bread is gluten free, it is considered halachically appropriate for saying motzi over and can be used for Jewish holidays calling for challah!). You can add sweet or savory elements into the bread if you're feeling inspired, such as olives and rosemary, raisins, nuts and seeds, herbs and granulated garlic or onions, even chocolate chips, but the bread is so lovely it doesn't need any of those things.

I've also used this recipe for making yeast risen pizza crusts. For pizza crust, I add 1 tbsp granulated onion and about 2 tbsp dried oregano. Rather than letting it rise in a bowl, I press the batter into a thin round pizza crust shape on a silicone baking mat placed on a baking sheet (you can put oil on your hands to help keep the batter from sticking to you), and then let it rise for about 30 min (the recipe should be enough for at least 2 good sized pizza crusts). I bake the crust at 425 degrees F for about 10 min, then remove it from the oven and put my pizza toppings on it, then bake for another 20-25 min (watch the color of the melting cheese, a proper mozzarella cheese pizza will have brown spots when it's about ready).